For Your Business. For Our Community.
Lebanon Valley Chamber of Commerce Newsletter
April 2016
Centennial Flashback
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FOOD FACTS! 
Did you know that in 1916...

...electric refrigerators appeared on the market for $900. 
...the founder of Dunkin' Donuts, William Rosenberg, was born. 
...Coca-Cola started using their new contoured bottle. 
...the very first Piggly-Wiggly opened its doors. 
...Mr. Peanut was created.
...Kraft received his first patent for making cheese.

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In This Issue
Upcoming Events
Save the Date for these Upcoming Chamber Events!

April 6 - 
April 20 - 

April 21 -


April 27 - 


Register for these Chamber events and more by calling 717-273-3727, online , or via email !
Golf F.O.R.E Women
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Looking for a gal's time out playing golf?

The program will consist of four sessions, plus one "orientation" meeting. Each session will consist of building a simple, solid golf swing and a simple solid short game for beginners. Also, it will show you how to have "fun" at a golf course and to make it a "social" event.

Orientation - 
Tuesday, April 26 
Where To Go and Course Etiquette
6:00 pm - 6:45 pm

Session 1 -
Tuesday, May 3 
Grip, Putting and Chipping

Session 2 -
Tuesday, May 10 
 Review Session #1
Pitching and Short Swing

Session 3 -
Tuesday, May 17 
Review Session #2 
Full Swing Irons and Woods

Session 4 - 
Tuesday, May 24
Play 3 Holes* 
*Please be here by 5:45 pm

Golf Lessons by the professional staff at Pine Meadows Golf Complex. Lessons by Andy Signor, PGA Head Golf Professional. 

Cost:
$150 - Chamber Members
$200 - Chamber Nonmembers

Register by calling 
717-273-3727, online , or via email !
Chamber Challenge
Get a head start on practicing for golf season!!!

The Chamber Challenge will run t hrough April 10 at Fairview's Indoor Golf Center, located at 2399 Quentin Road, Lebanon. 

Cost is $35 per player and tee times are available daily! 

- Two person 9-hole scramble 
- Approximately 90 minutes per team to complete the 9-hole event 
- Play the Back 9 of TPC Sawgrass featuring the famous Island #17 on the best golf simulator technology on the market 
- Flighted scoring 
- Prizes awarded for each flight and closest to the pin (#17) 
- Simulator is the same as the one on the Golf Channel 
- Bring all your clubs 
- Golf shoes or sneakers are appropriate 

To schedule your tee time, call 450-4079 or email  fairviewindoorgolf@
Lebanon Valley Profile Prints!!!
The customized Lebanon posters from Community Creations have arrived! The poster is an illustrated montage of Lebanon Valley businesses and landmarks. 

Unframed/Unsigned = $15
Unframed/Signed = $27

Framing options available!
Lebanopoly!!!
Play your favorite game themed after your favorite hometown!

Lebanopoly features various businesses from the Lebanon Valley area as well as iconic tokens. Play with your family, friends, and coworkers while you interact with Lebanon Valley businesses through the game! Support local nonprofits, pay utilities, and collect rent, all with Lebanopoly money! 

Preorders for the game are currently being accepted. They make great gifts for the holidays, for family, and even for coworkers! Reserve yours today! Only a limited number of games are available.

$25 Each
 ***sales tax included in price

Member Spotlights!
Check out our featured members for April! Learn more about these businesses in the Lebanon Valley community by clicking the links below!







Member Headlines!
Chamber Members Make the News! View the Headlines Here!
New Members
Welcome to our newest members! Please make it a point to call upon these and our other members when seeking a product or service they provide.






Member Renewals
The Lebanon Valley Chamber extends its appreciation to the following members who renewed their membership in the Chamber during the month of March!
























Reilly Wolfson Law Office






Milestone Anniversaries
Congratulations and thank you to these Chamber members who celebrated their Milestone Membership Anniversary in March 2015!

5th Anniversary

10th Anniversary

15th Anniversary


20th Anniversary


25th Anniversary
Quick Links








Join Our List
Watch Our Newsletter Intro
 With Chamber President Greg Buckler!

April ESource Intro

***Please Note: Prosperity Days Canceled***

The Chamber's Centennial Committee has decided to cancel Prosperity Days, scheduled for April 21-23. 
Participation wasn't at the level expected to make the event successful and worth everyone's investment. Unfortunately, the difficult decision had to be made to cancel it. We apologize for any inconvenience. Anyone with any questions or concerns can contact the Chamber office at 717-273-3727 or info@lvchamber.org.
What Does the Chamber do for YOU?!

 Job Board!

Looking for the perfect job? Want to post a job opening at your business or organization? 

