Chapin Chamber of Commerce
Weekly E-News

 

Join us for CORE IT Staffing Rebrand Launch & Open House - Dec. 5

Today at 5 pm, we will be celebrating the rebranding of Core IT Staffing to Core Technology Solutions, located at 910 Chapin Road. There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony at 5:30 pm with elected officials and business leaders coming out to mark this growing business' success. There will be tours available of their updated office space and you can meet some of their great new team members. Please stop by and join the fun!

 

Lunch & Learn - Dealing with Stress over the Holidays - Dec. 11

Are you anxious about the upcoming holidays? Between decorating, shopping, cooking, parties, family feuds and general over-scheduling, many people resent the holidays and the stress and resentment it can cause. Learn helpful tips for managing your holiday angst with Linda Shanabrook of Brook Health Care as she leads our last Lunch & Learn of 2013. Join us on Wednesday, Dec 11 at 11:30 am at the Chamber for an interactive session designed to help you regain control, relax and enjoy the holidays. The seminar is free but we provide a boxed lunch and drink for $8. You can register online or call the Chamber to reserve your spot - 345-1100.

 

Electronics Recycling Collection Planned Dec. 14

Lexington County is hosting a residential electronics recycling event on Saturday, Dec. 14 from 10 am to 1 pm at Chapin United Methodist Church parking lot, located at 415 Lexington Avenue. This is open to Lexington County residents and no commercial drop offs will be accepted. They are limiting it to five items per car. Accepted items include computers and accessories, printers, TVs, VCRs, home and cell phones, fax machines, scanners, microwaves and more. Questions? Call Amanda Edwards at 803-785-3340 or email [email protected]

Special Thanks to Our Anchor & Admiral Sponsors
Palmetto Health logo   
 
2014 Calendar Sponsorships Available
We still have a few months available for sponsorship for our What I Love About Chapin 2014 Calendar. Share your civic pride and support a great cause - the Chapin Chamber's historic Chaffin-Eleazer House Fund. For $150, you receive a business card size ad on your preferred month. Time's a wasting so don't delay. Call 345-1100 to reserve your month TODAY!

Member News

Remember to send us your news by Wednesday mornings to be included for Thursday distribution. Send to [email protected]

 

Thanks from We Care!

Thank you to everyone who helped out and donated food as part of this year's annual Business Cares for We Care food drive. More than 3000 lbs were collected by area businesses and a special collection on Nov. 23 at the Bi-Lo and Food Lion shopping centers. The Chapin Small Business Networking Group collected over 2100 lbs to beat Wilson Financial Group, which will donate 10 hours of volunteer time to We Care. "This is a great way to help keep the pantry shelves full for those struggling neighbors in our community," said Karen Owens, vice president of the We Care board. "Thanks especially to Scott Hanners with State Farm, Robin Thompson of Palmetto Graphix and Rose Stuck of Wilson Financial Group for coordinating this successful food drive before one of We Care's busiest times." 

 

Justin Pepper Foundation Toy Drive Kicks Off Saturday

Please come support the Seventh Annual Birthday Breakfast and Toy Drive this Saturday, Dec. 7 from 9 - 11 am at St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church (750 Old Lexington Hwy). Held each year in memory of Chapin youth Justin Pepper,

 the toy drive commemorates his desire to help others as he did from the time he was 6-11 years old by donating his presents to the Thornwell Children's Home. Toys will be collected at the breakfast and the Chamber has a collection box in its lobby for toys through Dec. 16. Collected toys are distributed to multiple agencies, including Northwest YMCA, GOoD Works and Newberry Boys Farm. For more information, call 932-2222 or visit justinpepper.com

 

Toys for Tots Collection Sites 

Help bring some holiday cheer to needy boys and girls in our area by donating an unwrapped toy to one of these Chapin area Toys for Tots drop-off sites through Dec. 10:

Amick's Ferry Storage -920 Amick's Ferry Road

Boland's True Value Hardware - 745 Chapin Road

Morgan & Associates Nationwide - 1254 Chapin Road 

American Legion Post 193 - Mondays only from 9 am to noon

 

Sue Madden Day of Giving Dec. 6 at Lake Murray Floor Covering

Lake Murray Floor Covering, located at 10076 Broad River Road, Irmo, is once again collecting items for those less fortunate this holiday season.  In memory of Goodworks Director Sue Madden this year's event is titled the "Sue Madden Day of Giving". We will be collecting toys (new and gently used) can goods, coats and much more.  For a complete list of items needed, please visit our website,  lakemurrayfloorcovering.com, like us on Facebook, or call us at 803-781-1707. The "Sue Madden Day of Giving", will be held on Friday, December 6th, from 8am to 5pm. Donations will be distributed to Goodworks, We Care of Chapin and Northwest Columbia YMCA.

