Volume 10 Issue 1 January 2018 M a k i n g C o n n e c t i o n s f o r M i l l s t a d t B u s i n e s s Chamber Colloquy Millstadt Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors Ashley (Byrd) Reeder, President Country Financial Jim Heberer, Vice President Associated Bank Jeff Haare, Treasurer Associated Bank Denise Blaha, Secretary Millstadt Township Don Mertz Mertz Ford Deb Germann Mark Todd Millstadt IGA Committees: Activities / Events Ambassadors Membership Marketing If you want more information or to get involved, email: millstadtchamberofcommerce @gmail.com Annual Dinner We hope you can make it to our Annual Meeting on Wednesday, January 17, at Quail Club in Belleville. The evening will feature an update from the village, great music, a presentation of Persons of the Year, and the President s Report. The Chamber will also have membership applications and will accept renewals at the dinner. Members who pay their dues before the February meeting will be entered to win a gift card to our local businesses. Please RSVP by January 12. Person(s) of the Year Deadline Extended! Do you know someone who goes above and beyond for the community of Millstadt? Nominate them for Business Person or Community Person of the Year! The Chamber is seeking applicants for these prestigious awards and wants to know who has made contributions towards the village. Nominations are due by January 12, 2018. See pages 3-4 for the application and more information. (News & Notes continued on page 2) 1
(continued from page 1) Member Directory Deadline Extended! The Chamber is seeking ads for the 2017-2018 Member Directory, which is mailed out to more than 3,200 homes and businesses. Ads are due by January 12, 2018. See page 5 for more details. Presenters/Hosts Wanted The Chamber is in search of presenters for our quarterly meetings and hosts for our Business After Hours for 2018. If you are interested in getting involved, please email millstadtchamberofcommerce@gmail.com. A Look Ahead Our next Quarterly Meeting will take place on Wednesday, February 21 from 5:00-7:00pm (location TBA). Lt. Alan Hucke with the Millstadt Police Department will discuss the importance of situational awareness. Let Me Introduce You To... Don t forget to Like the Millstadt Chamber of Commerce on Facebook! And check out our Let Me Introduce You To... feature. Each week, the Chamber spotlights a member business in a post dedicated just for them, so stay tuned for your opportunity to be featured! Let Us Share Your News! Hosting a ribbon cutting? Or an upcoming event? The Chamber wants to know about it! Our monthly newsletter is an opportunity to advertise any sales, special events, or other news going on at your business. Please send your newsletter submissions to Cassidy.Beck@scu.org by the 25th of each month. Newsletter promotion is FREE, but is a benefit available only to Chamber members. 2
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Bel-Air Bowl s Lane 33 Sports Bar Hosts December Business After Hours Lane 33 Sports Bar, located inside Bel-Air Bowl in Belleville, hosted the Chamber's most recent Business After Hours on Wednesday, December 13. Bel-Air Bowl is located in Historic Belleville in what was long known as Panorama Lanes. Owners Matt and Kris Shellabarger brought the Bel-Air brand to the center in 2007. Bel-Air offers family fun and league competition on 32 modern lanes. Hundreds of thousands of dollars are raised for local charities every year at bowling fundraisers held at Bel-Air. On the Main Level, The Arbor Restaurant serves delicious, home-style meals Monday through Thursday from 11-3 and Friday until 7:30pm. Lane 33 Sports Bar opens to the public at 7pm every night, offering pool, darts, TVs, and cold drinks. Lucky s Gaming Lounge boasts 5 generous gaming machines for players 21 and over. On the Banquet Level, Bel-Air Banquet Center presents 2 large rooms suitable for any private event, from formal to casual. Our full time Banquet Director, Sonda Starr, is an experienced event planner. Come for some bowling fun and learn more about all the extra opportunities Bel-Air Bowl and Bel- Air Banquets have to offer. Chamber members enjoy food, drinks, and networking Darts is a favorite of many customers at Lane 33 Sports Bar Photo credit: Ashley (Byrd) Reeder 6
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AARP Income Tax-Aide Assistance at Millstadt Township Senior Center Volunteer AARP tax-aide preparers will offer free income tax filing for disabled and/or senior residents on Thursdays beginning February 1, 2018. At the beginning of the year, you will begin receiving important tax documents such as Social Security 1099, pension, IRA, W-2, interest and dividend statements. Keep all of your important documents for tax filing. Appointments are mandatory; Walk-ins will not be allowed. Contact Millstadt Township Senior Center to make an appointment at (618) 476-3731. 8
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Millstadt Civic Club Presents Annual High Tea Wear your favorite hat and attend in style! The ladies of the Millstadt Civic Club cordially invite you to the annual High Tea fundraiser on Saturday, January 27, at Zion Evangelical Church, located at 117 W. White St. in Millstadt. Doors will open at 11:30 a.m. The event will feature an assortment of teas from around the world, as well as delicious treats prepared and served by members of the club. Tickets for the High Tea cost just $20. Reservations and pre-payment are required by contacting Mary Lou at 618-580-8146 or TXMLHL@yahoo.com. When making your reservation, please indicate how many will be in your group. All proceeds from ticket sales go directly to the Millstadt Civic Club s community projects and scholarship fund. For more information about the event, please visit Millstadt Civic Club on Facebook at www.facebook.com/millstadtcivicclub. 11
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2018 Meeting Schedule January 2018 17 Annual Dinner Location: Quail Club February 2018 21 Quarterly Meeting Host: Alan Hucke, Millstadt Police Situational Awareness March 2018 17 St. Patrick s Day Crawl 21 Business After Hours Location: Edward Jones Missy Schaffer April 2018 No Chamber Events May 2018 16 Quarterly Meeting Location: TBD July 2018 No Chamber Events August 2018 15 Quarterly Meeting Location: TBD September 2018 19 Business After Hours Location: Wirth Agency (Waterloo) October 2018 No Chamber Events November 2018 21 Quarterly Meeting Location: TBD December 2018 19 Business After Hours Location: TBD June 2018 20 Business After Hours Location: TBD 15
Board of Directors Consists of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and three additional elected members. Please contact a board member for more information about committees! Ambassadors Greeters Welcome new businesses Ribbon Cuttings Networking/Marketing Committee Business After Hours Quarterly Meetings Newsletter Chamber Website Speakers Bureau Chamber Brochure Activities/Events Committee Annual Dinner Homecoming Millstadt Parks Biathlon Millstadt Days MCC Signature Event Fundraising Membership Committee Identify potential new members Sign up/sponsor new members Membership retention Member visits/phone calls 16
Chamber memberships offer opportunities for networking, business education, and advocacy. Often, when consumers are shopping for a product or service, their choice is a Chamber of Commerce member. As a Chamber member, your business will receive a referral before a nonmember. Being a chamber member also demonstrates your commitment to our community. Chamber members are listed on the Chamber s website. Here you can profile your business, allowing consumers to learn about your products and services. This is a great way to advertise your business! Join us at our next Quarterly meeting or Business After Hours. The opportunities for sharing advice, customer introductions and political representation are just some of the many opportunities available to you as a Chamber member! The Chamber offers many opportunities to keep you informed of meetings and events through our website, email and newsletters. Questions and suggestions are always welcome. Visit our website at www.millstadtchamber.org, our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/millstadtchamberofcommerce, or email us at millstadtchamberofcommerce@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you! 17