November 6th, 2022

In our community, we have a LOT to be thankful for. Every. Single. Day. And this week in particular, I ask that you take a moment to be thankful for the men and women who have given their lives in service so you can have the freedom you enjoy every single day. So take a pause on 11/11 at 11am. It just takes a moment of gratitude to shift your perspective and your mood. Why not take two moments, and see the real change that can happen. You may be surprised!

Liz Holt

Executive Director

Tuesday November 8, 5:00 - 7:00pm - Business After Hours at Byline Bank

Join us at our regular monthly networking event! Business After Hours (BAH) occur on the second Tuesday of every month at a new location each time. This is your chance to connect with other members in a more casual setting. All members and non-members are welcomed.

Our November Business After Hours (BAH) will be hosted by Byline Bank at their Oak Park location at 1001 Lake Street. Come check out their beautiful location!

Thursday November 10, 2:00 - 2:30pm - Ribbon Cutting at Real People Realty

This week we'll be at Real People Realty celebrating this new business, taking pictures of the ribbon cutting, and enjoying a great networking opportunity! 

Real People Realty is a newer agency in Oak Park, located at the center of the Oak Park Arts District, and ready to serve local homeowners with sales, purchases, and rentals. 

See their space, meet the staff, get to know other Chamber members, and join us for the ribbon cutting and the celebration!

Friday November 11, 9:00 - 10:30am - Women in Business Affinity Group Meeting at The Sheridan at River Forest

We are thrilled you will be joining us! WIB is continuing our monthly series with Laura Barnard and Lindsay Gaskins of BREAKTHRU Brands. Laura and Lindsay will be sharing their expertise on empowering women to lead people, ideas, and movements with clarity and confidence. We cannot wait! 

Thursday November 17, 8:00 - 9:30am - New Member Breakfast at Oak Park Arms

Join us at our New Member Breakfast at Oak Park Arms to tell us all about your business, meet Chamber staff and board leadership, learn about all of your benefits, and find opportunities to get involved. Board members and staff are on hand to meet new members and answer any questions!

This is a very popular event each quarter and seating is limited, so be sure to register now. 

Friday November 18, 11:30 - 1:00pm - Sit Down Lunch at Papaspiros

You asked, we answered. Join us for a Chamber sit-down luncheon at Papaspiros! A business lunch in a casual setting, with a little group networking. Come enjoy the food while you connect and get to know Chamber members.

We'll get to meet the owner and get to know other local businesspeople at Papaspiros - a classic Oak Park destination. 

Monday November 21, 12:15 - 12:45pm - Meditation Mondays at CrossFunction Flexible Workspace

Join us for the Chamber program aimed at taking care of you, our small business community. Welcome to our monthly Meditation Mondays! All it takes is half an hour (that's only 30 mins!) for us to help you put your to-do list aside, empty your head of all the chatter and truly look after yourself.

We are thrilled to partner with the Kadampa Meditation Center in Oak Park to bring you this monthly meditation.

Monday November 28, 5:30 - 7:00pm - BIPOC Affinity Group Meeting at Niravadhi Services

We will be gathering at Niravadhi Services to network with other folks from the BIPOC community. Connect with Latinx, Asian-American, Black and Indigenous peers from the OPRF business and nonprofit community! 

Join us to make connections and strengthen your network.

Wednesday November 30, 4:30 - 5:00pm - Ribbon Cutting at Estillos Barber Studio

This time we will be gathering at Estillos Barber Studio, a newer barbershop in Oak Park. They provide a luxury barbershop experience for men for both hair and beard trims.

Come meet the staff, check out their space and enjoy this great networking opportunity!

Message from Liz Holt, Executive Director of the

OPRF Chamber of Commerce

As per our By-Laws, as a 501(c)6 membership-based organization, please accept this as notification of the official slate for the 2023 Board of Directors and Offices.

Instructions for presenting alternate candidates are described below following the slate for each.

