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BROWNSTOWN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE NEWS & INFORMATION AUGUST CHAMBER CHATTER The 2010 Melonfest was discussed at the Aug. 12 meeting of the Brownstown Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. The chamber will have a booth at the festival to hand out informational material and will be selling Brownstown, Indiana promotional yard signs made by Custom Printing Co. A wooden Radio Flyer car from Brownstown Hardware will be raffled off for $1 per ticket or six tickets for $5. The car will be displayed on the chamber float during the parade and in the chamber booth. The chamber’s 2010 Teen Citizen of the Year, Victoria McKinney, will be riding in the parade as the 2010 Fair Queen but her chamber award will be acknowledged with a magnetic sign on the side of the car. The budget committee presented the 2010-11 budget and a committee from the chamber membership was chosen to perform an audit on Aug. 18. Memberships are down from last year, but the board is optimistic that as the economy recovers, more businesses will be able to support the chamber’s efforts to promote Brownstown’s economic growth. New memberships were received from Father and Son Pre-Owned LLC, Once Upon a Family and Employment Plus of Bloomington. For information about chamber initiatives, local businesses and the Brownstown community, go to www.brownstownchamber.org.
JULY CHAMBER CHATTER Chamber Board and Committees Reorganize The Brownstown Chamber of Commerce reorganized for 2010-11 on Thursday, July 8. Vice-Pres. Bob Gillespie agreed to serve as president, Debbie Hackman as vice-president and Jeri Burbrink as treasurer. New board members Scott Shade and Daniel Blann were introduced and welcomed. Committees also were reorganized with a board member serving as chair for one and as co-chair for a second committee. Jeri Burbrink will chair the annual dinner committee with Kimberly Cooper as co-chair, Cooper and Scott Shade on fundraising, Sandy Hackman and Susie Glasgow on Hometown Christmas, Debbie Hackman and Daniel Blann on the legislative breakfast committee, Glasgow and Marty Stuckwisch on the Melonfest float committee, Shade and Debbie Hackman on the member educational services committee, Stuckwisch and Burbrink on membership communications and Blann and Sandy Hackman on recruitment. It was agreed that the chamber president will serve as liaison to the Brownstown Community Enhancement Partnership and attend their meetings. The executive board will serve as the budget committee and agreed to meet on July 19 to create the chamber’s 2010-11 annual budget. The chamber board agreed to serve as a support agency on the Jackson County Long Term Recovery Committee’s comprehensive emergency management plan and to add their names as supporters on Brownstown / Ewing Main Street’s application for a grant from the Community Foundation of Jackson County. For more information about chamber committees or initiatives, go to the website, www.brownstownchamber.org. Meetings are held on the second Thursday of each month at 3:30 p.m. at the chamber office, 119 W. Walnut St., in Brownstown.
JUNE CHAMBER CHATTER BROWNSTOWN CHAMBER THANKS MEMBERS FOR A GOOD YEAR The Brownstown Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors would like to thank its members for 2009-10 and welcomes local businesses, organizations and churches to join the chamber family for the new year beginning July 2010. Annual dues of $150 go toward funding chamber activities which are geared toward the promotion of local businesses and the betterment of the community. At this year’s annual dinner, held on June 10, at Pewter Hall, Pres. Doug Hanner recapped highlights of the past year including the board’s work with Ball State’s Building Better Communities to create a community plan, ongoing involvement with Brownstown Community Enhancement Partnership and JCIDC, offering discounts on business and personal insurance for chamber members through Auto-Owners Insurance, the legislative breakfast, golf outing and Hometown Christmas events and support of the new farmer’s market. Hanner noted that the chamber board held ribbon cuttings for new businesses Awe the Details, Stahl’s Café and Deli, Johnson Appliance and Repair, Kneading the Dough Bakery and Fleetwood’s Pizza along with a new home built by Pauley Construction and the new concession stand at the town park. The year ended with a total of 94 regular memberships and 21 non-profit memberships for a total of 115 members. An auction was held during the dinner this year with items donated by Covered Bridge Health Campus, Marion Kay Spice Co., Happy Herman’s Package Store, the Jackson County Banner, John Mellencamp, Indiana Bank and Trust, Tiemeyers Farm Market, Clotheshorse Consignment Shop, Jay-C Food Store, Ewing Uniques, Bob Gillespie, the Hitch’n Post, Café 58, Sandy Hackman, Jackson-Jennings Farm Bureau