Although as of this writing we still have snow on the ground, Spring has officially started and we look forward to flowers blooming, birds singing and people re-emerging from their winter havens to enjoy the beauty of our outdoors and our villages.
It is our hope that the beginning of Spring will instill in all of us a chance to try new things and find new and creative ways to enjoy and promote our region and its beauty.
We look forward to seeing many of you at our Annual Business Breakfast on Wednesday, May 10 at 7:45 AM at the Colatina Exit in Bradford, Vermont. Please let us know if you will be attending by either using the link in the article below or by sending us an email at cohasechamber@gmail.com
As always, thank you for your support of our Chamber!
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Erik Volk
Executive Director
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Please visit our WEB page at www.cohase.org for more details on any of these events and a listing of other events in our area. Details of the events listed below appear at the bottom of our WEB page
April 15 - Woodsville Easter Egg Hunt, Woodsville, NH
April 20 - North Country Chamber Players, Haverhill Corner, NH
April 22 - Lonley Hearts String Band, Haverhill Corner, NH
April 22 - An Evening of Inspiration featuring Senayit, Bradford, VT
April 27 - Cohase Work At Home Group, Fairlee, VT
May 7- 5K Color Splash, Thetford, VT
May 10 - Cohase Chamber Regional Business Breakfast, Bradford, VT (See article below)
May 11 - Succession Planning Workshop (See article below)
May 21 - Paddle the Border, Woodsville to Haverhill Corner, NH
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Cohase Chamber Regional Business Breakfast Scheduled for May 10
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Our Annual Cohase Chamber Regional Business Breakfast has been scheduled for Wednesday, May 10 at 7:45 AM. As it has each year, the event will be held at the Colatina Exit in Bradford, Vermont. Come network with other members from the regional business community and discuss economic successes, challenges and plans for 2017.
We'll also provide you an update on Chamber happenings, programs, and initiatives.
Always a fun event. Admission is $10 for Chamber members and $15 for non-members.
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The Future of Your Business Shouldn't Be A Mystery!
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You worked hard to make your business a success. Could your business survive without you?
Whether your business is interrupted due to illness, death or retirement, planning now will help assure that your business continues. Join us for an informative and interactive Business Succession Planning seminar featuring a panel of local and regional experts from the legal, finance and estate planning fields.
The seminar will be held:
Thursday, May 11, 2017
5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
Alumni Hall
7 Court Street
Haverhill, NH
Cost: FREE to Chamber members. $10 admission for non-members.
For more information, email cohasechamber@gmail.com or call us at (802) 518-0030.
Please RSVP using the link below.
Click here to register
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Member Moment - Barton Street Dental
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This month we are pleased to speak with Dr. Charlie Barton of Barton Street Dental. Barton Street Dental is a general dental office that offers dental services including routine cleanings, root canals, partials, crowns, dental implants and restorations. The office has two dentists, Dr. Charlie Barton and his wife, Dr. Mickey Bui as well as a dedicated staff. Barton Street Dental is located at 21 Barton Street in Bradford Village, Vermont. They can be reached at (802) 222-5777 or visit them at their WEB site at www.21bartonstreet.com.
How long has your dental practice been in operation in Bradford? I assume it is no coincidence that your last name is Barton and the street is also named Barton?
The practice was started by my father, Dr. James Barton in 1964 across the street, and later moved to the current location. I started at the practice in January 1994 and my wife Mickey started around 2008. She phased in as my dad phased out for retirement. My wife and I met in Dental School, which is the last place I expected to meet someone.
Barton Street is named for my grandfather Charles Barton, who was a Greek immigrant who ran a popular restaurant in town called The Chimes Restaurant. It was located where Swenson Insurance is today. He owned all the buildings on Barton Street at one point as well as the building where Hill’s Five and Dime used to be. He was also instrumental in helping to fund the rebuilding of some of the area buildings that were destroyed by fire. His original last name was Boubaros but the family changed it to Barton to sound more American.
How did you get started as a dentist? Did you work with your father in the office?
I kind of made up my own mind to be a dentist. I did a post-graduate externship after high school with a doctor in Brattleboro. I later attended the University of Vermont and Tufts School of Dental Medicine. Prior to joining the practice, I never really worked in my father’s office doing anything related to dentistry. I just cleaned it. My dad never really had me come in to watch him work but I liked that he was his own boss and still had time to go to basketball games, set his own hours, etc.
Barton Street Dental has been around quite a long time. Do you have employees and patients who have been here a long time too?
I have some patients who have been coming since 1964 when my dad started the practice. I’m also starting to see “kids of kids.” All our employees have been here at least ten years. One of our dental hygienists has been here twenty-five years. I’ve only been here twenty-three years myself!
What do you like best about being a dentist?
