We have some big changes happening in 2019, one of those changes is our logo. We are opening up a contest, submissions must be in by December 14th, and judging will take place over the next week with the winning design being picked on December 21st. The winner will receive a gift card to a member business. If you have any question please contact us
here
. We look forward to seeing what you come up with.
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Enter our 1st Annual Holiday Photo Contest for a chance to win:
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local store, for each post the more likes you may get, the more chances you have to win. Please include the contestant's name(s) and where they are. This will also serve as permission to use the photo in the future as needed.
Ways to win: First way: Have your friends and family vote on your photo on the Facebook Page, the more likes the more chances you have to win. Second way: Write an inspirational story of why you shop local and your experience at the shop you are at.
Deadline: Saturday, December 22, 2018 by midnight.
Winner: Winner will be announced Monday, December 24, 2018 on the Skowhegan Area Chamber Facebook page.
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Focused on Skowhegan, Madison Norridgewock, Cornville, Canaan, and Starks
Please take a minute to fill out our broadband survey, this survey will help us expand service in Somerset County. Please take a minute for the survey
here
.
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Public Safety Building Survey
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Your input is needed and will only take a minute: There is a Public Hearing scheduled to discuss the Skowhegan Public Safety Building (Police and Fire Station) on December 19, 2018 @ 5:30 p.m. in the Municipal Building Council Room. Please complete the survey by
December 14, 2018
so they have time to tally the results prior to the Public Hearing.
They will also continue to collect surveys through January 31, 2019.
Survey here
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3rd Annual Holiday Sale
December 7th and 8th
2 day event! Friday & Saturday
35-50% OFF Tanning packages & Lotion!!
Can't make it in CALL US and we can help you over the phone!
SAT ONLY FREE TANNING ALL DAY!!!
Lots of prizes and give aways,
You don't want to miss out on!
HAIR SALON SPECIALS with
Brooke Alley
,
Monique Thompson
, & Emily Oliver
$10 haircuts
$5 waxes
$10 OFF color services of $35 or more!
HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE!
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Somerset Public Health is offering free healthy eating workshops. Start the New Year off right and book a workshop for your group. Find more information
here
.
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Are in dire need of blankets for their dogs right now. The shelter is completely full of animals right now and they are running out of supplies much quicker than normal.
Also
here
is the link for an online auction fundraiser through Bidding Owl, they have some great items, Please take a look and if you are able to help let them know.
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Wednesday, December 12, 2:00 PM
Social Media Efficiency – Get Better Results Faster
Most small businesses dabble in social media, but the time and effort involved with building loyal audiences can quickly become overwhelming. When social fatigue kicks in, sharing fresh content can become an onerous chore and, before you know it, engagement with your business on your key social platforms has fallen flat. It doesn’t have to be that way.
In this session, you’ll learn how to harness social media so you can maximize the results without adding hours to your work week. Learn the best ways to automate social posting, and smart ways to use the many tools available to get the best outcomes for your time investment. Krista will teach participants how to:
Avoid the social media time-suck
Develop priorities and plans for social posting
Use automation to power your social initiatives
Identify top tools and tactics for maximum impact
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We are celebrating 150 years of community banking by donating $150,000* to various nonprofit organizations throughout Franklin, Oxford, Somerset, and Hancock counties. You picked. We are giving! Find out more
here
.
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Centenary United Methodist Church
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Thursday, Dec. 6, and Friday, Dec. 7,
4-7 p.m.
View an amazing collection of Nativity sets, angels, and lights! Some are fancy, others simple, some miniature, others life-size, and many are from around the world. You can vote on your favorite. There will also be a scavenger hunt for kids, hot cocoa, coffee, tea, milk, and cookies -- along with entertainment scheduled for each evening.
Hosted by the Centenary United Methodist Church, this event is free and open to the public. Find more
here
.
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December 27th
Whooo Hooo ! Only $15 per person !
