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In This Issue
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What's Happening in Sierra Madre
L.A.'s Largest Mixer
FNL Begins THIS WEEK!
Sierra Madre Books Evolving
Chamber Changes Member Categories
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Weekly E-Newsletter 
Greetings!

Thank you for your continued support of the Sierra Madre Chamber of Commerce.  Please see below for news and information about the Chamber and its members...
Some of What's Happening in Sierra Madre
Click image to enlarge
Butterfly Effect Mixer image
Thanks to those who turned out for last week's mixer at
Butterfly Effect Day Spa.  Rita Forchera and the women of Butterfly Effect did a great job of hosting, with help from their neighbor, Karin's Salon.  There were quite a few folks that walked out much more relaxed after enjoying a complementary massage,  some of them lasting fifteen minutes, or more!
A relaxing courtyard setting, good food, cold beverages, networking, door prizes and several new bookings for the Spa.  Everything you could ask for in a mixer!! 
 
While we're on the subject of Butterfly Effect Day Spa, they are now offering 30-minute yoga classes in their courtyard each Thursday evening at 6pm.  Cost is just $6.
 
Foothill HomeCare logo smallFoothill HomeCare Partners, Inc. is proud to announce their recently opened office in Long Beach, CA.  The doors opened in April, serving  Long Beach and the surrounding cities. The address is 4122 Atlantic Blvd., in the Bixby Knolls business district. Foothill HomeCare Partners offer affordable assistance to families caring for elderly loved ones. We provide compassionate, expert care on an hourly or live-in basis, with caregivers who are dedicated and highly qualified.  You can contact the Long Beach office at (562)-989-3300, or the Sierra Madre office at (626) 836-2006.
 
At last night's City Council meeting, residents of the City utilized Prop. 218 to protest the City's water rate increase, and unofficially had enough protest letters to cancel the rate hike, which would have been approx. 15% immediately, growing to nearly 40% over the next few years.  Some businesses would have been severely impacted by this increase, and so the Chamber had a representative on hand to advocate for the businesses during the Community Communication portion of the public hearing.  
To read the text of the statement to the Council, click here
 
To paraphrase Mark Twain, "Rumors of the demise of the
Sierra Madre Farmer's Market have been greatly exaggerated."  The Farmers Market takes place each Wednesday from 3 to 7pm, and is located at the public parking lot on Mariposa Ave.  Sierra Madre Farmers Market will continue to be managed by Scholastic Gardens through September 30, 2010.  For more information please call Scholastic Gardens at 310-633-3966.
 
Thursday, July 15th, beginning at 7:30pm, the Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing to consider a request for a Conditional Use Permit to allow expansion of restaurant seating area to 1,750 sq. ft. within the existing building located at 138 - 142 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. (the former Steamer's site).  The hearing will  take place at City Hall Council Chambers at 232 W. Sierra Madre Blvd.
 
The Sierra Madre Individual Preparedness Project's third Community Preparedness Meeting is scheduled for Friday evening, July 16th @ 7:00 pm in Council Chambers.  The topic of this month's presentation will be "Partnering Community Preparedness with Crime Prevention through Neighborhood Watch". 
 
And it's a busy night that night, from 8 to 10pm, Creative Arts Group will hold its "Midsummer Night's Dream" sale.   20% off everything in the gallery at 108 N. Baldwin Ave.
 
Thursday, July 22nd, from 7 to 8:30pm, "Small Talk! Parent Discussion Group" a parent discussion group to address the unique dynamic found in families who have typically developing children and those with special needs will be held at Justine Sherman and Associates, 55 Auburn Ave.. The discussion will include strategies for insuring that all family members feel valued. Parents of children of all ages are welcome.  Special Guest Speaker - Mark Hastings, MS, MFT.
 
