February 19th, 2023

The #chamberLOVE was flowing last week at our Valentine's Day BAH and we are over the moon to have spent it with you, our members! A huge crowd gathered at American House to celebrate, have fun with tattoos, and just have fun! The LOVE continues next month at our annual Speed Networking. Tickets are going fast, so get yours before they are gone!

Liz Holt

Executive Director

Speed Networking!

Join us for this year's event!

Last year we hosted a sold out event at Concordia University, and we're on our way to doing that again. Thank you to this year's Presenting Sponsor, Adam Doe State Farm, for helping to make this event a success! This year is promising to be even more fun, with a wide-range of Table Sponsors and some secret prizes.

The Table Sponsorships are completely SOLD OUT. But registration is still available for attendees. Make sure to reserve your space today!

Plan Your Week!

Ready for more love?

We know you are busy. To help make it easier and help you to join us at as many things as you would like, we have gathered our events for this week.

We'd LOVE to see you there!

Monday February 20, 1:00 - 1:30pm - Ribbon Cutting at StretchLab Oak Park

Join us for the Ribbon Cutting of one of our new members, StretchLab Oak Park! Help us celebrate this new business by taking pictures of the ribbon cutting and enjoying a great networking opportunity! Come meet the StretchLab team and discover what they do to keep clients limber, active and healthy!

Tuesday February 21, 8:00 - 9:00am - Young Professionals Coffee & Networking at Kribi Coffee Oak Park

Join us this month at Kribi Coffee in Oak Park for some relaxed coffee and networking with our fabulous Young Professionals Affinity Group. Not "young"? Don't worry, this group is open to anyone who is young-at-heart. Start your day off right! Grab a cup of coffee, maybe a snack, and come network with us in CrossFunction Flexible Workspace before heading off for your busy day.

Thursday February 23, 11:00am - 7:00pm - Stop & Shop at Val's halla Records

Join us for our second ever Stop & Shop event, this time at Val's halla Records. Val's Halla has been a part of the Oak Park community since 1972. Come check out their extensive and diverse vinyl selection, meet the great staff, and find that perfect record for yourself or that vinyl-lover in your life!

Thursday February 23, 4:30 - 5:00pm - Ribbon Cutting at Wild Fork

Help us celebrate the opening of a new business with a ribbon cutting! This time we'll be at Wild Fork in Oak Park celebrating them, taking pictures of the event and enjoying a great networking opportunity!

Wild Fork has made a name for itself as a purveyor of fine meats and prepared foods, conveniently portioned and at accessible prices. Come meet the Wild Fork team and discover their impressive array of fine food.

Plan Your Month!

Help us continue the LOVE!

Here are some events we have coming up over the next month so you can register now and receive a reminder right before the event.

Join us for these wonderful networking opportunities,

continue to grow your business and share the Chamber LOVE!

Monday February 27, 5:30 - 7:00pm - BIPOC Affinity Group Meeting at LifeSpan Counseling & Psychological Services

Join us in February as Dr. Orson Morrison and his team invite everyone to celebrate Black History Month at LifeSpan Counseling & Psychological Services, LLC. We look forward to continuing to stay connected with our Latinx, Asian-American, Black and Indigenous peers from the OPRF business and nonprofit community! 

Thursday March 2, 1:00 - 2:00pm - NPO Affinity Group: Best Practices in Website Management

Join the Chamber's nonprofit affinity group for our monthly gathering, and learn from Jerry "Hutch" Hutchinson, owner and designer at Hutchinson. Hutch is a longtime web designer, graphic designer, and consultant for nonprofit and for-profit clients, helping them get the most out of their websites without spending excess amounts of time on them.

Friday March 3, 12:00 - 12:30pm - Takeout Stakeout at Broken Tart

Come checkout our next Takeout Stakeout, this time at Broken Tart! In this event, we convene at a designated restaurant to pick up our takeout lunch choices, and get to meet new folks and see our peers from other businesses and organizations. Join us for some quick networking and delicious food, all during your lunch break!

Friday March 10, 9:00 - 10:30am - Women in Business Affinity Group

Jacqueline Campbell and Ashley Hardaway of Alexander Legacy Private Wealth Management are on a mission to to help 100,000 families create multi-generational wealth through legacy, philanthropy and and impact. To complete this mission, women-owned ALPW starts with education. Join us this month as JaQ and Ashley discuss investing, budgeting and common misconceptions when it comes to women and investing. 

Wednesday March 15, 10:00am - 7:00pm - Stop & Shop at JAYNE

Join us for our third ever Stop & Shop event, this time at JAYNE. JAYNE aims to outfit women of all generations who are unstoppable, authentic and beautifully themselves! They live by their trademark: “An Ageless Adventure”. Come check out this adorable boutique in downtown Oak Park and find the perfect outfit for your ageless adventure!

