In This Issue
Upcoming Events

Sporting Clay Tournament
Shenecoy Sportsman
September 13, 2017

Annual Awards Gala
Huntingdon Country Club
October 5, 2017

F & M Trust 
Business After Hours
October 19, 2017
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Coffee Connection
PA Department of Corrections
Huntingdon Country Club
December 8, 2017
7:45 - 9:00 a.m. 

Winter Blues
Huntingdon Country Club
March 4, 2018
5:00 - 8:00 p.m. 

Annual Golf Tournament
Huntingdon Country Club
June 20, 2018
Registration at 11:30 a.m.

Partners In Excellence

Silver
Mutual Benefit Group

Bronze
Bumgardner & Flasher Oil, Inc.
Orbisonia Hardware, Inc. 

Royal
BottomLine Pros LLC
FirstEnergy Corporation
Helpmates, Inc.
Juniata College
Lincoln Caverns, Inc. and Whisper Rocks
MDB Drafting & Design
Nationwide Insurance
Stiffler, McGraw and Associates, Inc. 
Contact Us

Yvonne Martin
President/ CEO

ymartin@huntingdonchamber.com


MacKenzie Locke
Office Manager
mlocke@huntingdonchamber.com


500 Allegheny Street
Huntingdon, PA 16652

Phone: 814-643-1110

Fax: 814-643-1115
Links:


Constant Contact

Click here to register. 

After your free trial period expires you qualify for a special discount because you are a member of the Huntingdon County Chamber of Commerce. If you prepay for six months, you receive a 20% discount. Prepay for a year and save 25%! There's no better time to try email marketing. 
August 28, 2017

Hurricane Relief Effort

The Chamber has partnered with the Huntingdon County Career and Technology Center and others to have the CDL program truck drive supplies to those areas devastated by recent hurricanes. 

What We Need:
Large stackable boxes or plastic bin containers with lids for shipping.

Donations of the following items: (NO CLOTHING or FOOD ITEMS)

Personal Care Items - shampoo, combs/brushes, toothbrushes/paste, shaving cream, disposable razors, deodorant, feminine hygiene products, toilet paper, soap/body wash, q-tips, washcloths and hand sanitizers.

Baby Care Items - diapers, baby wipes, pull ups, baby shampoos, children's toothpaste, baby powder, bottles, sip cups, and small children's games/toys.

Household Care Items - batteries, flashlights, heavy duty trash bags, work gloves, insect repellent/spray (non aerosol), paper plates/cups/napkins/plastic utensils, paper towels, laundry soap, Dawn, dish cloths/towels, multipurpose cleaners/glass cleaners, shop rags, mops, brooms and squeegees. 

Pet Care Items - dog food, cat food, leashes, collars, bowls and pet toys. 

Watch for our collation trailers at the followings locations: 

  • Sandy Ridge Market 
  • Giant Huntingdon
  • Walmart Huntingdon
  • Cassville Oktoberfest
See the flyer below for dates. 

Drop off points have been set up in each of the county school buildings and the Huntingdon County Career and Technology Center. If your community organization or business would like to donate a larger quantity, please contact Laura Hicks for pickups at 814-643-0951 or lhicks@hcctc.org. DEADLINE TO DONATE IS SEPTEMBER 22ND. 

7 Ways to Use LinkedIn to Grow Your Small Business

The Huntingdon County Chamber of Commerce is introducing a new mini-series of articles to help your business or organization get the most out of LinkedIn. Each week we will feature one of the 7 ways mentioned below.

7 Ways to Use LinkedIn to Grow Your Small Business
Grow your small business with LinkedIn by using these seven proven tactics.
There are nearly 30 million small businesses in the United States, but only half of them will make it past five years. To ensure your small business is in the successful half, we encourage you to capitalize on the various ways LinkedIn can evolve your business.
With LinkedIn, the world's largest professional network, you can generate leads, produce sales, and hire top professionals to fuel your growth. There are seven ways to grow your business using LinkedIn:

1. Create a LinkedIn Company Page
We've found that LinkedIn members are 50% more likely to buy once they've engaged with your business on LinkedIn. But they can't connect with you if you don't have a LinkedIn Company Page. According to Forbes , only 57% of companies have pages. The remaining 43% are missing out on a free opportunity to generate leads, talent, and, ultimately, revenue.
If you don't already have one, create a LinkedIn Company Page . Personal profiles don't have the same marketing, advertising, and recruiting features as Company Pages, making them less effective at promoting your business. As you create your page, think about the kind of impression you want to create among potential customers and employees. This will help you select the right photos and messages to use on your page.
For a step-by-step guide on how to create an above and beyond Company Page, view our LinkedIn Company Page Best Practices .
Visit "What's New" at www.huntingdonchamber.com to read the entire series. 
DEP's Small Business Advantage Grant

DEP's Small Business Advantage Grant is still open, with just over half the $1,000,000 program still available to Small Businesses. 

