Frankfort Chamber Chatter 12-1-20

December 1, 2020

COVID-19 information and resources, Chamber update emails and more can be found on our website homepage under the NEWS tab at top

www.frankfortchamber.com

The Giving Tree Project kicks off Saturday, December 5

Let’s rally together to help local non-profits and small businesses during this 2020 Giving Season.

From December 5-30, gather the family and take a walk/drive around town to 17 Chamber member

businesses to check out the trees uniquely decorated by area non-profits. Learn about the organizations and stop in the partner and co-partner businesses to check out their holiday deals or purchase a gift card to show your support.

Two ways to donate to the non-profits

1. In-person: Representatives from the non-profits will man their trees during business hours (hours

vary by location) on Dec. 5 and 6, and from 6pm-midnight, December 11 during Midnight Madness.

2. Online: Beginning Dec. 5, click on The Giving Tree Project logo at www.frankfortchamber.com to make a donation to any of the participating non-profits or make a general donation that will be split between the organizations.

Click on flyer to open and download.

See article below flyer for special tax deduction information.

Special $300 tax deduction helps most people give to charity this year – even if they don’t itemize

The Internal Revenue Service reminded taxpayers of a special new provision that will allow more people to easily deduct up to $300 in donations to qualifying charities this year.

Following special tax law changes made earlier this year, cash donations of up to $300 made before Dec. 31, 2020, are now deductible when people file their taxes in 2021.

“Our nation’s charities are struggling to help those suffering from COVID-19, and many deserving organizations can use all the help they can get,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. “The IRS reminds people there’s a new provision that allows for up to $300 in cash donations to qualifying organizations to be deducted from income. We encourage people to explore this option to help deserving tax-exempt organizations – and the people and causes they serve.”

More information here

Join the Holiday FUN at the Chamber's 25th Annual Midnight Madness--specials, raffles, refreshments and more!

Stroll, shop and dine in a safe, socially distanced environment from 6pm-midnight, Friday, Dec. 11.

NEW THIS YEAR!

Midnight Madness Gift Card Raffle

Get your raffle tickets for a chance to win one of three gift card packages valued at $500, $250 and $125 (gift cards from participating Midnight Madness businesses). Tickets are $5 each or 5/$20 and can be purchased during the event by the fire pit on Breidert Green, and in the Trolley Barn, 11 S. White St. Tickets also may be purchased at frankfortchamber.com from 6pm, Dec. 11 to Noon, Dec. 14. Winners will be drawn live on Facebook at 6pm, Dec. 14.

The Giving Tree Project

Don’t forget to visit the Giving Trees at 17 of the Midnight Madness participating businesses (designated with *) Meet volunteers from your favorite local non-profits and make a donation to their cause. Also make donations online at www.frankfortchamber.com thru Dec. 30.

Click on the flyer below to open and download.

State of Illinois Business Interruption Grants: An Update with DCEO Director Erin Guthrie

Watch the webinar replay here.

To date, DCEO has already awarded 4,000 grants across Illinois, with an average grant size of $23,000. Additional funding remains, with grants available in amounts of up to $150,000. Details and eligibility guidelines can be found online dceo.illinois.gov .

Tier 3 mitigations effective November 11

Governor Pritzker announced new Tier 3 mitigations for regions 5, 7 and 8, which includes Will County. The mitigations follow the announcement of 10,573 new cases of COVID-19 across the state and rising positivity rates.

According to the RESTORE ILLINOIS Mitigation Plan, Tier 2 restrictions include:

Bars and Restaurants

Reduce party size from 10 to six individuals

Meetings, Social Events and Gatherings

Maximum indoor/outdoor gathering size of 10 individuals
Applicable to professional, cultural and social group gatherings
This does not reduce the overall facility capacity dictated by general business guidance, such as office, retail, etc.
Not applicable to students participating in-person classroom learning
Not applicable to sports, see sports guidance

Offices

Promote work from home when possible

Organized Group Recreational Activities

Limit to lesser of 25 guests or 25 percent of overall room capacity both indoors and outdoors
Groups limited to 10 individuals or fewer
Does not apply to fitness centers

(These mitigations do not apply to schools.)

Illinois Department of Public Health recommendations are available here.

Please support our local restaurants/bars/catering companies.

Below is an updated Chamber Eatery list to help with your meal planning. Click on the flyer to open and print. The list can also be found on our website here

Click here to read and download all the recent Member Spotlights

Submit your information for a Member Spotlight here

https://forms.gle/7heCUpVWQAw3ffYr5

ComEd offering help to families and businesses experiencing financial challenges caused by pandemic

ComEd is offering a comprehensive customer support package to help families and communities who are recovering from the economic challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic. These assistance measures include:

• A new Bill Assistance Payment program to eligible limited income customers

• New flexible payment arrangements for an extended period

Chamber Members Save

with Constant Contact

Connect with your customers and receive up to 25% off with exclusive Chamber Member discount

As a Chamber member, you’ll enjoy exclusive savings on our entire suite of marketing tools, with plans starting as low as $20 per month. Sign up today for your FREE 60-day trial and when you're ready to buy, save 20% when you prepay for 6 months or 25% when you prepay for 12 months.