Member Benefits Series

Are you a new member

or new to your business?

Help us to help you make your business a success! Take advantage of these events geared specifically toward new Chamber Members to learn how best to take advantage of your membership. Feel free to join us for any or all of these events, whether you are a new Member business, or simply new to your business.

Check out all of our New Member Programming!

Wednesday March 15, 2:00 - 3:00pm - Chamber 102 via Zoom

In this seminar we will go over all of your marketing benefits that come with your membership, including:

- how to maximize your e-blast benefits.

- the role of your Member Profile in your marketing advantage and how to track digital traffic.

- how to generate marketing collateral that can be shared in your social media.

- how to tap into our Affinity Groups to grow your network and feature your business.

Wednesday April 19, 2:00 - 3:00pm - Chamber 101 via Zoom

In this seminar we will go over all of your digital benefits that come with your membership, including:

- how to significantly increase your SEO

- how to leverage your Member Profile to boost traffic to your own website

- how to track your Member Profile statistics

- how to be sure that your website is linked to your membership

This event is perfect for new members, or those who need a refresher!

Thursday May 18, 8:00 - 9:30am - New Member Breakfast at Brookdale Oak Park

Join us at our quarterly New Member Breakfast to introduce yourself and tell us about your business. This is an ideal opportunity to meet fellow new members, Chamber staff and Board leadership. You will also learn about your benefits, hear how you can get involved and get answers to your questions. 

Answer Book

Reserve your space in the Answer Book!

The advertising deadline is Friday, May 5th.

Reach out to Lourdes Nicholls or Marc Stopeck to reserve your spot today.

Get to know your Board!

Want to learn more about your Board of Directors?

Each month we will be featuring a different Board Member (or two). These features will tell you who they are, what they do, and some fun facts about them. This month we are featuring two, Jeffrey Hines & Rev. Adonna Reid.

Name: Jeffrey Hines

Place of Business: Jeffrey Hines State Farm

What does he do for fun?

Huge Music Buff so diving in bins to find hidden gems on Vinyl. Recently came across a vintage Prince-produced gem from a group called Madhouse. They have been hard to find since his untimely passing.

Why does he love the Chamber?

The chamber has been great because of the new relationships and constant encouragement from other business owners. It’s also great to find so many people with common interests. 

Best kept secret in the Oak Park or River Forest area?

Little GEM seems to be a great small venue for lunch or dinner.

Best place to ride your bike?

Bike Lane around Oak Park from Madison all the way down to Thatcher Woods. I like the sounds of the city.

Name: Rev. Adonna Reid

Place of Business: First United Methodist Church of Oak Park

What does she do for fun?

During the pandemic, my family got a Peloton bike. While I can't say getting on the bike is always fun, especially on hectic days, I have become pretty zealous about keeping up my streak and intentionally striving to maintain a fitness routine. I'm now at 142 weeks.

Why does she love the Chamber?

I love the way the Chamber offers the opportunity to meet and work with a great group of committed people who have a heart for all those who live and work in this community. My membership allows me to integrate the church into the life of the community in accordance with my mantra that the church must "get out of the church and into the community." I believe that strong businesses, schools, community institutions, infrastructure, social service agencies and non-profits, as well as churches, all contribute to a strong community. The Chamber is a composite of many of these organizations and through its dedicated leadership, is positioned to help member organizations achieve the best version of themselves. I really enjoy being a part of the Chamber for the way that it serves as a great resource for disseminating information and providing support for those wanting to build a stronger Oak Park and River Forest.

Best secret parking spot?

Ontario Street by Scoville park. It is not a secret, but it is a good place to park where I don't have to be as conscious of the time given how I like to visit coffee shops and restaurants along Lake Street and Oak Park Ave to hang out, get some computer work done, and talk to interesting people I meet there.

Best place to walk?

Anywhere. As a relatively new resident of Oak Park, I am still getting to know the community so I enjoy walking anywhere and everywhere, taking in the sights and sounds of our beautiful area. When warmer weather returns, I am looking forward to re- joining the great Meet- Up walking group that traverses the neighborhood on Friday mornings (leaving from the OPPL on Lake Street at 9:00a-- join us!).

Single Use Plastics Survey

The Village of Oak Park is surveying Oak Park businesses and community members to better understand the potential effect of new ordinances about single-use plastic utensils, polystyrene (Styrofoam) food packaging, and single-use plastic shopping bags. Please note, the proposed changes do not apply to plastic drinking straws. The feedback from this survey will be used to help evaluate the potential new ordinances. The survey should take only 5 minutes to complete. Thank you for participating!