Chamber member Matt McSweeney, owner of Matt Denny's Alehouse Restaurant, which just joined the Sierra Madre Chamber, was named  Business Man of the Year by the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce.   
He will be honored at the Chamber's annual Business Awards Luncheon from 12 noon - 1:30 p.m. Thursday, July 29, at the Sunset Room of the Santa Anita Golf Course, 405 S. Santa Anita Ave., along with other winners:
Chamber to Promote Sierra Madre at L.A.'s Largest Mixer NEXT THURSDAY
 
LAMixer FlyerThe Sierra Madre Chamber of Commerce is one of more than thirty Chambers co-sponsoring next Thursday's L.A.'s Largest Mixer event at the Shrine Auditorium.  We could use some volunteers to help us man the booth to promote Sierra Madre and our members to the 3,000 people expected to be on hand.  Tickets to the event, from 5 to 9pm, are $20, but if you are willing to help out for one hour, we will provide you with a ticket to get in free.  Click on the image at left to view the flyer with more information about the mixer.
 
MEMBER BUSINESSES:  This is an opportunity for you to promote your business to non-Sierra Madreans at a high profile event...The Chamber table will be filled with promotional literature from Sierra Madre Chamber members.  Do we have your literature?  Stop by the Chamber office and leave your literature for us to distribute, and don't miss out on this FREE opportunity to promote your business.
Friday Night Live STARTS THIS WEEK!!
July 16th - The Mellow Dz (Dave Osti/Deanna Cogan) 
July 23rd - Mercy and the Beets
July 30th - Gem City Jazz Cats
Aug. 6th - Buck 25
Aug. 13th - Jean Sudbury and Local Talent (TBA) 
Aug. 20th - Steve and Steve (Steve Vargas/Steve Ysais)
Aug. 27th - Jane Fuller
 
Folks that shop in a participating retailer and spend $35, $50 or $75 will receive tote bags with gifts, the more they spend, the more they find in their tote bag.  The same holds true for folks that spend $$50, $75 or $100 in a restaurant.  And shoppers that spend at the top two levels will also be entered in our weekly drawing(s) that will be held the following Wednesday at the Farmer's Market.
 
Thank you to the folks who've agreed to provide items for our tote bags and our weekly drawings:  Arnold's Frontier Hardware, Barney's Only Place in Town, Bean Town Coffee House, Belle's Nest, Butterfly Effect Day Spa, Casa del Rey, Charcuterie, Corfu, Drop a Load Laundry, Foothill HomeCare Partners, Inc., Iris Intrigue, Julia Rocks, Karin's Salon/The Art of Change, La Bella Rouge, Santa Anita Park, Sierra Madre Playhouse, The Shabby Dog, Ugo's Cafe.
 
If you'd like to have your promotional material included in the tote bags, or would like to donate items for the tote bags or the weekly drawings, give us a call for info, 355-5111.
Friday Night Live
Changes Taking Place at Sierra Madre Books
Beginning July 5, 2010, the bookstore's focus and schedule have changed ... 
 
Recently we have had increased interest in the tutoring activities that take place at the bookstore. Our tutoring division, Blue Sky Tutoring, provides educational opportunities for students with difficulties in
math, reading, writing, comprehension, spelling, phonics, language processing, and more. All tutoring activities are multi-sensory, process-based, and individualized.  
 
We are committed to having students learn to read & write well, understand mathematics, and perform to their highest potential. At the same time, we hope to provide interesting reading material to the entire community.
 
Here is what will stay the same:
 
1.       �We will continue to take any/all book orders and get them in as quickly as possible
2.       �We will continue to sell children's books (from board books to young adult titles)
3.       �We will continue to sell popular fiction, classic literature, & best sellers
4.       �We will remain part of the community and do our part to support you as well!
5.       �Ordered books may be picked up during store hours or by appointment
 
Here is what will change:
  1. �The bookstore will be open the following hours during the summer:
        Tue. - Thur.    (11 am - 2 pm)        
        Friday     (11 am - 6 pm)
        Saturday    (10 am - 6 pm)           
        and by appointment
 
  1. Blue Sky Tutoring will be open Monday - Thursday (9 - 6 pm) and additional hours by appointment
We thank all of you very much for your continued support! Please don't hesitate to contact us with any questions.
 
