DON’T DELETE OR TOSS THIS NEWSLETTER! PLEASE PASS IT

ALONG TO YOUR EMPLOYEES, CO-WORKERS & FRIENDS!

VOLUME 6, ISSUE 4, CHRISTMAS 2013

THE CHAMBER CONNECTION

IN THIS ISSUE

PAGE 1:

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS

PAGE 2:

OUR 2013 BOARD &

AMBASSADORS

NEW MEMBER

CONNECTION

PAGE 3: RIBBON CUTTING

UPCOMING ONES!

PAGE 4: NEW

PHILADELPHIA

PAGE 5: CHRISTMAS TIME

IN BARRY

PAGE 6 & 7: Y PIKE!

PAGE 8 NEW DENTAL

CLINIC

PAGE 9: MEMBERSHIP INFO

& APPLICATION

PAGE 10: WORKFORCE

READINESS

PAGE 11: WILA

PAGE 12: ELECTRONIC

RECYCLING

PAGE 13: NEAL TIRE

PAGE 14: BUDGETING 2014

PAGE 15: MARKETING

PAGE 16 MISSION

VISION

GOLF

Merry Christmas from The

Chamber Connection, and welcome

to our holiday edition!

At this joyous time of year, we are grateful for

our work with you. We wish you abundance,

happiness, and peace in a new year filled with

hope.

It is my Christmas prayer that Pike County

continues to be the safe, caring community that

rallies around those in need, and that we continue

to work together to maintain the “Quality of Life “ that draws us to the area and keeps

us here. We are fortunate to have many dedicated people and organizations

who share the Chamber’s goals. We will continue to work together efficiently so that

Pike County continues to be a wonderful place to live, raise a family, start or grow a

business and visit.

All of these hopes for the county are part of our mission. We hope you know how hard

we work to for the good of Pike County and you, our member companies. Thank you for

supporting the Pike County Chamber of Commerce’s mission and vision. We thank you

also for all of the great service you provide your customers and all of the charitable work

you do in your personal or professional life. We all benefit from your efforts.

The Chamber has a lot we want to do next year, and we can't wait to share our ideas and

celebrate successes with you in future newsletters. If you would like to support our

work and are not currently a member, we invite you to call!

Now, you have probably noticed that this newsletter is EARLY! With the holidays upon

us, there are some time-sensitive events that we want to share! The second annual

ChristmasTime in Barry is Saturday, December 14th, sponsored by our good friends at

the Barry Business Association. Check out the schedule of events on page 5. Neal Tire

invites you all to their Santa Celebration on Saturday, December 14th. See page 13 for details.

If your business is a retail or restaurant establishment, there are some great Holiday Marketing tips

from the Small Business Administration on page 15, and with a new year approaching, who

doesn’t need some good reminders about “Budgeting for the New Year” as found on page 14.

We have added a few new members which you’ll see on the next page, and there are some

upcoming ribbon cuttings planned yet this year, which you’ll find on page 3.

We hope you enjoy this issue of The Chamber Connection and that you’ll share it with others.

Most importantly, we hope you have a wonderful holiday season. Hug your kids, enjoy your

families, remember the true meaning of Christmas and have a safe and blessed Christmas. Happy

New Year too!

Kaye Iftner, Executive Director & Editor of The Chamber Connection

PAGE 2

Kent Hawley, President,

JWCC

Jill Moss, Vice President

Illini Community Hospital

Peter Wright, Treasurer,

Wright Place Auto Body

David Fuhler, Immediate

Past President, WBBA

Carolyn Casteel, Casteel’s

Bob Evans, Perry Street

Mall

Nancy Kurpaitis, Old

Florence Guest House

Brenda Middendorf, Two

Rivers RC&D/Access

Illinois

Beth White, Farmers Na-

tional Bank of Griggsville

Mike Spann, Country

Financial

Andy Sprague, Sprague’s

Kinderhook Lodge

Robert Wood, City of

Pittsfield

Kaye Iftner, Executive

Director

2013 Chamber Board

2013 Ambassadors

Kim Ator, Farmers State Bank

Sheila Davidsmeyer, North-

western Mutual Financial

Tammy Harshman, Illini

Health Services

Holly Henderson Johnston,

KHQA

Laura Ruzich, Pike County

Dental Clinic

Nathan Painter, Edward Jones

Jayne Pieper, KHQA

Jennifer Ross/Bob Dieker J.D.

