CHECK OUT THIS WEEK'S CHAMBER WEEKLY!
CHAMBER & COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS
FURLOW CHARTER SCHOOL TO HOST 
FEED MY SCHOOL FOR A WEEK
MAY 2ND - 6TH
In 2015, Furlow Charter School was selected to participate in the Georgia Department of Agriculture Feed My School for a Week program. This program is designed to bridge the gap between students and the farm where the products are grown. As a part of the program, Furlow Charter will host a full week of ag educational activities as well as serving local or Georgia grown products. Some of the activities include the Sumter County Ag Hall of Fame, Ag Day for Students, a visit from the Watermelon Queen and Farm Fitness. The week will conclude with an Assembly featuring Georgia Department of Ag Commissioner, Mr. Gary Black. 

Many community partners came together to assist Furlow Charter School in preparation for this week. Those partners are: Junior Service League of Americus, Syngenta, Sumter County Farm Bureau, Global Graphics, Pharmacentra, Concentra Solutions, One Sumter Economic Development Foundation, Sumter County Schools Nutrition Department, and the Chamber's Health & Wellness Division and Ag Division. For more information regarding Feed My School or other Chamber events and programs, please contact  [email protected] or 229-924-2646 for more information.

The Payroll Development Authority is hosting the Reception at the Runway Industry Appreciation event on May 3, 2016 at 6:00 PM. The reception will be held at the Griffin B. Bell Aerospace Technology Center on the campus of South Georgia Technical College. There is still time to make your reservation, so please contact Barbara Grogan at 229.924.2646 or [email protected]  to confirm attendance.
CONSTANT CONTACT MARKETING WORKSHOPS
Grow your business with email and social media! Join us for two marketing workshops designed to enhance your brand's presence in the community. Workshops will be held at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center's Wellness and Education Classroom on Tuesday May 12th, 2016. Registration is $5.00 for Chamber members and $10.00 for non-members per session.

Social Media Basics:
How, what and why of social media marketing -  9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
The Power of the Inbox:
Tips and tricks for successful email marketing -  1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Space is limited! Call 229-924-2646 or email [email protected] for reservations.
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SAVE THE DATE!
In partnership with the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center, the Chamber is offering a retail development workshop in the upcoming weeks. This workshop is a five-week series that will feature courses such as: 


  • Targeted marketing of the best customers and prospects
  • Proven sales techniques
  • Enhancement of financial skills in store management
  • Retail pricing for profitability
  • E-commerce and in store shopping experience 
  • And other online marketing tools
STAY TUNED FOR MORE INFORMATION!
Tourism to Andersonville National Historic Site creates $9.2 Million in Economic Benefit
Report shows visitor spending supports 128 jobs in the local economy

A new National Park Service report shows that 114,816 visitors to Andersonville National Historic Site in 2015 spent $7.4 million in communities near the park. That spending supported 128 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $9.2 million. 

"Andersonville National Historic Site welcomes visitors from across the country and around the world," said Superintendent Charles Sellars. "We are honored to preserve and share the stories of American prisoners of war throughout history. Each site within Andersonville National Historic Site - the historic Camp Sumter Civil War Prison, Andersonville National Cemetery, and the National Prisoner of War Museum - offers a unique and powerful experience for visitors. All of them serve to remember and honor American soldiers who fought, suffered, and died for their country and for our freedom."
 
"The park also serves to introduce our visitors to this part of Georgia and all that it offers. National park tourism is a significant driver in the national economy, returning $10 for every $1 invested in the National Park Service, and it's a big factor in our local economy as well. We appreciate the partnership and support of our neighbors and are glad to be able to give back by helping to sustain local communities."
 
The peer-reviewed visitor spending analysis was conducted by economists Catherine Cullinane Thomas of the U.S. Geological Survey and Lynne Koontz of the National Park Service. The report shows $16.9 billion of direct spending by 307.2 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park. This spending supported 295,000 jobs nationally; 252,000 of those jobs are found in these gateway communities. The cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy was $32 billion. According to the 2015 report, most park visitor spending was for lodging (31.1 percent) followed by food and beverages (20.2 percent), gas and oil (11.8 percent), admissions and fees (10.2 percent) and souvenirs and other expenses (9.8 percent).
 
Report authors this year produced an interactive tool. Users can explore current year visitor spending, jobs, labor income, value added, and output effects by sector for national, state, and local economies. Users can also view year-by-year trend data. The interactive tool and report are available at the NPS Social Science Program webpage: go.nps.gov/vse .
 
The report includes information for visitor spending at individual parks and by state.
 
To learn more about national parks in Georgia and how the National Park Service works with Georgia communities to help preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide outdoor recreation, go to www.nps.gov/georgia .
 
Andersonville National Historic Site is located 10 miles south of Oglethorpe, GA and 10 miles northeast of Americus, GA on Georgia Highway 49. The national park features the National Prisoner of War Museum, Andersonville National Cemetery and the site of the historic Civil War prison, Camp Sumter. ­Andersonville National Historic Site is the only national park within the National Park System to serve as a memorial to all American prisoners of war. Park grounds are open from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. The National Prisoner of War Museum is open 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., daily. Admission is free. For more information on the park, call 229-924-0343, or visit at nps.gov/ande/ , Facebook at facebook.com/AndersonvilleNPS , or Twitter at twitter.com/andeNHS
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To add an event to our calendar, please submit requests to [email protected]. 

"ENGAGED BUSINESS, THRIVING COMMUNITY"
The mission of the Sumter County Chamber is providing opportunities and support for the growth and prosperity of local business and industry.
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