Members can  advertise job opportunities on our website as one of the many benefits of Lebanon Valley Chamber membership. And the best part? It's completely free  advertising Prospective members may post their job openings for a small fee.

Posted jobs stay on the site for 45 days unless you contact us to let us know it's filled. Your job posting will be open to be viewed by anyone who visits the Chamber's website! 

Need help adding a job through your Chamber member login?  Click here for a step-by-step guide!

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Microsoft Community Connections: 
Tackling IT Budgeting for Small and Midsized Businesses 

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   Read this article from Janet Tyler, COO of Microsoft partner  Red Level.
    The typical SMB manager's approach to IT budgeting used to be pretty straightforward. Keep it lean. Keep it simple. Avoid change as much as possible. Fix what's broken, and upgrade when only necessary.
   And since there's often a vocal group outside of IT that's unhappy with change, you would think twice before you made a major investment into a project that might have a disruptive effect. That doesn't work too well anymore.

Disruptive stays ahead of competition

   Disruptive is no longer a bad word. It is almost a mandate. The competitive and efficiency advantages that innovations such as cloud computing offer have become too big to ignore. The other guy is reaping the benefits while your company is stuck in neutral.
   At the same time, IT thinking has changed too. People are thinking less about IT as the department that keeps the machines humming, and more as the gatekeepers of a company's information and process matrix. IT can be a profit center in its own right. IT suddenly has a lot more to live up to - and it needs the means to do it.
   How do you break out of just-getting-by, repair-and-replace IT budgeting and create a budget that really makes sense for your business? You can do this in much the same way as other budgeting is accomplished. Start with a solid assessment of needs, benefits, and costs.


With so many responsibilities to tend to as a small business owner, it's easy to get overwhelmed and fall short on what you want to accomplish. If you're a new entrepreneur who formerly worked for an employer other than yourself, you may discover managing time has become more challenging. That's natural. After all, you've gone from having your work schedule and priorities set for you to needing to prioritize every project and task related to running your business. Time management doesn't come naturally to everyone, but it's an essential skill that can be developed with some attention and effort.
 
Here are some simple time management tips to help you take control and become more productive:
  •  Don't Multitask - Believe it or not, multitasking has been proven to accomplish less rather than more. According to Sanjay Gupta, MD, on CNN.com, only two percent of people are exceptional multitaskers. The rest of us fail at it - and quite miserably, too. Gupta explains that when we "multitask," we're not really doing both activities simultaneously. In reality, we're diverting our attention from one part of our brain to another, which takes time and brain cells. The other side of our brain views it as starting a brand new activity when we switch back and forth, making us slower and less effective than if we were to focus on just one activity at a time.

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How the Literacy Council helps Lebanon County's Workforce
   
   The Literacy Council of Lancaster-Lebanon provides aid to Lebanon County's workforce in many ways. Conveniently located at CareerLink in Lebanon, we are an easy access program. As job seekers sign up at the main desk, they are asked if they need a GED or English skills to secure a job and, if so, are referred to us immediately.
    Each Tuesday morning, a Literacy Council representative speaks at CareerLink to those collecting unemployment, explaining the free resources available through funding from the PA Department of Education, United Way and individual donors.
   Services vary from quick fixes such as help composing or revising a resume or cover letter, to short-term tutoring in specific computer skills, to enrollment in English as a second language or GED classes.
    To find out more call 274-2554 Ext. 154 in Lebanon or 295-5523 in Lancaster.   
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2016 Chamber Adventures!
There's still Time to Register!!! 
   
   The Chamber will be offering two leisure trips in 2016: one to national parks in America , held August 14-25, 2016, and one to South Africa , held September 15-28, 2016. For full itineraries and additional details regarding either of these trips, please click  here .
   
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LLV Gets Schooled!

