News, Information, Opportunities & Benefits
March 16, 2015
 
 

Join Us for the Next Business for Breakfast on March 27

"Healthcare, Wellness and Industry: National Trends, Local Impact"

No one needs to remind you of the issues surrounding healthcare coverage - the ever rising cost and the headaches it has created for industry. Legislation was passed that was supposed to correct this problem. The question now becomes... Is it working?


 

Dan Birach, President of Carolinas HealthCare System HEALTHWORKS division, will address the market trends of healthcare and wellness and the impact on industry at the next Burke Chamber "Business for Breakfast" on Friday, March 27, in the Grace Ridge Retirement Community Ervin Community Room 

Speaker Dan Birach specializes in health improvement strategies for business.
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An area of recent focus has been on wellness in the workplace and its potential to influence the cost of healthcare. What constitutes a successful wellness program and is your organization heading in the right direction? Dan will share the very latest in innovative ideas and provide actionable interventions any business can easily implement.

There will be some great door prizes, courtesy of Carolinas HealthCare System Blue Ridge. Grace Ridge will host a special breakfast buffet starting at 7:30 am to give everyone plenty of time to network before the program starts at 8 am.  A full house is expected for this informative program, so make your reservations early by calling Dorothea at the Chamber (437-3021). 

Lovin' Spoonfuls
Di'lishi Uses Creative Approach to Giving Back to Community

Fran Paradine is doing what she can to support worthwhile causes in Burke County -- one spoonful at a time.

Fran owns three of the popular Di'lishi Frozen Yogurt Bars in the area, including her busiest, the one located in the Morganton Heights Shopping complex. She opened the Morganton shop a little over a year ago, after serving as a clinical social worker.

When customers have finished
Owner Fran Paradine explained how customers can vote and generate donations for the charity of their choice at the D'lishi Frozen Yogurt Bar.
their Di'lishi treat, they are invited to stop by a display and, as the sign instructs, "toss 'yo tiny spoon into one of the boxes below to vote" for one of three charitable organizations. Fran said the "Fro yo'self into our community" concept was developed by the Di'lishi franchise. The highlighted charities or causes are changed out every quarter. So far, 15 organizations have received contributions from Di'lishi. The one with the highest number of votes, that is, the most spoons, receives the largest contribution, but all three receive something. "They are all successful to some degree," she added.

Fran said any non-profit group or cause can submit an application to her to be included in the voting. "I try to have at least two organizations at any given time that are animal-related," she said. Each organization is allowed two nights during its three-month window to invite friends, supporters and the community here to distribute information, show videos and so forth, and on that evening each attendee receives two spoons to cast their vote."

"Eventually, I hope to see every community organization up there," she said, pointing to the display. "I really enjoy giving back to our community."

"Be an Angel" at 2015 Burke Hospice Gala on April 18

Burke Hospice & Palliative Care's "Be an Angel" annual gala has become a Burke County favorite, and this year's "heavenly evening" promises to continue the tradition. It will be held on Saturday, April 18, from 7-10 p.m. Proceeds benefit the Burke Hospice Patient Family Care Fund. This year's can't-miss gala will feature food tastings, live music and a silent auction at the Old Armory Building, 306 West McDowell St, in Morganton. For tickets or to be a sponsor, contact Chasity Poteat at 828/879-1601 or www.BurkeHospice.org/Angel. Sponsors will also be treated to a pre-gala Champagne Toast from 530-7 pm at "Lone Pine," the home of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Collett. Burke Hospice and Palliative Care serves Burke, Catawba, Caldwell, Avery, McDowell, Rutherford, Cleveland and Lincoln counties of Western North Carolina.    
Got Your New Membership Plaque?  
Seen the New Magazine & Directory?

Members are invited to stop by the Chamber offices to pick up their new Burke Chamber membership plaque and copies of the new 2015 Burke County magazine and Chamber directory. 

For your added convenience, you can also obtain your membership plaque and copies of the magazine at the March 27 Business for Breakfast (Please see the lead story).