I like being able to serve the people in our community. The people are the reason I do it. I really wanted to be part of the community and not some kind of highfalutin dentist that people are uncomfortable going to. It’s fun to interact with our patients. We try to make it as enjoyable a place as possible but even though we’re lighthearted, we’re still very serious about our jobs. Also, I like that the job allows me flexible hours and allows me time to coach. I’ve been coaching soccer since 1993/94 and really enjoy it. It allows me to interact with kids and teach them things they may not be getting at home or in school.
Any dental advice for our readers?
Just to take good care of your teeth because they are a vital part of your overall health. The teeth are tied to the rest of the body. You need to have healthy teeth so that you are able to eat a healthy diet.
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Q. How does sponsorship of events work? If I did not choose to sign up for a sponsorship when I renewed my membership, is it too late?
A. Not too late! We would love to have you sponsor or co-sponsor one of our events! It is a great way to show your community support and promote your business at the same time. Most of our events have multiple sponsors. The "sponsorable" events scheduled thus far this year include:
- Regional Business Breakfast (May 10)
- Garden Tour & Tea (July 16)
- Farm Tour (August 13)
- 48 Hour Film Slam (September 10)
- Cohase Economic Summit (December 4)
- Workshops and Seminars (May 11 & other dates TBD)
- 2017 Annual Meeting (January 22, 2018)
Sponsorships are $300 for a major sponsorship where we will feature a large logo for your business on all promotional materials. Minor sponsorships are $150 and we will list your company name as a sponsor on all promotional materials and/or a smaller logo (depending on space.)
In addition, you can choose to sponsor a Business After Hours event at your place of business. There is no fee for this except for refreshments and other promotional items you may wish to feature at the event. Business After Hours are informal get-togethers where area business people can meet, mingle and network while learning a little bit more about the host business.
You can choose to sponsor an event at any time during the year. We are also more than happy to invoice you prior to the event for the desired sponsorship level.
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We are still hoping to implement our Just Between Members discount program but are still looking for interested members who would like to participate. We would like to have enough members to sign up to assure the viability of the program for at least 6-8 months.
Basically, the program would allow a member to offer a discount to other Chamber members for a one month time period. A new discount would be available every month to help the keep the program fresh and exciting.
Similar programs have worked well for other Chambers and there is no charge to member businesses who wish to participate.
The program is open to not only retail businesses but any kind of service business who would like to expand their customer base. We expect our membership for 2017 to expand from last year's membership of 150 to 165 this year.
Interested? Please email us at
cohasechamber@gmail.com or call us at (802) 518-0030! For more information about the program, click the link below.
Click
here for more information!
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Welcome to Our Newest Members!
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We are excited to continue to grow our membership as the year progresses and are very happy to welcome the following new and returning members to the Chamber! Thus far, we have welcomed 17 new and/or returning members to our Chamber for 2017.
- Samurai Soul Food, Fairlee, VT
- MyFarmers Market, Ryegate, VT
- Cygnus Picture, North Haverhill, NH
- Bradford Veterinary Clinic, Bradford, VT
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- Always Fit Athletic Club in Woodsville, NH recently added 11 new pieces of cardio equipment to their wide inventory of equipment to keep you healthy including new treadmills, bikes, ascent trainers and stair stepper.
- ARC Mechanical in Bradford, VT welcomed several new employees recently including Janet Bryer, ARC's new Service Coordinator, Angie Fisk as a member of the Office Team and Nick Piper as field foreman and supervisor.
- A great story about Blythedale Farm in Corinth, VT and Becky and Tom Loftus appeared in The Stowe Reporter. Check out the article by clicking here!
- The Colatina Exit in Bradford, VT continues to offer live music on Friday nights! Upcoming bands include Stomp Rocket (April 14), Don and Jen (April 21) and Mike Hahn (April 28.)
- Cottage Hospital in Woodsville, NH is looking for some great nurses to join their team and are offering some great sign-on bonuses. Interested applicants can contact their HR Department at 603-747-9208 to find out more or visit their job site by clicking here.
- 5 Oh Pizzeria in Bradford, VT wants everyone to know that they will be closed on Sundays for the remainder of the month of April. They expect to be open on Sundays once again in May but will be evaluating that as May approaches.
- Hatchland Farm Wicked Good Dairy Delites in North Haverhill, NH will be opening for the season on Sunday, May 14 at 1 PM. Come down for some wicked good ice cream and other tasty delights!
- Piermont Plant Pantry in Piermont, NH will be opening for the season on May 6. Come check out their selection! The flowers know it's Spring!
- MyFarmers Market in South Ryegate, VT is open for the season with an even wider selection of local foods and goods. They have also scheduled a number of monthly festivals and events including a Maple Syrup Tasting (Apr 22 @ 11AM), Rubber Duck Race (May 27 @ 12 PM) and a Strawberry Festival (June 24 @ 11 AM.) Check out their full schedule on Facebook.
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