June Networking Fun!  We had plenty of Networking Opportunities at several events as well as some great speakers.  We also kicked off our FREE Summer Business Seminars. 

Have you attended one yet?

 
Pictured: Bob Gallaher & State Representative Julio Robaina 

  

A Chamber South Success Networking Story 
 
My company manages a small shopping center on South Dixie Highway in south Miami-Dade County. The stores had fallen into disrepair and we were hired to clean the place up, restore occupancy and to generally improve the operation of the property.
 
Adjacent to the boundary of the shopping center is a large parcel of publicly owned land known as Seminole Heights Wayside Park. It's a passive park, with quite a large area of protected tree growth labeled a Natural Forest Community (NFC).
 
At the time we were hired to manage the shopping center, there was a small colony of homeless people living in the park, specifically within the NFC. These folks became a problem due to the continual mess they made of our trash receptacles and by bothering customers of our store tenants.
 
One of the new leases we arranged was with a child day care center, which presented even greater concerns about the homeless colony.
 
Here's where ChamberSouth comes in.
 
I was attending a committee meeting and met Maria Levrant of Commissioner Katy Sorenson's staff. I asked about whether there was someone I could talk to about the condition of the park in general and the homeless problem in particular. Maria got me in touch with the Community Partnership for Homeless, the Parks Department Natural Areas specialist and the Miami-Dade County Police Department's homeless specialist.
 
After a flurry of emails and a few meetings, the Parks Department decided that a general clean-up of the park was in order.
 
On June 27th more than 70 people assembled in the park. Commissioner Sorenson's staff was there, as were Parks Department folks, police officers and dozens of young volunteers who all pitched in to pick up debris, remove exotic plant growth and to remove the homeless colony from the protected forest area. The volunteers were provided by Hands On Miami, another Chamber participant.
 
As a result, the park appears noticeably cleaner, the NFC has less invasive plant growth, the homeless problem is improved and the property that my firm manages is better off for the effort - all the result of contacts made through ChamberSouth.

 

Bob Gallaher
Gallaher & Birch, Inc.

 

Baptist Hospital Helps Employees in financial trouble 

KENDALL, Fla. -- A South Florida employer has implemented ways to help employees with financial difficulties. 

Marta Rosario is a cardiology nurse at Baptist Hospital, but last year, she was unable to work for more than six months.
"When the mortgage company gave me the foreclosure notice in November, that was devastating for all of us," Rosario said.

Click here to read this article... 

 

Thursday, July 31, join us as Union Mortgage & Sergio Aleaga celebrate their Grand Opening with a Ribbon Cutting at:
6705 Red Road #508 5:30-7 PM.  
Come and be a part of the celebration! www.union1realty.com

Click here to RSVP

 

 

Women In Leadership Symposium
August 26, 2008
Location: The Bankers Club of Miami
One Biscayne Tower , 14th Floor   Miami, Florida 3313
Phone: 305-374-1448   Time: 7:30 - 8:30am - Registration
Continental Breakfast served

 

Phil Lyons was on hand for the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for 24Hour Fitness.  This very large facility boasts many amenities including: Whirlpool, Pro Shop, Pool, Group X, Basketball Court, Kids' Club, Sauna, Steam Room and much more.  24 Hour Fitness has given us FREE Fitness passes that we will be raffling off at many of our upcoming events. For a location near you go to www.24hourfitness.com . 

 

 

Chair-Elect Peter Jude cut the ribbon for the opening of The Little Clinic on June 6th.  The Little Clinic has Advance Registered Nurse Practioners and Physician Assistants available nights and weekends to treat common illnesses, minor injuries, and offer wellness care like routine check-ups, screenings and vaccinations. 

The staff was experienced and friendly and they are looking forward to opening many more locations in Florida this year. www.thelittleclinic.com

 
 

Mary Scott Russell, President