The $1,000,000 grant is designed to assist small businesses in employing pollution prevention or energy efficiency measures into their operations. Pennsylvania-based small businesses with less than 100 employees are eligible. Businesses are able to receive a 50% reimbursement match on new equipment or processes which save a minimum of $500 and reduce their energy or waste by 25% per year. The grant maximum is $9,500 for energy efficiency or pollution projects, or $7,000 for lighting-only upgrades. Grants are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. 

The full 2017 Grant Guidance, including all requirements, step-by-step instructions, and other necessary forms can be found on DEP's Small Business Advantage Grant webpage. Applicants are advised to carefully review the guidance document, which has been updated for 2017. 

HELPFUL HINT: A recorded webinar is available at the link above. The webinar provides a step-by-step example of completing the application and accompanying documents. 

Again, I urge you to apply soon. The program has been open for five weeks and we have received applications amounting to half the money available in the program.

If you would like assistance with questions regarding your application submission, please contact Ed Boito at 717-783-0909. 
Winter Blues Save The Date


FREE Safety Webinars

The Bureau of Workers' Compensation Health & Safety Division will be offering the following FREE safety Webinars in September, 2017:

General Safety
Tuesday, September 12th at 9:30am
Tuesday, September 12th at 1:30pm
Wednesday, September 13th at 9:30am
Thursday, September 14th at 1:30pm
Tuesday, September 19th at 1:30pm
Wednesday, September 20th at 1:30pm
Thursday, September 201st at 10:00am
*Please note the time
Thursday, September 21st at 1:30pm

Webinar duration is approximately 1 hour depending on course material as well as viewer participation.

Annual Workplace Safety Committee
Initial & Re-Certification Training

Governor Wolf's 
Initiative on Opioids
DrugFree Workplace - Drug Free Workplace Supervisor Training in partnership with Victor Parziale and DrugFree Workplace PA 
Monday, September 11th from 1:30pm - 3:30pm
Friday, September 22nd at 9:30am - 111:30am
Annual Awards Gala Save The Date


Scottsdale to Las Vegas
October 9-16, 2018

The Huntingdon County Chamber of Commerce has partnered with three other local chambers to offer an 8 day tour from Scottsdale to Las Vegas October 9-16, 2018. If booked by November 28, 2017 the cost is $1,999 per person, double occupancy plus air. 

Click here for details.

Click here for the registration form. 

Questions can be directed to Cynthia Watters at Epic Journeys LLC at 814-266-5070. 
Reminders:
Campus Health Fair

The Juniata College Wellness Committee is joining forces with PA CareerLink Huntingdon in sponsoring a Campus Health Fair on October 30, 2017 from 12:00 noon to 3:00 p.m. The purpose of the health fair is to encourage habits of wellness and health awareness among campus faculty, staff and administration. 

They want to provide informational booths designed to help their employees become aware of the many health-related programs, services, and providers located in our surrounding community. 

The Health Fair will be open to employees and their families.They anticipate an attendance of approximately 150-200 people. They are asking that each organization provide some form of information/educational materials, demonstration or service for the Health Fair. 

Please click here for more information. 
Penn National Dividend Program


ChamberChoice 3-Part Webinar Series: Health Insurance Cost 
Reduction Strategies

Thursday, September 14 at 10:00 AM: Healthcare Cost Transparency

Only One Month Open to Host A Business After Hours

We are seeking members who would be interested in hosting a Business After Hours in 2017. We still have December available! If you would like to discuss hosting an After Hours, please contact MacKenzie at (814) 643-1110 or mlocke@huntingdonchamber.com. 
Special Announcement! Facebook Virtual Tour for Business

If you recall we launched a new member benefit program last year that brought Google Street View virtual tours INSIDE local businesses. We've had a number of members participate in this program and it has really boosted their Google Local Search Ranking and provided a virtual walk-through of their business online and in our Virtual Business Guide
That program is now expanded to add in Facebook Virtual Tours!
Using the same 360 degree panoramic images as the Google program does, this new feature creates and provides a 360 degree interactive virtual tour of your business that is displayed and functional right in your Business Facebook Timeline! You can pin it to stay at the top of your timeline so that it is always visible to your fans/friends. 
Photo Shoot Day!
Our virtual tour photographer for this program will be in the area soon. If you'd like to learn more and possibly be on that photo shoot day then submit the online form found at  this linked web page and they will follow up with you immediately to go over the details. Don't wait - it's first come/ first served and space is limited. 
On The Job Training Program

