Join us for the Chamber Holiday Party!!!

Mark your calendar for Wednesday, December 11th from 5:30 to 8:30pm to join us at Lake Windsor Country Club for an evening of fun, friendship and maybe a little competitive trivia with America's Pub Quiz from 6:30-8:30pm! 

Favorite Ugly Holiday Sweater Contest (optional but recommended), winners take home Chamber Bucks!

RSVP HERE

On November 15, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas struck down nationwide the Department of Labor (DOL)’s final overtime rule. This ruling is effective immediately meaning that the increased salary threshold that was set to be effective on January 1, 2025, will not be put in place.

It also means that the increased salary threshold that was effective July 1, 2024, is no longer enforceable and that the automatic increases to the threshold will not go into effect.

The current threshold to maintain exempt status under the Executive, Administrative and Professional exemption is $684 per week, which is equivalent to $35,568 annually. The current Highly Compensated Employee exemption threshold is $107,432.

The federal court’s decision said that DOL exceeded its statutory authority under the Fair Labor Standards Act with the April 2024 rule saying, “the minimum salary level imposed by the 2024 Rule ‘effectively eliminates’ consideration of whether an employee performs ‘bona fide executive, administrative, or professional capacity’ duties in favor of what amounts to a salary-only test. And, as this Court previously held, ‘[n]othing in [the FSLA] allows the Department to make salary rather than an employee’s duties determinative of whether a bona fide executive, administrative, or professional capacity employee should be exempt from overtime pay.’”

Additional resources can be found below:

Federal Court Decision: U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas Overtime Rule Ruling 11-15-2024

Littler: Federal Court Strikes Down Rule Raising Salary Threshold for White Collar Overtime Exemptions

Michael Best: Salary Threshold Rule Overturned

WI Department of Revenue looking for volunteers

Every year, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program provides free basic income tax return preparation to qualified individuals nationwide. This is a cooperative effort between the Internal Revenue Service and many individual states, including Wisconsin.

With tax season approaching, we are looking for site coordinators to help manage VITA centers across the state. Volunteers don't need to be CPAs to qualify; we are seeking people with strong organizational skills who can commit to a schedule during the busy tax season. We provide all necessary training.



Those interested in volunteering can sign up by visiting our website at https://www.revenue.wi.gov/Pages/ContactUs/vitavolunteerinfo.aspx. 



Free legal consultation for small businesses are just a click away!

Small businesses and nonprofits in need of brief advice can request an appointment through the Small Business Assistance program offered by the Business Law Section of the State Bar of Wisconsin.

For small business legal matters, the Marquette Small Business Clinic serves individuals statewide online on Thursdays beginning at noon on a first come first serve basis.

Join the online waitlist here.

You can find more information on the clinic and additional availability here.

There is also a printable brochure available at Small Business Assistance brochure.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions at kolson@wisbar.org and thank you in advance for your assistance in spreading the word about this program.



Kara Olson, Section Coordinator

State Bar of Wisconsin

(608) 250-6124

(800) 444-9404, ext. 6124



Community Partnership Opportunity with the DeForest Area School District

The DeForest Area School District (DASD) has an exciting opportunity for local businesses and organizations to collaborate with Harvest Intermediate School.

Starting this academic year, all fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students will be participating in an Academic and Career Planning course. The teacher, Ms. Rachel Steward, would like to involve representatives from our local community partnerships to provide real-world insights and applications of the course concepts.

We are looking for at least 12 local businesses who would be willing to commit to engaging with our students. This commitment would involve speaking to one grade level of students, delivering the same talk four times. This engagement will not only benefit our students by offering them practical perspectives on various career paths but also provide our valuable partnerships with an opportunity to meaningfully engage with our educational community.

If this opportunity interests you, please to reach out to Ms. Steward directly, rsteward@deforestschools.org. She would be happy to provide more details and discuss potential topics for these sessions.

Thank you for considering this partnership opportunity. We look forward to the possibility of working together for the benefit of our students at Harvest Intermediate School.

Join us in supporting the Village of DeForest business district by shopping small and dining locally. This year, the Village is hosting a Small Business Week celebration, starting on Small Business Saturday, November 30th, and running through Saturday, December 7th.

Pick up your Shop Small Passport at any participating business. Every time you make a purchase at one of our local retailers or restaurants, they’ll initial your Passport. Complete your Passport by December 7th and return it by 7 PM for a chance to win exciting prizes from your favorite local businesses!

Stay tuned for more details and make sure to follow the event for special announcements!

Let’s show our local businesses just how much they mean to our community.

Love Local: Shop Local | Engage with Deforest!

Cider with Santa at The Meraki Collective

Monday, December 2nd, 4pm - 7pm

Join us for a magical evening at The Meraki Collective, where kids and families can share holiday cheer, meet Santa, and enjoy festive fun!

Visit with Santa: Capture a special moment with Santa from 4-7 PM. Bring your holiday wishes and smiles!

Craft Station: Kids can get creative with holiday crafts—perfect for handmade keepsakes.

Write a Letter to Santa: Let your little ones write to Santa himself! We’ll have festive stationery and a mailbox to send wishes straight to the North Pole.

Outdoor Holiday Walk: Weather permitting, take a stroll around our grounds to enjoy the season's beauty.

Delicious Treats: Sip on hot cider and enjoy holiday cookies as you celebrate with friends and family.

 A Place to Celebrate & Connect

Come see what makes The Meraki Collective so special! It’s a place for connection, community, and health—a welcoming space to support you and your family on your journey.

Giving Tuesday December 3rd

Join the movement and give, whether it’s some of your time, a donation, or the power of your voice in your local community.

It’s a simple idea: whether it’s making someone smile, helping a neighbor or stranger out, showing up for an issue or people we care about, or giving some of what we have to those who need our help, every act of generosity counts and everyone has something to contribute toward building the better world we all want to live in.

Fourth Annual Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony 

Get ready to kick off the holiday season with the community at our Fourth Annual Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony on Wednesday, December 4th at Fireman’s Park! Join us from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM for a festive evening filled with holiday cheer, a visit from a special guest all the way from the North Pole, and much more!

 The Village elves are hard at work planning some magical surprises for the event, so make sure to follow this page for exciting updates!

Photos with Santa at Fleet Farm

Santa Claus is coming to town! Bring the family along and join us at your local Fleet Farm to meet and take a picture with Santa! We'll have the entire photo op set up, so all you need to bring is your camera and a big smile!

Dates and times vary by location, so visit our events page to find out when Santa will be at your local store: https://www.fleetfarm.com/c/events

DeForest Windsor Lions Club Fundraiser

The DeForest-Windsor Lions Club is hosting a colossal shrimp sale! Make sure to get your orders in ASAP! We will have all orders for Curb Side pick up at Christ Lutheran Church on Friday, December 6, from 4:30-6:30 PM!

Christ Lutheran Church

202 S Main Street

Deforest, WI 53532

2lb bag for $35! It's a deal you won't want to miss out on. Use the link below or scan our QR code! We look forward to keeping your freezers stocked with delicious shrimp!

Fundraisers, like this shrimp sale, help our Lions Club to continue to serve our amazing communities!

Click Here to order today!

https://square.link/u/Xcbg1ruM