More information here.

Questions? Call Constant Contact at 855-797-4708. If you are an existing Constant Contact customer, but would like to receive the Chamber Member benefits, please email billingadjustment@constantcontact.com

Business Nixle Information System

This free service allows the Frankfort Police Department to disseminate business specific safety and crime trend information.

Joining is Easy

E-mail admin@frankfortil.org with the following information:

• Your name and business name

• E-mail address you can access to receive information

• Mobile phone number

An unlimited number of representatives from your business can register, but we highly recommend at least one manager register per business. The information shared will be business specific, however this group will also receive alerts pertinent to general public safety.

Questions? Call the Frankfort Police Department at (815)469-9435 or email admin@frankfortil.org

Download flyer here

Employers must provide sexual harassment prevention training to all employees by Dec. 31

ALERT on Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Law: Public Act 101-0221 amended the Illinois Human Rights Act ("IHRA") requiring: Illinois employers to provide annual sexual harassment prevention training by December 31, 2020 and annually thereafter; restaurants and bars to establish and disseminate a written policy on sexual harassment prevention training and provide "supplemental" sexual harassment prevention training; and the Illinois Department of Human Rights ("IDHR") to develop a model sexual harassment prevention training program for use by employers.

Employers may develop their own sexual harassment prevention training program that equals or exceeds the minimum standards for sexual harassment prevention training outlined in Section 2-109(B) and/or Section 2-110(C) of IHRA. More information on the IDHR website here

Joliet Junior College is offering several online Sexual Harassment Workshops. More information and registration can be found here.

CHAMBER MEMBER

OFFERS & EVENTS

If you have a special offer or event you want us to share here, send text only to kris@frankfortchamber.com.

Lincoln-Way High School District 210 Foundation is hosting a fun and unique way to raise funds to support students and curriculum in Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210! A $10,000 Golf Ball Drop on Dec. 2!

Santa is dropping presents early this holiday season to a few lucky winners! The Lincoln-Way High School District 210 Foundation for Educational Excellence is holding an inaugural $10,000 Golf Ball Drop fundraiser at Sanctuary Golf Course at Noon, Dec. 2. Golf Balls are one for $20, three for $50, and seven for $100.

To purchase or view contest details, visit or click: https://LWBallDrop.givesmart.com

Purchase golf balls today for your chance to win a $10,000 Grand Prize! The ball that is at the bottom (or closest to the pin) will receive the First Prize of $1,000, the Second Prize winner (second ball from bottom or second closest) will receive $500, Third Prize (third ball from bottom or third closest) and Farthest From the Hole winners will each receive a $200 Sanctuary Gift Card. A sealed envelope containing a random number from 1 to 1000 will be placed into Santa’s Hat, and if that number matches the First Prize-winning number, that winner will receive the $10,000 Grand Prize! A maximum of 1000 balls will be sold and dropped. Sales will end on the morning of December 2. Winners do not need to be present. If 400 balls or less are sold, the Foundation reserves the right to reduce all prize payouts 50%, excluding the Grand Prize.

This event will be live-streamed on Lincoln-Way 210’s Facebook page and replayed at a later date. A very special "thank you" to the Village of New Lenox, New Lenox Fire Protection District, and Sanctuary Golf Course for making this event happen.

Christmas Raffle Tickets

Due to the Coronavirus, the 2020 Lincoln-Way Area Business Women's Organization

(LWABWO) Christmas Auction has been canceled. Since this is the only event that we do

to raise money for Lincoln-Way area students, we are holding an online raffle that will be streamed on Facebook Live at 7pm on Dec. 15, 2020.

You may purchase raffle tickets:

· Moody Blues Jean Boutique, 1844 E. Lincoln Hwy. Kathy Wilda or a member of her staff will be able to assist.

· You also can send a check to us, PO Box 366, New Lenox, IL 60451 - we will mail you out the ticket.

Tickets: $20

1st Place: $2,000

2nd Place: $1,000

3rd Place: $500

The organization also accepts monetary donations.

The SBCD at Joliet Junior College is offering a new, no- cost session to help you plan for 2021.

21 topics in 21 minutes for 2021 growth. In less than 30 minutes, the Illinois Small Business Development Center at Joliet Junior College will help you prioritize key 2021 business plans whether it is for your people, your product, your marketing, your sales, your money or the impact of this crisis. In this short one-on-one exercise, we will help you determine up to 3 of the biggest opportunities for growth in the year ahead. We will offer no-cost tools to develop your strategy for success in those areas. Email us at SBDC@JJC.edu and we will send you a link for registration.