Ross & Associates, Inc

Lori Bigley, Liberty Village

Noelle Flesner, CNB Bank &

Trust

Lindsey Rennecker, Western

Collision Center

Shelly Martin, Area Disposal

New Member Connection

Welcome New Members

The Pike County Chamber of Commerce is proud to have welcomed three new

members into the Chamber family since mid November. As usual, some of these

are businesses new to our area and some are familiar names. You can always

find their contact information and links to their websites in the Chamber

Member Directory at www.pikeil.org. We hope will support them with your

business.

American Red Cross (Tel: 217-222-2477, extension 7305) at 3000 N. 23rd Street,

Quincy, IL 62305. The American Red Cross prevents and alleviates human suffering

in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity

of donors. The Red Cross helps people prepare for and prevent disasters, but also pro-

vides services when and if they occur. Amanda Stotts is our contact. You can learn

more about all the American Red Cross offers at www.redcross.org

Borrowman Chiropractic, (Tel: 217-285-2600) is located at 1235 W.

Washington, Pittsfield, 62363. Borrowman Chiropractic Dr. Jessica Borrowman is

a graduate of Logan College of Chiropractic and trained in the core chiropractic

curriculum, as well as acupuncture and the treatment of pregnant or pediatric patients.

Dr. Borrowman also specializes in Women’s Health issues. For those who have or

desire an active lifestyle, Dr. Borrowman offers physical therapy via both electrical

stimulation and therapeutic ultrasound, rehabilitative and therapeutic exercise regi-

mens, and physical examinations for work, school or sports. Dr. Borrowman is ready

to serve the chiropractic and acupuncture needs of the community! We’ll be doing a

ribbon cutting for Borrowman Chiropractic on Friday, December 20th at 2 PM.

Complete Chiropractic Acupuncture and Family Wellness, (Tel: 217-285-1915)

114 N. Monroe Street, Pittsfield, IL 62363. Complete Chiropractic Acupuncture

and Family Wellness offers a wide variety of Chiropractic Services. Dr. Bryan

Howland, a recent graduate and Valedictorian from Logan College of Chiropractic, is

associated with cutting edge forms of healthcare treatments for musculoskeletal inju-

ries (neck pain, back pain, shoulder pain, and many more conditions), nutritional

analysis (food sensitivities), and hormone analysis (stress panel, menopause and male

hormone panels) that is changing the way people eat, move, and feel. If you are tired

of living in pain, feeling fatigued, and are wanting to make a change, then contact the

clinic of Complete Chiropractic.

Not a Member of the Chamber? We invite you to join us!

A national survey of over 2,000 adults conducted by The Schapiro Group reveals that

consumers are 80% more likely to purchase goods or services from companies that are

members of their local chamber. See the membership information on page nine or

call Kaye today!

Thanks to our Chamber 2013

VIP Sponsors!

3

Welcome More New Members!

.

Our Chamber First Class Sponsors!

Throughout the pages of this newsletter you will see the logos of our corporate sponsors. Since we are almost

entirely funded by membership dues and fundraisers, sponsorships allow us to offer all of our services and at

the same time provide excellent exposure for your business. Call for details!

Ribbon Cutting for Complete

Chiropractic Acupuncture and Family

Wellness on Monday, December 9th

The Chamber, along with the City of Pittsfield and

Pittsfield Main Street held a ribbon cutting for Dr.

