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Upcoming Events
Medicare Made Easy
Lunch & Learn
J.C. Blair Education Center
July 18, 2018
12:00 - 1:00
Business After Hours
Price Motor Sales - Cassville
July 19, 2018
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Huntingdon County Night at the State College Spikes
July 21, 2018
7:05 p.m.
Annual "State of the Chamber" Luncheon
Westminster Woods
August 16, 2018
Business After Hours
AristaCare at Woodland Park
September 5, 2018
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Sporting Clay Tournament
Shenecoy Sportsman
September 12, 2018
"State of Education"
Coffee Connection
Huntingdon County Career
& Technology Center
September 25, 2018
7:45 - 9:00 a.m.
Annual Awards Gala
Huntingdon Country Club
October 4, 2018
Business After Hours
Greenland's Lodge
December 13, 2018
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
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Platinum
Team Home Health a Service of Fulton County Medical Center
Silver
Mutual Benefit Group
Bronze
Bumgardner & Flasher Oil, Inc.
Royal
BottomLine Pros LLC
FirstEnergy Corporation
Juniata College
Lincoln Caverns, Inc. and Whisper Rocks
MDB Drafting & Design
Nationwide Insurance
Stiffler, McGraw and Associates, Inc.
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President/ CEO
ymartin@huntingdonchamber.com
MacKenzie Locke
Program Director
Huntingdon, PA 16652
Phone: 814-643-1110
Fax: 814-643-1115
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Stay Connected
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After your free trial period expires you qualify for a special discount because you are a member of the Huntingdon County Chamber of Commerce. If you prepay for six months, you receive a 20% discount. Prepay for a year and save 25%! There's no better time to try email marketing.
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Thank You For Your Chamber Service
We would like to thank our outgoing Board Members, Larry Burger (Kish Bank), Penny Dolak (Mutual Benefit Group) and Diana McClure (Keller Engineers) for their dedication and many hours of volunteering to support the Chamber.
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Welcome New Board Members
We would like to welcome our incoming Board Members, Jackie Confer (Kish Bank), Joe Myers (J.C. Blair Health System, Inc.) and Bertha Peffer (F & M Trust). We look forward to working with you during your terms.
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Huntingdon County Night at the
State College Spikes
The Chamber has partnered with the State College Spikes to give away a set of 4 tickets to Huntingdon County Night at the Spikes game on July 21!
We'll also be giving away the opportunity to throw the first pitch.
To enter the drawing for the tickets or first pitch, please email MacKenzie at mlocke@huntingdonchamber.com.
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Annual Membership Luncheon
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Call to Action: Weigh In On How Overtime Changes Would Affect Your Business!
Business leaders have an opportunity to make their voice heard on a critical employment issue. The public has until July 23 to provide feedback to state regulators regarding proposed changes to Pennsylvania's overtime eligibility rules, which were unveiled by the Dept. of Labor and Industry a few weeks ago. The changes include a wage threshold for "exempt status" that is more than double the current rate set by the federal government. There would also be significant revisions to so-called "duties tests," which are also used to determine eligibility. Finally, the rule would establish an automatic update to the salary threshold every three years beginning in 2023.
It was only a few years ago, during the Obama administration, that such changes were proposed at the federal level. At that time, the reaction from employers was swift and deeply negative, particularly among small businesses, nonprofit organizations, higher education institutions and the health service industry, among others. At that time, employers not only described significant increases to the cost of providing services or doing businesses, but also the reality that this dramatic change would damage workplace culture and morale, as employees would have to be shifted from earning a salary to being paid by the hour. This transition typically requires employees to start clocking in and out, along with more burdensome record-keeping, less flexibility, a rigid work schedule and fewer training opportunities and benefits. Following this outcry, the proposal was ultimately struck down by a federal court.
The PA Chamber is encouraging employers to speak out against this flawed proposal now being pursued at the state level, which would further harm Pennsylvania's competitiveness.
Visit their website to learn more about this important issue and write an email to the Independent Regulatory Review Commission, which has the power to reject or require changes to the proposed rules. The PA Chamber is also leading a coalition urging the commission to extend the public comment period deadline, to allow employers and the public in general enough time to analyze the full impact of the proposed rules on their company and submit comments.
Want to learn more about how the proposed new rules could impact your employees and your business' bottom line?
Sign up today for a free webinar that will explore the consequences of the overtime changes. At 11 a.m. on Thursday, July 19, employment defense attorney Joshua C. Vaughn will cover the breadth of these changes; how employers can start planning for compliance; which employees will be eligible for overtime under the new standards; how to convert their status from salaried to hourly; and more.
Thank you in advance for lending your voice to this issue!
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What Can USPS Do For You?
The Post Office offers businesses a lot of benefits for when it comes to your important mailings. They have several special options to fit the needs of your mailing. Here are examples of what they can do for you:
Reply Mail -
- Delivers your message with a postage-paid response
- Makes your call-to-action clear
- Includes a reply envelope or postcard
Share Mail (Share Mail uses direct mail to create social networking style word-of-mouth recommendations.) -
- Use IMB technology to collect postage
- Offer Picture Permit Indicia free of charge
- Allow pre-payment of some or all of "share" postage
Picture Perfect Imprint Indicia -
- Incorporate you logo, brand images, or trademarks into the required permit indicia
- Raise brand awareness and boost mail piece visibility
- Make good use of prime indicia area "real estate"
Customized MarketMail
® -
- Stand out from other mail with unique sizes, shapes, and thickness
- Include die-cuts, voids, or holes
- Track campaign responses with coupons, reply cards, and bar-coded swipe cards.
