|
|
|
Welcome to our new members
|
|
|
Message from the President
|
|
Volunteering with the Summerland Chamber Board of Directors and staff has been a rewarding experience. Over the past two years I’ve had an opportunity to work with some dynamic business professionals and discover more about our community’s current situation and our potential.
I chose to run for the Chamber Board in 2017 because I feel I have more to offer. As president, my goal is to increase member engagement and help the Summerland Chamber of Commerce reach its strategic goals.
I would like to thank our outgoing board members Kelsey Van Alphen and Michael Hughes for their contributions over the past two years. I’d also like to welcome our new board members Spencer Brown (Brown Benefits), Kari Harding (Rock Star District), and Nick Ibuki (Summerland Varieties Corporation.)
Thank you also to our Chamber liaisons Linda Van Alphen (School District 67) and Toni Boot (Summerland Council), who contribute to our board meetings with their knowledge and enthusiasm.
Erick Thompson, President
|
|
|
|
|
Message from the Executive Director
|
In recent years we have seen a real change in how people take in information – whether that’s in the reports and statistics they read or whether it’s in the way they experience a new destination. Marketers, as well, are finding that people want to learn through experiences and they want it to be personal in some way.
American author and presentation guru, Nancy Duarte, says that ‘stories are the emotional glue that connect us to our audiences’. Here in Summerland we’re using stories more and more to reach our audiences, whether that’s in our economic development work (remember the #discoverhome videos) or in tourism.
Recently, we featured a new story on our
tourism website – one that local author, Sophia Jackson, wrote as her local’s pic for the 2016 Visitor Guide. Check it out
here and think about the ways a compelling and personal story can engage your audiences too.
Christine Petkau, Executive Director
|
|
Chamber
Events
Business After Business
Learn more about WorkBC and how they can help your business at Business After Business on Tuesday, April 18 from 5-7 pm at their Summerland location on Rosedale Avenue. Network over tasty appies from Union Kitchen Inc. and sparkling cider from Summerland Heritage Cider.
|
Full House Expected at Summerland’s All Candidates Forum
Summerland’s All Candidates Forum is expected to draw a large number of local residents eager to hear the views of their riding’s candidates.
The Summerland Chamber of Commerce and the Summerland Review are co-hosting the event on Thursday, April 20 at Centre Stage at 9518 Main Street where doors will open at 6:00 pm with speakers beginning at 6:30 pm.
At the forum the two candidates for Member of Legislative Assembly in the Penticton riding will answer questions. The candidates are Dan Ashton, Liberal Party, and Tarik Sayeed, New Democratic Party.
The event will be moderated by local business owner, and Summerland Chamber of Commerce Board President, Erick Thompson.
To ensure that each candidate has sufficient time to answer each question there will be no open microphone; the public is asked to pre-submit their questions. Selected questions will be chosen by the Moderator and John Arendt, Editor of the Review.
The deadline for emailed questions is April 18.
- Questions may also be dropped off at the Summerland Review office at 13226 N. Victoria Street or at the Summerland Chamber Office at 15600 Hwy 97 by 4:00 pm on April 18.
The moderator will explain the rules and format to the candidates and the audience prior to the question and answer period.
|
|
 |
|
Awards celebrate community
The 79th Business & Community Excellence Awards was held at Centre Stage on March 11, 2017 at an "Oscar style" gala evening with three new awards celebrating the arts, employees, and agri-business. To see a list of the nominees and winners click here.
|
|
|
|
|
Chamber Board welcomes new members
Last night the Summerland Chamber swore in the Chamber Board for 2017/2018.
To learn more about the new and existing Board members visit our website.
|
|
|
|
|
Apply for an opportunity to get a FREE business waste audit!
|
|
GreenStep Solutions is working with the
RDOS on a Business Education Program regarding waste, recycling, and composting in the region. The program includes a public consultation process early this summer, and a limited number of waste audits this April for businesses and multi-family properties throughout the RDOS.
Do YOU want a free waste audit valued at over $500 for your business or multi-family property? You can learn about the composition of your waste streams, get a baseline data set, and start making improvements to your waste systems. This will help you to improve recycling practices before potential bylaw changes come into place.