Kiddos & Adults Paint Party Night in Skowhegan ! Great for ages 3-103 ! Join us during school vacation to get Cre8tive! Professionally FuN Artist Sue Begin will guide you step by step to cre8te your very own masterpiece! All materials, FuN & Cre8tivity provided. Please purchase tickets to hold your spot. Tickets are transferable-no refunds. Tickets
here
.
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Is partnering with National Wreaths Across America and will pick up the wreaths it has sponsored in the coming weeks, which will be placed at the Veterans Memorial Cemeteries in Augusta and Togus.
The final numbers are not in yet, but
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participation in the local effort sponsored by Hammond has been remarkable, the company said.
The company is hoping to reach and exceed its new projected goal of 1,500 wreaths by Dec. 7, after crushing its original goal of 1,000 wreaths.
The upcoming schedule is:
Sunday, Dec. 9
: The official Wreaths Across America convoy heading to Arlington, Va., will leave Narraguagus High School in Harrington at 8 a.m. It will make a stop at the Maine Coast Mall in Ellsworth from 9:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.; Mount View High School in Thorndike 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Augusta Civic Center, for a rally, from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. It will then travel to the Brunswick American Legion, arriving at 5:15 p.m., and stay overnight in Brunswick.
Thursday, Dec. 13
: The Hammond chip trailer will travel to Harrington to pick up the wreaths that the company has sponsored, along with the wreaths that have been designated for the two Augusta Veteran Cemeteries and Togus by other donors.
Saturday, Dec. 15
, National Wreaths Across America Day: The Hammond chip trailer will leave Belgrade at 8 a.m. and travel to the Veterans Cemetery on Mount Vernon Road in Augusta, where it will unload wreaths between 8:30 and 9:15 a.m. From there it will travel to the Veterans cemetery on Civic Center Drive, where it will be from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m., to drop off the second allocation of wreaths, before traveling to the Veterans cemetery in Togus, where it will arrive at 10:45 a.m.
There will be an official ceremony at noon at all three cemeteries.
Anyone would like to participate
in delivery wreaths should arrive in Belgrade between 7 and 7:45 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 15. Participants can travel to the cemetery in convoy with the Hammond truck and participate in the laying of the wreaths to whatever degree desired. (Article from Turner Publishing)
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The Maine Legislature will consider a bill this session that would allow Maine cities and towns to levy local sales taxes. A similar bill failed to pass last year, but Rep. Mike Sylvester, D-Portland, said he’s making a renewed attempt to get such a law on the books in an effort to diversify municipal revenue streams.
The way that this bill is being envisioned by most of the cities and towns that I talk to is as a tourist tax,” Sylvester said Friday, adding that his legislation had bipartisan support in 2018. Sylvester said cities like his own bear many of the expenses of hosting visitors to Maine, but don’t get much in return from the state’s sales tax.
His bill also would distribute some of the sales taxes collected by the state’s largest cities to smaller and more rural communities. The bill would require local approval by a city or town council or by voters at town meeting. Sylvester said the city collecting the tax would keep 85 percent of it while 15 percent would be sent back to be shared with all other municipalities and earmarked for local efforts to combat the state’s opioid overdose crisis.
Maine is among only 12 states that do not allow for local sales taxes, according to the Tax Foundation, a nonprofit Washington, D.C.-based tax policy think tank. Maine’s statewide general sales tax of 5.5 percent is also the fifth lowest sales tax rate in the U.S., according to a 2017 Tax Foundation report.
The Maine Municipal Association estimates that if cities elect to add a 1 percent tax, Portland would take in the most, raising about $16.8 million. Bangor would be second, taking in $13.7 million, followed by South Portland with $10.6 million, Augusta with $8.3 million and Auburn with $7.6 million.
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Would you like to see a local-option sales tax Bill?
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With the new legislature sworn in yesterday, what are your top priorities that you would like to see us advocate for on your behalf. Please send us an email
us
and let us know. If you would like to be a part of our advocacy committee please let us know as well.
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Does your business have news to share? Let us know, and we’ll promote it, just click the picture and email us
here
the information.
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