- Jeff & Sally, Owners

Board Approves Revised Member Categories

Recently, the Chamber Board was advised that most Chambers receive about 40% of their revenues from member dues.  In 2009, the Sierra Madre Chamber's member dues accounted for only 13% of the Chamber's revenue.  So we took a long overdue look at our membership categories and dues.  We reviewed benefits, dues rates and categories from several area Chambers, including Arcadia, Azusa, Duarte, Irwindale, Monrovia, Pasadena, South Pasadena and Temple City.  And it was decided that we were due for some adjustment.  A new slate of categories was presented to the Board that we think better serves the Chamber and its members. With the revised categories came proposed new rates, to help bring the dues revenue closer in line with the standard Chamber business model.  Most rate increases were in the range of $15 to $25 annually, however, re-categorization based on the number of employees will mean substantial increases for larger companies.  The Chamber has not increased its rates in several years, despite the increase in the costs of running a Chamber, and has also continued to add to the benefits offered to its members.
 
At the July Board meeting, the Board approved the new member categories and dues rates, effective Sept. 1, 2010.  It was also decided that anyone who is due to renew before Sept. 1, 2011 could renew at the current dues rates if they renewed before Sept. 1, 2010.  Are you due to renew?  Renew now, and save a little money.
 
Here are the new member categories and rates:
 

Retail/Commercial Membership - Voting member, any retail, commercial or industrial business that is not more specifically defined under any other category.  Membership dues determined by tiered structure based on number of employees.

 

Retail/Commercial, 1 - 2 Employees $125.00 
Retail/Commercial, 3 - 5 Employees $150.00
Retail/Commercial, 6 - 10 Employees   $175.00
Retail/Commercial, 11 - 29 Employees  $250.00
Retail/Commercial, 30 Or More Employees   $350.00 
 

Home-Based Business Membership - Voting member, any retail, commercial or industrial business that operates out of the principal's home.

Home-Based $100.00  

 

Financial/Utility/Government Agency Membership - Voting member, any publicly or privately owned business that provides public utility services to residents.  Public utilities include electric, gas, telephone, water and television providers (cable and satellite).  Administrative unit of government on the municipal, county, state or federal level.  Any bank, savings and loan or credit union

Utility/Government Agency/Financial Institution  $350.00  

 

Individual Professional Membership - Voting member, member of a vocation founded upon specialized educational training, including but not limited to Doctors/Health professionals, CPAs, Real Estate Agents, Attorneys, Engineers, Architects, etc.

Individual Professional    $150.00 

 

Professional Office Membership - Voting member, any office or group of professionals with multiple employees, membership includes the business plus up to two (non-voting) individual professionals from the office that receive member benefits.  Names of the Office representative and additional two individuals are to be on file with the Chamber.

Professional Office (+2)   $250.00
 

Additional Professional Membership - Non-Voting member, any additional professional from a professional office beyond the office representative and the two additional professionals

Additional Professional (Non-Voting)   $100.00 .

 

Non-Profit Membership - Voting member, any business with paid employees that is designated by the state and the IRS as a non-profit organization/corporation.

Non-Profit 1 - 2 Employees  $100.00 

Non-Profit 3 - 10 Employees  $125.00 

Non-Profit 11 Or More Employees  $200.00

 

Service Organization Membership - Voting member, any charitable club or service organization, that has no paid employees, including but not limited to those designated by the state and the IRS as a 501 (c) 3.

Service Organization   $90.00 

 

Associate Membership - Voting member, any individual that lives or does business in Sierra Madre and supports the mission of the Sierra Madre Chamber

Associate Member   $100.00

 

Individual Resident Member/Volunteer Membership - Non-voting member, any individual that lives or does business in Sierra Madre and supports the mission of the Sierra Madre Chamber

Individual/Volunteer (Non-Voting)      $60.00
Additional Individual/Volunteer, same household    $15.00

 

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