Chamber Chatter News
August 2021
Mission Statement
"The Mission of the Cordele-Crisp Chamber of Commerce is to support, maintain, and promote member's businesses and quality of life in our community."
WELCOME New Members!

Blackshear Beverage
2453 Hwy 300 S
Cordele, GA 31015
229-513-4660
www.blackshearbeverage.com

Eckerd Connects - Paxen
606 East 15th Avenue
Cordele, GA 31015
229-273-4568
www.eckerd.org
THANK YOU Renewing Members!
Century 21 Smith Branch & Pope, LLC
Christy Banks
Crisp Academy
Crisp Cleaners
Crisp County Board of Commissioners
First United Methodist Church
Hill Top Apartments
Judge Chris Hughes
Lyle Farms, LLC
M J Morris Company, Inc.
Melody Godfrey Insurance Agency
Overstreet Chiropractic Center Planters First Bank (Main)
RightPoint Advertising
Run For Your Lungs
Stella Jones Corporation
Sure Good Foods LTD
Three's Company
Willow Apartments
NOT A MEMBER?
Explore the benefits of what joining the Chamber can offer to your business.
Visit us online at
or email
Calendar of Events:
Please note that these dates and times can change, so please check our website, Facebook, or feel free to call the Chamber.
 
Aug 5th
Tourism Meeting
9:00 am
Chamber

Aug 7th
GA Vets Triathlon
8:00 am
GA Vets State Park

Aug 12th
Watermelon Festival Meeting
10:00 am
Chamber

Aug 14th
Georgia Summer Nationals
Cordele Motor Speedway

Aug 18th
Keep Crisp Beautiful Meeting
10:00 am
Chamber

If you have items that you would like listed...please send them to us at [email protected]
President's Report
Just when we thought COVID was almost gone...the numbers are going back up. We encourage everyone to be cautious and stay safe!

As we look to the future, we will continue to work with local government, our members and community. We will continue to provide webinars, ZOOM meetings to keep our members and the community updated and informed on changes that will affect you and information to help your business. We will continue to offer ZOOM as an alternative for those who still don't feel comfortable attending in person meetings. We will encourage social distancing at events that we sponsor and follow COVID guidelines.

The Chamber Board & Staff are available to serve you and I encourage you to call anyone of us if there is anything we can do to assist you.

Thank you for your continued support!

Sincerely,
Monica
Contact Information:
502 So. 2nd Street
P O Box 158
Cordele, Ga 31010
229-273-1668
229-273-5132 fax
 
 


STAFF:
Monica Simmons
President

Tamala Mathis
Vice President of Marketing & Special Projects
Small Business Development

Catherine M. Harrell
Keep Crisp Beautiful

Evelyn Dowell
Bookkeeper

Timothy Kilpatrick
Volunteer Receptionist

Hannah Cook
Intern
Photo: Adkins Photography


2021 Officers & Directors  

Executive Committee
Chair
Douglas Dean
Lawson, Reid & Dean, LLC

Chair-Elect & Organizational Improvement 
Vice-Chair
Valerie Roberson
Regions Bank

Organizational Improvement
Monica Watson
South Georgia Banking Company

Community Development 
William Hurt
Planters First Bank

Public Affairs 
Vice-Chair
Karen Kinsey
Norbord

Keep Crisp Beautiful 
Vice-Chair
Chip Wells
Wells Hardware & Supply

Tourism Division 
Vice-Chair
Eli Tinsley
Planters First Bank

Small Business Development 
Vice-Chair
Denise Ruff
SWGU

Treasurer
Melody Godfrey
Melody Godfrey Insurance

Past Chair
Marlene Kimball
Century 21 Smith, Branch & Pope

Cordele City Commission Rep
Wesley Rainey
Rainey Family Funeral Services

Crisp County Commission Rep
Dickie Dowdy

Crisp County Power Commission Rep
Rusty Slade
Planters First Bank

Agri-Industrial Development Rep
Bob Evans
Colony Bank
 
Board of Directors
Mary Beal - MLB Consultant
Kathy Murdock -Kathy & Company
Rev. Larry Rollins - Cordele First United Methodist Church
Tracy Stewart - Ameris Bank
Ed Vaughn - Helena Industries
Latoshia Harper - Helena Industries
Heath Hamilton - National Realty Company
Jeffrey Hester- Colony Bank
Jerry Lott- Harris Equipment
Candy McRee-Sakari & Company
Kenny Smith-GreenPoint Ag
Linda Rollins - DFACS