 

Blood Drive Scheduled for Dec. 11

PM Systems, an ACI Worldwide Company, is hosting its semi-annual blood drive for the Red Cross on Wednesday, Dec. 11 from noon to 5 pm at the American Legion Post 193 Meeting Room. To schedule your donation, go to www.redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code Post193 to set up a time. Or visit our website for more details.

  

You're Invited to Edward Jones Holiday Open House - Dec. 12

Harry Cromer and Melissa Lauber of our local Edward Jones office invites you to be their guests as they give thanks for their clients, friends and community with a holiday open house on Thursday, Dec 12, 2013 from 4 - 7pm at the Chapin Chamber House

(302 Columbia Ave) RSVP: 803-345-3272. Hors D'oeuvres will be served. 

 

Vella's Announces New Hours

Vella's of Chapin announces new hours effective immediately. They will be open Monday through Wednesday from 11 am - 10 pm and Thursday through Sunday from 7 am to 10 pm. Please come by and celebrate your special occasions with Cletus, Brandon and the crew. Vella's can cater your holiday parties, too, so call 941-7113 to book yours now.

 

Palmetto Fine Arts Hosts Holiday Art Show Dec. 12-14

Join TC Bowers and artists Marcia Murray, Karen Larrabee, Ruby Deloach, Debi Kelly and Tommy Thompson for a weekend of local art. There will be a Meet and Greet from 6 - 8 pm on Thursday evening. Come find an original or print that may be the perfect gift for your special someone. TC welcomes you to Shop Local and he's also got a great selection of glass ornaments, jewelry sets and Staci's Scentsations. 107 Virgina Street.

 

Chapin Elementary Holds breakfast with Santa, Polar Express Party at Vella's

Help support Chapin Elementary School this Saturday as they transform Vella's into a Polar Express wonderland from 7:30 - 10:30 am! In addition to a yummy breakfast, Santa will be on hand to visit with the young boys and girls as they get ready for Christmas!

 

Wreaths Across America Need veteran Volunteers!

The local coordinators of Wreaths Across America are looking for Retired or Prior Service Veterans to be part of the Memorial Wreath detail for the Wreaths Across America ceremony at the Fort Jackson National Cemetery on Saturday, December 14, 2013. If you served in the Army, Navy, Coast Guard or Merchant Marines or are a former POW/MIA from Vietnam, Kosovo or Granada, please contact Carol Davis at 739-2774.

  

Medicare Open Enrollment ends December 7th

It is time to double-check your Medicare and prescription drug plan coverage for 2014 as enrollment ends December 7, 2013.  Even if your current Medicare plan and its benefits are working for you, it is a good idea to check your plan every year. The only way to save on your health care costs is to regularly compare your current plan premium to other plans available to you, Wilson Insurance Group is here to help.  Come see Donna Lewis at our office 111 Columbia Ave; contact her at 803-345-1180 or [email protected]

 
Marcia Murray - CCAL Spotlight Artist of the Month

Marcia Murray is the Crooked Creek Artsist league's December Spotlight Artist at the Chamber. A Charleston native, Marcia began her art career after retiring from BellSouth in 1991. She paints exclusively in watercolor and her paintings are driven by curiosity and a desire to create. A self-made artist, Marcia has studied with many professional artists throughout the U.S. She has served as president of Crooked Creek Art League and remains active in her community.  She display

s her work in various establishments in the Chapin, including the Chamber, as well as in Columbia area and on the CCAL website. In 2010, she was awarded signature membership in the S.C. Watermedia Society and was honored to have her paintings included as a part of the Traveling Exhibit. She's received numerous awards and recognition in juried shows and exhibits throughout the state. Her paintings have been published in SC Homes and Gardens and chosen for the front covers of Lake Murray Magazine, Di

scover Columbia and the Park Seed Catalog. Marcia received the coveted SC Festival of Flowers Floral Purchase Award. She was awarded first place in the annual Crooked Creek Art League Exhibit and was the recipient of the The  Member's Choice  Award.  This year, she was accepted into the State Artisan's Center and received the "Favorite New Artist" award.  She currently facilitates a group of artists each week in Chapin, providing assistance and encouragement.

 

HOT DEALS, Job Postings and More

Don't forget to check our website for HOT DEALS, Job postings as well as our Community Calendar page for events happening in our area. And if your organization is having an event, please feel free to submit it to us for inclusion on our website. Some to check out include:
Top 10 Things to Do link
Click here for more great Midlands event ideas!

  

  

Justin Pepper Birthday Breakfast & Toy Drive - Dec. 7

Chapin Woman's Club Christmas Party - Dec. 10

Edward Jones Holiday Open House - Dec. 12

PM Systems Semi-Annual Blood Drive - Dec. 11

Chamber Christmas Party - Dec. 17

 

Chapin Chamber will be closed Dec. 24-25 and Jan. 1 and observe half day hours of 9 am - 12 pm on Dec. 26-27 and Dec. 31.

Chapin Chamber of Commerce
Follow us on Facebook
and Twitter @ChapinChamber
for the latest news and events