Bryan Howland’s new clinic at 114 N. Monroe St.

in Pittsfield. Attending the ceremony were (left to

right): Dean Capps, Nancy Capps, Ryan Howland,

Janet Brown holding Kadence Sethaler, Garrett

Howland, Noelle Flesner, Jeff Howland, Dr. Bryan

Howland, Wendy Sethaler, Kaye Iftner (Chamber),

David Fuhler, Sherri Howland, Cleo Howland,

Mayor John Hayden, Christy Davenport (Pittsfield

Main Street), Bob Evans, Jill Moss and Gina

Sheurman, Pike County Economic Development.

Pg. 4

The New Philadelphia Association is excited to announce the National

Park Service (NPS), after careful evaluation, has found that the New

Philadelphia Town Site qualifies to be included in the National

Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. A Certificate of

Acceptance will be on display at the site and the site will also be

included on the NPS Network to Freedom website at: www.nps.gov.

Founded in 1836, New Philadelphia is the first town in our nation

legally registered by an African American. The town traces its

association to resist enslavement to founder Frank McWorter. Before

moving to Illinois from Kentucky in 1830, McWorter purchased

freedom for his wife, himself and a son who had fled to Canada with

funds earned through various entrepreneurial enterprises. Risking

capture by slave trackers, the McWorters returned to Kentucky to

purchase freedom for other family members. McWorter freed sixteen family members with funds earned through

entrepreneurial enterprises.

McWorter Family and local residents’ accounts, documented oral histories and primary documentation attest that New

Philadelphia and area residents participated actively in the Underground Railroad by concealing, harboring and some-

times accompanying runaway African Americans to Canada. New Philadelphia, Illinois was a gathering place for African

Americans of the region and, although integrated, was regarded by many local residents as a black town.

Like other free African-American communities, New Philadelphia’s residents, some formerly enslaved, were mindful of

the adversity and tribulations of enslavement. There are reports of the consequences inflicted on residents of Pike County,

where New Philadelphia was located, for participating in the Underground Railroad. These individuals demonstrated their

commitment to self-determination by jeopardizing themselves to help others find freedom

Now an archaeological site with only a few building foundations visible on the landscape, New Philadelphia was listed in

the National Register of Historic Places in 2005 for its potential to provide nationally significant information about the

life ways and relationships of African Americans and European Americans in a pioneer setting, and designated a National

Historic Landmark in 2009 for its potential to yield information of major scientific importance and to affect

archaeological theories, concepts and ideas.

Currently, there are no formal or official educational programs or tours conducted at the site. A "Talking House" presenta-

tion is available by radio transmission on AM station 1670. The presentation provides a brief history of New Philadelphia

narrated by Pat Syrcle, former mayor of the nearby town of

Barry, based on text written by Carol McCartney, secretary of

the New Philadelphia Association.

Plans are underway to develop signs providing a history of

various dwellings and structures that were once part of the

New Philadelphia landscape. Informal tours are conducted

upon request by members of the archaeology team and New

Philadelphia Association. A self-guided walking tour of the

site has been developed by the New Philadelphia Association.

For more information about New Philadelphia or to learn how

you could help or become a member, please go to:

www.newphiladelphiail.net.

To the left is a map of the town site. You can help the New

Philadelphia Association raise money for the site by

sponsoring a lot for a tax deductible donation of $1000. Or

join the 1836 Club (the year the town was founded) and

sponsor two lots for $1836. Call Kaye for details!

Connecting to our past

New Philadelphia Board members Dr. Terry Martin,

Claire Martin and Carolyn Dean greeted visitors at the

site during the Fall Color Drive.

Pg. 5

The YPike! organization is a committee of the Pike County Chamber for employees in their 20s and 30s who want to meet new

people, make business contacts and develop their leadership skills. The mission of YPike! is to motivate, captivate and invigo-

rate emerging leaders under 40 through professional growth opportunities and social interactions.

The cost to join YPike! is minimal, and you do not have to be a Chamber member to join although employees of Chamber mem-

bers enjoy a discount on membership. YPike! plans to survey its membership and prospective members after the first of the year

to plan out its 2014 activities and direction.

