Chamber of Commerce to participate in Giving Tuesday, asks for your support

Oxford, MS ---This year, United Way of Oxford & Lafayette County, Volunteer Oxford, and he Retired Senior Volunteer Program are coordinating their efforts in support of Giving Tuesday to help local non-profits this holiday season. This is Oxford's second year participating in a local Giving Tuesday effort.

Giving Tuesday is a national movement to remind people that the holiday season is about giving back and helping those in need. It is held on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, December 2nd, following the shopping days of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. 

Our local non-profits put out a holiday wish list annually, and this year businesses "adopt" a non-profit and help collect donations for their wish list.

The Chamber of Commerce has been paired with the Lafayette County Literacy Council this year, and needs your support!  The Chamber will collect donations from community members - now through the final giving day of Tuesday, December 2nd.  Drop off items at the Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce office located at 299 Jackson Avenue West. 

Lafayette County Literacy Council is in need of:

• subscription to News for You, an easy-to-read newspaper that helps adult learners build reading skills ($42)
• sets of 25 new kindergarten-level picture books 
• packs of pencils and pens
• heavy duty paper cutter/trimmer
• card stock paper
• dry erase markers
• copy/printer paper
• legal pads
• bottled waters and food (donations or gift certificates) for volunteer trainings and parent workshops
• gift certificates for coffee, restaurants etc., for volunteer thank you gifts
• printer cartridges HP951 or HP951XL and HP950 or HP950XL
• copy and printing services
• graphic design services

The mission of the Lafayette County Literacy Council is to improve the quality of life in Oxford and Lafayette County by providing programs that promote literacy and a love of reading. Its programs include ABLE (Adult Basic Literacy Education), the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, Reading Rockets and the Children's Book Festival (formerly the Young Authors Fair).  For more information on the LCLC, visit www.lafayetteliteracy.org. 

The Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce is the most dynamic business organization in our community where businesses and professionals come together to work to improve the business climate and quality of life for our area.  With over 640 members, the Chamber strives to undertake programs and projects which seek a positive business climate conducive to growth of the private enterprise system, raising per capita income and providing strong financial, physical and human resources, for the citizens of Oxford and Lafayette County.  These goals are accomplished through a variety of avenues, including networking opportunities, seminars, events, marketing opportunities, referrals, leadership programs, or other resources available exclusively to Chamber members.  For more information on the Oxford Chamber go to www.oxfordms.com

Calling All Members For 

Chamber Christmas Party Sponsors!

The Annual Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce/EDF Christmas Party is scheduled for Tuesday, December 9th, hosted by Marriott Towneplace Suites Oxford, from 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.  This is a special event for our membership each year, and is our most highly attended Chamber After Hours. 

We are currently looking for sponsors to help make this event even more successful.  Sponsorships are only $75 each.  As a sponsor, the Chamber will be placing all sponsors names/logos on a large banner at the event.  It's a great way to help promote your business during the holiday season.  We also ask that all sponsors please donate at least one door prize for the event; this offers a great opportunity to promote something that you will be featuring as a gift idea this holiday season.
 
We hope you will consider being a sponsor of this year's holiday event.  If you are interested, please contact Pam Swain at pam@oxfordms.com by Tuesday,  December 2nd.  Thank you so much for your continued investment in your business community through the Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce.  We look forward to seeing you on December 10th!

We are excited to be adding something new to our annual Christmas Party! We will donate 12, 2 ft. artificial trees to members wishing to participate in this competition. 

Here's how it works...

• Be one of the first to participate, only 12 trees to be decorated
• Decorate it! Make a WOW Statement!! Great way to show off your business! They will all be highly showcased with the name of the company or individual that submits them.
• Trees to be submitted to the Hampton Inn Conference Center on Tuesday, Dec. 9th no later than 2:00 pm
• Each tree when submitted will then be placed on a Silent Auction to be purchased by our attendees
• Each guest will be given a ballot to vote for the Best Decorated Tree
• The WINNER will receive and IPAD donated by Charter Road Hospitality!!!
• Contact Rosie if you'd like to participate rosie@oxfordms.com or 662-234-4651

Chamber Debuts Annual Oxford Print - 12th in Artists' Series

Oxford, MS - Are you looking for a unique Oxford print?  Something that captures the essence of our unique university town in a seemingly simplistic but ultimately surreal and dynamic way? Well, the Chamber may have just what you are looking for.