Repositionable Notes -
- Attach a message to the outside of the envelope
- Call attention to your product, service, phone number, website, or reply method
- Make your mail piece more actionable and grab attention quickly
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Brochures & Booklets -
- Share information visually
- Keep members and customers up to date with newsletter format
- Introduce new products or services or advertise special promotions
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Leadership Huntingdon County
We're currently seeking individuals to participate in Leadership Huntingdon County. This program is great for anyone who may be new to our County and wanting to learn more about what we have to offer and the history. It's also an important program for individuals who have lived here their entire lives. You have the opportunity to learn things you may have never known about our wonderful County.
While learning about how things like our legal system, local government, health care, diversity and tourism work in our County, you will also be gaining leadership skills. You'll participate in a leadership retreat and have a session dedicated to putting your leadership to work. You'll also participate in a group project with your classmates. This project will give you the opportunity to create something wonderful for our County.
Please visit our Facebook page or website for a class schedule, application and brochure with more information!
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Medicare Made Easy Lunch & Learn
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On The Job Training Program
Advantages To Using The OTJ Training:
- Cuts the cost of wages for employers by a minimum of 50% during the training time.
- Reduces the employer's costs for advertising and recruitment.
- Allows employers to make all hiring and firing decisions.
- Guarantees a quick referral process.
- Requires minimal paperwork.
- May involve a single placement, a number of people for one type of job, or a variety of jobs.
How It Works:
An employer meets with the Business Services Representative to develop a job order indicating what type of people the employer desires and the screening method preferred to evaluate potential candidates (resumes, applications, interviews, etc.)
- Post the job on the CareerLink system.
- A search is then conducted of the eligible applicant pool for people who match the characteristics set by the employer. The employer is then provided the information about potential candidates in the manner in which they have requested.
- The employer decides whom they want to hire and a possible start date. The Business Services staff is notified about the circumstances of the hire.
- The employer and the Business Services Representative negotiate a contract, which includes a training plan, length of training and costs to be reimbursed to the employer for providing the training. It is important to note that this contract MUST be in place BEFORE an eligible client begins working or the opportunity to secure funding will be lost.
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The Chamber offers FREE e-mail blast to our members who are offering free workshops or hosting events that donate all money raised to a charity.
Disclaimer: The Chamber has the right to refuse blasting information if the Chamber staff decides the information does not meet the proper criteria.
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FREE Bulk Mailing Permit Use!
The Chamber is now offering use of our Bulk Mail Permit for FREE to our members. Bulk Mail Permits cost $250.00 per year. If you are interested in using the Bulk Mailing Stamp, we will walk you through the process to make it easy for you. You will still have to pay postage.
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Let the Chamber Help You Save Money
If you are interested in saving money on your electric bill, please contact ymartin@huntingdonchamber.com or 814-643-1110 to get connected with the program endorsed by 120 chambers of commerce in PA and 80 Harrisburg based associations. OnDemand Energy manages 6 billion kWh in PA. There is no cost or obligation involved with seeing how much money your business or organization can save. In many cases it has been quite a significant savings. OnDemand Energy can also review your gas savings options with you.
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E-Newsletter Advertising Opportunities
You are now able to be the exclusive sponsor of our weekly e-newsletter. The cost is $200 a quarter and includes your name in the email heading as the sponsor and an ad (2 in. wide and 3 in. tall) at the top of the left column of the newsletter.
If you only want to have an ad (2 in. wide and 2 1/2 in. tall) in the left column, the cost is $100 per quarter or $300 per year. Please continue to share your events and special news and we will include that information for free. Contact mlocke@huntingdonchamber.com if you would like to include your ad in our e-newsletter or be the exclusive sponsor.
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E-mail Blast Special Rates
Many of you have been asking about more opportunities to send email blasts to our database of nearly 1,000. Currently individual blasts are $50 for for-profit businesses and $25 for non-profits. You can now purchase one blast a week for a quarter for $200 or one blast a week for a year for $500. Non-profits pay $100 for the quarter or $250 for the year. Contact mlocke@huntingdonchamber.com if you are interested in taking advantage of this special opportunity.
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HCCC Member to Member
Facebook Group
This group is being brought to you at the request of HCCC members during the most recent survey. The HCCC Member to Member group is a closed group for Chamber members only to post questions and important information that other members will find valuable. Please invite other Chamber members to join our group and share in discussions.
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Want to be Featured in the Next Chamber News?
If you have any business news and updates, achievements, awards or recognitions that you would like to be included, it can be done for FREE! If you have an event that is free or all the proceeds are being donated to a non-profit as a fundraiser, we'll include it for FREE! If you'd like to include a promotion or a money making event or non-profit fundraiser where proceeds will benefit the organization's operations, we charge a small fee. (Profit - $25 and Non-Profit - $10) Contact MacKenzie Locke at 814-643-1110 or mlocke@huntingdonchamber.com if you're interested in including an article.
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