|
Look for a tool in this email to help grow your business brought to you by the Small Business Development Center.
| |
Student Programs are ramping up in the next few weeks. Get the info on FLEX and Leadership Chattooga below or contact our office.
FLEX--Apply Here
LCSE27---Apply through your school or call us.
| | Chattooga Chamber Members & Wannabes---
Let's celebrate the end of the summer together! | | The Calendar with links to click for more information | | |
EVENTS or SPECIAL MEETINGS/ACTIVITIES
Aug 6-8, all day Hwy 27 Longest Yard Sale, Dowdy Park (Saturday only), Summerville
Aug 8, 10a Turtle Hike, Sloppy Floyd State Park, Summerville
Aug 8, 8:30p Sunset Paddle, Sloppy Floyd State Park, Summerville
Aug 12, 2:30p-5p Adoration Health Ribbon Cutting & Open House, 10891 Commerce St, Summerville
Aug 15, 10a-3p Dog Daze, Summerville Depot TRAIN ARRIVAL
Aug 15, 9:30a & 2:30p Paint & Pop, Sloppy Floyd State Park, Summerville
Aug 15, 8:30p Bat Hike, Sloppy Floyd State Park, Summerville
Aug 17, 12p Chattooga Chamber Lunch & Learn: "211 by the United Way", HCDC, Summerville
Aug 20, 5:30p-6:30p 5:30 Club (End of Summer Member Luau), HCDC, Summerville
Aug 22, 10a Plant ID Hike, Sloppy Floyd State Park, Summerville
Aug 22, 8:30p Creatures of the Night Hike, Sloppy Floyd State Park, Summerville
Aug 26-30, various times Chattooga Agricultural Fair, Ag Center, Middle School Rd, Summerville
Aug 29, 7a Sunrise Paddle, Sloppy Floyd State Park, Summerville
Aug 29, 8p Moonpie Hike, Sloppy Floyd State Park, Summerville
SAVE THE DATES!
Sep 5, 10a-3p Old Fashioned Apple Festival Summerville Depot TRAIN ARRIVAL
Sep 12, 9a starts Twisted Ankle Trail Races, Sloppy Floyd State Park
Sep 19 & 20, 10a-5p Finster Fest, Howard Finster's Paradise Garden, Summerville
Sep 26, 10a-3p Antique Tractor & Engines Show Summerville Depot TRAIN ARRIVAL
Sep 26. 10a-1p Outdoor Adventure Day, Sloppy Floyd State Park, Summerville
| | |
GOVERNMENTAL & OTHER PUBLIC MEETINGS
Third Tuesdays at 6p-- Menlo City Council Meeting, Menlo City Hall
Second Mondays at 5p-- Summerville City Council Meeting, Summerville City Hall
Second Tuesdays at 7p-- Lyerly Town Council Meeting, Lyerly Town Hall
Fourth Thursdays at 6p-- Trion Town Council Meeting, Trion Town Hall
Bi-monthly (Jan, Mar, May, Jul, Sep, Nov)---Chamber Board Meeting, HCDC Board Room
| | |
CIVIC CLUB & ORGANIZATIONAL MEETINGS
Rotary Club meets First Thursdays at noon at Torres in Trion, then the rest of the month Thursdays at 12p at Jefferson's (Georgia Room), Summerville
Optimist Club meets Fridays at 12p at Dos Maguey's, Summerville
Menlo Lions Club meets the first Monday at 12p at the Menlo Elementary School cafeteria, Menlo
Trion Lions Club meets the fourth Friday at 12p in Trion---location TBA
Friends of Sloppy Floyd meets the third Monday at 6:30p usually at the Park, Summerville
Chattooga Garden Club Second Mondays Aug-Jun, location TBA, Find Us on Facebook
Chattooga Family Connection Fourth Thursday, 11a, Community Resource Ctr, 50 Eleanor Dr, S'ville
Chattooga GICH Team Next quarterly meeting, April 29, 2026 at noon at the HCDC
Chattooga Literacy Council meets the third Wednesday at the Multipurpose Bldg, Senior Dr, S'ville
Young Farmers, First Thursday 7p, meal & educational program included, Ag Center, Summerville
| | RIBBON CUTTING AT 2:30P OPEN HOUSE TILL 5P | | |
The Chattooga Chamber invites you to our first Lunch & Learn after the summer break. The United Way is sponsoring this luncheon, which is open to the public. Director Alli Mitchell Ellard will detail the 211 program, which is the new 24/7 confidential helpline for food, housing, utilities, healthcare, employment, and disaster relief resources.
Monday, August 17th at noon
Hurley Community Development Center
The public is invited to this catered lunch. Reservations are required. Limited seating.
A huge thank you goes to United Way for sponsoring the lunch.
| | |
|
Meet four new guests on My Chamber TV, our newest marketing avenue to boost our business members and community partners.