Advantages To Using The OTJ Training:
  • Cuts the cost of wages for employers by a minimum of 50% during the training time.
  • Reduces the employer's costs for advertising and recruitment.
  • Allows employers to make all hiring and firing decisions.
  • Guarantees a quick referral process.
  • Requires minimal paperwork.
  • May involve a single placement, a number of people for one type of job, or a variety of jobs. 

How It Works:
An employer meets with the Business Services Representative to develop a job order indicating what type of people the employer desires and the screening method preferred to evaluate potential candidates (resumes, applications, interviews, etc.)
  • Post the job on the CareerLink system.
  • A search is then conducted of the eligible applicant pool for people who match the characteristics set by the employer. The employer is then provided the information about potential candidates in the manner in which they have requested. 
  • The employer decides whom they want to hire and a possible start date. The Business Services staff is notified about the circumstances of the hire. 
  • The employer and the Business Services Representative negotiate a contract, which includes a training plan, length of training and costs to be reimbursed to the employer for providing the training. It is important to note that this contract MUST be in place BEFORE an eligible client begins working or the opportunity to secure funding will be lost. 

To continue reading, please click here.  
Free E-mail Blast

The Chamber offers FREE e-mail blast to our members who are offering free workshops or hosting events that donate all money raised to a charity.

Disclaimer: The Chamber has the right to refuse blasting information if the Chamber staff decides the information does not meet the proper criteria. 
FREE Bulk Mailing Permit Use!

The Chamber is now offering use of our Bulk Mail Permit for FREE to our members. Bulk Mail Permits cost $250.00 per year. If you are interested in using the Bulk Mailing Stamp, we will walk you through the process to make it easy for you. You will still have to pay postage. 
Let the Chamber Help You Save Money

If you are interested in saving money on your electric bill, please contact ymartin@huntingdonchamber.com or 814-643-1110 to get connected with the program endorsed by 120 chambers of commerce in PA and 80 Harrisburg based associations. OnDemand Energy manages 6 billion kWh in PA. There is no cost or obligation involved with seeing how much money your business or organization can save. In many cases it has been quite a significant savings. OnDemand Energy can also review your gas savings options with you. 
E-Newsletter Advertising Opportunities

You are now able to be the exclusive sponsor of our weekly e-newsletter. The cost is $200 a quarter and includes your name in the email heading as the sponsor and an ad (2 in. wide and 3 in. tall) at the top of the left column of the newsletter. 

If you only want to have an ad (2 in. wide and 2 1/2 in. tall) in the left column, the cost is $100 per quarter or $300 per year. Please continue to share your events and special news and we will include that information for free. Contact mlocke@huntingdonchamber.com if you would like to include your ad in our e-newsletter or be the exclusive sponsor. 
E-mail Blast Special Rates

Many of you have been asking about more opportunities to send email blasts to our database of nearly 1,000. Currently individual blasts are $50 for for-profit businesses and $25 for non-profits. You can now purchase one blast a week for a quarter for $200 or one blast a week for a year for $500. Non-profits pay $100 for the quarter or $250 for the year. Contact mlocke@huntingdonchamber.com if you are interested in taking advantage of this special opportunity. 
HCCC Member to Member 
Facebook Group

This group is being brought to you at the request of HCCC members during the most recent survey. The HCCC Member to Member group is a closed group for Chamber members only to post questions and important information that other members will find valuable. Please invite other Chamber members to join our group and share in discussions. 
Want to be Featured in the Next Chamber News? 

If you have any business news and updates, achievements, awards or recognitions that you would like to be included, it can be done for FREE! If you have an event that is free or all the proceeds are being donated to a non-profit as a fundraiser, we'll include it for FREE! If you'd like to include a promotion or a money making event or non-profit fundraiser where proceeds will benefit the organization's operations, we charge a small fee. (Profit - $25 and Non-Profit - $10) Contact MacKenzie Locke at 814-643-1110 or mlocke@huntingdonchamber.com if you're interested in including an article. 
Huntingdon County Chamber of Commerce | (814) 643-1110 |mail@huntingdonchamber.com | http://www.huntingdonchamber.com
500 Allegheny Street
Huntingdon, PA 16652