A Facebook Page has been established. You can find it at https://www.facebook.com/#!/YPIKEIL . While there, be sure and

"Like” the page. YPike! will be communicating news and events and posting their progress. Those not on FB can follow pro-

gress on the Chamber’s web site. YPike! wishes to thank the four local businesses that have come on board as Corporate Spon-

sors: Illinois Rural Electric Cooperative, CASSCOMM (Cass Cable), Investment Centers of America, and CNB Bank & Trust. A

combination Membership/Corporate Sponsorship form is included on the next page, but can also be obtained by contacting the

Chamber.

Why Pike? YPike!

On Tuesday, November 26th, YPike! hosted a Lunch

and Learn program at the Farm Bureau Building in

Pittsfield. Twenty eight people attended. Connie

Schroeder, vice president of Corporate Innovation

Integration for the Blessing Health System presented

information regarding healthcare reform, the

Affordable Care Act, and the Illinois Health

Insurance MarketPlace. Kathy Hull, CEO of Illini

Community Hospital gave an update about changes

coming to the hospital, including a new addition to the

west side of the building planned for 2014-2015.

Evaluation forms were very positive, and YPike!

plans other business workshops in the future. Watch

for updates in future newsletters and on Facebook.

Thanks to Connie Schroeder (above)

and Kathy Hull (to the right) for their

informative presentations.

7

New Business Connection

Ribbon Cutting for Pike County Dental

Clinic December 2, 2013

The Chamber held a ribbon cutting for

Pike County Dental Clinic on Monday,

December 2nd at 2 PM. Immediately

following the ceremony, the Pike County

Health Department held an open house for

the public from 2-5 PM. Back, left to right:

Julie Plattner, Patty McIntosh, Brenda

Middendorf, Pike County Board Chairman

Andy Borrowman, Ruth Holman, Anita

Andress, Mayor John Hayden, Jan Bleich,

Greg Sandidge, Tammy Harshman,

John Petty, Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer. Front,

left to right: Angie Stover, Dr. Sreekanth

Emani, Laura Ruzich, Meggan Arnold,

Paula Dean and Kaye Iftner (Chamber).

(Photo courtesy of Jeanette Wallace/Pike Press)

Those wishing to schedule an appointment for children, aged 21 and younger, should call: 217-285-5311. Hours of

operation will be 7:30 AM to 6 PM every Tuesday through Thursday.

The Pike County Dental Clinic will serve the oral health needs of low income children in Pike County and the surrounding

areas. This will include serving those children through the age of 21, who have coverage through Medicaid or income eli-

gible children who have no dental insurance. The Clinic will be owned and operated by the Pike County Health Depart-

ment. Dr. Stephen Liesen, long-time local dentist, has agreed to serve as the volunteer Dental Director for the clinic.

We welcome and congratulate the Pike County Dental Clinic!

2013 Chamber Business Class Sponsors

Pg. 8

This is our Elf named Zebulon. He is named for Zebulon Pike, the man for whom

Pike County was named. Santa has sent him to keep a watchful eye on the Chamber

& Pike County. Many of you know how this works, for your homes have an “elf on

the shelf” too!

Each night while we are sleeping, Zebulon flies home to the North Pole to report to

Santa on whether we’ve been good or bad. Each day when Kaye arrives at the

office or is “out and about” in Pike County, Zebulon is in a new and different place.

If you are on Facebook, be sure and “like” the Chamber’s page PikeCountyIllinois

Chamber and follow Zeb’s escapades throughout the county!

Become a Member of the Chamber today!

Business & Education Connection: Workforce Readiness Certificate Pg. 10

All four Pike County high schools will soon be implementing a Workforce Readiness program for seniors. Patterned after a

successful program in Brown County, this program is a collaborative effort led by the Business Retention and Workforce

Committee of Pike County Economic Development Corporation (PCEDC) and the 4 school systems, working hand in hand

with Quarterly Business Education Roundtables to bridge the gap between the business community and the educational

community. As was confirmed in the recent Business Survey you completed, Workforce Development continues to be a huge

need, not only in Pike County, but in the region and nation. Throughout the past months, a Workforce Readiness Program has

been researched and developed which will provide students in Pike County the opportunity to achieve certificates that

promote the soft skills that employers desire. The Chamber was the first organization to endorse the program, and issued the

Letter of Commitment (below) at our Annual Meeting in March.