Ex-Officio
Albany State University -Traci Griffen
City of Cordele - Roland McCarthy
Cordele/Crisp Industrial Dev Council - Grant Buckley
Cordele Housing Authority- Beth NeSmith       
Crisp Academy- Tim Hathcock
Crisp County Commission- Clark Harrell  
Crisp County Community Council - Sherry Evans
Crisp County Extension - Joshua Grant/Randy West  
Crisp County Power Commission- Michael Ivey
Crisp Co. School Superintendent- Cindy Hughes
Crisp Regional - Steven Gautney/Brooke Marshall
Lake Blackshear Resort- Sonny Taylor
Mayor of Arabi- Craig Huckaby
Rep. Sanford Bishop's Field Rep- Tammye Jones
South Georgia Technical College - Julie Partain
Southwest Georgia United - Robert Cooke
Senator Raphael Warnock's Rep -
Senator Jon Ossoff's Rep -
State Senator- District 13 - Carden Summers
State Representative-District 147 - Noel Williams, Jr.
GA Vets Triathlon
SATURDAY, AUGUST 7, 2021
8 AM – 11:30 AM
400-YARD SWIM / 13.6 MILE BIKE / 5K RUN
GEORGIA MEMORIAL STATE PARK IN CORDELE, GA
2459 US Highway 280 W, Cordele, GA 31015

To register for the event go to https://www.gamultisports.com/georgiaveterans
COVID 19 CASES ARE INCREASING IN THE WEST CENTRAL HEALTH DISTRICT

To our community in the West Central Health District:

Together we have fought the COVID 19 virus for over a year now. We have lost loved ones and have faced many hardships. Many of us may be experiencing fatigue from this fight but we must continue the struggle to keep ourselves and others healthy.

At this time, the Health Department is seeing a rise in COVID 19 cases across the West Central Health District.

The following counties are now considered to have a high community transmission of the virus.

Columbus (Muscogee), Chattahoochee, Crisp, Dooly, Harris, Marion, Stewart, Talbot.

Other counties in our health district have moderate transmission but are still seeing a rise in cases.

These include: Clay, Macon, Randolph, Schley, Sumter and Webster.

Community Transmission is currently low in Taylor but with the other counties seeing a rise in cases we may soon see a rise in cases in Taylor as well.

WE HAVE THE TOOLS TO FIGHT THIS VIRUS. HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO.

If you have not been vaccinated against the COVID Virus please consider doing so now.

GET VACCINATED - Vaccinations are free and available at many locations. You can find a location near you using the vaccine locator website. https://www.vaccines.gov/

GET TESTED – COVID 19 Tests are free to the public. Visit https://westcentralhealthdistrict.com/ to register for your COVID 19 test.

OTHER WAYS TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THE VIRUS

WEAR A MASK. - Universal masking should be worn in public indoor settings regardless of vaccination status

STAY 6 FEET AWAY FROM OTHERS - Outside your home: The CDC advises putting 6 feet of distance between yourself and people who don’t live in your household. Remember that some people without symptoms may be able to spread virus.

AVOID CROWDS AND POORLY VENTILATED SPACES - Being in crowds like in restaurants, bars, fitness centers, or movie theaters puts you at higher risk for COVID-19.

WASH YOUR HANDS OFTEN: Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.

COVER COUGHS AND SNEEZES: If you are wearing a mask: You can cough or sneeze into your mask. Put on a new, clean mask as soon as possible and wash your hands.
If you are not wearing a mask:
Always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or use the inside of your elbow and do not spit. Throw used tissues in the trash

CLEAN AND DISINFECT - Clean high touch surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.

Information in this post is current as of 7/28/21 Data Source - https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-19-daily-status-report
Goal: To educate our community to build and sustain a local movement to reduce and eliminate litter and promote participation and efforts to preserve our environment.
Goal: To develop programs to promote quality economic growth, provide assistance to small businesses and entrepreneurs.
The Small Business Development Center located in the Cordele-Crisp Chamber of Commerce, is here to provide the tools to help small businesses grow and succeed. We work closely with the UGA Small Business Development Center to provide you with the most current resources to help you start a business or grow an existing business. We can connect you with the right people and the right resources via zoom, webinars, or information packets. Contact us today if you have any questions about your current or future business ventures.

Tamala Mathis
229-273-1668
If you need help creating a QR Code for your business please call the Chamber for assistance!