SEPTEMBER 2006 NEWSLETTER
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Would you like to sponsor this newsletter – reaching more than 300 local businesses each month?
Please contact Keir Knight at (301) 829-1982 or klknight@pipeline.com

SEPTEMBER MEMBERSHIP MEETING

Our monthly membership meeting will be held on Thursday September 7th at 8am at the Mt Airy Fire Hall (corner of Watersville Rd and Main St, park at the rear/lower level and enter through the back doors).

We will have our usual hour of introductions, committee reports and discussions of new and old business. Following the meeting there will be an orientation for new members.

See below on details of how to get a new Chamber polo shirt at half price!

Remember that minutes of all our monthly meetings can be found on the Chamber website at www.mtairybusiness.com

Every month members also get to see all the advertising, newspaper coverage and correspondence for the past month.

If you haven’t attended a membership meeting before - come along, get involved and see what the Chamber is up to!

BUSINESS CARD EXCHANGE

The business card exchange for September is on the 19th from 5.30pm-7.30pm. It is being hosted by The Main Event – Carol and Tim Cahall and their staff.

They are located at 1 South Main Street, Mt Airy. Parking is available in the municipal lot.

Feel free to bring a door prize and remember if you know of a business who is thinking of joining the Chamber this is a great event to invite them to.

2007 PLANNING MEETING

Members are encouraged to attend the planning meeting for 2007 Chamber activities. This will be held on Thursday, September 14^th, 11am – 4pm at Lorien Assisted Living.

Please come with new ideas and topics, etc. There are many items already on the agenda so member input is more important than ever. If you would like to suggest adding an agenda item, please contact Carol Cahall at The Main Event (301) 829-4444.

Lunch will be served, so please RSVP to Paula Wilhelm at Lorien at 301-829-6050, ext. 112.

BUSINESS CARD EXCHANGE REPORT

Thank you to the Firehouse Pottery Company and Concetta's Italian Grocer for co-hosting our August Business Card Exchange.

The event was very well attended and featured arts & crafts and delicious food!

Thank you to our hosts, Jennifer Shaffer and Judy Turner, to Mount Airy Liquors for providing refreshments, and to all those who so generously donated door prizes.

NEW MEMBER ORIENTATION

We will be holding a New Member Orientation immediately following our regular September meeting, 8am September 7, 2006, at the Mount Airy Fire House, lower level, 702 North Main Street, Mount Airy.

All new members are invited, and our invitation extends to any interested Chamber member regardless of your length of membership.

We will begin the orientation meeting by 9.15am, and will adjourn by 10am. You will hear about the many benefits of Chamber membership, and all your questions will be answered. Refreshments will be served. We are looking forward to seeing you!

[Ambassador Committee Chair Ellie Bonde, Blossom & Basket Boutique].

MEMBERSHIP REPORT

The following 3 businesses joined in August:

Catering 2 You, 240-731-3844, Gayle Owens

Data Management Technologies, Inc. 301-829-5591, Marcus Rottman, Jason Rottman

Verizon Wireless, 240-994-1449, Stephen Lopez

Our membership currently stands at 308.

[Membership Committee Chair Dennis Emerson, Sherman Emerson Insurance.]

DROP-IN NETWORKING LUNCHES

This new program from the Ambassadors Committee is an informal meeting of Chamber members and guests - meeting at Noon every second Tuesday at the Greene Turtle.

It’s a "dutch lunch" where you pay for your own food and drinks – but there’s a great coupon on the website at www.mtairybusiness.com/dropinlunches

The next two dates are Tuesday September 12^th and Tuesday October 10^th.

NOMINATIONS

We will be presenting our slate of officers for the Chamber for 2007 at our October 5^th morning meeting. We will be voting on the slate of officers at our November morning meeting.

If you would like to know more about the nominations process, how to nominate or be nominated, please contact Bob Cage, Brahma Technologies at 301-831-3146.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SEMINARS

We will be holding two seminars this fall. On Tuesday October 17^th the topic will be Business Succession Planning. On Wednesday November 15^th the topic will be Business Financial Planning.

