November 2014

The end of November starts the beginning of Portage's great holiday traditions including the Santa Fly-in, Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting, Free Kids Movies at Portage Theatres, and Santa's Real Live Reindeer events. And after loosening belt buckles necessary to accommodate an extra helping of mashed potatoes and gravy from a Thanksgiving dinner overdose, this year shoppers get to start earlier than ever before on Black Friday deals. But don't forget about Small Business Saturday and our local small businesses.

As an incentive to shop our local businesses during the holiday season, the Portage Area Chamber of Commerce, along with Downtown Portage Inc., and the Business Improvement District, are rolling out a the Portage Holiday Shopping Cash Giveaway contest to encourage shopping at participating businesses between November 28 and December 20, 2014. Shoppers can bring their receipts to the Chamber office. For every $10 spent, shoppers receive a chance to win one of two $100 drawings or a grand prize drawing of $500. Details will be posted on the Chamber website in the coming weeks.

Also, don't forget about our Portage Green Gift Certificates! They make great gifts for bosses, employees and those who are hard to shop for. Plus they help keep money local. They come in denominations of $5, $10 and $25. Call the Chamber office at 608-742-6242 and we can have them ready for you to pick up at the front desk.

Welcome New Chamber Members

Sauk Columbia SHRM

311 E. Wisconsin St., STE 106 Portage, WI 53901
Trina McVicker at 608-742-7800
Meets monthly, from Sept to May. Presenters speak on relevant topics related to Human Resources, Employment Law, Business, Safety, and Wellness.

Business Profile - Droptine Designs

Droptine Designs was founded in 2010 by graphic designer and avid hunter, Ashley Breneman. Ashley knew she was going to follow a creative path when she got her 1st pack of Crayola Crayons. Since then she has upgraded to a computer and acquired a B.S. in Advertising, A.A. in Graphic Design and Web Development Certification. Ashley's design experience goes far beyond freelancing for Droptine Designs. For over 10 years, Ashley has worked in the real estate and mortgage industry as in-house designer.

Droptine Designs is dedicated to providing strategy by design to help act as a compass to lead the way for small businesses. We are more than capable of helping you move your business to the next level with web-based, print marketing and advertising. Droptine Designs does this with passion, creative ideas and cost-effective solutions.

At Droptine Designs, we can consult as you develop your own ideas or implement an already designed or developed project further. We can help deliver it in such a way that you will see a noticeable return on your investment as quickly as possible. We're dedicated to setting up media, advertising and marketing plans. We will also help manage your efforts as efficiently as possible. Whether we start with your ideas or build a concept from scratch, we can find the right mix of strategies, visual elements, and content to put your business on a leading edge.

We are fully committed to the integrity of our relationships with clients. Droptine Designs strives to meet the objectives of each and every one of our clients. That's why we offer unlimited revisions until our clients are 100 percent satisfied. If they're not happy, we're not happy.

Next year Droptine Designs will be launching "Design for the good," a "give back" to the community program where organizations or small businesses can apply for free design services for a worthy cause.

Contact Droptine Designs at www.droptinedesigns.com or email ashley@droptinedesigns.com to get started on your next marketing or design project today!

November Portage Chamber Meeting and Events

5 Ambassador Meeting at Community Bank of Portage 8am

5 Holiday Train Planning Meeting at Fire Dept. 11am

11 Ribbon Cutting at Karate America 4:30pm

12 Business After 5 at Associated Bank 5pm-7pm

20 Celebrate Entrepreneurship at Portage Enterprise Center 5pm

27-28 Chamber Office closed for Thanksgiving holiday

28 Santa Fly-in at Portage Airport 10am

29 Small Business Saturday Shopping

Business After 5

Our next Business After 5 event will be held at Associated Bank, 222 E. Wisconsin St., on Wednesday, November 12 from 5pm to 7pm. Join fellow members for conversation and refreshments. Remember to bring some business cards to pass around.

For the Holidays: Portage Green Gift Certificates

Portage Green Gift Certificates make an excellent gift. Used just like cash, the certificates can be purchased from the Portage Chamber in $5, $10 and $25 increments. Recipients of the Portage Green may redeem them at these participating Chamber member businesses. By buying Portage Green Gift Certificates, you are helping to boost local business by keeping thousands of dollars right here in Portage. For more information, call the Chamber at 608-742-6242.

Ribbon Cuttings

A ribbon cutting was held at the office of Seubert Family Dentistry, 260 W. Cook St., to celebrate their continued commitment to the Portage business community.

Dr. Jan Seubert and his staff look forward to continuing to provide you and your family with safe, gentle, high quality dental care.