•
Your business name and physical address
•
Number of employees
•
Why you would like a waste audit
Deadline to apply is April 14, 2017, but apply ASAP for a better chance at getting a spot. There are a limited number of waste audits available and they will be selecting applicants based on business type and geographic area.
|
|
|
Are you looking for employees?
|
|
|
Post Your Jobs At Colleges Across Canada
Expand your recruitment reach, create exposure, and raise your profile as an employer.
Post your jobs at post-secondary institutions across Canada that offer or specialize in various tourism and hospitality programs and access students looking to gain inter-provincial work experience.
Learn more.
|
|
|
The Best Kept Secret: Baby Boomers
Older workers are an excellent fit for part-time and seasonal work. They bring experience, a strong work ethic, emotional maturity, and loyalty to the workplace. Having baby boomers in your staff can be a huge asset – they impart valuable knowledge and can act as mentors and support for younger workers, and invest more into the company’s success. To learn more about tapping into this growing pool of skilled talent
click here.
|
|
|
Destination BC's immersive marketing platform breaks new ground: Destination BC's BC Journeys platform puts the consumer in the heart of a BC moment.
Learn more.
Accelerate Okanagan gets new home: As of April 3rd,
Accelerate Okanagan’s new home will be in
The Okanagan Centre for Innovation. The OCI is a 104,715 square foot facility in the heart of Kelowna's Cultural District housing everything from two-person startups to large technology and innovation firms.
Read more.
Visitors get more spaces for camping: Visitors will soon have more camping opportunities in the Okanagan, with the construction of 55 new campsites, in time for the upcoming camping season. Read more.
|
|
|
Do you know about the Chamber Plan?
|
|
The Chambers Plan is the largest provider of benefits in Canada for small business. Because it allows members to access the large national pool, it offers a flexible, stable and affordable plan.
Brown Benefits is the exclusive representative of The Chamber of Commerce Group Insurance Plan for The South Okanagan and Nicola Valleys. Contact them to
learn more.
|
|
|
|
Looking to increase your exposure to visitors?
The popular Summerland Biking and Hiking map has one more space left for advertising on the back of the map. Learn more
here and call
LeeAnn or Vicky at
250-494-2686.
|
|
|
Every Tuesday
MLA Dan Ashton's office is open Tuesdays for drop-ins from 9 am - 12 pm at 10122B Main St.
April 5 - May 12 (Wednesdays)
Have You Ever Wanted to Draw?
7-9 pm
Learn the principles of drawing at this creative community workshop at the
Summerland Arts Centre. $72 for 6 weeks.
April 6
YMCA WorkBC Employment Service Centres Fifth Anniversary
Celebration
2 pm
The YMCA of Okanagan is inviting the community to celebrate the 5th anniversary of
YMCAWorkBC
in Summerland with a cake cutting ceremony.
April 6 - May 11
Creative Hearth Series
12.30-2.30 pm
Learn how to use storytelling, poetry, music and movement to release creativity at the
Summerland Arts Centre. $80 for 6 weeks.
April 6- May 12
Open Windows: DeVine Arts Group exhibition
The Arts Centre, Wharton Street
DeVine Arts present new works for the grand opening of the Summerland Community Arts Council's
gallery at
7 - 9 pm on April 6.
April 8
Stretching: How and Why
10-11 am
April 13
S is for Swing
7-9 pm
The last jazz at Zias Stonehouse Restaurant before fall, with lots of fun Swing tunes from the Allan Crossley Jazz Quartet.
$10.00 cover.
|
|
|
April 15
Easter
Eggstravaganza
10 am - 1 pm
RE/MAX Orchard Country hosts this free Easter event with fun activities culminating with an Easter Egg Hunt at noon.
April 18-23
Earth Week
Check the
Summerland Earth Week Facebook page for updates on activities
celebrating environmental education and action, including Earth Day on April 22.
April 21
A Model for a Native Plant Garden
10 am-12 pm
April 22
Come As You Are
7-11.30 pm
April 27
Thursday Night Jazz Band - supporting the Arts Centre
7-10 pm
Support the
Arts Centre while taking in smooth jazz at the Centre on Wharton Street. Tickets $15.
April 29
AGM: Summerland Women's Fitness Society
10 am-12 pm
Email
us to submit an event to the Calendar.
|
|
|
Summerland Chamber of Commerce | 250-494-2686 | summerlandchamber.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