For July, we are presenting The Benefits Doctor, Chattooga Florist, Willow's Flowers at Teloga Springs Farm, and The Mortgage Firm.
| | | | | |
SUMMER IS OVER!
The adult leadership class took July off. We'll get back to meeting this month with a Governmental Breakfast and tour of the two high schools. Stay tuned for a report next month.
| | | | |
Leadership Chattooga Student Edition We are recruiting high school juniors and seniors now for the '26-'27 class NOW!
Chattooga---Trion---Home
Deadline to apply is August 24th.
Orientation will begin September 2nd.
Interested? 2026-2027 Schedule
Please, contact us or your school today.
Cindy McGraw
706.857.4033 (office) 706.466.9014 (cell)
execdirector@chattoogachamber.org
| | |
|
INSIGHTS FROM OUR EXPERTS
Your brand is the experience you create,
not the visuals you design.
Branding is about much more than a logo or color palette. For established businesses, a strong brand shapes every customer interaction—from first impressions to long-term loyalty. Business Consultant Megan Rivera answered questions on how businesses can strengthen their brand, create memorable customer experiences and position themselves for continued growth.
Meet the expert: Megan Rivera
Prior to joining the UGA SBDC, Megan was in the hospitality industry and previously operated her own small business for eight years. She specializes in customer experience strategy, marketing and branding, storytelling, sales strategy, business reinvention, strategic pivoting, luxury service standards and client retention.
1. What is the biggest branding mistake you see established businesses make that prevents them from growing to the next level?
A lot of businesses think their brand is just their colors, logo and visual identity. In reality, it’s how they make people feel. As companies grow, they often become so focused on operations that they overlook the customer experience. Ultimately, people remember how your business made them feel, not just how your logo looked.
2. How does customer experience influence a company’s brand and reputation?
Customer experience is your brand. Every interaction—from your website and social media to phone calls and in-person service—shapes how customers perceive your business. You can spend thousands on advertising, but if customers don’t feel valued, your reputation suffers. Happy customers become your best marketers through reviews, referrals and word of mouth, which is why customer experience should be a priority from employee training onward.
3. How can businesses tell when their brand no longer reflects who they are?
If your business has evolved but your branding hasn’t, it may be time for a rebrand. As your mission, audience or reputation changes, your brand should reflect that growth. For example, a business shifting from general event planning to luxury weddings needs branding that aligns with its new positioning, pricing and target audience. Ask yourself: Am I sending the right message to the people I want to work with?
4. What role does storytelling play in building a strong brand, and how can businesses uncover stories that resonate with customers?
As AI becomes more common, people are craving authentic human connection. Storytelling brings that human element back to marketing. The best stories aren’t always about how the business started—they’re about customers, employees and everyday wins. Share stories that highlight challenges you’ve solved, successes you’ve celebrated or moments that made someone’s day. Authentic storytelling builds trust and helps your business stand out.
5. How can a strong brand improve customer loyalty and retention, especially in industries where repeat business is essential?
Customers stay loyal because they trust you—not because you always have the lowest price. A strong brand creates emotional loyalty, which is far more powerful and lasting than discounts or promotions.
Final Advice from Megan: "Don't lose the human touch. AI and technology can make your business more efficient, but they can't replace genuine human connection."
Get Connected
| | |
The Chattooga River Group
follow us on Facebook & our website
Social Paddles & Clean Ups
| |
Saturday, August 8th, 9a: Trion Rec to Summerville News Contact Cindy McGraw: 706.466.9014
Saturday, August 22nd, 9a: The Blue Trail (Lyerly to Chattoogaville) Contact Cindy: 706.466.9014
You'll need your own kayak/canoe, paddle, PFD, snacks, water, etc. We will post the more details on Facebook.
| | |
Your Place in Paradise Garden
For decades, visitors have wandered the winding paths of Paradise Garden, discovering the extraordinary world created by Rev. Howard Finster. Built from imagination, faith, and found materials, it has always been a place where people come not only to see—but to connect.
Artists once brought their work to Finster, and he welcomed and celebrated it. Visitors brought meaningful objects—a broken platter, a cherished fragment—and watched them become part of something new. Paradise Garden has never been static. It has always grown through the hands and stories of those who love it.
In celebration of Howard Finster’s 110th birthday, the Living Pathway continues this tradition—inviting you to become part of Paradise Garden itself.
Who will you honor?
| | |
Find us online at TheTooga.org OR Contact Cindy McGraw at 706.857.4033
| | |
STAY TUNED FOR THE PROGRESS
RENOVATION SET TO START VERY SOON!
The Tooga will once again be a performing arts venue and centerpiece in downtown Summerville. Until that time, please support the local arts in our schools, in our events, in our art environments and everywhere that is Chattooga.
A world without arts is a world without creative thoughts, chosen words, inspiring visuals and magnificent sounds.
| | Are we in your business? Are you in ours ? | | It is ALL about building relationships. | | | | |
