Chamber Updates December 4, 2020 |
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Community Members-
This holiday season and the upcoming winter are likely to be more disruptive than others in our lifetime. Businesses will have to continue to find innovative ways to serve their clients. I was recently thinking about my past holidays, and I know that we can all remember when a significant snowstorm prevented us from traveling. There have been times when many of us got stuck in an airport or someplace that was not convenient. We can all think of a time when circumstances did not allow for a family gathering to take place.
Two particular times came to mind. Early in my childhood, my grandparents from California came to Chicago for Christmas. Unfortunately, the whole family got sick with a cold/flu, but it seems I remember everyone talking about it for years. “Remember that Christmas we all got sick, but had a good time anyway?” That was likely the winter of ‘67 or ’68, I was just a kid. I recall the winter of 1977-1978 in Chicago much more vividly. That winter we experienced incredible amounts of snow that piled up for weeks. As teenagers we made some extra money by shoveling off rooftops just to relieve some of the weight that could have otherwise created structural damage to homes and businesses. My parents kicked us out of the house to go play at the snow-hill or hang out at another friend’s house when it we were too “cooped-up” as schools closed for several days.
As we prepare for this winter season, I believe that all of us have the opportunity to be creative in our approach with celebrating with our employees and our family. We have to make decisions for ourselves and our respective staffs that are considered safe and respectful of the science that we have in front of us. The distribution of a safe COVID vaccine (around the corner) brings a ray of hope for first responders, healthcare providers and senior living facilities that have been challenged for so many months. It will hopefully mean distribution to the rest of us shortly thereafter, and Spring will bring new hope for many.
We have much to be thankful for as we turn the calendar from November to December and also from 2020 to 2021. Our calendar and newsletter are full of opportunity for our local chamber of commerce. My wish for all of you is a safe and stress-free holiday season.
All the best!
Dave Moravec
President & CEO
Colerain Chamber of Commerce
513.923.5036 Office
309.838.1947 Cell
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Membership in the Colerain Chamber of Commerce has grown from 165 to over 200 businesses in just the past several months. We are excited to share new member announcements though our Facebook Page and in this newsletter. Please welcome and support our November new members!
If you know of a business that would benefit from our programming and marketing opportunities, please have them contact the chamber directly or make introductions as you are able. THANK YOU!
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Annual Membership Meeting |
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Our by-laws stipulate that we host an annual meeting for active chamber members to vote on our board of director slate and chamber board leadership positions. The meeting will take place via Zoom on Wednesday, December 16, 2020 at 8:45 am. At that time, Dave Moravec, President/CEO of the Colerain Chamber of Commerce will also provide a brief update on the "State of the Chamber". Please plan on attending. Zoom conference call information can be found here.
Board of Director – Slate of Candidates
- Jennifer Caunin (term to expire 2023) – Vice President term ends Dec. 31, 2021 if approved
- Mike Long (term to expire 2023) - Treasurer term ends Dec. 31, 2021 if approved
- Evan Webeler (term to expire 2023)
- Doris Gibbons (term to expire 2023)
- Rick Porotsky (term to expire 2023)
Current Board Members (terms):
- David Denny (term expires 2022) - Presidential term ends Dec. 31, 2021
- Kathie Smith (term expires 2022) - Secretary term ends Dec. 31, 2021
- Susan Bennett (term expires 2022)
- Dan Applegate (term expires 2021)
- Jeff Bresnen (term expires 2021)
- Troy Cyrus (term expires 2021)
Advisory Board Members
- Jim Diebold (non-voting - term expires 2021)
- Lyndsey Creecy -Northwest School District
- Geoff Milz – Colerain Township
- Jeff Weckbach – Colerain Township
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Tuesday, December 8 - Noon - Women's Networking Luncheon - This month's Women's Luncheon will be hosted via Zoom Conference Call. Sylvia Dwertman will be hosting the call and we are honored to have as our guest speaker Icy Williams, President of Legacy 83. Icy is a business coach and financial strategist that provides education on behalf of SOFA. Icy will be presenting in 2021 to the full chamber, but for this "virtual luncheon," Icy will be sharing her career insights and valuable information about diversity in the community. Sylvia has guaranteed some special surprises as well, so order out your lunch or bring your brown bag to your computer. Please register and find the ZOOM information at this LINK.