So what’s next?

Now it’s time for you, as potential employers to support the program. We believe there are many benefits of this

program to our county. But, we also know it’s human nature for students to ask “What’s in it for me”? In addition to the

intangible benefits, it will be very useful to have some tangible benefits that a student will see as a result of achieving the

Workforce Readiness Certificate. Perhaps it is something like being guaranteed an interview when appropriate jobs or

internships become available. Maybe it’s a discount at your store or if you are a restaurant, a free sandwich or beverage.

In the weeks to come we’ll be approaching you for ideas and your commitment. Let’s get creative and make this a strong

program! Kaye

2014 Western Illinois Leadership Academy Pg. 11

2013 Chamber Business Class Sponsors

The University of Illinois Extension has announced that

registration is open for the Western Illinois Leadership

Academy (WILA) 2014 to begin on January 24, 2014.

WILA brings together leaders from the five counties of

Adams, Brown, Hancock, Pike and Schuyler. Through the

program, participants will; acquire a broad understanding of

the complex issues facing our region; build relationships

participants and speakers; become better prepared for active

involvement in leadership roles. The academy will also in-

clude a number of tours directly related to topics

addressed.

WILA will meet 7 times beginning January 24 and concluding on April 11th. Most sessions will be held on alternating Fri-

days. One session to be held Wednesday, April 2nd will include a trip to Springfield, IL.

Cost for the program is $225 and includes all materials, lunches and snacks. Participants are responsible for their own

transportation to and from sessions.

Schedule and Topics include:

January 24 (Schuyler County) – Introductory Session

February 7 (Adams County) – Community Development and Entrepreneurship

February 21 (Brown County) – Workforce Development and

Education

March 7 (Pike County) – Healthcare and Social Issues

March 21 (Hancock County) – Agriculture

April 2 – (Springfield) – Government

April 11 – (Adams County) Leadership and Graduation

For more information contact:

Shelby Crow, Community Development Educator

sschoon@illinois.edu 217/223-8380

Ameren Illinois ActOnEnergy® presents to Chamber Members

Earlier this year representatives from the Ameren Illinois’ ActOnEnergy Business program presented to Pike County Chamber mem-

bers on how they can become more energy efficient and how to apply for ActOnEnergy cash incentives. Ameren Illinois commercial

business, non-profit and private school customers are eligible to apply for and receive incentives.

The ActOnEnergy program can help a business save money in two different ways. First off, the program offers cash incentives to help

offset the initial cost of an energy efficiency project – incentives can be anywhere from 10-50% of a projects cost. Secondly, by up-

grading to energy efficient equipment, a business can have future savings on their utility bill through reduced energy consumption.

These projects often have a payback period of 2 years or less. Incentives are available for a variety of projects for lighting, HVAC,

refrigeration/freezers, compressed air and more. You can also take advantage of the ActOnEnergy online store and purchase CFL

Light Bulbs, LED Light Bulbs, Exit Signs, T8 & T5 Lamps, and Motion Sensors/Controls, at a discounted rate. For more information

or to get started, visit ActOnEnergy.com/Business or call 1.866.800.0747

I had the opportunity

to attend WILA in

2009 and found it to

be very worthwhile.

Here’s my class

photo! Kaye

Community Connection: Electronic Recycling Pg. 12

Business & Community Connection Pg. 13

Pg. 14 Business Connection: Budgeting for the coming year

Now that we are in the fourth quarter of the year, it's time to get ready for 2014. There is much to do from a financial, legal and

tax perspective. In this article are guidelines for mapping out your company’s financial plans for 2014. In upcoming articles,

you’ll see what legal steps you should take and last-minute tax planning moves you should make before the end of the year.

