Hop Into Spring at the April First Thursday
 
Thursday, April 5, 5:30 to 7:30pm
Lakeside Landings Clubhouse
10052 Regatta Blvd.
Oxford, FL 34482 (From US 301 turn east onto CR 472 and travel 1.2 miles. Entrance to Lakeside Landings is on the right. Enter gate and proceed to the clubhouse.) Wear your finest Easter bonnet or brightest spring necktie. Admission to First Thursday is free for Chamber members, and RSVP is not required. |
Sharin' of the Green:
Cash Mob at Wildwood Growers' Market
 | | Click the graphic above to see a video about the Cash Mob. |
Come participate in a cash mob on Saturday, March 17, 10am at the Wildwood Growers Market, 100 N. Main Street in Wildwood, Florida. Support local growers and producers. Bring $20 to spend. Check in at the Sumter County Chamber of Commerce table and receive discount coupons for local businesses. Join us for a post-mob celebration at nearby restaurants. Click the graphic above to see a video, and call the UF/IFAS Extension Office at 352-793-2728 or tweet us at @SumterCoChamber for more information.
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Nathan Thomas Insurance and Financial Services is Getting Valuable Exposure on the Chamber's Website.
You Can Too!
Traffic on the website (www.sumterchamber.org) jumped 400% in the past year and continues to grow. That makes advertising on the site an even greater marketing tool for your business.
The chamber has advertising opportunities available on the website, and on this newsletter. Ad prices fit any business' budget but availability is limited. Contact Andy Cripps at the chamber at (352) 793-3099 or via e-mail.
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Poker Run on Scenic Sumter Heritage Byway
Saturday March 249am-Noon signupHistoric Downtown WebsterCR 471 (S. Market) & E. Central Ave.
- $10.00 per hand
- 4 Mystery Card Stops (Free Extra Cards)
- Lunch Included with participation
- Door Prizes (Attendance Required)
For information call or email Diane Boorum at the
Sumter County Chamber of Commerce, (352) 793-3099.
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 Sumter County Chamber of Commerce Passport Sponsors
Gold Level
Silver Level
Bronze Level
For more information about sponsoring chamber events, contact Andrew Cripps, Executive Director at 352-793-3099 or e-mail him at director@sumterchamber.org.
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If you read all the way down to the bottom of the newsletter, you deserve a prize. Be the first, second or third person to call the chamber at 352-793-3099 before 5pm Wed., March 14, and say "I Can't Believe I Read the Whole Thing," and you'll get a free listing and link to your business website in next week's e-news.
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Sumter County Chamber E-News
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
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Where is the Real Estate Roller Coaster Headed? Panel to Discuss Market Outlook at Lunch Exchange
 Sumter County has weathered the burst of the national real estate bubble better than most. But where will it go from here?
The future of Sumter County's real estate market will be the topic of the Chamber Lunch Exchange on Wednesday, March 14, at Wildwood Country Resort. The Lunch Exchange begins at 11:30am. Connie Mahan of Connie Mahan Real Estate Group, Kelly Rice of Century 21 Prime Property Resources, and Danny Smith of Smith and Smith Realty will provide insight into the market's ups and downs and will give their best guesses on its future path. Wildwood Country Resort is located at 1504 Heritage Blvd. in Wildwood. The cost to attend is $12 for members and $18 for non members and RSVP is required. Lunch will be provided by O'Shucks Oyster Bar and Grill in Wildwood (winners of "Sumter's Best Burger" at the Beef and Boogie Festival). Email assistant@sumterchamber.org or call 352-793-3099 to reserve your seat. Don't forget to ask how to get premium exposure in the Member Midway. |
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Register Now to Learn How to Boost Your Sales at Workshops
 The Sumter County Chamber of Commerce and Lake Sumter Community College will offer a series of workshops designed to help businesses boost their sales and profits. "Filling Your Sales Funnel: Generating Qualified Prospects and Generating Actual Sales," the first of three workshops in the series presented by the Delfin Group of Yalaha, Fla., is scheduled for Thursday, March 15, 8:00 to 9:30am at the Wildwood Community Center, 6500 CR139 in Wildwood. (Note: new location) Registration is $30 for each workshop or $75 for all three in the series. Space is limited, so advance registration is required. Contact the Sumter County Chamber of Commerce at (352) 793-3099 for information and registration. Read More Here>> |
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Small Business Advice
Follow These Simple Steps to Grow Sales
 Here's nine simple but highly practical action steps that you can take to grow your sales. These are steps that any business in any industry can apply. Read More Here>> |
Governmental Affairs
Legislature Puts Business Property Tax Cut on November Ballot
 The Florida Senate voted 40-0 on Thursday afternoon to put a proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot that would cut property taxes on machinery, furniture and other business equipment known as "tangible personal property." Read More Here>>
The Florida Senate has also approved a measure that would save Florida businesses $830 million in state unemployment taxes during the next two and a half years. It would extend, from three years to five years, the amount of time businesses have to replenish the state's unemployment-benefits fund, which was drained during the recession and has yet to recover amid stubbornly high unemployment.
Read More Here>> |
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Events and information from your fellow chamber members
Is exporting a viable expansion strategy for your business? The Small Business Development Center at UCF will present a workshop on Export Strategies for Growing Your Business on Thursday, March 15, 9am to noon, in the National Entrepreneur Center
3201 E. Colonial Drive, Suite A20, in Orlando. Participants will leave the workshop with action-oriented answers about exporting, including: how to assess export readiness, how to identify export markets, various exporting options, as well as information on international trade missions and trade shows. Read More Here>>
Sumter County Schools is seeking business sponsors for a presentation by Champions of Choices Inc. Champion of Choices' mission is to empower people to make positive choices that lead to lifelong success. It is led by former WCW and WWE wrestling champion Marc Mero, who addresses schools about bullying, peer pressure, substance abuse, and suicide prevention. For information about sponsorship, contact John Rogers at (352) 793-2232. Read More Here>>
Lake-Sumter Community College will host a program on March 23, 10am until noon, as part of its Executive Lecture Series featuring nationally recognized education administrator Dr. Marie McDemmond. The public is invited to the free event in the Leesburg Campus Health Sciences Center Auditorium. Read More Here>>
City of Wildwood Parks & Recreation Department presents Easter Egg-Stravaganza on Saturday, April 7, 9am to noon. Egg Hunt begins at 10am at Millennium Park Baseball Fields. Admission is FREE! For more information, contact Jenny Donovan, Parks & Recreation Coordinator (352) 330-1330 Ext. 114 or jdonovan@wildwood-fl.gov. Read More Here>>
Florida Special Olympics will hold a Kick-Off BBQ for its Law Enforcement Torch Run on Friday, March 23. For just $5 you get a chicken leg quarter, BBQ beans, potato salad and roll. Place orders now and they will deliver to your place of business! Contact Sumter Correctional Institution at (352) 569-6104 or (352) 569-6134.
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Remember, our chamber of commerce is here to serve you and your business. If you have a suggestion for how we can help, please call us at 352-793-3099 or e-mail us at sumter-coc@sumterchamber.org.
Sincerely,
Andrew Cripps, Executive Director
Sumter County Chamber of Commerce
 
Visit our website at
www.sumterchamber.org
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