Greater York Region Chamber of Commerce
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Our Mission: To promote the growth & general prosperity of Southern Maine.
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WGME News 13 is coming to "The Yorks" again this summer and invites your business to be a part of a fun on-air/on-line News sponsorship called "Road Trippin" which encourages WGME viewers to stay in Maine this summer and see what MAINE has offer. WGME's News crew and Dave Eid will be on the road for 13 weeks letting viewers know about places just like yours! This year we will be featuring TWO Exclusive things to do for "Fun", TWO places to "Stay" and TWO great restaurants to "Eat" at between Kittery, York& Ogunquit.  Last year WGME featured several Inns and great restaurants along with some of the best things to do in your area. The program received rave reviews from viewers and participating businesses! It was a hit! WGME featured Ogunquit Lobster Pound, The Colonial Inn, Dunes On The Waterfront, Silverlining Cruises, The Beachmere Inn, Ogunquit Playhouse, Inn on The Blues Restaurant, Coachman Inn, Robert's Maine Grill, Sunrise Grill, Round About Diner and the fun experiential dining at Clay Hill Farm, just to name a few.  Don't miss this opportunity for your business.

 

For more information please don't hesitate to contact Chris Marine at 712-2177 or [email protected] 

Meet Your Chamber Ambassador of the Month!
Donna M Reynolds
Ballou & Bedell
408 US Route 1, 2nd Floor, York, ME
207.363.5300
Q: What are your successes?
A: On a personal level, I am blessed with a wonderful family, circle of friends, health & happiness. On a professional level, I am blessed with a job I love, surrounded by talented and supportive colleagues. I have the opportunity to meet and work with other community members/organizations. I look forward to each day!

Q: What interested you in becoming an Ambassador?

A: I truly love and appreciate our community. I enjoy being part of a team that promotes our area, and the people and businesses that make up our community. 

 

Q: What are some of the benefits you see from being involved in the community?

A: Purpose - being part of the Chamber is satisfying personally and I believe I am "giving back" in a meaningful way to which I am suited. 

 

Thank you Donna!! 

 

Check out a list of ambassadors here

2014 Icebreakers
 
April 24 - Member Showcase - American Legion

June 18 - Bangor Savings

Please note the special July date: 
July 16
- York Harbor Marine Service

no August Icebreaker

September 17 - York Family Eyecare

November 19 - TBA - Annual Dinner

December 3 - TBA - Holiday Icebreaker & Scholarship Silent Auction

Are you interested in hosting an Icebreaker at your business in 2014? We still need hosts for the dates that say TBA. It's first come, first served - if you're interested in a date, please contact Steph at [email protected]
April 10, 2014
April Icebreaker & Member Showcase

We invite you to showcase your business and set-up a 4' table top booth to promote your business at our Member Showcase & April Icebreaker at the American Legion! This is one of the icebreakers that we invite the public to attend so that your business receives additional exposure. We normally have 25-30 businesses displaying their professions and holding raffles at each table. To register, please fill out a sign-up form and either fax it to 207-363-7320; drop it off or mail it to the Chamber; or you are welcome to email it to [email protected] if you are interested in participating in the Member Showcase. Please note: The ABSOLUTE deadline for reserving a space is Friday, April 18, 2014.

Brochure Rack Space

It's time to sign up for brochure rack space! After our email on Monday, we've been flooded with sign-up forms. Space is very limited, so please make sure to get your form back to us quickly if you plan to take advantage of this.

 

Aside from the benefits that are included with your annual chamber membership, we offer additional advertising opportunities to further promote your business. The Chamber has three external locations to display your brochures year round. We also have the York Beach kiosk which is open from the end of May through mid October. The cost is only $75 per year round location and $50 for the YB Kiosk. Choose all three and you receive the York Beach kiosk at no additional charge. Download the sign-up form here.
Golf Tournament
16th Annual Golf Tournament 
Monday, June 9, 2014 
(Rain date, if course is closed: August 25)

Presented by  Wiggly Bridge Distillery
 
8:30am Shot Gun Start / Scramble Format  
Located at:
 
BBQ Luncheon and Player Awards Reception at 2:30 pm

Tournament theme is "Let's Heat It Up" 
$20 from each player entry fee will be donated to the 2015 fuel assistance program. The funds will benefit a household located in the Greater York Region.

The more that play, the more we will pay!
 
