Newcastle Chamber Newsletter Update - December 10 2020
Coping with Covid, Tea Grannys Adapts!
The food preparation area has had a major hit to their businesses and has resulted in owners getting inventive and utilizing other methods of servicing their customers.
Tea Grannys & Friends Victorian Tea Experience is one of our members that took a big hit when COVID-19 shut her down in March. Kimberley has operated her business since 1999 and played host to many hundreds of guests. In early spring of this year, they had so many bookings they had to add dates to their planned season. In March, all reservations were cancelled. A familiar tale I am sure to our members in this industry.
Kimberley decided to adapt and while she could not provide the full Victorian Experience, she could make the incredible afternoon tea available to take home and enjoy, and we did.
We know many of our members have adapted their businesses and would ask that you send your story to: jim@norwoodandassociates .com.
We would welcome the chance to share your innovations with our members.
Chamber Initiatives
Sadly, we have not been able to have our normal member events this year and are trying to figure out what 2021 will bring. The first half of the year will not allow us to have our Annual General Meeting, Home Show, and network meetings.
We are hopeful in the later part of next year that we can start looking at our 2021-22 Business Directory and hopefully a networking mingle.
What we have done this year is to utilize our funds to help the community with donations as follows:

Clarington East Foodbank...........................................$2,000
Keller Williams Christmas Turkey Drive.....................$1,000
Toy Mountain & BOAA Toy Drive.................................$ 500
Seniors Homes Xmas gifts...........................................$ 500
The Wilson Family.........................................................$ 200
Hospice Feel-Good Story
Ten year old Amelia makes a difference:
Young Amelia Shaikh of Ajax decided to create bracelets with the proceeds going to charity. Amelia made and sold over $1,000 worth of her jewellery, the cost of each piece being between 50 cents and one dollar. Then, she and her dad Mohammed, who is a Jan-Pro of Durham Franchisee, turned to Vikki Gilmour whom he knew through his work for some ideas Durham Region Hospice - Clarington was chosen. On November 9, Marian Timmermans, Board member, met with Amelia and her dad and accepted the $1025 with deep appreciation and a tear in her eye. Thank you Amelia. Your hard work, your generosity and your willingness to give back show us all that the support for hospice knows no age or geographic boundaries.
To see the entire newsletter go to:
Best Wishes to all our members during the holiday season. Please stay safe and well. We encourage all our members to please shop local and support our merchants as much as you can. We are all in this together and together we will get out of it.
Do you have an event you want us to advertise?? Go to our webpage, newcastle.on.ca, use the events dropdown and send us the information.

If you have any concerns, please contact our webmaster,
Brian Rutherford:
Newcastle & District Chamber of Commerce | 289 675 0946 | Newsletter@Newcastle.on.ca |  www.Newcastle.on.ca