Summer is here and it's time to just get outside. The best news is that we have programming to help you do just this! Our BAH this month will be outside in the courtyard of the FLW Home & Studio and we are always outside for our Takeout Stakeouts. Why not take your next meeting outside? Switch it up and embrace all that is summer. You will not regret it!
|
|
Plan Your Week!
What is coming up this week?
Check out the events we have put together for you this week.
We look forward to seeing you there!
|
|
|
|
Monday July 11, 10:00 - 10:30am - Ribbon Cutting at sweetgreen Oak Park
Join us for a Ribbon Cutting at sweetgreen! They are a growing company dedicated to making fresh, healthy food widely accessible, with a commitment to environmental sustainability in everything they do.
See their space, meet the staff, get to know other Chamber members, and join us for the ribbon cutting and the celebration! And get a taste of sweetgreen with a complimentary bottled tea for all attendees.
|
|
|
|
Tuesday July 12, 5:00 - 7:00pm - Business After Hours at Frank Lloyd Wright Home & Studio
Join us for a night of networking on the elegant grounds of the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio! Great people, a beautiful setting, and our usual raffle fun will make for a fine summer celebration - please join us!
Food at this Business After Hours will be sponsored and provided by the wonderful array of culinary creators at Schoolhouse Kitchens in River Forest, an incubator of food entrepreneurs.
|
|
|
|
Friday July 15, 3:00 - 3:30pm - Ribbon Cutting at LifeSpan Counseling and Psychological Services
This time we'll be at LifeSpan Counseling and Psychological Services celebrating this new business, taking pictures of the ribbon cutting, and enjoying a great networking opportunity!
Founded by Orson and Keri Morrison, LifeSpan's goal is to provide compassionate, individualized and culturally-responsive mental health care to the community. Counseling therapy with LifeSpan is flexible and addresses needs that emerge and change throughout the different stages of life.
|
|
Plan Your Month!
Want to plan ahead?
Here are some events we have coming up over the next month.
Join us for these wonderful networking opportunities and
continue to grow your business!
|
|
|
|
Monday July 18, 12:15 - 12:45pm - Meditation Mondays at Crossfunction Flexible Workspace
Join us for 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. The fabulous Kelsang Chogo will lead the meditation and talk you through every step. You don't need to do anything but show up and breathe!
|
|
|
|
Friday July 22, 12:00 - 12:30pm - Takeout Stakeout at Schweet Cheesecake
Come join your fellow Chamber members for our next Takeout Stakeout, this time at Schweet Cheesecake! In this event, we convene at a designated restaurant to pick up our takeout lunch choices, and get to see each other for a bit while we're at it in a fun little meetup. Lunch is a flat $16 including tax and tip.
|
|
|
|
Monday July 25, 5:30 - 7:00pm - BIPOC Affinity Group Meeting at Styles4Kidz
This month our BIPOC Affinity Group will be gathering at Styles 4 Kidz in the Oak Park Arts District. Connect with Latinx, Asian-American, Black and indigenous peers from the OPRF business and nonprofit community! Food and beverage will be provided.
Come join us to make connections with great folks, and be part of the future of this new group!
|
|
Wellness Wednesdays
There is still time to register!
Welcome back to one of the Chamber's newer projects to help market and connect our member Health & Wellness businesses with clients, customers and community. Wellness Wednesdays is a monthly e-newsletter that focuses on tapping into local expertise to support every-day health and well-being in our community. Still not quite sure what this is? Check out the Health & Wellness Affinity Group page to see last year's newsletters.
|
|
Each month there will be one specific topic that is timely and relevant to the community. Planned topics include:
-
July 13, 2022 - "Maintaining the Machine: Men's Health Outside the Gym"
-
August 3, 2022 - "Divine Dialogue: Lady Bits that Deserve More of Our Attention"
-
September 7, 2022 - "Sensational Seniors: Best Practices for a Thriving Senior Social Life"
-
October 5, 2022 - "Inflammation Eradication: Health & Harmony from the Inside Out
-
November 2, 2022 - "Balanced Boundaries: Healthy Habits When Saying YES & NO"
-
December 7, 2022 - "Protect Your Peace: How Not to Kill Your Family or Yourself During Obligatory Gatherings"
|
|
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, or $575 for the entire series!
If you would like to purchase the entire series,
register by Monday, July 11.
|
|
Annual Meeting
Registration is Open!
Join us this year at the Unity Temple for the official annual gathering of Chamber members and local business leaders to celebrate the previous year's accomplishments and set the stage for the upcoming year. Attendance for members is complimentary and includes a light breakfast and networking.
|
|
Thank you to our Sponsors! |
|
There are still sponsorships available for the 2022 Annual Meeting. If you would like to sponsor this year's Annual Meeting, visit the website to learn more and register! |
|
With over 440 other local businesses, we would love to help you survive these trying times, grow your business and get you more connected into the community.
Our Chamber is all about Community - plain and simple. And this Community knows that "a rising tide floats all boats"...and right now our boats need some float!
|
|
Get (More) Involved
What are some other ways you can get involved?
We have so many events happening each month. Maybe you are asking yourself... How can I host a Business After Hours? What about a Takeout Stakeout? Do you have a great space you'd like everyone to see? Well, here are a few opportunities to get the whole community to your space!
|
|
Host a Take-out Stake-out!
You don't have to be a foodie to know that the Oak Park - River Forest area has some incredible opportunities to eat some amazing food!
We love food and we love to connect members together, so we decided to combine both in a bi-weekly lunch date where our member businesses get to show off their food while we get to network outside in the fresh air!
|
|
|
Host a Business After Hours!
The Oak Park - River Forest Chamber of Commerce coordinates this after-work networking party held from 5-7 pm on the 2nd Tuesday of every month. These hours are your chance to connect with other members in a more casual setting. Our Business After Hours events typically attract 60+ attendees and most of the evening is unstructured networking, with a brief time of announcements, raffle giveaways, and introduction of new members of the OPRF Chamber.
|
|
|
Join an Affinity Group!
At the OPRF Chamber of Commerce, we want to help you lead, learn, and promote. We also, help you find your community, connect, build, and create a tribe to get you through the ups and downs of running your small business. We realize connecting with like minded people, helps grow, expand, and provide support for your business. We want to provide that experience and let you know, that we are always working for you, even when you can’t. Check out our Affinity Groups page to find your people!
|
|
|
So many events, just for you!
Still haven't found your group? Check out this week's blog, written by our very own Diane Cranford, for a few more ideas! We have so many events happening throughout the summer, there is bound to be one that fits with your life. We have morning, mid-day and eventing gatherings. Find your people, event and community right here!
|
|
|
Oak Park River Forest Chamber of Commerce
143 S Oak Park Avenue
708.613.0550
|
|
This eBlast was sent out by the OPRF Chamber of Commerce on behalf of a member in good standing as a member benefit. For information about the event described please contact the host. For information about joining the Chamber, click our website below.
STAY CONNECTED TO THE OPRF CHAMBER
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
