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Bend Chamber Weekly
October 2, 2009
By Courtney Linville, Communications Coordinator
This Week's Highlights
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Vote now for next year's Board of Directors
Chamber members need to keep a look out for their ballot for the 2009 Board of Directors Election. The ballots were mailed earlier this week, and should be arriving shortly in members' mailboxes.
The candidates for this year's election include the following:
- Natasha Henderson, Saxon's Fine Jewelers
- Patrick Kesgard, Principle Broker, Steve Scott Realtors (Incumbent)
- Jason Moyer, Principal, Cascadian Group, LCC
- Dave Rathbun, President & General Manager, Mt. Bachelor, Inc. (Incumbent)
- Karen Shepard, Senior Vice President of Finance & CFO, Cascade Healthcare Community, Inc.
- Betsy Skovborg, Vice President, Pepsi-Cola Company of Bend
- Katherine Tank, Attorney & Shareholder, Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt (Incumbent)
Each membership will have one ballot to select four board members. Those who are selected will serve a three-year term. The ballots include biographical information about each candidate.
All ballots must be mailed for faxed (385-9929) back to the Bend Chamber by October 15, 2009. The results of the election will be published in an upcoming edition of Chamber Weekly and the Business Journal. |
Free Advertising Opportunity Available
The current economic climate has caused many businesses to look for ways to maximize their Chamber membership. One great opportunity many members forget about is lobby brochures.
The Bend Chamber has a continuous stream of foot traffic through the lobby area. The lobby is a great place for members to display a stack of brochures about their business! Visitors and residents alike often come in looking for the latest information in all sectors including employment, banking, restaurants, health, and more.
This is a great free opportunity for members to take advantage of. If you are interested in participating in this program, please drop off a stack of 50 brochures (tri-folds only, please) at the front desk and the staff will display them in the appropriate area in the lobby.
If you have any questions about this, please contact the Chamber staff at 382-3221. |
Update your profile today
The new year is right around the corner, and that means it's time once again for the annual Bend Chamber Preferred Business Guide to be published. To provide the best possible product to the Chamber membership as well as the local community, the Chamber has sent out profile information for you to review.
The Chamber wants to make sure the upcoming Preferred Business Guide is 100 percent accurate. If you see any changes or corrections that need to be made, please update your information as soon as possible.
Please mail, email, or fax your profile back today! The final deadline for all changes and corrections is October 12. Please submit your updates even if you've missed he deadline. While there is no guarantee we will be able to get it updated in the Business Guide, it will get updated in our database.
If you have any questions about your profile, please contact Kelly Charon at 382-3221 or by email at kelly@bendchamber.org. Once you have updated your information please send it via one of the following methods:
Mail:
Attn: Kelly Charon
Bend Chamber
777 NW Wall St.
Bend, OR 97701
Email:
kelly@bendchamber.org
Fax:
(541) 385-9929 |
The Blitz is on!
October will mark the Bend Chamber's first Annual Membership Drive. The Bend Chamber Board of Directors will be in competition with the Ambassador Council to see which team can develop the most new memberships. Both teams will be featured, along with the results, on the cover of the December Business Journal. To keep things interesting and to provide a bit of inspiration, the loosing team will be required to dress up in costume for the photo.
The 2010 Preferred Business Guide will be wrapped up by the first part of November. It's important for new members to get signed up by the end of October to ensure they are listed in the annual guide. As an additional incentive, we are waving the setup fee for all new members this month.
If you would like to help a business become a member and be included in the Preferred Business Guide, please call or email Greg Ford at 382-3221 or greg@bendchamber.org. Please let him know if you would like credit for the membership to go to either the Board of Directors or the Ambassador Council.
We look forward to this becoming a fun annual event! |
CHC proactive in preventing spread of flu
Cascade Healthcare Community (CHC) is taking a proactive approach to help prevent the spread of H1N1 and seasonal flu. Earlier this week, CHC announced all their facilities will have sanitation stations at public entrances. There will be large signs requesting visitors stop and sanitize their hands prior to entering the building.
The signs will be placed at all entrances at St. Charles Bend, St. Charles Redmond, Pioneer Memorial Hospital in Prineville, Mountain View Hospital in Madras and CHC's outpatient clinics.
According to a press release, the signs and sanitation stations were created to help prevent the spread of the H1N1 influenza virus in order to protect patients and caregivers.
"By placing these signs and sanitation stations near facility entrances and requesting that visitors and caregivers sanitize their hands before entering any of our facilities, we are making a concerted effort to protect our patients and slow the spread of H1N1," Dr. Alan Ertle, the senior vice president of medical affairs stated. "No one is really sure how this virus is going to play out, but what we don't want is to be caught unprepared. It is better to be overly cautious at this juncture."
Ertle also said the signs will have a mask dispenser. Those who visit the hospital with symptoms of a respiratory illness will be asked to wear a mask. He also stressed visitors should avoid the hospitals if they are ill unless they are seeking treatment. |
In the News
Working Wonders Children's Museum Suspends Operations: Working Wonders Children's Museum is closing operations as of Saturday, October 3. The board of directors of the local non-profit organization made the difficult decision after failing to meet its fundraising goals for the year. The museum has been operating a major fundraising campaign for several months in order to maintain operations and continue bringing their outstanding children's programming to the Central Oregon community. "It's a heart-breaking decision to close, but we don't have another choice at this point," said DeeDee Erhard, executive director at Working Wonders Children's Museum. "Our staff, and the unique programming they bring to the museum, is what has made this such a special place for our community." The board of directors has been working on a new financial model for the museum that's more sustainable, and less dependent on annual fundraising efforts. However, the museum cannot remain open while working this possible reorganization plan. In the past, the museum has successfully raised up to 60 percent of its operating budget through exhibit sponsorships, donations, grants, and events. However, over this past year the fundraising challenges are tied to today's economic conditions. If you are interested in hearing more about Working Wonders and talking with a board member about opportunities to help, please contact: DeeDee Erhard, executive director at (541) 389-4500 or derhard@workingwonders.org.
