Cherry Capital Airport
We're Ready.....When You're Ready
Please join us for a "socially distanced" Ribbon Cutting at the Grand Opening of My Michigan Roots on Friday, June 19 @ 11:00 a.m. Welcome Kelly and Tim Barry located at 126 River Street to Elk Rapids.
1-844-Roots-44

(don't forget to wear your mask)
2020 Chain of Lakes Guidebook can now be viewed on the chamber website:


The print books will out next week!

The cover is an amazing aerial shot of the Albatross (located in Elk River) taken by Jeff Turick of Lakehouse-Creative .





Public Meetings



Monday, June 15 ~ Village Council Meeting 6:30 p.m . via Zoom
Tuesday, June 16 ~ Housing Commission 3:30 p.m.
@Government Center Click for Agenda
Wednesday, June 17 ~ Beautification 9:00 a.m. Click for Agenda
@Government Center
Antrim County creates the Antrim Promise to support local businesses

Antrim County, along with several local organizations, is working on a recovery plan, entitled Antrim Promise. The plan is being organized for area businesses as we all recover from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent shutdowns.

Teaming up with the Antrim County Economic Development Corporation (EDC), local Downtown Development Authorities (DDA), as well as Chambers of Commerce from Elk Rapids, Bellaire, Mancelona, Central Lake and Ellsworth/East Jordan, the Antrim County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) will be providing the plan to all Antrim County businesses.

“It is critical at this time that we are all working together, unified in mission,” said Jeremy Scott, Antrim County PIO. “Each organization brings unique capabilities and perspectives that we need to serve local businesses and find a path to recovery.”

The Antrim Promise will start with the EOC offering PPE Readiness Packs, which will include hand sanitizer, gloves, cloth face masks (enough to outfit each employee with two), and KN95 masks (for qualified businesses). Additional, individualized, needs can be requested and will be fulfilled according to availability.

The Antrim Promise supply request form: S UPPLY REQUEST

Shop your favorite foods--fresh produce, meat, fish, honey, syrup and so much more--just as you always have! This summer will be a little different: please send only one shopper per family, wear a mask, and follow distancing and traffic flow guidelines.


List of vendors that have signed up... some may not be here the first few weeks.
Altonen Orchards * Bear Earth Herbals * Big Medicine Ranch * Boss Mouse * Charlevoix Moon Wine * Country side Gardens * Cultured Kombucha * Erickson Family Farms * Fainting Robin Farm * Farmer White's * Gallagher Centennial Farm * Grateful Kitchen (GF) * Guntzviller's * Hammond's Pure Hone * Hillside Harvest Farm * Ken's Fresh Fish * Lucy's Kitchen * MY TCBD * Northern Growin * Ona Mission Honey Farm * Pine Hill Nursery * Providence Farm * Rural Good * Saltless Sea Creamery * Sobremesa Tamales * The Farm at Cherry Hill * Undertoe Farm (pre-order pickup only) * Walk Around Ranch * Water's Edge Sweet Tooth * Winnie's Originals, and more......
COVID-19 Response & Preparedness Plan
Do you Have Your Plan Ready?
Updated June 8, 2020 with new regulations outlined for the following industries: Barbering, Cosmetology & Personal Services, Sports & Entertainment Venues, and Fitness & Sports Facilities.

In a recent Executive Order, Governor Whitmer laid out regulations for employers to provide a comprehensive written COVID-19 Response & Preparedness Plan.

All businesses or operations that are permitted to require their employees to leave the homes or residences for work under Executive Order 2020-114, and any order that follows it, must, at a minimum:
Develop a COVID-19 preparedness and response plan, consistent with recommendations in Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19, developed by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration.

