Chamber E-News

March 15, 2016

 

Visit our Website!  

Official Map for Willmar and Kandiyohi County Partnership
 
The Willmar Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce our continued partnership with E&M Consulting for the 2016 Official Map.  Early next week, E&M will be at the Chamber office to help promote the Official Map.  E&M's representatives, Jack McDonald ([email protected]) and John Broback ([email protected]), will be reaching out to all the members letting you know about the opportunity to locate your business or place a display adAttached is the rate card
for you to review the various advertising options.
 
Please do not hesitate to call us at 320.235.0300 or email [email protected],  if you have any questions at all.  As always, your support of the Willmar Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce's products and services is greatly appreciated!

Chamber Connection
Make a Morning Connection in 60 Minutes at Chamber Connection 
  
This Friday, March 11th, is our next Chamber Connection.  Procore Technologies, Inc. is hosting this week from 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. at 1721 Technology Drive NE on the MinnWest Technology Campus, see map for location and parking.  Join us for coffee and a light breakfast for only $1 and your business card.  Share your business news or information on an upcoming event as you start your Friday with fellow Chamber Members.
  
To view photos from previous Chamber Connections, click here.

Last Minute Chamber Connection Opening - April 8th!
  
If your business would be interested in hosting a Chamber Connection coming up on April 8th please contact Jesse to get it scheduled, [email protected], or 320-235-0300. First come, first served so contact him today.
 
Willmar Lakes Area Chamber Welcomes New Members
 
New to the Willmar Lakes Area Chamber this week are Jon Beaver's Agency of American Family Insurance and Holiday Stationstores
 
Jon Beaver's American Family Agency is located on 1st Street and he along with his staff service their clients by offering auto, home, health, life, business, farm and ranch insurance policies.  For more information on the policies they offer or to get a quote, visit them at 321 1st Street South or click on their business name for more information!
 
Holiday Stationstores is located on Highway 12 and is a full service convenience store.  Tim Clausen is the store manager and at their location they offer gas, snacks, beverages and other items found in a traditional convenience store, but they also offer many more items typically found at a grocery store like trash bags, household cleaners and much more.  Stop in and check out their monthly specials or to learn more about the products they offer or click on their business name.

"Buckle Up" Parking Lot Stencil
 
The Kandiyohi County Safe Community Coalition (KCSCC), is asking for help on behalf of local Emergency Medical Services, Law Enforcement, Engineering and others involved in trying to make our roads safer.
 
Traffic crashes are the number one killer of Minnesota teens - more than illness, suicide, or any other cause. From 2012-2014 - 77 teens riding in vehicles died and 319 suffered severe injuries.  Sadly, more than half of those teens who were drivers or passengers were not wearing their seat belts.  In 2015, 412 people of all ages died in Minnesota traffic crashes -- most of them young males.
 
The KCSCC needs help from local business to allow the attached stencil to be painted in their parking lots exits in May.  The hope is get businesses thinking about safety, get drivers and passengers to think about buckling up and to hopefully gain some media attention for the project.
 
There is no cost to the businesses and organizations.  The coalition will provide the stencils and paint and will be working with local boy scouts to paint the stencils in May.
 
Southwest Minnesota has one of the lowest seat belt use rates at only 85% compared with 95% in the rest of Minnesota.  With your help, we can help raise that number!
 
To participate, please contact Stephanie Felt at [email protected] with the business name, address, contact name, phone and e-mail.  Deadline: April 25, 2016.
WeLEAD - Joy Baker #ThinkingJacob
 
Join us for March's WeLead event, which features speaker Joy Baker sharing #ThinkingJacob; discuss how her curiosity on Jacob Wetterling's Abduction changed not only Joy's life but the investigation into Jacob's disappearance. Her sheer investigative inquisitiveness has turned up new leads into this 26 year old crime. Sign up ASAP to guarantee your seats, as they're bound to fill up fast.
 
March 30, 2016 from Noon to 1 pm (lunch at 11:45) at the MN West Technology Campus.
Cost $15 - Register Now

Chamber ADvantage
Chamber ADvantage Deadline | March 23rd
 
Reminder: If you'd like to use this marketing opportunity to promote your business, product or service to 800 of the area's top decision makers, the deadline to submit your copies for April's mailing is March 23rd.  For more information contact Jesse at 235-0300 or [email protected].
 
View past Chamber ADvantage flyers from our website or by clicking here.

 

Open to All Chamber Members

neXt Educational Session | Networking with a Purpose | March 17th 3-5pm
NeXt Logo 

Join us on Thursday, March 17th, 2016 from 3:00-5:00 pm at the Willmar Conference Center as we listen to Rick Cole with Dale Carnegie Training who will be talking to us about your 2 minute elevator pitch, your unique selling proposition and how the two differ.  He will also be giving examples of who has used their pitch well in their LinkedIn profile and will educate everyone on how to keep a conversation going to avoid the dreaded "awkward pause"!  

 
The best part: you'll get a chance to practice everything you've learned that same day!
 
Fee: $30 or free with your Educational Pass [Still on Sale!]
RSVP to Michelle at 320-235-0300 or [email protected] by March 16th. 
 
Join us for Minnesota Business Day NOT at the Capitol | March 30th | 7:30 am - 5:30 pm | Cost $75/person
 
Once again this year, accompanied by our Leadership Perspectives Class, we will be traveling to St. Paul for Business Day NOT at the Capitol. We will start out with a continental breakfast and tour of the new Senate Office building, participate in the MN Chamber lunch program at the DoubleTree (411 Minnesota Street, St. Paul) which will focus on transportation, and then we will return to the State Office Building to meet with Representative Baker and Senator Koenen before departing at 3:30 pm.
 
The bus to the Capitol will leave the Chamber office parking lot promptly at 7:30 am and will return at 5:30 pm.  Registrations must be received no later than Wednesday, March 23rd.
 
Cost for the day, including a continental breakfast, lunch, meeting materials and transportation to and from the Capitol is $75.  For more information, or to register contact the Willmar Lakes Area Chamber at 235.0300 or contact Ken Warner, Chamber President at [email protected].
Willmar Pheasants Forever Chamber #2 Banquet
 
Saturday, April 2nd is the 34th Annual Kandiyohi County Pheasants Forever Chapter Banquet to be held at the Willmar Conference Center starting at 5:00 pm. Print off the pamphlet for full ticket pricing details; over 30 guns to be given away! Banquet proceeds go to many area youth activities including events at PWELC, Youth Trap Teams and Hunting and Habitat education Camps!
 
For more information visit www.kandipf.com or contact Greg Kamrowski at 320-212-3505.
 
Early Bird ticket sales end March 21st - Get yours today!

DREAM Technical Academy - Enrollment Open, Teaching and School Council Positions Open
 
Enrollment is now open for the 2016-2017 school year at DREAM Technical Academy, a 7th-12th grade charter school located on the MinnWest Technology Campus in Willmar.  Please visit www.dreamta.org for more information or call 320-262-5640 to schedule a tour.  
  
DREAM is looking to hire a special education teacher, a math/science and general teacher.  See postings here.
  
DREAM is looking for a community member to be on the DREAM School Council which meets monthly.  Click here for the application.