Overview of budgeting Budgeting is a process in which you estimate the income you expect your company to receive as well as the expenses you ex-

pect it to incur during any fixed period, typically for the year. This helps define your marketing and sales efforts and your

spending habits for the coming year. Admittedly, there is a lot of guesswork because the future is uncertain. However, budget-

ing provides a framework in which to operate. You can deviate from the budget during the year as things change. For example,

when your revenue is running short of your projections, you’ll need to reexamine expenditures accordingly (besides figuring out

why revenues are lagging).

The first step in budgeting is to review your current financial position by listing your revenue and expenses for the year. Your

accounting software can easily help you organize your financial data to help you with budgeting. For example, in QuickBooks,

go to the Report Center for help.

Projecting revenues The linchpin for any budget is a realistic projection of your revenues for the coming year. This is not a number made up of

hopes and wishes; it is based on a review of revenues for the current year and what you can expect to do in the next year.

Anticipating expenses Now project your outlays for next year. Start by dividing estimated expenses into two categories: fixed and variable.

Fixed expenses are those that are certain to be incurred and do not vary with the amount of sales you generate, such as rent and

insurance premiums. Variable expenses are those dependent on sales, such as inventory costs. You likely will have a number of

semi-variable costs, such as wages, travel and entertainment (T&E) costs and marketing expenses. Use estimates by the experts

for rises in wages, insurance, fuel, travel costs and other expenses to help you make projections.

Profit You don’t want to work for free, so be sure that your budget allows for a profit on your activities. As you know, profit is what

you have after subtracting your expenses from your revenue. (There are more calculations, such as reducing gross profits by

taxes on those profits, to determine what you can actually pocket at the end of the year.) No one can tell you what profit you can

or should make, but again, be realistic. Compare your projection with profits of small business within your industry.

Putting it all together Budgeting is an art, not an exact science. Be sure to build in a "fudge factor" to account for the unknown. Some unknowns that

can throw your budget out of whack, unless you add a cushion, include:

Inflation. This rise in the overall cost of goods and services means that your buying power decreases, so you’ll want to account

for this possibility. While inflation has remained low in recent years, economists warn that the high federal deficit and other

factors could trigger higher inflation in the near future. What's more, the inflation you experience may be higher than the official

rate of inflation.

Fuel costs. All businesses are impacted by a greater or lesser degree by the cost of gasoline and other fuel. For instance, if your

company makes deliveries, the price at the pump affects you in a meaningful way.

Interest costs. If you have outstanding loans with variable interest rates and those rates rise, then the cost of servicing this debt

will also rise.

Next year, as you put your budget into play, be sure to monitor it continually. If you were overly optimistic about sales, you'll

need to trim your spending or figure out how to increase your sales revenue so you don't run into financial problems.

Final thoughts Get input from your staff about what may be needed next year, such as additional employees, new smartphones or equipment

upgrades. Use your accounting software’s budgeting tools to help you create your budget for 2014. If you need help in

constructing your company’s budget, work with your CPA or other financial advisor. To learn more about budgeting, read the

SBA’s Budgeting for the Small Business . We’d be happy to send you a copy.

Marketing Connection: Fine Tune your Holiday Marketing

The holiday season is crunch time for all of us – whether you’ve got gifts to buy or gifts to sell.

If you’re a small business owner facing the busy holiday shopping and dining days ahead, here are some tips from the

Small Business Administration to help you maximize your holiday sales. Here are a few tips for an effective “holiday

countdown” marketing campaign:

Make it easy for consumers to find holiday gift lines – Organize your selections by categories such as

“Gifts under $50,” “Gifts for Him/Her,” “Popular Items,” etc. If you have an online presence use emails, social media

and e-newsletters to group and highlight inventory along the same lines.