Living paycheck to paycheck on the rise for Americans: According to a new nationwide survey by CareerBuilder, more Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. The survey shows 61 percent of respondents are just scraping by. This is a large increase from last years 49 percent. Minimum wage workers are not the only ones who are struggling. The survey reports 30 percent of workers with salaries $100,000 or more reported they are living paycheck to paycheck as well. To make ends meet, many workers are either reducing or no longer funding their 401(k) and personal savings accounts. CareerBuilder polled 4,478 U.S. workers.
Home-based businesses could see new tax options next year: Under the Home Office Tax Deduction Simplification Act, self-employed home-based businesses could see a streamlined process with home office deduction filling. According to a recent release, business owners would have "the option of a $1,500 standard deduction, but would not prevent qualifying taxpayers from continuing to itemize their expenses if they wish to do so." The bill was introduced by Rep. Kurt Schrader, Oregon 5th District Democrat, and Rep. Devin Nunes, California 21st District Republican. "This bill will streamline the tax process that often puts an undue burden on entrepreneurship allowing small businesses to put these savings back into the economy," said Schrader in a recent release. "That means hiring more workers, expanding their businesses, and helping rebuild our economy." If the bill becomes a law, it's designed to reduce the amount of paperwork home-based entrepreneurs spend on tax preparation. |
Upcoming Events
October 13 - Professional Development Series - Why Don't Zebras Get Ulcers? - Prolonged stress causes or intensifies a range of physical and mental afflictions, including depression, ulcers, colitis, heart disease and more. When we worry or experience stress, our body turns on the same physiological responses that an animal's body does, but we usually do not turn off the stress-response the same way. Over time, this chronic activation of the stress response can make us literally sick. Join Peggy Huetten of Heart to Heart for this Professional Development Series to learn about stress management. This presentation will combine cutting edge research with a healthy dose of good humor and practical advice on sleep, gender differences, anxiety, weight gain, and more. Huetten has been teaching adults for the past 15 years. As a former vocational counselor for the community college system in the State of Washington, she taught a variety of classes on study skills, self-esteem, workforce retraining, and job development and employment. In addition, Huetten subcontracted with other colleges and community schools to offer trainings in Stress, Habit Control, Pain Management, Change Process, and Overcoming Fears and Anxieties. If you are interested in attending this presentation, please RSVP by October 12 at www.bendchamber.org.
October 16 - Town Hall Forum - Focusing on Business - Attorney General John Kroger - How can state offices help small businesses grow? What is the state doing to help businesses thrive in Oregon? Who is leading the charge? Attorney General John Kroger feels state offices need to make it a priority to help small businesses and businesses in general grow in Oregon. At this month's Town Hall, Kroger will discuss how the state needs to be more accessible, how ideas can be generated, and the resources available to business. Kroger also plans to discuss how he, as Attorney General, plans to continue to help business. Attend this Town Hall and get your questions answered by the Attorney General. Please RSVP for this event by October 15 at www.bendchamber.org.
October 20 - Professional Development Series - Using Business Technology to Your Advantage - Presenters: Shannon Strait, BendBroadband Business Services Sales Manager and Mark Capell, CMIT Solutions. Technology is ever changing in today's business climate. With a multitude of choices from hardware to software, how do you pick the right tools for your business? How do you ensure you get satisfied customer or client responses? Is there a way to use your dollars effectively? In this month's Professional Development Series Luncheon, join our panel of experts as they explore technology and how businesses can use it to their advantage. Learn how you can choose the right tools and connectivity for your business, help improve productivity and efficiency, and reduce overhead costs. You'll also receive insights on how to create a satisfactory customer experience and how to make the most of your IT budget. This session is a great way to get your questions answered from the experts. If you are interested in attending this event please RSVP by October 19 at www.bendchamber.org.
October 21 - Young Professionals Network - Clear One Health Plans - Come join us as we celebrate our new name, Clear One Health Plans, and brand promise, which represents a significant milestone in the company's history and further emphasizes our commitment to customers. You'll have the opportunity to meet other members of our community, enjoy hors d'oeuvres, and enter to win one of many great door prizes. Since 1995, Clear One Health Plans has offered affordable health plans to meet the needs of employers, providers, and consumers. The company provides health insurance, including Medicare Advantage plans, commercial plans, individual plans, and administrative services to individuals and businesses throughout the West. The company also offers life, disability, dental, vision and voluntary benefits programs, as well as employee benefit services to self-funded employers, associations, Taft-Hartley Trusts, and Chamber of Commerce plans. Clear One is dedicated to the development of community-based employee benefits programs, health insurance, and ancillary plans. Please RSVP by Tuesday, October 20 at www.bendchamber.org. If you have trouble signing up, call 382-3221.
October 27 - Business Showcase/Business After Hours - Bend Golf & Country Club - Do you own a small business? Would you like to have your business "showcased" at a Business After Hours? Then you should sign up for the Business Showcase! Once a year, the Bend Chamber offers this opportunity for small and/or home-based businesses to co-host a Business After Hours. These extremely successful events "showcase" businesses that would often otherwise be unable to "host" a networking event due to the size of their facilities. This event provides great visibility as well as an opportunity to highlight your products and services while networking one-on-one with potential new clients. The cost for members to host a space is $150. We have a limited number of booths available, so if you are interested in the details of participating, please contact Chris Boyle at chris@bendchamber.org or call 382-3221. |
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