Growing Business...

Beanstalk Zip Lines Launches Fifth Year

Earlier this month Beanstalk Zip Lines opened its fifth season, after spending the winter remodeling the course, adding more canopies and lengthening the nature trail. Manager Otter Brown
said the attraction has a new adventure known as the QUICKJump Freefall. "This enables the participant to jump from a 40-foot tower and feel the sensation of freefall before being safely lowered to the ground," he said. "We are also excited to team up with More Heart than Scars this year and host multiple events in which our course will be retrofitted to be universally acceptable." Beanstalk Zip Lines is located in Catawba Meadows Park in Morganton and offers specials and group rates.

Fruits of Our Labors: A New Store Filled with Variety

Fruits of Our Labors,                                                                                     located on the campus of WorkSource
From left: Rufus Pruitt, WorkSource West\VR; Pat Bland, Western Regional VR Director; Mel Cohen, Morganton Mayor; Kent Millsaps, Western Regional Assistant Director; Chuck Vlkojan, WSW\VR; Connie Barnette WSW\VR Unit Manager; Sascha Prebor, WSW\VR Assistant Unit Manager; Elizabeth Bishop, NC DHHS Division Director; and Scott Mulwee, Burke County Chamber of Commerce
West/Vocational Rehabilitation at 220 Enola Road recently celebrated its grand opening. Fruits of Our Labors is a specialty store located in a small house at the entrance to WorkSource West/VR. It features handcrafted wood items including, bird houses, wine racks, photo frames, tic-tac-toe games and other seasonal wood crafted d�cor. Also highlighted at the store are fresh hydroponically grown herbs from VR's on site Hydroponics Program, Fresh Herbs 2 Order. Other store items include hand thrown pottery, handmade jewelry, and aromatic handmade goat's milk lotion and soap in a variety of scents such as lavender, peppermint, tea tree, and sage and lemongrass. With the onset of spring, the store will be featuring new and different items. Fruits of Our Labors is a training program for persons with disabilities who are seeking employment or   re-employment in the community. Store hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information call (828) 433-6440 or (828) 433-2423.

LADY FAIR Is This Saturday

The region's largest annual event dedicated to the health and interests of women will be held this coming Saturday. The doors will open for Lady Fair at 730 am on March 21,  at the Foothills Higher Education Center in Morganton. The event will conclude at noon. Lady Fair will include health assessments and screenings, displays from area businesses and plenty of give-aways. Interpreters will be on hand for Hmong, Spanish and hard of hearing guests. CHS Blue Ridge will provide a free shuttle service to the front door of the event. For more information or to RSVP, click  here.

CPI Extends Special Offer to Chamber Members

If you missed the Member Appreciation Day Drop-In at the Chamber last week, you still have time to take advantage of a special 
member-to-member offer from CPI Security. The NC-based company is offering a $99 coupon to apply             toward a new business or residential system. The offer is good only for Chamber members. For details, call CPI Security Consultant Chris Revis at (828) 803-7690. CPI's inTouch platform keeps businesses and home owners connected to their property with real-time information, including remote interactive services like system alerts, video monitoring, temperature, lighting control, fire alerts and door control.

 

Building Community...

 

Ostomy Support Group Formed

 

Carolinas HealthCare System Blue Ridge has started a free new ostomy support group for people with colostomies, ileostomies, and urostomies, as well as their family members and caregivers. An ostomy is surgery that creates an opening from an area inside the body to the outside. It treats certain diseases of the digestive or urinary systems, according to the National Institutes of Health. 


"The meetings will provide an opportunity to ask questions, share tips and perhaps become acquainted with others who share similar experiences," said Linda Bonorden, RNBonorden. "Meetings are free and all are welcome."


All meetings are held from 10:00 until 11:30 am in the Mimosa Hills Conference Room at the Morganton location of Carolinas HealthCare System Blue Ridge (2201 South Sterling Street in Morganton,) For more information, call 828-580-5543. The next meeting will be on May 14.