They are sensitive to your needs and it is their goal to make you feel comfortable visiting their practice while providing you with the best care possible. For more information, call 608-742-2331.

A ribbon cutting was held to welcome the 4 County Safety Council to the Portage business community.

The 4 County Safety Council assists businesses and municipalities within its' four county area (Columbia, Green Lake, Marquette and Sauk) to reduce work- related injuries and illnesses. The Council helps provide safety-related training, information and a forum for members to network and share ideas.

For more information about The 4 County Safety Council, 317 E. Wisconsin St., Suite 3, 608-742-5354 or contact Kelley Gerner at 4CountySafety@gmail.com.

Career Fair at Portage High School

The Portage Area Chamber of Commerce together with Portage High School and the Columbia County Area Manufacturer's Council held a Career Fair at the Portage High School gymnasium on October 22. Representatives in the fields of manufacturing, industry and business attended the event including Madison College, Rayovac, Portage Fire Department, Divine Savior Healthcare, US Bank, Cardinal FG, Grande Cheese Company, General Engineering Company, 4 County Safety Council, Summit Credit Union and Encapsys.

The goal of the Career Fair was to highlight the variety of the great career opportunities in our businesses and inform the students of the skills and education needed for each career. Students were exposed to possible careers within these businesses and learned how they can prepare themselves for particular careers after High School, including the importance of soft skills such as arriving on time and dressing appropriately for a job.

Thanks to Portage, Lodi, Pardeeville, Westfield, Baraboo, Poynette and Cambria-Friesland Schools for sending their students to participate in the event.

Pierce's celebrates Something Special From Wisconsin
Pierce's Marketplace brought a terrific event to the Portage community on October 23. A crowd began gathering outside the door for goodie bags at the start of Something Special From Wisconsin. Waiting inside the store to greet those outside were 40 statewide vendors ready to offer delicious samples of their products, plus the Klements Sausage Racers along with Miss Wisconsin Raeanna Johnson, on hand to sign autographs. Portage Mayor Bill Tierney even served cake to the masses as music from the University of Wisconsin Marching Band piped through the ceiling speakers.

Thank you to Pierce's for putting on a great event and giving us Something Special From Wisconsin!

Divine Savior Healthcare expanding

Divine Savior Healthcare has announce plans for future growth and will move forward with building plans to address space needs. They are excited to share proposed building plans and work with local officials to build facilities that will address our community's current and future health care needs. Areas of needed space include physician offices, rehab, surgery and community wellness. Information about a groundbreaking will be forthcoming.

Click here for more information about the project.

Portage Fall Clean-up

The City of Portage will again be collecting residential (not business, non-profit or commercial) refuse consisting of large/bulky items on Saturday, November 1. Cash or check only. Click here for a list of accepted items and applicable fees.

Items can be dropped off at the Municipal Garage, 616 Washington St., from 8am to 4pm. Call (608) 742-2176 for more information.

November Community Events

Spread the word about your event by posting them on our website!

1 Portage Fall Clean-up
1 Portage United Methodist Bushel Basket Bazaar
1 Fox and Branch performance at Portage Public Library

1 Portage Center for the Arts Performing Arts Series Concert: Fox and Branch

6-7 Partners of Divine Savior Holiday Sale
6 Independent film screening at Portage Public Library
6 Hand dyeing of wool yarn class at Mercantile
7 Opening Reception for artist Richard Wandell exhibit

7    Portage Rotary Draw-Down Hoedown at 205 Vino
8    Harvest Dinner at Portage Presbyterian Church
9    4th Annual Columbia County Emergency Fuel Fundraiser

12    Business After 5 at Associated Bank
13-16 PACT presents 'Oklahoma'
13 All Things Senior Expo & Trade Show
14-15 Family Life presents The Art of Marriage, a six-session video event
15    River Haven Maintenance Day
16    Portage Bridal, Prom & Special Event Extravaganza
20-23   PACT presents 'Oklahoma'
20    Portage Center for the Arts Brown Bag Lunch Series
20 Portage Blood Drive at Portage United Methodist Church

28-29    Portage Theatres Free Kid's Movies
28    Santa Fly-in at the Portage Airport
28    Chili Dump at the Holiday Parade by Portage Presbyterian Church
28    Holiday Lighted Parade & Tree Lighting
29    Small Business Saturday
29    Santa's Real Live Reindeer

For more information about these and other events, go to www.portagewi.com.

Got News?

What is your business up to? Pass along information and corresponding photos to graphics@portagewi.com and let us help spread the word about the great things your business or organization is doing. The deadline is the 20th of each month.

New Karate America Opening in Portage

Jon Plumer will be opening his sixth Karate America location on Tuesday, November 11 in the lower level of Jim's BP at 2211 W. Wisconsin St. in Portage. The Portage Area Chamber of Commerce will mark the occasion with a ribbon cutting at 4:30pm on that day.