Co-Op, Monroe Bank, and Jackson County Recycling. Floral centerpieces provided by The Brownstown Greenhouse were given as door prizes to David Hackman, Cindy Terry, James Driscoll, Tammy Dye, Bill Lewis, Donna Wessel, John Spurgeon and Blake Fish. Dennis Sterling won two tickets for the Taste of Wines, Brews and Blues festival, donated by the American Red Cross. The board thanks all those who participated in this year’s dinner meeting and invites anyone interested in learning more about the chamber of commerce to attend monthly meetings or join a committee such as educational events, recruitment, legislative breakfast, annual dinner, Melonfest float or Hometown Christmas. For information about the chamber and its activities, go to www.brownstownchamber.org. APRIL CHAMBER CHATTER The Brownstown Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors heard a presentation about the United Way’s new initiative, the Emerging Leaders Society, at the April meeting. Guests Tonja Couch and Amber Hatfield-Owens explained that the purpose of the Emerging Leaders Society is to foster participation, commitment, growth and education of the county’s next generation of leaders. The focus is to encourage individuals under the age of 40 to give back to their community through donations and/or volunteering. Couch asked the chamber board to provide the name of a dedicated, experienced person to sit on the steering committee which will be developing the program. The Brownstown farmer’s market has been approved by the town council to begin on Saturday, May 1, from 7 a.m. to noon at the town parking lot on Walnut St. Local growers can pick up an application and set of rules at the chamber office, 119 W. Walnut St., or at town hall, 200 W. Walnut St. The board voted to donate a pole bracket set to the farmer’s market for a banner. The board learned that two local businesses have stepped forward to finance the Brownstown Economic Development Corp. seat on the Jackson County Industrial Development Corp. Brian Wheeler of Brownstown Electric Supply has volunteered to attend the JCIDC meetings. Board member, Jeff Morning, fills the chamber seat. It was decided to launch the 3/50 Project at this year’s annual dinner on Thursday, June 10. The nationwide grass-roots initiative encourages residents to visit three independently-owned businesses and spend $50 there each month. The campaign will include posters, fliers, newspaper articles and radio announcements. For more information, go to www.the350project.net. The chamber received a copy of the finished community development plan prepared by Ball State’s Building Better Communities. The steering committee created to assist with the plan is now dissolved but the individual task groups will continue to meet and work on their outlined goals. The Brownstown Development Team that originated the plan’s development is now called the Brownstown Community Enhancement Partnership (BCEP) and meets on the first Thursday of each month at noon at the chamber office. Anyone interested in improving our community is welcome to attend. A handicap-accessible sidewalk project recommended by the Community Development Task Force and Friends of Brownstown Recreation will be undertaken during the United Way’s Day of Caring on May 11. The town council has volunteered to tear out the old sidewalk and curbs and lower the water pipes for the fire hydrants, but donations of labor and materials are needed in order to complete the project that day. Monetary donations may be sent to the Brownstown Fund (United Way sidewalk project) through the Community Foundation of Jackson Co., P.O. Box 1231, Seymour, IN 47274. To volunteer, contact Linda McCormick, 358-2793. About 30 people attended the legislative breakfast sponsored by the chamber on Saturday, Apr. 3, at W. R. Ewing. Local residents talked with Sen. Brent Steele, Trent Deckard, district director for Congressman Baron Hill, and State Representatives Eric Koch and Terry Goodin about the recently completed session of the Indiana General Assembly. The chamber thanks the Lion’s Club for the refreshments, W. R. Ewing for the use of the facility and all those who attended. The annual golf scramble has been scheduled for Saturday, May 22, beginning at 9 a.m. at Hickory Hills Golf Course. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. Four-player teams will play the 18-holes of golf, rain or shine. To register or become a tee sponsor, call the chamber office at 358-2930. The annual dinner will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 10, at Pewter Hall. There will be an auction held during the dinner this year along with a short business meeting, presentation of awards and an election of three new board members. Please RSVP by June 3. Shannon Stahl from Achieva Resources, Inc. will be guest speaker at the next board meeting at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, May 13, at the chamber office.
