Citywide Cookie Walk

The Portage Chamber will be holding its annual Citywide Cookie Walk on Saturday, December 7 from 9am to Noon. Cookie boxes are just $5 and contain a map of participating Chamber member businesses.

There are a limited number of boxes available for purchase, so don't wait. Start the holiday season on the right foot....Pick up a box and collect a delicious cookie from every location on the Cookie Walk! Gather your group at the Portage Library, which is offering hot cocoa at 9am. For more information, contact the Portage Chamber at 608-742-6242.

Culver's Breakfast with Santa

Santa will make an appearance at the Portage Culver's on Saturday, December 14 from at 8am to 9pm. There are a limited number of seats still available. Participants are asked to bring non-perishable food items for the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry.

Click on this link to register for the event.

Thank you to Culver's for providing this great breakfast event!

Advertise on new Portage maps!

The Portage Area Chamber of Commerce will be printing new City of Portage maps. The new maps will be larger, enabling more Chamber member businesses to advertise on the backside. A full 4"x9" panel is $400 and a half panel 4"x4.5" is $200.

The Chamber plans to print a quantity of 10,000 maps, a supply which typically lasts about three years. Maps are available at no cost to the public at many locations including local hotels, gas stations, campgrounds, realtors, and people relocating to and requesting information of Portage.

Spaces are limited! If you are interested in advertising on the map, please call the Chamber at 608-742-6242.

Spread the word about Portage!

Use #portagewi in your social media posts.

Lions Club Cookie Dough

The Portage Lions Club still has cookie dough available for purchase as part of their Annual Scholarship Cookie Dough Fundraiser. Choose from an assortment of delicious flavors. Pre-portioned package and scoop and bake tub sizes are available. Call Kristi at 608-697-6648 to order.

ADRC Food Drive

For the past five years, Health and Human Services, specifically the ADRC, has conducted a successful food drive for the ADRC Home Delivered Meal Program. We are again asking for the generosity of others to help us support our Home Delivered Meal Food Drive this year. Please keep in mind that food items that can be easily opened & easily prepared are appreciated. The goal is to collect enough non-perishable, microwaveable food items for each of these residents to have at least two “balanced, back-up” meals in reserve in the event weather interrupts meal delivery again this winter. 

Items requested for donation include non-perishable, microwaveable foods such as: low sodium soup/stew, crackers, canned chili, fruit/pudding cups, pasta meals, canned meat, applesauce, granola bars, beans/canned vegetables, or single serve juices. Please avoid: expired food, baking supplies, perishable items, non-microwaveable foods.  

Drop your donations (monetary donations also welcome) off in the designated bin or box at the ADRC in the Health and Human Services Building, Courthouse, Administration Building Lobby, Wyocena Health Care Center, or Sheriff’s Department through December 30. If you cannot get your donations to the ADRC, please feel free to e-mail Ashley.Jahn@co.columbia.wi.us or ADRC@co.columbia.wi.us and they will work to get them picked up. 

Rotary donates to

Fishing Club

On Monday, November 18, Portage Rotary Club donated $100 to the Portage High School's Winter Warriors ice fishing club. The fishing club was formed four years ago at several students' urging.

Mr. Meixner proudly serves as their coach and routinely takes 52 students to five annual meets. Winter Warriors also attends the annual state meet, bringing a team of only 12 students. Ice fishing is a sport for everyone!

Shown above left to right are Portage Rotary President Tracy Waldinger, Coach Brad Meixner, and Portage Rotary Treasurer Anastasia Kinney.

Wisconsin job growth slowed dramatically in first half of 2019. Economists say don't worry.

By Rick Romell, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Wisconsin’s job growth dropped dramatically in the first half of 2019, but two economists find little in the slowdown to worry them. The picture of declining growth comes from a quarterly census of employment that is the most comprehensive tally of jobs nationwide.

Click here to keep reading

Check out the Chamber's YouTube Channel HERE



Job postings on portagewi.com

Check out these job postings on our Chamber site from our member businesses. You are welcome to post job openings your business may have at any time. Call the Chamber office at 608-742-6242 for more information. 

Text PACC to 51660

to receive information about upcoming Chamber events

Facade loan program available

The Portage facade loan program is available to help Chamber member Portage businesses upgrade exteriors. For more information about the loan program guidelines, click here . For the application, click here .

Join the River Haven Fundraising Committee

River Haven Shelter needs your help! They are looking for a few outgoing and caring individuals with fundraising and/or event planning experience that would be interested in serving on a volunteer Fundraising Committee. As a member of this committee, you will assist with:

If you are interested in serving on the Fundraising Committee, please send a brief letter of interest with your background experience to Raquel Schwanbeck: riverhavenshelter@yahoo.com.

River Haven is also looking for a few individuals that would be willing to add their names to a list of volunteers available to help with fundraising events. Members of the Fundraising Committee or River Haven staff would reach out to you occasionally, as needed. Contact 608-742-7687 if interested.

Agency House planning a dig in 2020

The Historic Indian Agency House has a theme for 2020: Archaeology and Frontier Blacksmithing. They have an exciting season ahead! Archaeologist Ryan Howell is volunteering his time to lead an archaeological excavation on the grounds of the Agency House. Visitors, both children and adults, will have the opportunity to work right alongside the archaeologists! Their goal is to try to locate and excavate the 1830s Agency blacksmith shop. General Engineering Company of Portage is sponsoring the dig.