The slates as presented to the Board of Directors at our regular monthly meeting on November 1, 2022 are as follows:

1. The Nominating Committee Presented the following slate of Officers for 2023:

President - Darien Marion-Burton (D.M.Burton)

Vice President - Rob Guenthner (Kettlestrings Tavern)

Secretary - Aracelis Sanchez (Dominican University)

Treasurer - Andy Kaczkowski (WestPoint Financial Group)

Member At Large - Esther Grachan (Grachan Agency)

Past President - Sam Yousif (B-Health)

The slate above was presented by the Nominating Committee to the Board of Directors at its regularly scheduled November Board Meeting, as per the By-Laws of the organization. At the December Board Meeting, the President will call for additional nominations from sitting Board members present at the meeting. If there are none, those so nominated will become the new officers for 2023. If additional names are offered, a secret, written ballot by the current Directors will determine the new officers.

2. The Nominating Committee has presented the following slate of candidates to fill three-year terms:

Rob Guenthner (Kettlestrings Tavern)

Tina Shrader (Empower Family Therapy)

Jeffrey Hines (Jeffrey Hines State Farm)

Carrie Summy (Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation)

Caroline Heskett (Rush Oak Park Hospital)

If you wish to submit an alternative nominee for one of these five open positions, you may do so by submitting the name of your candidate along with the genuine signatures of representatives from 25 members in good standing to the Executive Director at the Chamber Office no later than November 25, 2022. If no additional candidates are presented, the nominating process will be declared closed and the slate as presented will be declared elected at the Chamber’s regular monthly Board meeting on December 6, 2022. However, if a valid petition shall present additional candidates, an Election Committee will be appointed at the December 6, 2022 Board Meeting to oversee an election process in December, which will present ballots to all members in good standing via email.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to call or email me directly.

Thank you for continuing to support your Chamber and all that we do for the community!

Kind regards,

Liz Holt

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Executive Director

OPRF Chamber of Commerce

www.oprfchamber.org

[email protected]

708.613.0550 (o)

630-747-4422 (c)

Village of Oak Park Proposed Parking Changes Response from the Chamber of Commerce

This month the OPRF Chamber of Commerce has been working to give the business owners of Oak Park a voice at the Village level. There have been proposals to change the parking fees in Oak Park.



Click on the button below to read the full response from the Advocacy Committee of the OPRF Chamber of Commerce.

Thank you to everyone that attended Friday morning's parking fee increase meeting. 

HERE is a link to the presentation that was given by Village staff. If you could not attend please take a minute to look it over. 

The Village staff is not the final decision maker in this proposal so we urge you, if you oppose these changes, to speak during public comment at Monday night's board meeting at Village Hall. 

HERE is the agenda for Monday's Village Board meeting. Parking is Item G, and Public comment will happen when the agenda item is called.

"Public comments are allowed for an agenda item. Persons are asked to email a request to speak during the meeting to [email protected] no later than 5:00 p.m. prior to the start of the meeting or make a request at the meeting with the Village Clerk."

See below for links to the projected income for parking for 2023:

Estimated 2023 Parking Revenue

Parking Spreadsheet - Parked in Garages

Parking Spreadsheet - Parked On-Street

Chamber Blog

Have you seen our blog lately?

Check out the last few issues of the Chamber Blog to learn about your Chamber of Commerce and what we have been doing to help you. We have an amazing Board of Directors who volunteer their time to help you and this wonderful business community! And, your Chamber is constantly working for you to be an advocate for you while you are working.

There is only one issue of Wellness Wednesday left for this year!

• December 7, 2022 - "Protect Your Peace: How Not to Kill Your Family or Yourself During Obligatory Gatherings"

How do I get involved?

In order for your Health & Wellness business to be featured as a Vendor Sponsor in an edition of the Wellness Wednesdays e-newsletter, you must:

• be a member in good standing of the OPRF Chamber.
• have products/services/information specifically related to the monthly topic.
• sign-up and pay fees at least one week before publication.
• provide your content materials (name, logo, contact details and text) at least one week before publication.

Only $100 per issue!

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