In response to the Executive Order issued on November 17, Frankfort Park District has cancelled in-person recreation programming, effective Friday, November 20. The Founders Center office will be CLOSED effective end of day November 20.

Please contact staff via phone at (815) 469-9400 or email, info@frankfortparks.org.

“Have you missed going to the movies and indulging in your favorite snacks? The Emagine Frankfort Movie Theatre is now open and giving you the opportunity to experience The Magic of Movies and More! Check out our website at www.emagine-entertainment.com for showtimes and private theatre rental opportunities.

Emagine Frankfort is located at 19965 South La Grange Rd., Frankfort Il and is open on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.”

Mobile Sneeze Guard. Turn your temporary solution into a permanent solution. Protect your employees and customers with Fabricated Products Group's (FPG) durable and long-lasting Mobile Sneeze Guard! For more information click here, to order online, please visit www.fabricatedproductsgroup.com

Effective Friday, November 20, in response to current public health guidance and increasing rates of infection and hospitalization due to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Frankfort Public Library District will be closed to the public until further notice, except for some limited services.

The following services are available:

- Telephone, chat, and email Reference and Reader’s Advisory (Mon-Thu 9am-9pm, Fri-Sat 9am-5pm).

- Book drops are open and all returned items are quarantined before being checked in.

- Vestibule pickup for holds and DIY kits (Mon-Thu 9:30am-8:30pm, Fri-Sat 9:30am-4:30pm). Please call the Circulation Desk at 815-469-2423, prompt 3 when you arrive in the Library’s parking lot.

- Virtual programming.

- Donations for the Crisis Center and Lions Club Wish Lists can be placed inside their donation boxes which are located in the vestibule.

- Some Children’s Craft take-aways will be available in the vestibule on a first-come, first-serve basis.

The following services are available by appointment only for Frankfort Public Library District cardholders:

- Notary, proctoring, computers, copying, faxing, and printing. (Mon-Thu 9:30am-8:30pm, Fri-Sat 9:30am-4:30pm). Please call Adult Services at 815-534-6173.

- Home Delivery for on-hold items. Please call our Outreach Librarian at 815-534-6167.

Get Protected With COVID-19 Panels!

Getting back to "normal" is important to everyone, but doing it safely is key. Resuming business with new safety precautions can be hard, but we are here to help. Contact us at Advance Glass & Facility Repairs to help your business reopen and operate safely by ordering /installing COVID-19 Panels. Protective freestanding COVID-19 Panels guard against sneezing and coughing, cutting down the spread of germs drastically. We make all kinds of different variations to suit your business needs. Call us today for an estimate or more information at (708)756-0700.

The CDC now estimates that roughly 40% of COVID-19 transmissions are happening before people feel sick or show any symptoms, and 35% of those with COVID-19 never show symptoms at all. Knowing this makes it increasingly more important for everyone to consider testing to check for both current or past infection, especially before returning to work or other activities. Click on the link to learn more about ARCpoint Labs of Orland Park’s customizable service offerings and help #preventthespread.

METT Therapy Services is a therapist-owned physical and occupational therapy company that has been located in the south suburbs for over 20 years. METT Therapy contracts with Franciscan Health and is located in the heart of Frankfort at 10367 West Lincoln Highway.

METT Therapy provides individualized care for various post-surgical, orthopedic, neurological, chronic pain and vestibular conditions. METT Therapy is following all CDC guidelines to ensure our patients’ safety is of top priority during these difficult times. METT also accepts most insurances including Medicare and Medicaid and is now offering telehealth services. Call (708) 679-2940 for more information or to set up an evaluation today!

Elements by The Odyssey- As we navigate through this unprecedented time and resume business with new safety precautions, let Elements put you at ease. We are prepared to accommodate smaller events taking proper safety measures and procedures. INQUIRE TODAY ABOUT RENTAL RATES!

sales@elementsbytheodyssey.com |708-981-3608| 16235 S. LaGrange Rd; Orland Park, IL 60467

Test POSITIVE for COVID?

Call us to Disinfect To Protect! Fresh Air Experts spray service brings your facility to Certified Clinically Clean with our hospital grade disinfectant. Quick Set, Safe on Electronics, Affordable, SanitizeIT KITS available for continuous use between services, not a bleach so it is hypoallergenic and respiratory friendly. Frankfort Chamber Discount of 10% off by calling 708-888-2008 and contacting us at Fresh Air Experts

Jamie Viebach, of The Conservation Foundation is hosting webinars every Monday and Thursday at 1p.m. on a variety of topics. From Plants for Sunny Areas to Edible Native Landscaping and much more. Check out their Facebook page to sign up at ttps://www.facebook.com/TheConservationFoundation