Both seminars will be held at the Senior Center, 703 Ridgeville Avenue (above the Library) from 6.30pm to 8.30pm.

The workshops are FREE to Chamber members and $10 to non-members.

To register, please call (410) 386-8012 or email mtitus@carrollcc.edu.

[Professional Development Committee chair, Marlene Titus, Carroll Community College]

2007 GALA

The date has been set! Be sure to mark your calendars for the 2nd Annual Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce Gala Dinner Dance on Saturday, January 13, 2007. This special evening will be held once again at the Mt. Airy American Legion Gold Star Post 191.

For more information, a list of sponsors, and details on how you can become a sponsor of this event, please visit http://www.mtairybusiness.com/gala2007

For all questions please e-mail pwilhelm@lorienhealth.com or call 301-829-6050, ext. 112

[Gala Committee Chair Paula Wilhelm]

EMBROIDERED POLO SHIRTS

Second VP Aaron Kahn, of Eclipse Security will be accepting orders for the new Chamber polo shirts at the September membership meeting.

The shirts are normally $23 each but will be sold at a discounted price of $12 for this one day only. Cash and checks made out to the GMACC are the only accepted form of payment. For those who are paying cash, the exact amount is required, change is not guaranteed.

Samples will be available for sizing purposes in both the women’s and men’s styles.

BUSINESS CARD EXCHANGES IN 2007

The Social Committee is finalizing the lineup for Card Exchanges for next year. Most locations are now set but the committee is still looking for co-hosts/sponsors.

If this is something you have been thinking about please let one of the committee members know. This is a tremendous opportunity for you to showcase your company.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions. Thank you,

Leslie Brenneman, Ramzy Nassar - Costco Wholesale. Social Committee

W330MBR@costco.com or 301-644-1483

LIBRARY TELEVISION

Be sure to visit the Mount Airy library and check out their brand new widescreen television – donated by the Greater Mt Airy Chamber of Commerce!

The TV is tuned to the news, with subtitles, to help keep everyone informed of ongoing events.

Thank you to Archie Rogers of Rogers Engraving for donating the Chamber plaque that is posted next to the TV.

NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Congratulations to Andrea and Andrew Williamson on the birth of daughter Eden Mattea Williamson! She was born on August 6^th and weighed in at 8lb 5oz. Everyone is doing well and thriving.

The Law Office of Patrick E. Ronan has moved – and is now at 1 Park Avenue, Suite H, Mt. Airy, MD 21771. Phone, e-mail etc are unchanged.

SECOND E-MAIL LIST

The new Chamber e-mail group "mtairybusinessgeneral" is now live.

Unlike the main group, this new group is not moderated and members
are free to post anything related to their own business or to the
local business community in general.

To view messages posted to the group, or to join, please visit:
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/mtairybusinessgeneral/
An edited digest of postings is submitted to the main e-mail group once a week.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at (301) 829-1982 or klknight@pipeline.com

[Advertising & Marketing Committee Chair Keir Knight]

TOWN MEETING AGENDAS

We are working with the Town of Mount Airy to post meeting agendas and other information to the second e-mail group "mtairybusinessgeneral".

CHAMBER FOLDERS

The Greater Mt Airy Chamber of Commerce now has pocket folders available for all members to use. The glossy folders include four interior sheets: committee descriptions, Chamber events, leadership and an application form.

The folders are available at all Chamber events and meetings – or by contacting Ambassadors Committee Chair Ellie Bonde of the Blossom & Basket Boutique at (301) 831-0010.

They are perfect to use to introduce potential members to the Chamber.

INFO TO SHARE?

If you have information you would like to share with other Chamber members – either through the monthly newsletter, the Chamber website, or Yahoo e-mail lists – please contact Advertising & Marketing Committee Chair Keir Knight of Plain English Writing & Design at (301) 829-1982 or klknight@pipeline.com

WEBSITE & GOLF TOURNAMENTS

The website is currently featuring a list of upcoming golf tournaments. If you are involved in organizing a local tournament and would like to have it listed, please contact Keir Knight.