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MARCH CHAMBER CHATTER The Brownstown Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors voted at the March meeting to participate in a nationwide grass roots movement to support local businesses. The “3/50 project” provides free fliers and public service announcements for radio spots, movie theater screens and even Facebook that urge residents to think about three independently owned businesses they’d miss if they were gone, then stop in to say hello and make a purchase. If only $50 were spent each month in these businesses by half the employed U.S. population, the purchases would generate more than $42.6 billion in revenue. For every $100 spent in independently owned stores, $68 returns to the community through taxes, payroll and other expenditures compared to only $43 if spent in a national chain. Spent online, nothing comes home. These statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2009 and from a 2008 Civic Economics study show that shopping locally and supporting our locally-owned businesses is a smart thing to do economically. More than that, it will help prevent the eyesore of empty commercial buildings along Main St. and keep our friendly shop owners who offer friendly, personal service in town. Be looking for these reminders around town and make it a point to stop in our local stores. The public is invited to attend the legislative breakfast at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 3, at W. R. Ewing. Senator Brent Steele and State Representatives Eric Koch and Terry Goodin will be guest speakers. After current legislation is highlighted, there will be a question and answer session when the public may voice their views and concerns. Free refreshments will be served. The chamber still needs a local business or group of businesses to pay for and send a representative to the vacant Jackson County Industrial Development Corp. seat. The chamber fills one seat, but wishes to keep the second seat for additional representation for Brownstown. Anyone interested should contact the chamber office at 358-2930. Stay informed about local and chamber events by visiting the chamber website, www.brownstownchamber.org. Along with a community events calendar, there is a chamber business directory, listing of available commercial properties and even a Sandhill Crane update. Check out Brownstown on Facebook and join our growing list of friends. FEBRUARY CHAMBER CHATTER The Brownstown Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors met Feb. 11 to discuss upcoming events. Debbie Hackman announced that the annual legislative breakfast will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 3, at W. R. Ewing. The public is invited to attend this informal question and answer session with local political representatives. Free refreshments will be served. Bob Gillespie reported that the annual dinner will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 10, at Pewter Hall. The annual meeting is an excellent way for local business owners to network and take advantage of chamber membership. There will be a silent auction during the event this year, so mark your calendars. Fleetwood Pizza should be opening within the month at 118 W. Walnut St. A new shop, Kidz Closet and More #2, has moved in at 104 S. Main St. They have a nice selection of new and used clothing, shoes, toys, household items, electronics and miscellaneous. Not a consignment shop, they buy, sell and trade. Ewing Uniques, 1050 W. Spring St., hopes to open on Monday, Feb. 22 following remodeling. A “hole in the wall” sale is planned for the near future followed by a grand opening to be announced later. Come by the chamber office for a Brownstown directory, county maps or festival guides. For information about the chamber or Brownstown, go to www.brownstownchamber.org.
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JANUARY CHAMBER CHATTER Brownstown is now on Facebook and the Brownstown Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors would like residents and business owners to check it out. This new technology is a great way to get Brownstown out to the cyber world and a fun and easy way for residents and business owners to communicate. There is a link on Facebook to the chamber website, www.brownstownchamber.org, Brownstown’s official website. For information about the public swimming pool, town park, boards or community development, go to “All About Brownstown” and search for what is needed. The business directory includes links to chamber member businesses or web pages with photos and menus, descriptions of merchandise and sale notices. There are also listings of commercial properties available, job postings and community events. At the January 14 meeting, board members discussed the vacant seat on the Jackson County Industrial Development Corp. Pres. Doug Hanner noted that the chamber pays for one seat which is filled by board member Jeff Morning and another seat for the now defunct Brownstown Economic Development Assoc. Dave Lucas, the chamber’s representative for that seat, has been asked by the Brownstown Town Council to be their representative. Since the chamber budget cannot financially support two seats and the board feels that it is important to have as much representation from Brownstown as possible, they would like one or more local businesses to agree to take over the BEDA dues. The open seat must be filled by April or it reverts back to the JCIDC, Hanner said. Anyone wishing to help Brownstown keep this seat on the JCIDC should call Jim Plump at 522-4951 or the chamber office at 358-2930. Directors Susie Glasgow and Rachelle Spencer held a ribbon cutting at the Kneading the Dough Bakery on Jan. 6. Located at 416 N. Main St., the bakery is owned and run by Brian and Janet Lewis along with their daughter, Stephanie. The Lewis’ use all natural ingredients, grind their own flour and offer a variety of baked goods that will please health-conscious consumers. Sugar free desserts are available by order. They also serve gourmet coffee, milk, tea and juice. There is a dining room where customers can relax and read the newspaper or use wireless internet for their laptop computers. Hours are 5:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 5:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday and 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday. Call 358-FOOD (3663). Chamber member Pottschmidt Design and Printing has now expanded to offering personalized items to celebrate, recognize or advertise all occasions. Anyone needing unique advertising or personalized party items should check out their website, www.pottschmidtdesignandprinting.com or call 358-5085. The chamber now offers insurance discounts from Auto-Owners Insurance to its members and allows quarterly or monthly payment of dues. For more information about becoming a chamber member, call the office at 358-2930 or visit the website.
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