By June 1, 2020, or within two weeks of resuming in-person activities, whichever is later, a business’s or operation’s plan must be made readily available to employees, labor unions, and customers, whether via website, internal network, or by hard copy. Download your copy here .
If you have any questions, email  sbam@sbam.org
  • CO— Blueprint: Re-Engaging Your CustomersJoin us this Wednesday, June 17th at 2:00 pm ET for the next installment of our virtual series from CO— and our partners, Chase for Business and the Salt Lake Chamber, an audience-driven discussion designed specifically for the small business community. Jeanette Mulvey, Content Director at CO—, will bring together experts and small business owners alike to discuss creative ways to reconnect with customers and bring them back. Our speakers will take your questions and explore strategies they've used in their own businesses: Marcus Jones, Founder and President, Miss Essie's Southern BBQ (Murray, UT)
  • Molly Mazzolini, Partner and Director of Brand Innovation, Infinite Scale (Salt Lake City, UT)
  • Dave Smith, Partner, President and Chief Financial Officer, Penna Powers (Salt Lake City, UT)
  • Dr. Talaya Waller, Founder, Waller & Company (Washington, DC)
COVID-19 Small Business Support Webinars

Register for On-Demand Webinar Library https://sbdcmichigan.org/

Click on list below for all sites that have the up to date information on COVID-19 and Business Assistance.



Lists are now available on website: www.elkrapidschamber.org

FOR SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE GUIDE: https://www.elkrapidschamber.org/55805-2/

FOR COVID-19- RESOURCE INFORMATION:
The Kienbaum Law Group
106 Dexter Street
Elk Rapids, MI
(231) 252-1700

Recalling Laid off or Furloughed Employees

The first place for guidance is the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA or Act) that has required most employers to provide employees who cannot work remotely with paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19.
 
The reality is that FFCRA is but one of several laws that have to be read together to return people to work, or allow them to remain out on leave. There is also the CARES Act, which contains the Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (“PUC”) program. It enlarged weekly unemployment benefits by adding an additional $600 supplement to the employee’s maximum weekly rate. And importantly, Michigan’s expanded unemployment benefits are in place for those released, laid off or furloughed.
 
You may have concerns about whether or not you should allow your folks who are not working remotely to remain out on leave. When you ask them to return, some do not want to return. This memo provides guidance on who, when and how people should be treated when you ask them to return to work.
 
As always we stand ready to support you in your efforts to return our community and its workplaces to normal. Our Members should feel free to call with questions or if they want counsel or advice.

Employer Considerations when Recalling Workers from COVID Furlough
 
Karen S. Kienbaum, Esq., Attorney, Counselor and Arbitrator
Founder and Principal
WORK SHARE
If employers are financially distressed, they are encouraged to use the State’s  Work Share program  that allows employers to maintain operations during declines in regular business activity rather than laying off workers, visit  Michigan.gov/WorkShare .

Work Share Guidance
What is work share?
Work Share  is a program that permits employers to maintain operational productivity during declines in regular businss activity rather than laying off workers.
The Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Opportunity Director Jeff Donofrio provided an update on the May 8 Edition of the Daily Briefing.  Watch that here .




Several new, upcoming webinars are up on our  SCORE Mentors  website, which can be viewed here:

Plan to register for these and ready your business for success.
Among the topics are: How To Protect & Grow the Value of Your Business During a Pandemic, A Simple Recipe for Social Media Success, and Protecting Your Business From Fraud. traversecity.score.org
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Webinar: PPP Trends, Updates and Tips for Utilization

Join Traverse Connect and Rehmann next week for a webinar on the Paycheck Protection Program. Funds are still available for the program and changes were signed into law last week relaxing the threshold of a loan going toward worker payrolls to 60% to qualify for loan forgiveness. The law also lengthened the amount of time within which the loans needed to be spent to 24 weeks from eight weeks.

  • Guest speakers from Rehmann will cover the following topics:Trends and Updates
  • Tips on using unused funds
  • Q & A panel
We are excited to share that we will be able to hold a restricted attendance commencement at Glowicki Field on Saturday, June 20th at 11:00am. In the event of very bad weather the reserved rain date is Sunday, June 21st at the same time. A more detailed letter will be sent later this week or early next week with more information. Mandatory graduation rehearsal for seniors will be held on Glowicki Field at 11:00am on Thursday, June 18th.
Each graduate will be given 4 tickets (seats) for their family at Graduation Rehearsal on Thursday, June 18th. Each graduate is allowed a maximum of 4 guests. If you/your senior can not attend graduation rehearsal due to work obligations, please make arrangements in advance with one of the class advisers (Lacey Straight lstraight@erschools.com or Kelli Poutanen kpoutanen@erschools.com ) to pick up your tickets.
We are very pleased to be able to host a somewhat traditional graduation ceremony that allows closure and most importantly, an opportunity for the Class of 2020 to get together one more time!
Great Lakes Equestrian Festival Begins this Week!

