March 1, 2016
Last Chance to Register for Hot Topics on March 4th
Rep. Lee Chatfield and Sen. Wayne Schmidt will be the guests at this Friday's Hot Topics event at Stafford's Perry Hotel.  
Seats are still available for just $25/person which includes lunch.  

Hot Topics is sponsored by Comfort Keepers and is designed as a community conversation on key local issues.  

The lawmakers will discuss some of the issues they are slated to address in Lansing this year.  
To register, click here, or call 347-4150. 



"Make the Most of You Membership" Free Breakfast Tues., Mar. 8 
The FREE breakfast is designed to help members understand what the chamber does to help businesses and organizations in the area and how to utilize the chamber to help your business succeed. 

You will get a solid overview of the work of your chamber and learn about opportunities to promote your business. It is a great opportunity to meet other Chamber members too!
 
Are you a new member?  Make plans to attend.  Been a member for a long time, but could use a refresher? Make plans to attend. New staff at your office? Send them so they can get involved. Reservations are required. Call 347-4150 or click here to reserve your spot today - register here.
 
Thank you very much to Accident Fund Insurance Company of America and Blue Cross Blue Shield, the sponsors of Make the Most of Your Membership events.

  
In This Issue
See the UK by Rail - Informational Presentation on March 8th
Next week, a representative from Collette Travel will be in Petoskey to show what it would be like to tour the U.K. by rail.  The presentation is a preview to a group travel opportunity this October hosted by the Petoskey Regional Chamber of Commerce and Andrew Kan Travel.  You can travel with other Petoskey area residents through Edinburgh, York, and London and see such sites as Edinburgh Castle, St. Andrews, Buckingham Palace, and Windsor Castle.  The presentation is free and without obligation.  It will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Reycraft Room at Stafford's Perry Hotel.  
To learn more, follow this link:  https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/730907#.VtXBVGfSmUk 
RSVPs for the presentation are appreciated at 347-4150 or carlin@petoskeychamber.com.  
Be a Sponsor of the Made in Michigan Business After Hours on March 24th
Join us for the next Business After Hours (BAH) at Stafford's Perry Hotel on Thursday, March 24th from 5-7 p.m. This is a VERY SPECIAL BAH as we feature our Made in Michigan Theme! BAH is a well-attended "end-of-the-work-day" networking event designed to help participants make new business contacts, develop potential new customers, and build exposure for their businesses. In addition to great networking opportunities, along with hors d'oeuvres, cash-bar refreshments you can win fabulous door prizes as well! Admission cost is $7 for members; $12 for not-yet members. PLUS stay tuned for more details on this special BAH where we you can win extra prizes and have fun celebrating our great state!

This special edition BAH will feature Michigan Made businesses and businesses who feature Michigan Made products. Does that sound like your business? Hurry only a few spaces left for this special BAH!
 
Take advantage of your Chamber Membership, be a BAH sponsor! Are you looking to get the word out about a new service or product or increasing visibility?? Looking to make business connections?? An average of 100-125 chamber members attend each event for networking opportunities, along with hors d'oeuvres, cash-bar refreshments and door prizes at our member properties. Learn more about being a sponsor of Business After Hours. Space is limited, and many BAH's sell out sponsor space,  so call Nikki Devitt at 347-4150 or email nikki@petoskeychamber.com to reserve your spot for 2016 today.
Connecting Women in Business - Go Grants Fundraiser Success!
Last Tuesday's Go Grants Fundraising Luncheon was a great success. Thank you to the businesses and individuals that donated items for the silent auction.
 
Just over 100 women attended the luncheon/silent auction held at Sage of Odawa Casino. Between the silent auction, sponosrships and admissions the otal amount raised is nearly $8500. 

Go Grants are an important element of the Connecting Women in Business Group. Grants provide small grants to girls in grades 6 to 10 in the Char-Em ISD service area and reach out to young girls in the area who have an idea and a passion to try something new. Grants range up to $500.  Since 2010, 105 girls have received almost $37,000 in GO Grants.
 
Later this week the Chamber will begin to accept applications for Summer Go Grants. The deadline for applications will be April 1.
VIP's Visit Government Relations Committee
Lt. Gen. Jack Bergman, center, and Rep. Lee Chatfield, second from right, were guests at the latest meeting of the Petoskey Regional and Charlevoix Area Chambers of Commerce Government Relations Committee meeting.  Lt. Gen. Bergman is the latest Republican to run for the Michigan 1st U.S. Congressional Seat and he introduced himself to the committee.  Rep. Chatfield helped the committee negotiate through a long agenda of pending state issues.  The committee wishes to thank Chemical Bank for offering the larger meeting space for this meeting.
This weekly email product is produced to inform members about
community and Chamber related news, specials or events. Members looking to share something to the membership may do so in our Friday edition email periodically for FREE. Items are run for up to two weeks. If have something you want to share with the membership, you can e-mail it to nikki@petoskeychamber.com.  Please keep event, special offer & business news submissions to 125 words or less. Deadline for Friday email content is Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. Any questions contact Nikki at 231.347.4150
Petoskey Regional Chamber of Commerce | 231-347-4150 | www.petoskeychamber.com
401 E. Mitchell St. Petoskey, MI 49770