Morton Matters Newsletter
 October 2017
In This Issue
Trick or Treat Main Street
Hometown Holidays
Festival Follow Up
Morton Community Prayer Breakfast
MIX
LEAP
Business Briefs
Welcome New Members
Morton Community Foundation News
Morton Tourism News
Save the Date
MIX
October 17

LEAP
October 24

October 26

October 27

October 27
Business After Hours

340 Erie Avenue
Morton

October 26
4:30 - 6:00 pm
Join Our List
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Chamber Board Members
Jacque Austin
Paul Beckman
Brian Cross
Jamie Durdel
Nick Esser
Justin Ferrill
Barbara Heer
Craig Hilliard
Shelly Hunt, Treas.
Mary Jane Johnson
Cathy Kemp
David Mills
Tim Mueller
David Zern, Pres.
Alissa Williams, Vice Pres.
150% Club Members
A Brush of Color
Aaron Miller, Real Estate Broker
Ackerman Family Farms
Alltrust Financial Management
Apostolic Christian Restmor
Barbara Heer, Broker
Brandon Wood Retirement Center
Captivation Dance by Kaleigh
Carius Dairy Queen
CMFS
CORE Construction
Country Financial
Craig Barley
Crossroads Concrete
David Mills CPA LLC
David W. Kinsinger DDS
Deputy Duct, Div. of ATC Insulators
DSM-H LLC
Heartland Veterinary Clinic
em.bel.lish hair design
IT360 Inc.
JA ROECKER Architecure/Structures
Jay Fox Insurance Agency
Jim Maloof Realtor
Jm Yordy
Keach Architectural Design
Kennel Lake Sportsmen's Club
Knapp Johnson Funeral Home
Kuhl Insurance
LaFiesta Mexican Restaurant
Le Nails & Spa
Lennie's Quality Meat Shop
Lighthouse Buick GMC
Liquor Station
Littlefield & Lovell Orthodontics
Marie Fisk, Realtor
Markley's Pest Elimination
McDonald's of Morton
Merlin Birky
Mike Murphy Ford
Mike Yordy Excavation
Mohr & Kerr Engineering & Land Surveying
Morton Buildings
Morton Collision Repair
Morton Dental Center
Morton Family Dentistry
Morton Financial Services
Morton VFW
Oak Lawn Estates
PC Doctor Computer Consulting
Peoria Area Association of Realtors
Ranson & Ranson Dental
RMH Foods
Schooner's of Morton
Season's Gastropub
Stephens Electric
The Iona Group
The Prassas Co./Morton
Towne Center
The Whisler Agency
Tri County Cleaning Systems
Two Men and a Truck
Village of Morton
Villas of Holly Brook
Walmart
Web Services Inc.
West Central IL Bldg & Construction Trades Council
Witzig Financial Services
Wm. Aupperle & Sons
Yinlun USA Inc.
Yogi's Super Liquors
 
Trick or Treat Main Street

The Morton Chamber of Commerce will again be hosting a spooktacular event aimed at bringing families to downtown Morton to shop, eat and Trick or Treat!

Our 5th annual Trick or Treat Main Street, sponsored by McDonald's, will be held on Friday, October 27 from 5 to 8 pm. The Best Decorated Business will receive a traveling trophy and a Chamber advertising package worth $500. The Best Costumed Employee will receive $50 in Chamber Checks.

If you would like to include your business in an I Shop Morton coupon flyer promotion, provide details on the Trick or Treat Morton registration page. We will handle design, printing, and distribution.

The Chamber encourages all downtown Chamber member merchants to participate in this event by staying open until 8 pm, handing out candy, and offering a special activity, menu, or sale at your business! Pop-up locations are available for businesses not located downtown to join the fun. 

Friday, October 27 is also Fourth Fridays with artists, art studios, music and businesses adding to the fun. Businesses can register for Fourth Fridays here.
I Shop Morton: Hometown Holidays
Join Shop Local, Shop Morton: Hometown Holidays Today!

The 2017 I Shop Morton Committee has combined efforts with the former Holidazzle/Shop Small committee to provide an opportunity for merchants and activities to come together for a Shop Local promotion during the upcoming holiday season.  Hometown Holidays is supported by the Morton Chamber of Commerce, Village Tourism and Morton Tourism Association (MTA) Committee

Hometown Holidays kicks off on  Friday, November 17 from 5 to 9 pm with strolling holiday experiences and the Community Christmas Tree Lighting at the Memorial Plaza at 7 pm. On  Saturday, November 18 from 10 am to 3 pm people are encouraged shop local with promotions that will continue on through Small Business Saturday on November 25 to the end of December.

Read more about the Hometown Holidays event and register here.   Submit your coupon details by October 13 using this  link .
Festival Follow Up
Thank you to the more than 2,000 volunteers that make the Pumpkin Festival possible! And mark your calendars for next year. We'll be reaching out again. Be a part of what makes the Morton Pumpkin Festival so great!


Please take a minute to complete our online festival survey.
Morton Community Prayer Breakfast
Wednesday, October 18
6 to 8 am
Park Inn by Radisson

Thomas Wolf, who wrote the novel You Can't Go Home Again was wrong. You Can Go Home Again. Deidre Pujols returns to the "home" of Albert Pujols' baseball career with the Peoria Chiefs. The Chiefs, at that time, were part of the St. Louis Cardinals franchise and, were paying Albert the princely sum of $252.00 every two weeks. As Deidre stated, "We were truly living on love, as we ate a lot of macaroni dinners in those days."
Morton Information Exchange (MIX)
Tuesday, October 17
11:30 am - 1:00 pm
Freedom Hall
Topic: Define the Market & Discover Your Customer

Professor Aaron Buchko will show guests how to define and map the market  to be more effective in establishing or growing your business.  The market changes rapidly, and understanding how to connect with your customers is essential to remain competitive and grow your business.  Join Aaron, the Morton EDC and other business leaders to learn about this important process.  Roundtable discussions with industry experts following the presentation will help you navigate customer discovery.
LEAP - Save the Date
The topic of the October 24 LEAP session at the Chamber office from 8:00 - 9:30 am will be "Set the Stage: Storefronts and Displays".

Watch the Chamber Facebook page for more information.
Business Briefs


Chamber Welcomes New Members for September
Engineering Design and Manufacturing Services.
Morton Community Foundation News
by Scott Witzig
We are preparing our list of names to engrave on leaves to be  added to the Beautiful Giving Tree recognition sculpture at the corner of Jefferson and First Streets. This will be the final set of leaves planned to be added to the tree. 

Our first set of leaves was included on the Giving Tree sculpture when it was installed just prior to Pumpkin Festival, on Thursday, September 4, 2014. 
Morton Tourism News
Morton Fall Chalk Challenge
Saturday, October 7
Downtown Morton Parking Lot between 
Main and Plum Streets

All ages and abilities are welcome. Old School Tunes is the theme. Check in begins at 8 am on Saturday. Sidewalk chalk, cold water, and snacks will be provided, or you can bring your own. All artists must be finished by 2 pm when the judging begins. Public viewing will be from 3-8 pm. Cash prizes will be awarded in age categories.  FREE admission, but please register to be included in prizes. 

Sponsored by Old School Arts and Morton Tourism Association.