August 2013 Newsletter

August 2013

The Greater York Region Chamber of Commerce
Official Business Association of Kittery, Eliot, South Berwick, York Village,
York Harbor, York Beach and Cape Neddick

BUSINESS MATTERS

Our Mission: To promote the growth & general prosperity of Southern Maine.

Member News & Icebreakers

Welcome to the businesses that have recently joined the Chamber!

What's happening with our Chamber members? Check out their press releases and member news. To submit your news for the next newsletter, send press releases to steph@yorkme.org OR save us some time and submit it directly through your member login by looking for "news releases" in your member portal. Use your username and password at www.chamberlogin.com

2013 Icebreakers List: The Greater York Region Chamber's Icebreakers are our monthly networking opportunities for members of the Chamber.

Reminder: We do not hold an Icebreaker during the busy month of August. The next icebreaker will be on September 18 from 5-7 at Bangor Savings Bank in York.

There is no admission fee to attend. Businesses interested in becoming members are welcome to attend one Icebreaker as a guest.

Save the Date: The Chamber's Annual Dinner will take place on November 13, 2013 at The Red Barn at Outlook Farm in South Berwick this year! Stay tuned in the next couple months for more details and information on how to purchase tickets.

Guidebooks & Menu Guides
We still have plenty here! Please let us know if you would like to pick some up or have some delivered to you. 207.363.4422

Ambassador Committee has started again!

Jen Thibodeau, Vice Chair of the Board is chairing the committee. Check out a list of the ambassadors here. If anyone is interested in becoming an ambassador, please fill out the this questionnaire and return it to Jen or Holly.

Don't forget to check out upcoming events and hot deals by our Chamber members!

Click here for more information

Upcoming Chamber Events

York Gateway Farmers' Market

Every Saturday: June 1 - October 12, 2013 from 9-1pm
Every Thursday: July 4 - August 29, 2013 from 9-1pm

Location: Back parking lot at the Chamber of Commerce Visitors' Center, 1 Stonewall Lane, York, Maine (off Route 1)

Sponsored by When Pigs Fly

Local farmers, specialty food producers & crafters sell their fresh vegetables, fruits, baked goods, meats, eggs, breads & handmade crafts ...read more

NEW THIS YEAR: We're collecting food donations for the York Food Pantry on Saturdays! The food pantry is able to accept perishable items from our market, which means you can donate produce! For example, come to the market, buy two heads of lettuce, keep one and donate the other - it's that easy! You'll find a table & box set up at the market for you to leave items. Food pantry representatives will be by to collect everything at the end of the market.

Member Workshop: Melaleuca - Start Shopping & Building a Business for $1 until August 20th!
August 9, 2013 from 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM at the Chamber

Join Ron & Priscilla Crowe for a Brown Bag Lunch Informational Workshop!

Ron & Priscilla Crowe will be giving an overview of a billion dollar international wellness company that has been in business for 28 years. It manufactures over 350 environmentally safe products for personal use and for your home. ...read more

Presenting Sponsor

15 Annual Chamber Golf Tournament

Monday, August 26, 2013

(raindate, if course is closed: Sept 23)
1:00pm Shot Gun Start / Scramble Format
at the Ledges Golf Club

Team spaces & sponsorship opportunities still available! Everyone is welcome to play!

Cost: $125 per player

More event information & a list of registered players here.

We are looking for Raffle prizes of $50 or more. You will receive promotion on the website and at the event if you donate a prize. Please contact Amanda at amanda@yorkme.org

Documents to download:

Player application

Sponsorship opportunities

More Upcoming Chamber Events Here

Odds & Ends

Thank you to York Harbor Marine Service for hosting our special July Icebreaker on Wednesday, July 17!! We don't usually do Icebreakers in July, but this one was so much fun, we might just do it again next year! Boat rides around the harbor and delicious food provided by Dockside Restaurant...we had a blast. Thank you to the Lusty family for putting together such a memorable night!

RAFFLE UPDATE: We have just crossed the halfway point in meeting our goal! Please help us reach the finish line!

The Greater York Region Chamber of Commerce and

Sunrise Grill Restaurant are sponsoring the SAVE THE BOON ISLAND FRESNEL LENS RAFFLE to raise the funds the Kittery Historical & Naval Museum needs in order to keep the Boon Island Lighthouse Fresnel Lens on display. Due to increased insurance expense, the Museum is in danger of losing the display. The Museum needs your support!

Tickets: $10 each and can be purchased online or at the Chamber, Kittery Historical & Naval Museum or Sunrise Grill. More information & purchase tickets here.

Want to lower your electricity bill? Gulf Electricity might be able to help! To enroll, please visit www.gatewaytomaine.org and click on the Gulf Electricity icon on the right. It is easy to make the switch, all you need is your Central Maine Power account number to complete a fast and easy virtual enrollment form, or call 207-363-4422 for assistance with sign-up. There is no change in the billing process, and you continue to remit payment to your utility company. There is no change in reliability whatsoever.

For more information feel free to contact Gulf Electricity directly by calling toll free (855) GULF-ELE (485-3353) or visit www.gulfelectricity.com

Check out the Maine Tourism Association's most recent newsletter by clicking here. Of note is the section on the meals & lodging and sales tax increases in October. You can view that section directly here.

The IRS uses social media tools to share the latest information on tax changes, initiatives, products and services. Connect with the IRS through social media by clicking here.

Do You Know Maine Tobacco Laws?

Maine has several tobacco-related laws with the intention of protecting people from second-hand smoke. Exposure to secondhand smoke has immediate adverse effects on the cardiovascular system and causes coronary heart disease and lung cancer.

Workplace laws apply to privately owned businesses as well as state and municipal government. Every employer is required to establish a written smoking policy, supervise the implementation of the policy and post it for all employees to see.

Summary of Maine laws:
Smoking is banned in all inside space, vehicles used to conduct company business, and within 20 feet of doors, windows and vents of a building.
Smoking is also prohibited in outdoor seating areas at bars, restaurants and snack bars.

Where can you get more details, assistance with policy and FREE signs? Contact Sue Patterson, Choose To Be Healthy Coalition, at spatterson@yorkhospital.com or call 351-2658.

A Message from the Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce regarding the rail crash in Quebec on July 6:

Ever since the terrible rail tragedy, I have been trying to make contact with their local chamber to see how we can assist them in rebuilding their community. I enlisted the help of Larry Gilbert who talked to the head of their local chamber in French (which I could not do) to get addresses where we could send assistance to the chamber in their efforts to rebuild their community. I now have two ways to do that, electronically and by mail.

Below is a link where we can send contributions:
https://secure.redcross.ca/registrant/donate.aspx?EventID=127345&LangPref=en-CA&Referrer=direct%2fnone

The following is the physical address:
Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec
555, boul. René-Lévesque Ouest, 11e étage
Montréal QC H2Z 1B1

I intend to send a $500 check from our chamber with a note identifying that the support is to help the local Lac Megantic chamber (part of the provincial federation) in their efforts to rebuild the community.
Thanks for your help

Charles A. Morrison, President
Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce
cmorrison@androscoggincounty.com
207-783-2249

Stay Connected

1 Stonewall Lane York, Maine 03909 . www.gatewaytomaine.org . 207.363.4422 . info@yorkme.org

The Greater York Region Chamber of Commerce is an Equal Opportunity provider and employer.