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Chamber Chat
We are a community development association comprised of businesses, individuals, and organizations dedicated to promoting Madison County as a great place to visit, or build a business, a career, and a future.
73 Jefferson Street, Winterset, Iowa 50273
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Upcoming Chamber Coffee Locations:
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January 10
- Union State Bank, 611 W. Highway 92, Winterset
January 17
- Kading Properties, 1527 Cherry Creek, Winterset
January 24
- RE/MAX Precision, 101 E. Jefferson St., Winterset
January 31
- Small Business Growth Alliance & Thirty-One Gifts, 1507 Roseman Bridge Rd., Winterset
February 7
- The Cellar, 111 S. 1st Ave., Winterset
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Chamber Board of Directors:
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Jerry Parkin
(Chair) - Upstairs at the Heartland Building
Sarah Pugh (Vice Chair) - 2/5 Studios
Jeff Dick
(Treasurer) - McGowen Hurst Clark Smith
Sarah Reed (Secretary) - 1st Avenue Collective
Erin Walsh
- Union State Bank
Sheila Stewart
- Country Cutters
Bill Moody
- Pine Creek, Ltd.
Roger Queck
- Pro Team Insurance
Dan Noack
- Fareway Grocery Stores
Julie Feirer
- Winterset Websites
Sarah Cowman
- Homefront Real Estate
Jean Bosch
- Winterset Public Library
Brad Tadlock
- Dream Dirt Farm Real Estate & Auction
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Madison County Chamber of Commerce & Welcome Center Staff
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Heather Riley - Executive Director
Teddi Yaeger - Tourism/Marketing Coordinator
Dawn Evenson - Financial Office Director
Melody Reels - Welcome Center
Nancy Trask - Welcome Center
Heather Hatch - Welcome Center
Stephanie Gerleman - Welcome Center
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Greater Des Moines Partnership is the economic and community development organization serving Central Iowa, united to drive economic growth with one voice, one mission and as one region.
Together with 23 Affiliate Chambers of Commerce and over 6,000 business members, The Partnership grows opportunity, creates jobs and promotes the Greater Des Moines area.
When you joined our Chamber, you automatically became a part of this important work! Learn more
here.
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Online Business Resources
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Does your business need help with planning, branding, training, funding, or anything in between?
IASourceLink is the premier online resource connecting entrepreneurs and small businesses to more than 360 resource providers across Iowa. IASourceLink is brought to you by the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) in collaboration with the University of Northern Iowa Center for Business Growth and Innovation.
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Don't forget that tickets are now available for the 2020 Annual Meeting & Awards Night - Join us! Stop in our office to purchase them, or buy them online through our website! (Click on "Register Now")
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Lots of networking, connections, and celebration at the 2018 event!
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Also, bring along some cash so you can play what's playfully become known as the "Blinky Game"! For only $10, you can play and possibly win a special price commemorating the 50th Annual Madison County Covered Bridge Festival!
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| Members choose their "Head" or "Tail" during the Blinky Game at the 2018 event! |
Finally, be sure to utilize the Events Calendar on our website to advertise your special events! We want to help spread the word about your business open houses, celebrations, workshops, or other opportunities to showcase your organization or business.
If you have information or announcements that you'd like to be featured in "Chamber Chat", be sure to pass it my way! Send me an email and indicate the week you would like your announcement to be made!
Thank you for your support of the Madison County Chamber of Commerce!
Heather Riley
Executive Director
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This week's Friday Chamber Coffee will be held
Friday, January 10 at 8:15 am and will be hosted by Union State Bank, located at 611 W. Highway 92 in Winterset.
Union State Bank is a full service Iowa chartered bank established in 1934, serving individuals, businesses, organizations, and farmers in Madison, Dallas, Polk and surrounding counties. Union State Bank offers top-notch customer service and
competitive rates and terms. Customers can utilize online banking services, ATMs at four locations, and a 24-hour Telebank system.
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| Union State Bank team members serve up food and friendliness at their 2019 Customer Appreciation Picnic! (Photo from Facebook) |
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American Legion Pancake Breakfast
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The American Legion Green Rogers Post #184 invites you to a Pancake Breakfast on Saturday, January 11 from 7:00-11:00 am at the Legion Hall, located at 221 N. 1st Ave. Enjoy pancakes, sausage, eggs, and drinks for $5; children under 10 are $3.
There will also be a Bake Sale by the American Legion Auxiliary!
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Special Events at Covered Bridges Winery
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Covered Bridges Winery invites you to join them for  special events in January!
January 11 - Chad Elliott; Music at the Winery
Music from 7:00-10:00 pm, food available for purchase from 6:30-8:30 pm. There will be a $5 cover charge. Chad has a strong following, and is an area favorite entertainer!
January 17 - Friday Night Bingo Dinner
Bingo is free; the meal featuring a meatball sandwich, salad, and brownie is $10. Meals must be pre-purchased no later than January 14 at 5:00 pm. Order dinner tickets here.
January 19 - Sunday Flower Wrap Ring Class With 1st Avenue Collective
Gina and Sandra from 1st Avenue Collective will teach you how to solder, texture, and shape fine silver wire to create a beautiful Flower Wrap Ring. The cost of the class is $45, which includes a glass of wine or beer. Register for the event here.
February 22 - Winter Dinner and Music by Tony Valdez & Don Jaques
Tickets are $40/person ($80/couple) and include appetizers, dinner, dessert, complimentary glass of wine or beer and special live music by Tony Valdez & Don Jaques. Choose from Chicken Spedini or Beef Tri-Tip prepared by Greater Caterers of Iowa. Purchase your tickets here.