We are looking for: 
Players 
Volunteers 
Sponsors
Items for our player bags


 

Are you able to volunteer at the event? Or can you donate items for raffles or player bags? Please contact Amanda at [email protected] or 207.363.4422.

Please help us make the 16th Annual Golf Tournament one of the best ever! By sponsoring the event, your business will receive a lot of promotion and you are invited to attend the BBQ Luncheon and Player Awards Reception scheduled for approximately 2:30 pm. Depending on the level of sponsorship that you choose, you may also receive an invitation to the Wiggly Bridge VIP tent prior to the luncheon.

Questions? Contact Holly or Steph at 207.363.4422 or [email protected] / [email protected] 
Chamber of Commerce Announces Scholarship Program

The Greater York Region Chamber of Commerce would like to announce that the Chamber will be awarding its first annual scholarship in 2014. The scholarship will be awarded to a student following an essay competition and interview session; the amount is $1000. The purpose of the scholarship program is twofold: to support local students to meet the financial obligations of a wide variety of post high school education opportunities and to develop skilled individuals to fill jobs in Maine.

 

Students are eligible to apply if they are residents of York, Kittery, Eliot or South Berwick who have or will graduate in the current year of the scholarship. Students must graduate from York High School, Traip Academy, Marshwood High School, Berwick Academy or accredited home school studies and they must be accepted into a post high school program of study.

 

The essay question asks students to demonstrate their writing ability by providing a two-page essay on what has happened in their community in the past year. The essay is due May 1, 2014. The Review Committee will be comprised of Russ Peterson from RA Peterson, Holly Roberts (Chamber Executive Director) and three members of the Chamber's Board of Directors. The committee will be reviewing the essays and select five finalists for interviews. The interviews will be held between May 7 and May 21, 2014. The committee will select a scholarship recipient following those interviews.

 

To apply, students can contact their high school guidance counselor or the Chamber of Commerce. Inquiries and completed essays should be sent to Holly Roberts at [email protected] or mailed to the Greater York Region Chamber of Commerce at 1 Stonewall Lane, York, ME 03909.

Workshops & Events

ChamberMaster Training Workshops

 

Do you know how to update your member information? Do you know how to log in to create a Hot Deal, post a Job opening or add an event to the Events Calendar? If you answered no to any of these questions, you will benefit from ChamberMaster Training.

 

Beginning in April, we will offer several dates to come into the chamber and learn how to use your member login and password. Workshops are free and limited to 5 members per workshop. You must sign up ahead of time to attend. Please contact [email protected] or call 207-363-4422.

 

Remaining April ChamberMaster Workshop date:

Tuesday, April 29, Noon - 1:00 - open to all members

 

Speed Networking Event
Tuesday, April 22, 11:30am-1:00pm, at the chamber. Limited to 20 attendees and only 1 per business. This is a free event for members. Not yet members, $20. You must sign up in advance to attend by contacting [email protected] or calling 207-363-4422

Guidebooks are here!
2014/15 Guidebooks are in!!  Anne Sweeney took the beautiful photo we used on the cover and Joline from Central Maine Graphics did the layout again this year!
Please stop by to pick up a box (or boxes) or let us know if you need them delivered to you. You can email [email protected] or call us 207.363.4422. If you do stop by, please make sure to check in with us inside before you take any boxes.
Traffic Bulletin from Maine DOT
The Berwick Bridge, that carries Routes 9 and 236 over the Salmon Falls River between Maine and New Hampshire, is being replaced. The $2.4 million construction project will result in the addition of a turning lane on the bridge, enhanced five-foot sidewalks on both sides of the bridge and an improved railroad crossing in Somersworth. Construction begins in late March or early April. Though two lanes of traffic will be maintained on the bridge, traffic flowing into Berwick from Somersworth will not be allowed to turn left when exiting the bridge. Instead traffic will be re-routed to Wilson Street via Route 9. All businesses will be open and accessible. The bridge will be fully closed for two weekends, one this spring and one in the fall. This spring closure will take place Friday, April 11th at 10:30 am through Monday, April 14th at 2:00 pm. Six overnight closures will be allowed over the course of construction. The bridge will fully re-open by November 15th though finish work may occur in the spring of 2015. See the full notice here.

1 Stonewall Lane York, Maine 03909 . www.gatewaytomaine.org . 207.363.4422 . [email protected]

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