LLV classmates Nicole Ivie and Nicole Clemens hold baby chicks hatched by students at Cedar Crest High School. 
   The 2016 Leadership Lebanon Valley (LLV) class got schooled during their Education Day on Tuesday, March 8! The goal of Education Day was to help the LLV class to "develop a deeper appreciation for and understanding of the resources, leaders, and needs of students and educators in Lebanon County." More specifically, the day's learning objectives included "to gain a better understanding of the needs and strengths of the consumers and providers of education in Lebanon County," "to hear the perspectives of members of the educational leadership in Lebanon County on current issues in education," "to heighten awareness of workforce and leadership development needs and resources in Lebanon County," and to "develop an improved appreciation for the work and role of early childhood education through higher education educators and administrators in our community."
   The LLV class ate breakfast at ELCO High School and toured their facilities after hearing from various members of the school's staff. The class then took the bus to the Lebanon County Career & Technology Center where they toured and enjoyed lunch at the Hilltop Cafe. The class also received a presentation from William Snyder, vice president of marketing and philanthropy at Luthercare. The last stop for the class was Cedar Crest. After a tour of the school, the LLV class listened to various school administration presentations, and discussed higher education as well. 
   The LLV class passed this comprehensive overview of the Lebanon County education system with flying colors, and having graduated Education Day, hopped back on the bus to go home!
Students at ELCO take the LLV class on a tour of the school's facilities. 
Ribbon-Cutting
   On March 12, the Lebanon Valley Chamber of Commerce took part in a ribbon-cutting at the Lebanon Valley Family YMCA to kick off the Community Health Council of Lebanon County's Healthy Kids Day. The fun, educational event featured children's activities, bicycle and car seat safety information, balloon animals, family swim time, and more!
Congratulations to Karen Groh!
Karen Groh with her husband, John, her son, Joshua, and her daughter, Sarah. 
   Congratulations to Karen Groh, chair-elect of the Chamber's board of directors, for being inducted into the Lebanon County Commission for Women's Hall of Fame! Karen received her award under the "Women Creating Community" category for "contributing to the quality of life in the Lebanon Valley by supporting the social growth of the community."     To read Karen's full bio and the bios of the other award winners, click here
Small Business Roundtable: Decisions, Decisions!
    
   Decisions, Decisions! That was the topic of the Chamber's Small Business Roundtable discussion on Friday, March 18! Both big decisions and little decisions can be a daunting task if there's no one with whom to discuss them! The roundtable open discussion focused on how to move forward and make good choices.
  The Small Business Roundtable is a meeting of area businesses (including home-based and small businesses), although all Chamber members are welcome to attend. Non-Chamber members are also welcome to attend one meeting as our guest before joining. The meeting is casual and attendees can bring their own lunch. Drinks are provided by the Chamber. 
   Save the Date for our next Small Business Roundtable discussion, "What's It Worth?," on April 22! Registration is now open!
Manufacturing: Resources for Success
    The Chamber, the Lebanon Valley Economic Development Corporation, and the workforce community all partnered together on Friday, March 11, to offer a Manufacturers' Roundtable at HACC Central Pennsylvania's Community College's Lebanon Campus. 
   Those attending the roundtable discussion reviewed some key areas of concern for local manufacturers, including workforce development, commuting issues, and skills training gaps. They also brainstormed and shared new initiatives, including WorkKeys, Act 339, and other viable programs.  
Pictured left to right are Victor Rodgers of HACC, Rich Cope of Valspar, Nattalie Paola Castro of HACC, Bethany Houser of the Lebanon Valley Chamber of Commerce, Stacy Newcomer of Commuter Services of PA, Susan Eberly of the Lebanon Valley Economic Development Corporation, Matt Boyer of Commuter Services of PA, and Glenn Meck of Lebanon County Career & Technology Center.
Business Basics
  On Wednesday, March 23, individuals met at the Chamber office for a Business Basics session to learn the steps to take to properly start a business. The free program, presented by the Small Business Administration, covered procedures, planning, funding options, and more! Stay tuned for more business information sessions coming soon!
Business After Hours @ HACC
    Chamber members, members of the public, Lebanon Valley Young Professionals, and HACC students were invited to network and expand their business contacts at the Chamber's March Business After Hours event. Hosted by HACC Central Pennsylvania's Community College's Lebanon Campus, the Business After Hours reception featured food provided by Snitz Creek Brewery, beverages, and door prizes. 
   HACC's Lebanon Campus hosted the event to feature their facilities. The event also featured a portion showcasing some of HACC's new classroom technologies. The Lebanon Valley Young Professionals (LVYP) were present at the event to work with students on networking skills. Students had opportunity to meet and mingle with local business leaders. 
    Save the date for our next Business After Hours event at Juniper Village on Thursday, April 7. Registration is now open!

Attendees mix and mingle at the HACC Lebanon Business After Hours.
LVYP "Last Thursday" Mixer
    The Lebanon Valley Young Professionals (LVYP) hosted their "Last Thursday" Mixer event on Thursday, March 31, at ADAMS Vintners in Annville. LVYP members and guests enjoyed networking, beverages, and hors d'oeuvres while meeting with peers from the surrounding community. 
     The LVYP is an organization designed to offer networking, professional development and volunteer opportunities to empower young professionals of the Lebanon Valley, ages 21 to 40. Anyone interested in joining the LVYP or who would like more information can contact Bethany Houser at bhouser@lvchamber.org or  717-273-3727. 
LVYP members network with each other while enjoying wine from ADAMS!

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