Classes that instill discipline, build confidence, and inspire fitness will be held every Tuesday and Thursday evenings. For more information, visit pkaschools.com or call 608-592-4800.

Harvest Dinner

Portage Presbyterian Church, 120 W. Pleasant St., is holding a Harvest Dinner featuring turkey and all the trimmings, including homemade pie, with carry-outs available, on Saturday, November 8 from 4:30pm to 7pm.

For more information, click here.

4th Annual Draw-Down Hoedown 2014

The Portage Rotary Club is holding its 4th Annual Draw-Down on Friday, November 7 from 6pm to 9:30pm. Purchase tickets at Forever Yours Jewelry, 123 West Cook St., or Edward Jones Office, 2910 New Pinery Rd., Suite D.

Individual tickets are $100 and a table sponsorship is $500. The first ball drawn out and every 10th ball wins $100. Last ball in the box leaves with $2000. Click for more information or call

Josh Vehring at 742-5408.

PACT presents 'Oklahoma'

Portage Area Community Theatre presents 'Oklahoma' on November 13-15 and 20-22 at 7pm and November 16 & 23 at 2pm. For more information, click here.

All Things Senior Expo & Trade Show

Experience the greatest gathering of resources ever in the area for our 50+ community on Thursday, November 13 from 10am to 2pm at Ho-Chunk Casino, S3214 County Road BD, Baraboo

10am to 2pm. Discover all kinds of wellness opportunities available in a variety of subjects.

For more information, click here.

River Haven Maintenance Day

River Haven Homeless Shelter needs help with routine maintenance and fall-type maintenance to help keep the facility a place for the citizens of Portage who need help. Portage United Methodist Church is organizing the First Annual Fall Cleanup and Maintain River Haven event. Portage Cares!!! Give an hour or stay the day. Children 9 years and older are welcome to stay with their parent or guardian and work. Community Service hours available. Donations of winterizing materials gratefully accepted.

The designated time for this will be Saturday, November 15 from 9am to 2pm. River Haven is located at 108 E. Pleasant St. For info on how you can help, contact Sue at 608-743-2107.

Portage Center for the Arts Brown Bag Lunch Series

Guest artists offering informal presentations on a variety of topics are selected for this noon time lunch series. Jim Pfaff, Rock Springs long-time band leader plays the Cordovox, that music you used to love to dance to...remember when? For more information about this event scheduled for noon at Portage Center for the Arts on Thursday, November 20, click here.

Call for Artists!

The Local Artist Showcase will be on display in the Drury Gallery for the month of December! This popular annual event features one piece of unique artwork from a variety of local artisans: oil, acrylic, watercolor, pottery, woodwork, glasswork, and more. The Portage Center for the Arts is currently accepting artist entry forms. Submission deadline is November 28, 2014. Open to adult artists who live or work in Portage and surrounding communities. Stop by the office or visit our website for more details!

Children's Show at the Library

As part of PCA's Performing Arts Concert Series, we're partnering with the Portage Public Library to offer a special Children's Performance by

Fox & Branch on Saturday, November 1, 2014 at 1:30pm. This event is free and open to the public! Click here for more information!

Fox & Branch Concert

Join us for the second in our Performing Arts Concert series on Saturday, November 1 at 7:30pm! Based in Milwaukee, the nationally known duo Fox & Branch is anchored in American Roots Music, and consider themselves to be working in the tradition of great performers like Pete Seeger, Ella Jenkins, & Bessie Jones! Click here for more information.

Art Reception

Please join us in PCA's Drury Gallery on Friday, November 7, 2014 from 4 to 6pm for the Opening Reception of Richard Wandell's exhibit Evolution. Richard has been awed by art and its magical beauty for a long time. One day, after a long period of creative dormancy, he began to paint; Richard isn't interested in following the same path to find his destination. Art is about discovery. Reception is free and open the public! Stop on by for refreshments, music, friends, and a chance to meet the artist.

Organizing an event or having a sale?

Submit your event or sale to us and have it appear on the Chamber website calendar of events.You may enter your event by clicking here. Please note: Your submission will take a while to appear as the Chamber office first reviews the submissions before approving them to appear on the web calendar. For more information, please call our office 608-742-6242.

The Portage Area Chamber of Commerce is providing leadership for

building a healthy economy and a high quality of life in the Portage Area.

NEWS BREAK is a monthly publication of the Portage Area Chamber of Commerce. Please contact the Chamber if you have news about your business that you would like to include in the next issue.

Our deadline is the 20th of the month. Email your news to graphics@portagewi.com.