By now you should have received your membership renewal information.  As we mentioned in the cover letter, this year has been an active one for the Chamber.  Here are some of the highlights:  

• We maintained our membership level while welcoming both the towns of Fairlee and Orford into our chamber.
• Our website continues to provide a good source of information for our businesses and our visitors alike. This year we added archive sections where we post the meeting minutes for the chamber, for the select boards of our member towns, and for local business associations. These postings facilitate improved, more convenient communications among all these groups.
• The Workforce Development Committee organized and sponsored the education summit, "Your Future Your Way."
• Our first annual Garden Tour was successful and plans are already underway for next year's event.
• We sponsored a new one day Antique Market in Fairlee in November.
• The 3rd Annual 48 Hour Film Slam, which we sponsor to promote the arts in our region, was a rousing success. This year we acquired key business sponsorships.
• We hosted the Annual Cohase Region Economic Summit.
• We published and distributed 25,000 map and guides to state highway rest areas, welcome centers and local businesses. This publication identifies our chamber members for visitors and others planning to relocate to our area.
• We launched "Take 5 Hang 10," a regional marketing program to encourage travelers to drive and patronize enrolled businesses along routes 5 and 10 of our region. The first year activities for this new initiative included the publication of a brochure and the launching of a sister website,  www.take5hang10.org. 

Our 2013 activities will kick off January 28th with our Annual Meeting. We have a tentative commitment from Gov. Shumlin to speak and have invited Gov Elect Hassan from NH.  If their schedules allow we are hoping to have the Governors speak to bi-state initiatives. This event will be held at the Lake Morey Resort.  Please mark your calendars and plan to attend what will be a very interesting and informative evening.  The dinner will cost $20 per plate and the evening will begin at 5:45pm. RSVP below. 

We hope that you agree that the chamber is working hard to promote a more vital community to work and live in for our entire region.   

We are already working to make this years membership drive as successful as last year's drive. You can help us.  If you are aware of a business that is considering joining the chamber, please let us know so that we can contact them and provide the information that they will need to join.

Whether you have been a long time member or just joined last year, we want to thank you for your membership.   

Mark Nielsen, Executive Director 

Please join us for our Annual Meeting on January 28th at the Lake Morey Resort in Fairlee, Vermont.  This initiation extends to the general public and is not just limited to members of the chamber.  We'll start at 5:45 p.m. with some socializing and a cash bar followed by a sit down dinner beginning at 6:30 p.m. and a presentation from this year's guest speaker(s): Gov. Shumlin from Vermont and possibly Gov Elect Hassan from NH.   

Peter Shumlin is the 81st Governor of Vermont. His career in public service began almost 30 years ago when at the age of 24 he was elected to serve on the town's select board. In 1990, Governor Madeleine Kunin appointed Peter to fill an empty seat in the Vermont House of Representatives, where he served for 3 years. He then served Windham County for 8 terms in the VT Senate and was elected by his colleagues to lead the Senate as President pro tem the majority of that time. Since his inauguration, he has been working to create jobs for those who need them, raise incomes for those who have jobs, control skyrocketing health care costs, expand broadband and cell service to every corner of the state, reduce recidivism, invest in quality education opportunities, and rebuild our roads and bridges.

We will also be presenting the 7 minute "Peoples Choice" entry of this year's 48 Hour Film Slam, "Changing Colors" by team Fondue Pneumonia Party.  And, of course, we'll end the meeting with our raffle!  For those whose dues were received by December 31^st, 2012. You will be automatically entered into the Chamber's Raffle.  The prize is a $200. gift certificate to shop at any Chamber member business...but you must be present to win.

Since we're serving a dinner for $20 per plate, we'll need to know if you can join us, and your choice for a dinner selection.  Please send your rsvp along with your payment no later than January 19th, to the chamber office, Download the RSVP form from the web here 

and mail it to: 

Cohase Chamber of Commerce

P.O. Box 35

Wells River, VT 05081 

If you have questions, please feel free to contact me by e-mail at mjnart.nielsen@gmail.com or by phone to Mark Nielsen, Executive Director, at 802-439-3730 before 7 p.m. nightly.   

We hope to see you there!

Mark Nielsen 

Cohase Chamber of Commerce