Wednesday, December 9 - 9- 10 am - Sales Summit - We will again be meeting via ZOOM for an enlightening conversation around our true target market. Do you know who your target actually is? For more information about this professional development opportunity, please follow this LINK
Thursday, December 10 – 10 am – 1 pm – CEO Round-table – Limited Seats Available This interactive group, hosted and facilitated by Colerain Chamber member Quinn Wang, allows each participant a chance to bring up an issue or opportunity and to get advice from other experienced business owners around the table. The program also allows for ongoing counselling on a one-to-one basis. The first round-table held in November had eight participants, remaining seats will be filled on a first come first served basis.
- Special care will be given to ensure that no direct competitors will be in the same group.
- Discussion and conversations will remain confidential
- FOR MORE INFORMATION - REGISTER HERE
Friday, December 11 – 11-11:45 am – PIVOT Speed Networking
NEW PROGRAMMING - PIVOT: People Interacting Virtually Over Technology
This concept brings people together into one-on-one interaction in brief 5-minute time periods. During this 45-minute session, you may interact with as many as eight different people in a one-on-one conversation. It will be a safe and interesting way to connect your business with others. The following local chambers have also been invited to participate: Sharonville, Harrison, Fairfield and Hamilton, as has the African-American Chamber of Commerce and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Registration and more information can be found at the following LINK
Wednesday, December 16 – 7:30 – 8:30 am – Board of Directors Meeting via ZOOM. Our all chamber membership meeting will follow at 8:45 am.
Third Thursday, December 17 - 5–6:30 pm – Virtual Happy Hour – While our in-person December Third Thursday event has been cancelled, and our holiday party plans altered, we still wanted to provide an opportunity for our chamber members to connect in a social setting. We hope that this event gains some momentum, and you will support it by having your favorite beverage in hand while we have some fun online. We hope to bring back with our face-to-face networking events, in the new year, but in the meantime, please come out and support our Virtual Third Thursday! For more details, you can find them at the following LINK
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Holiday Scavenger Hunt - Fun Times Ahead |
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Additional information will be available shortly, but in lieu of the holiday party, Kathie Smith and her "fun-bunch" have put together a scavenger hunt, of sorts: The Book Bin Donation Trail Passport. We are still looking for a few businesses willing to step up to the plate to help in the following ways:
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Sponsorships: You can sponsor one of the locations and/or the event. We are looking for businesses to support the program with prize donations and other specific needs that the Social Committee (fun bunch) has identified. Opportunities starting at $50.
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Promotion: Promote the program within your organization and create a team approach that supports both the community, your organization and the Colerain Chamber of Commerce. I'll encourage you to begin promoting the fact that this exciting team building event that everyone can participate in. - FREE
Details for this event will be out shortly. In the meantime, if you are able to help, please contact Kathie Smith directly at: [email protected] .
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The Emerging Leaders of Colerain met on November 10 at the West Side Brewery for a time of networking and friendship development. More information about the group can be found on the Chamber landing page Facebook page.
MISSION
“Emerging Leaders of Colerain fosters the young entrepreneurial spirit by offering opportunities for networking, mentorship, education, and leadership development. We strive to challenge each other with our diverse perspectives while working together to bring growth to the surrounding Colerain business community.”
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COLERAIN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE APPAREL – AVAILABLE SOON!
Businesses continue to provide me with polo shirts (size XL) to promote our chamber members. We are also in the process of making apparel available with the Colerain Chamber logo for our community to promote us! For more details, please contact Dave directly.
SPONSORSHIPS OF EVENTS
In 2021, we will again resume sponsorships of our Third Thursday and Educational in-person events. If you would like to sponsor ($300) on a one-time or ongoing basis, or would like to be the host site for our networking events, please contact Dave Moravec directly. Planning of the 2021 schedule is being conducted presently, so get your business name and visibility out there as soon as possible! We are looking for locations that can host as many as 50 or more people. Recent hosts include: Vinoklet Winery, Clovernook Country Club, Playground Equipment Services, Willow Event Center and BB Riverboats. We are specifically looking for businesses that can:
- Provide a quality networking experience with a safe and business friendly atmosphere (Connect)
- Encourage business participation through promotion (Celebrate)
- Model the Colerain Chamber of Commerce initiatives (Support)
SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE
We continue to highlight our members and continue to partner with our local school district, the township and the state. We will continue to post between 30-40 times per month on Facebook but need information on ways to promote your business. Send us links, promotions and local information. Please visit us, LIKE and FOLLOW us for the latest news.