The Oxford - Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce is featuring the twelfth in a series of prints that showcase talents of artists in the area.  This year's gifted artist is Rosie Vassallo, with her exquisite print Sunday Stroll depicting an extraordinary view of the St. Peter's Episcopal Church as Oxford's well known Double Decker bus drives past.  The artwork graced the cover of the 2014-2015 Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Foundation Community Guide and Membership Directory, an annual publication out this fall. 

These limited edition signed and numbered prints can be purchased for $25 at the Chamber of Commerce office, located at

299 Jackson Avenue West.  Only 200 prints will be sold.  To check out the print go to www.oxfordms.com, click on  http://chamber.oxfordms.com/programs-events/chamber-art-series/

Rosie Vassallo, a Texas native, holds a Bachelor's Degree in Advertising Design from Texas Christian University. Her ad designs have won a variety of awards including being the first Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber's Community Guide winner, which her art also received the PRISM Award one of highest honors in marketing for the State. She has been the Community Guide winner for three years.

Rosie takes pride in being one of the most talented and successful teaching artist in the United States. She had the unprecedented experience of her McKinney, Texas students sweeping every top award, from First to Third Place, in every category of the county's 5th Grade Art Competition. Vassallo's students have won state, national and international competitions. She has been recognized with First Place awards in the media of watercolor and oils in Kentucky, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Texas. 

During her tenure as executive director of Madison the City Chamber of Commerce in Mississippi for 13 years, she was named to the Mississippi Business Journal's Top 50 Leading Business Women, as well as Who's Who in Mississippi.

She is married to Steve Vassallo and they are the proud parents of two rescue pups, Trixie and Daphne.

The Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce is the most dynamic business organization in our community where businesses and professionals come together to work to improve the business climate and quality of life for our area.  With over 600 members, the Chamber strives to undertake programs and projects which seek a positive business climate conducive to growth of the private enterprise system, raising per capita income and providing strong financial, physical and human resources, for the citizens of Oxford and Lafayette County.  These goals are accomplished through a variety of avenues, including networking opportunities, seminars, events, marketing opportunities, referrals, leadership programs, or other resources available exclusively to Chamber members.

For more information about the print or the Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce, call 662.234.4651.

Chamber of Commerce Making Plans for 2015 Junior Leadership Program

----Deadline for Applications is January 16th

Oxford, Miss. - Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce is accepting applications for the 2015 Junior Leadership Program. All 10th grade students who live in Oxford and Lafayette County are encouraged to apply.

Junior Leadership is a program designed to help high school students develop the essential leadership skills to be successful in the future. The program was modeled after a similar program was developed in Plano, Texas more than fifteen years ago. Over 400 students have graduated from the program since its inception in 1998. 

The sessions are developed to introduce the students to team building techniques, goal setting strategies and are required to complete a community project prior to graduation.

Through dynamic community speakers and onsite tours of local facilities such as Baptist Memorial Hospital, Caterpillar, Chancery Building and various facilities at the University, the students are able to get a unique view of what goes on in their community. 

Junior Leadership Chair Lolita Gregory said, "Through these sessions they see the variety of professions and services offered here in Oxford.  Going through this course may give them a better understanding of various jobs and help in making career decisions."

The participants will work together in a program that combines eight group sessions plus time invested in an actual community project that require them to use and develop leadership skills.  Training sessions include leadership, team building, medicine, education, legal field and law enforcement, government, career development, and the arts, among other topics.  Each session students get an opportunity to meet top government officials, university professionals, medical specialists and local business leaders.  The program runs from late January through the early April and meets on Monday afternoons after school from 3:30 till 5:30 p.m.

The program is restricted to 10th grade students from within Oxford and Lafayette County.  Acceptance is based on completion of the required forms and documents by the deadline of January 16, 2015 and the payment of $45 tuition fee.  The class is limited to 25 participants.  Preference will be given to applicants who, in addition to their potential for leadership, would contribute to the overall diversity and strength of the class and have available time to commit to the program. 

Notification of acceptance into the program will be made by phone on or before January 23rd.  Orientation will be held on January 26th and the program will conclude with a graduation ceremony on April 13th.

Applications and a full schedule of sessions are available in the school counselor's offices, or can be obtained at the Chamber of Commerce at 299 Jackson Avenue West.  For further information please call the Chamber office at 662-234-4651 or go online to www.oxfordms.com.

CLICK HERE FOR AN APPLICATION