Small Business Center at WPCC Offers 
Free Seminars for Business Owners  

To register for any or all of these seated classes, visit www.wpcc.edu, select Business & Industry, and then choose Small Business Center Small followed by Business Center Seminars and Workshops to register online.

QuickBooks for Small Business:  Part 1 - An Introduction 
Monday, March 23, 6 to 8 p.m. at FHEC, Speaker: Marlene Houk - QuickBooks Certified Consultant/Trainer
Topic: Business Accounting and Budget
QuickBooks is one of the most widely used accounting software packages for small business today. QuickBooks 1 gets participants started using QuickBooks, setting up a company file and chart of accounts, navigating the home page, and using QuickBooks lists and forms. This seminar is designed for the small business owner or prospective owner.

Bookkeeping Basics for Small Business Register
Tuesday, March 24, 6 to 9 p.m. at FHEC, Speaker: Arlene Childers
Topic: Business Accounting and Budget
Keeping good financial records is a critical step in managing a successful enterprise. This workshop addresses the financial resources needed for good business management. Participants will learn how to develop systems and practices for collecting necessary information for tax reporting and business decision-making.

QuickBooks for Small Business Part 2 Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable
Wednesday, March 25, 6 to 8 p.m. at FHEC, Speaker: Marlene Houk,     Quick Books Certified Consultant/Trainer
Topic: Business Accounting and Budget
QuickBooks 2 shows participants how to set up their products and services in the QuickBooks system, manage their accounts receivable and accounts payable, receive payments on invoices, pay outstanding bills, and track payments/expenses. This seminar is designed for the small business owner or prospective owner.

QuickBooks for Small Business Part 3 Reporting and Analyzing Financial Data 
Monday, March 30, 6 to 8 p.m. at FHEC, Speaker: Speaker: Marlene Houk, QuickBooks Certified Consultant/Trainer
Topic: Business Accounting and Budget
QuickBooks 3 pulls together information from previous sessions, showing participants how to use classes, customize and use reports, and create financial statements to analyze their business. This seminar is designed for the small business owner or prospective owner.

How to Start a Business 
Tuesday, March 31, 3 to 5 p.m. at FHEC, Speaker: Chris Conant
Topic: Start-up Assistance
Don't miss the opportunity to learn the basics of starting a small business. Are you thinking about getting into business for yourself? This course covers the issues that an individual should consider before thinking about opening the doors. In other words, this course is the starting point on your journey into business ownership. Learn how to identify critical issues and make the right decisions as you prepare to start your business. Topics include business structures (sole proprietorships, partnerships and corporations), licensing and zoning, trademarks, copyrights, patents, insurance, financing alternatives, record keeping, and taxes.

QuickBooks for Small Business Part 4 Payroll 
Wednesday, April 01, 6 to 8 p.m. at FHEC, Speaker: Marlene Houk,   QuickBooks Certified Consultant/Trainer
Topic: Business Accounting and Budget
QuickBooks 4 shows participants how to use the payroll feature in QuickBooks to create paychecks, pay tax liabilities, process payroll forms and produce reports. This seminar is designed for the small business owner or prospective owner.

To register for any or all of these seated classes, visit www.wpcc.edu, select Business & Industry, and then choose Small Business Center Small followed by Business Center Seminars and Workshops to register online.






  2015 CHAIRMAN CIRCLE SPONSORS

Director Level
AccuForce Caterpillar

FATZ NEW LOGONews Herald

Executive Level
Burke Hospice
Case Farms
Catawba Valley Staffing
CPI Security
Square One Energy
Western Piedmont Community College

Advisor Level
Siegwerk Environmental Inks
Duke Energy
Friday Staffing
Grace Ridge Retirement Community

McDonald's
Republic Services
Viscotec
 

Supporter Level
Abele's Family Restaurants
Canteen Vending
HF Financial/J. Branstrom & Associates
Pepsi Cola Bottling Co.
Servpro of Burke County
Shenandoah Furniture
Sypris Technologies
Toner Machining Technologies
Wendy B's