Offer gift suggestions – Start offering up gift ideas and suggestions NOW, if you haven’t already! Buying gifts for

family, friends and business acquaintances is hard work – make it easy for your customers this year. If you want to

introduce a special offer early in the month, make sure it is bound by a time limit.

Get creative – Use the 12 Days of Christmas to engage with your customers. This is all about raising your brand

profile during a busy time while promoting action. For example, send out daily riddles on social media and reward

winners with a special offer. Another option is to promote a “catch of the day” deal on each day of your campaign.

Build urgency into your subject lines, Tweets and Facebook posts – The week before Christmas or other gift-

giving days build some urgency into your messaging. “There’s still time…,” “It’s not too late…,” etc.

Offer ideas for those last minute impulse purchases – Whether it’s a gift for a party hostess or an office “Secret

Santa” party, start giving your customers gift-giving ideas in the last week before Christmas. For those absolute last minute shoppers – On December 23 and 24, reach out to those who are still looking for gift

ideas by spreading the word about gift cards or certificates.

Don’t Forget Super Saturday The last and busiest Saturday for buying gifts is December 22 this year. Mark your calendar and plan accordingly – this

is the time to offer targeted promotions and incentives. Why not do a little more to entice your customers to come in

during the last few shopping days before the holidays, perhaps a warm glass of apple cider or a free shoulder massage for

your frazzled holiday shoppers (or their spouses)!

Restaurants and Food Service Businesses – Target the Holiday Crowd Restaurants can do a roaring trade during the holidays, but there’s always room for more! Here are some ideas for boost-

ing your share of holiday profits this year:

Work on attracting last-minute office parties or lunches – Many smaller companies wait until the last minute to treat

their staff or customers – think of ways to entice this crowd. Talk to your regulars, train hostesses and servers to mention

your party services when they speak to customers on the phone or in person. Promote special incentives for parties that

make bookings on quiet days/nights.

Target the New Year’s Eve crowd – Offer incentives for customers to come and dine outside and either side of peak

hours so you can maximize bookings throughout the night. You could also offer an incentive to New Year’s Eve revelers

to move to the bar after they’ve dined with you. Good luck and happy holidays!

More

2013

Chamber

Business

Class

Sponsors

224 W Washington

PO Box 283

Pittsfield, IL 62363

217-285-2971

info@pikeil.org

www.pikeil.org

We are trying to update our email information. Please send us corrections or additions We promise not to

share your email address with anyone without your permission. As always you can opt out of email messages by con-tacting Kaye.

Mission Statement of the Pike County Chamber :

The purpose of our organization is to advocate for our

members, promote tourism and a positive business climate,

and enhance the overall quality of life in the County.

Our mission is summed up in our slogan:

Making Pike County a great place to live, work, and visit.

Our Vision : We are the front door to Pike County for people

and businesses, and a trusted source of information,

resources, and advocacy.

December is National Impaired Driving Prevention Month. If

your gatherings involve alcohol, make plans so that you don't

have to drive after drinking. For example:

* Prior to any drinking, designate a non-drinking driver when

with a group.

* Don't let your family or friends drive impaired. Take their

keys away if necessary.

* If you have been drinking, get a ride home or call a taxi.

* If you're hosting a party where alcohol will be served, remind

your guests to plan ahead and designate their sober driver;

offer alcohol-free beverages; and make sure all guests leave

with a sober driver.

We encourage you to stay safe as you gather with family and

friends this holiday season. You’re important to us!

Chamber Celebrates Local Small

Businesses by Promoting Small Business

Saturday® in Pike County! November 30th

marked the fourth annual Small Business

Saturday, a day to support the local busi-

nesses that create jobs, boost the economy

and preserve neighborhoods around the coun-

try. Small Business Saturday was created in

2010 in response to small business owners’

most pressing need: more customers. We

participated in the fourth annual Small Busi-

ness Saturday as a Neighborhood Champion,

and will continue to promote local shopping

all year. The most important reason to shop

locally? Simply put, it strengthens our com-

munity! Watch for more promotions in the

weeks to come.