Consumers Energy Offers Video to Help Small Businesses Save Energy
Does your business need a way to reduce energy costs? In the latest video provided by Consumers Energy, Senior Energy Efficiency Program Manager Chad Miller discusses the various programs the utility has available to assist businesses in reducing their energy use. Topics include:

·          Virtual Energy Coaching
·          An On-Line Market Place with a discount code on energy saving products
·          The Trade Ally Program
·          And general energy savings tips.

Watch the video here . It runs 3:33.

Beyond watching the video, you can also learn about energy savings opportunities at www.consumersenergy.com/startsaving

For more information about Consumers Energy, go to www.ConsumersEnergy.com
ACTS Food Pantry
Open: Tuesday 5:00 -7:00 p.m.
Wed 1:00- 4:00 p.m.
Sat 10:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m

ACTS now has call-ahead-to-order (231) 267-3002 curbside delivery in place along with a maximum effort to protect our workers and clients. We still can use other able-bodied volunteers to help. If you can do this, please call Carol Hockin at 231-492-6952.

Thrift Store Hours:
Starting Tuesday, June 9,10 am-3pm, Wednesday High Risk: 10 am-Noon Regular: Noon-3 pm
Thurs-Sat 10 a.m. - 3 pm

We truly appreciate what you can send to keep our Pantry open.
www.acmechristian.org ACTS -- Working Hard To Help People in Need
The Good Samaritan Food Pantry is open for curbside/drive-thru pickup:
(231) 588-2208

Tuesday 10:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Wed-Friday 10:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Saturday 10:00 1:30 p.m.

THRIFT STORE OPEN SAME TIME, ONLY OPEN 1/2 HOUR LATER
We have changed things to help protect our staff and community, as we now offer a drive thru service to receive food, and baby items (diapers, wipes, formula, food, etc.). If baby items are needed beyond the basics please call (231) 588-2200. We are doing our utility and emergency assistance through phone by calling (231) 588-2208. One thing we are in need of is bar soap to hand out with our food boxes.
CHRISTMAS IN JULY
Friday, July 3, 2020, 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.

Provide financial relief to many neighbors struggling from COVID-19 closures by giving to The Salvation Army of Petoskey at The Village Market, Elk Rapids . Say “Hi” to Elk Rapids Rotary ringers before 10am; after, take a selfie with one of the Elk Rapids Lion’s Club members who will be there ringing the bell until 6pm! Give at any other Red Kettle sites; Oleson’s Food Stores- Petoskey and Charlevoix, Louie’s Fresh Market-Petoskey and Boyne City, JC Penny- Petoskey, or IGA- Harbor Springs, from 10am-6pm, or donate online, " HERE ."
As Businesses Re-open....


  • Please Be Patient.

  • Let's All Work Together.

  • Support Local Business.
  • As businesses re-open, please follow their guidelines for social distancing, sanitary procedures, and safety measures.
  • Some places might not be ready to fully open yet. Give them time to rebuild their stock and supplies.
  • Some businesses may feel uncomfortable with opening fully and may remain closed for awhile or continue with curbside service ~ respect their decision.
  • They may not be able to operate at full person capacity.
  • Service may be a little slower until getting fully staffed.
  • Be Positive ~ Better days are coming!
  • Be Patient and respectful.
STAY SAFE TO STAY OPEN
We are happy you are here and thank you for your patronage. Please do your part to stay safe and keep Elk Rapids open!

As Elk Rapids and Antrim County begin reopening retail, restaurants, and other allowable activities on Friday, May 22, 2020 (as authorized under Executive Order 2020-92), residents and second homeowners are asked to Stay Safe to Stay Open. Continuing to keep our community safe by honoring Our Commitment to Community.

As you enter our Elk Rapids Community, you are confirming that you are not experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms and that you agree to follow the above Commitments.
Together, we can be a model for the State of Michigan and allow economic recovery in our region, without risking the health of our residents or capacity of the regions’ healthcare system. We are all dependent on one another to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.

Since most businesses have reopened and the list was mighty long, the list now will only show the businesses reopening in the coming weeks.