PROMO ITEM/GIFT CARD MARKETING
We continue to look for ways to promote your business through…
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Promotional items for membership bags - Your logo'd item can be placed in a membership bag along with other chamber members "trinkets." There is no cost to do this, simply provide the Chamber with 25-50 or 100 items, and we will include them with other chamber member items. Coordinate with Dave or Debi.
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Gift cards or services certificates - Provide the Chamber with $10-$25 or $50 gift cards or a gift certificate for product/services and we will use them as giveaways at various events (like Third Thursday or other educational/networking events).
We want to promote your business in any way that we can. If you have news that you would like to share with our membership, please send it along for us to post on Facebook or in our newsletter.
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US Chamber of Commerce
Please do your part to take preventative measures to help slow the spread and keep America open, healthy and strong using this toolkit with social media graphics and messages as provided by the US Chamber of Commerce. A Review the past lessons we've learned has also been made available.
State of Ohio
Ohio businesses are able to apply for $10,000 Covid-19 relief grants. Bars and restaurants that serve alcohol can apply for $2,500 grants. The new grants for businesses will be administered by the Ohio Development Services Agency.
Hamilton County
Additional small business relief grants and a Rent/Utility Program may provide additional local relief for business owners and their employees. The following two links will provide details:
For more information you can also reach out to:
Joy M. Pierson - Community Development Administrator
Hamilton County Planning + Development Department
138 E. Court Street, Room 1002 - Cincinnati, OH 45202
513-946-8234 office
Colerain Township 2021 Strategic Plan
The township’s strategic plan can be found here.
Northwest Community School District
Ohio Department of Education Awards Taylor Elementary
Northwest Local School District is proud to announce that Taylor Elementary is the recipient of the Ohio Department of Education’s (ODE) 2020 Ohio PBIS Bronze Recognition Award. Schools across the state were recognized for the support and intervention practices they put in place for students using the Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) framework for the 19-20 school year.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Leadership Training At NWLSD
NWLSD has begun the process of putting together a Diversity Leadership Team (DLT) within each school building to identify and address the diversity, equity and inclusion needs in each building. This work in each team will create and foster a districtwide initiative. In November, NWLSD also began a partnership with Katrice Quitter, of Hamilton County Educational Service Center to facilitate and lead the DLT through the process of establishing diversity practices within each building and to identify and eliminate any present or potential barriers. The DLT will participate in a 4-session program titled One Degree Shift in Understanding Race, Class, Culture & Poverty in the Classroom, which will be led by Mrs. Quitter. This program will help our team explore diversity, belonging, equity, and inclusion. The DLT will then be responsible for working with their building leadership team to implement professional development for all staff next year
In August, NWLSD began partnering with Rice Education and Consulting, to increase diversity among staff. The organization is currently carrying out a diversity hiring audit, identifying metrics to improve our diversity hiring practices, identifying and increasing our candidate sources and our screening processes.
NWLSD Partners with Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library
Northwest Local School District (NWLSD) and the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library (CHPL) have teamed up to offer all NWLSD students, preschool through 12th grade, as well as staff members, free online library access as well as access to library books. While the two organizations have always had a strong relationship, the need to further align became evident during the pandemic as students and staff faced the possibility of going remote.
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The Chamber has masks available from EMA through the Colerain Township. Healthcare and Senior living facilities will have the first opportunity to claim, and then other chamber members as needed. Here is what is available:
- 40 small boxes of 50 disposable masks (2000 total)
- 96 packs of 10 disposable masks (960 total)
- 150 packs of 3 knitted faces masks (450 total)
Please let me know if you have a need. It is first-come first- served. A special thanks to Shane Packer at the Colerain Fire Department.
Cases continue to rise in the state. In-depth analysis can be accessed by visiting coronavirus.ohio.gov.
Video of Governor DeWine’s updates, including versions with foreign language translation, can be viewed on the Ohio Channel's YouTube page.
For more information on Ohio's response to COVID-19, visit coronavirus.ohio.gov or call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH.
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Thank You to Our Sponsors |
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President Level Sustaining Sponsor |
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Team Level Sustaining Sponsors |
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