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2020 Annual Meeting & Awards Night
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Do you have your tickets for the Chamber's 2020 Annual Meeting & Awards Night?
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Marianne and Rebecca Fons accept an award on behalf of the Iowa Theater at the 2018 event!
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Join us on
Thursday, January 30, 2020
as we toast success in 2019, honor exceptional achievements and service, and look ahead to 2020!
A scrumptious meal will be served by the catering team of Great Caterers of Iowa beginning at 6:00 pm. The meal features Smoked Beef Tri Tip with Horseradish Cream Sauce on the side, Bourbon Glazed Boneless Chop, Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Vegetables, Farm-Style Green Beans, Mixed Greens with two dressings, sweet rolls and butter, White Almond Raspberry Cake, plus iced tea, water, and coffee.
A fun, relaxing social hour will be featured prior to the dinner beginning at 5:00 pm. The program and awards will start at approximately 7:00 pm. The event will be held at the Jackson Building on the Madison County Fairgrounds.
Individual tickets are available for purchase NOW at the Chamber of Commerce office for $30, or can be purchased online through the website. Tickets at the door are $40.
We will be honoring community achievements, businesses, organizations, and citizens in the categories of
Business Person of the Year,
Business Improvement of the Year,
Customer Service of the Year,
Covered Bridge Festival Volunteer,
Chamber Volunteer of the Year and
Citizen of the Year.
The popular Heads/Tails Blinkie Game is back again with a fun prize package! Be sure to
bring along
a little extra cash
so you can play along! A cash bar for beer and wine will also be available.
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A crew of volunteers from Farm Bureau-Scot Clark help members with beer and wine!
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2020 Iowa Cultural Grant Opportunities
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| Help WHS Freshmen with a Job Shadow Opportunity! |
Winterset High School is looking for area employers who are willing to host freshman students in for a Job Shadow opportunity!
If you're open to supporting WHS students with an experience to learn about different careers and the world of work, please register on the Workbased Learning Clearinghouse website. You can also email Jake Welchans at jake.welchans@iowa.gov and include your business name, business description, and work-based learning opportunities your business could provide.
Dates for the experiences will be March 6 and May 1, 2020 from 9:00-11:00 am.
For more information, please contact Dr. Susie Meade at 515-462-2718.
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| Top Five for Small Business Series |
The January installment of Top Five for Small Business series will be Wednesday, January 22 from 11:30 am-1:00 pm, sponsored by the Greater Des Moines Partnership. This workshop will feature "Five Powerful Ways to Build an Incredible Culture that Nurtures Employees".
The session will reveal five unique ways small businesses can craft a more supportive and positive office culture. A focus will be placed on benefits that nurture and develop team members while creating a fun, energetic culture. The presentation will be filled with stories and actual examples.
Attendees will walk away with:
- Insights on the best ways to show appreciation to employees
- Ways to add laughter and spontaneity to a boring office
- Guidance on how to foster an environment where employees support one another
- Ways to bring entertainment into the office without losing productivity
- Unique benefits small businesses can offer that large corporations cannot
Fees are $15 Member, $20 non-Member includes lunch or $10 Member, $15 non-Member to watch via live simulcast. To register, click here!
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| Workshop Opportunities in January by Madison County ISU Extension |
Grant Writing 101 - Thursday, January 23
This workshop is hands-on training for seeking and writing successful grants for non-profit organizations, local government, and school districts. This workshop is free to the public, and will be held
Thursday, January 23 from 5:30-8:30 pm in the Winterset School Administration Building located at 303 Wambold Drive in Winterset.
There will be a light meal provided, and participants are asked to bring a laptop, iPad, or other tablet device for hands-on, online activities during the program. Register by January 20 by calling 515-462-1001.
Soil Test Interpretation & Recommendations Workshop - Tuesday, January 28
The cost of managing soil fertility is changing with the price of fertilizer and the increased demand for nutrients needed by the increasing yields we harvest. Understanding soil fertility basics will help you better manage crop nutrients.
The event will be held
Tuesday, January 28 from 9:00 am-Noon at the Madison County Extension office, located at 117 N. John Wayne Drive in Winterset. The registration fee of $20 includes publications, copies of the presentation, and lunch. Register by January 24 by calling 515-462-1001.
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The Greater Des Moines Partnership and the Madison County Chamber of Commerce can help you get a jump start on your wellness with the GetActive Workplace Wellness Toolkit, aimed at helping local small businesses provide turn-key wellness programming for their employees.
The GetActive Workplace Wellness Toolkit was inspired by the Greater Des Moines (DSM) business community's support of making Iowa the healthiest state in the nation. A Capital Crossroads survey revealed that many small business owners like the idea of helping their employees remain healthy, but don't have enough time, expertise or resources to implement a program. The GetActive Workplace Wellness Toolkit removes those barriers by arming businesses with "plug-and-play" content to help them implement a wellness program within their offices. The program is a benefit of your Membership with the Madison County Chamber of Commerce and Greater Des Moines Partnership, and is available at no additional cost.
Each month, Chamber Member businesses may download a new one-page poster and handout that provides wellness tips, facts and resources to give employees immediate takeaways that they can implement in their daily lives. Here's an example:
"For every hour of exercise you do, you could live two hours longer, even if you don't start working out until you are middle-aged!"
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