Stay tuned for details on these and more events they have planned in 2020!!

13th Annual Kiddie Christmas at Agency House

Come to the 13th Annual Kiddie Christmas at the Historic Indian Agency House on Saturday, December 14. At 1pm, there will be a fun and educational puppet show. At 1:15pm, enjoy story time with Juliette Kinzie, followed by a photo opportunity with John and Juliette. By 1:45pm, several fun craft stations will be up and running. Pick your favorite, or make them all! At 2:30pm, join in for a wintry nature walk (please dress for the weather).

Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. The cost is FREE, but donations are appreciated. For more information, call the Agency House at 608-742-6362.

Create a beautiful centerpiece!

Create a beautiful Holiday centerpiece for your table or gift for your hosts, using fresh evergreens, flowers, ribbons and cones at this workshop at Edgewater Home and Garden, 2957 Highway CX, on Saturday, Dec. 21 from 10am to Noon. There is a $25 fee for this workshop. For more information, call 608-742-6558.

Historic Living Windows

Enjoy this historical celebration of Portage by strolling the streets of downtown Portage and viewing numerous vignettes of times past on Saturday, December 14 from 4pm to 6pm.

There will be hot beverages and treats on the streets to keep you warm and toasty! Window scenes will be set-up for you to walk past and look at on this night.

At right, the 'Turn of the Century Singers' greet visitors with popular carols during the 2018 event.

AMPI positions available

Associated Milk Producers Inc. (AMPI), a leading Midwest dairy cooperative, is looking for great people for its Portage location. They are currently seeking a Plant Operations Manager, 2nd Shift Maintenance Supervisor, 3rd Shift Production Supervisor, 2nd and 3rd Shift Maintenance, and various production positions. To learn more about AMPI and the opportunities available, visit www.ampi.com, click on careers.

Wauona Trail Women's Club

Join the Wauona Trail Women's Club for their monthly meeting on Monday, December 16 at 11:30am at Dino's Restaurant. Women are encouraged to join and participate in the club. Membership is $10 per year and you pay for your own meal at the restaurant. This month's meeting will feature Country Music Artist Jesse Walker.

Veterans, Service Members and Military Family Job Fair

Join companies from throughout the state for a veteran, service members and military family members Job Fair on Saturday, January 18, 2020 from 2pm to 5pm at Ho-Chunk Wisconsin Dells, S3214 Highway BD, Baraboo.

Also available is a 2.5 Veterans Employment Transition Seminar where job seeking veterans, service members and military family members can learn transition skills, resume preparation, interview tactics and more. The seminar is January 16-18 at Ho-Chunk. If you would like to be an employer at the Job Fair or attend the 2.5 day seminar, contact Angie at 608-745-1090 or angela@wilegion.org .

Is 2020 time to start your OWN business?

If you are ready to take your business ownership aspirations to the next level, Biz Smart is a great place to start. This 8-week evening series provides you with a cost-efficient, comprehensive overview of business basics taught by industry experts. With the foundational knowledge you will learn, you will be able to make smart decisions about your business and better understand what questions to ask as you transition from employee to entrepreneur.

Topics include: Understanding your Market and Industry; Marketing Your Product or Service; Legal and Operations; Human Resource Management; Accounting and Record Keeping; Financing.

Classes start January 16, 2020. Click here to learn more .

Want to learn and complete a business plan? Apply for the Entrepreneurial Training Grant Program (begins Winter 2020)! Click here to learn more about the Program and Apply!

Looking for a Hot Deal? See our list?

Check out our Hot Deals webpage for deals our Chamber members are

offering. Have a Hot Deal of your own you want others to know about? Post

your deals on our webpage and join the Hot Deal brigade! There is no charge

for posting a Hot Deal, so post away!

If you have questions, call the Chamber office at 608-742-6242 to get started. Click here to see the specials that are currently running!

Text PORTAGE to 51660

to receive information about upcoming Portage events

December Chamber Meetings & Events

3 Business Luncheon at LaTolteca at 11:30am

4 Ambassador meeting at Community Bank at 8am

7 Cookie Walk

14 Breakfast with Santa at Culver's

Join a Service Club

Rotary - Meets Mondays at Noon at Dino’s Restaurant, 2900 New Pinery Rd.

Lions Club - Meets the 2 ^nd and 4 ^th Wednesdays at 5:30pm at Dino’s Restaurant, 2900 New Pinery Rd., summer month meetings change locations

Kiwanis - Meets on Wednesdays at Noon at Pizza Ranch, 2905 New Pinery Rd.

Optimists - Meets on Tuesdays at 7am at Dino’s Restaurant, 2900 New Pinery Rd.

Elks - Meets 2nd & 4th Tuesday at 7pm; 4th Tuesday only during July and August

Women's Civic League - Meets 2nd Wednesdays of the month at Dino’s Restaurant, 2900 New Pinery Rd.

Wauona Trail Women's Club - Meets 3rd Monday of the month at 11:30am at Dino's Restaurant, 2900 New Pinery Rd.(Sept-May)