It's always best to call ahead, check websites, and facebook before heading out the door to see their hours and safety practices.
Garden Cafe' at Pine Hill Nursery, Opening Wed, June 24 12:00 - 6:00 p.m.
231-599-1131
Hairport Salon & Spa: they will be calling you to set up appts.

Stoney Cabin Toys Opening on Friday, June 19 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Please contact me if you have any changes, events, or something you would like added to the newsletter. laura@elkrapidschamber.org
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2020 PADDLE ANTRIM FESTIVAL CANCELLED

Paddle Antrim has canceled the 2020 Paddle Antrim Festival, originally scheduled for September 17-19.  
 
“The Paddle Antrim Festival is the highlight of the paddling season for us and many others and so this was an extremely difficult decision we made based on careful consideration of CDC, State, and local orders and guidelines and care for our entire community,” said Deana Jerdee, Paddle Antrim Executive Director. 
 
Historically, the Paddle Antrim Festival draws nearly 200 paddlers to the Chain of Lakes region for a two-day paddling festival that includes a choose your own adventure paddle from 7 - 42 miles, three community events with live entertainment and food and beverage from local hot spots such as Short’s Brewing Company and Pearl’s New Orleans Kitchen. 

“We know people are anxious to be on the water and connect as a community,” said Deana Jerdee “and we encourage you to get out and explore new routes on the Chain of Lakes Water Trail.”

Paddle Antrim is working hard to make planning and seamlessly executing paddling trips in the almost 100 miles of the Chain of Lakes Water Trail accessible for all. This summer, Paddle Antrim will launch the water trail with the installation of signs at all 81 access sites, a paddler guide, and a new website to help paddlers plan their next adventure. Progress is well underway and Paddle Antrim looks forward to sharing more details in the coming weeks. 
Father's Day is just around the corner..Sunday, June 21st. Stop by Wildflower Soapworks and check out our gift boxes and small gift bags filled with great Dad products starting at $10.00-27.50 or two gift boxes for $50.00. We have many individual guy soaps too..Hope to see you soon!
Wildflower Soapworks * 117 River St. * Elk Rapids * (231) 264-8000
www.wildflowersoapworks.com Hours Mon-Sat 11-4, Sun 12-4
POTTERY & WINE....Join us for an evening of wine and paint-your-own-pottery!
Tuesday, June 16 6:00 p.m.

Cottage Pottery is extending their painting studio to the 1918 Cellars Wine Tasting Room at Castle Farms for this unique experience in a one-of-a-kind setting. Guests can choose from different pieces of pottery to paint with any design you feel inspired by!

All paints, supplies and artist guidance included. Once you have completed your pieces, they will be transported to the Cottage Pottery studio for professional glazing and firing. After completion, they will be ready for you to pick up at your convenience. Choose your pick-up location, Castle Farms or Cottage Pottery (downtown Charlevoix). Also included in your ticket: a glass of 1918 Cellars wine to inspire your artistic senses!

Due to COVID-19, we have made some modifications to this event:
- Spots are LIMITED. 12 participants maximum.
- Masks are required.
- Socially distanced seating. (Same household at the same table is okay.)
- Pre-selected wine of choice (Birch Lake White OR Serenity Red), using the ticket link.
Castle Farms * 5052 M-66 North * Charlevoix * 231-237-0884 * castlefarms.com


Registration for Summer Art Camp is open!

Spring Bike Tune Up $49.00
(including pick up and delivery)

Call Today (231) 498-2295

Bayfront Beach & Bike
130 River St. * Elk Rapids
RAVEN HILL DISCOVERY CENTER...

Click to read: Updates June 12, 2020


Check us out daily on Facebook and the website ( www.MiRavenHill.org ) for informal learning activities, photo memories, updates and more. We may also be reached via email ( info@miravenhill.org) or phone: 231.675.6025. Stay safe and keep in touch, everyone.
Newton's Road

See their Facebook Page for great home-school ideas

(231) 994-3684

STEM AT HOME LIVE TV
Tuesday, June 9 6th-9th Grade 4:30 pm *
Thursday, June 11 K-5th 2:00 pm / 10th-12th 4:30 pm
WE ARE MARKING EVENTS CANCELLED ON CALENDAR AS WE HEAR ABOUT THEM
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