In This December Issue... Message from the President: Happy Holidays! Monday Minute VIDEOS: Year in Review/Best of 2018! Annual Luncheon: Save the Date Business After Hours: Champagne and Diamonds! Driven to Success: West Herr President/CEO Scott Bieler Emerging Business Leaders: Apply TODAY! Chamber in the News: Fairfield and Direct Flights FEEDBACK: Take our quick MEMBER SURVEY Independent Health HEALTHY DOSE: Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain

Message from the President/CEO

It’s hard to believe, but we are just weeks away from ushering in 2019. The wonderful thing about welcoming another year is the opportunity to refresh and renew our goals and objectives in our personal and professional lives. The Chamber is already looking ahead, planning our first big event of the new year, the Annual Luncheon and Presentation of the Public Policy Agenda for 2019 on January 25th. Read more .

Monday Minute: A.J.'s Year in Review

What a year it's been! In this Monday Minute, we look back at the many ways we served our members whether it was to inform, connect, honor or celebrate. Looking forward to an even better 2019!  We'll be back in the new year with a video interview on matters important to our community.

Want more? Check out our BEST of 2018 video!!!

REGISTER HERE!

See You There!

J OIN US FOR A FESTIVE NIGHT OF CHAMPAGNE AND DIAMONDS! Brian Michael's Jewelers DATE: Tuesday, December 18 TIME: 5pm-7pm LOCATION: 1150 Niagara Falls Blvd., Tonawanda REGISTER Meet West Herr President/CEO Scott Bieler! DATE: Thursday, January 17 TIME: 12:30pm-1:30pm LOCATION: ACC, 400 Essjay Rd., Suite 150, Williamsville How he climbed the ladder of success and what is the future of the auto industry? A light lunch is served.This is a free event with attendance capped at 30. REGISTER

HOLIDAY GIFT-GIVING: DONATE LIFE!

Donor Raffle! Enter your business card for a chance to win a gift certificate to Glen Park Tavern!

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS: UP YOUR GAME! JOIN EBL!

APPLY HERE!

Mark Your Calendar

‌ IT'S A CINEMA AND A CAFE! JOIN US AT THE SCREENING ROOM JANUARY 15TH, 5-7PM AT THE BOULEVARD MALL. REGISTER HERE

Chamber in the News

The Chamber pitched the story of the grand opening and ribbon cutting at the new Fairfield Inn & Suites Buffalo Amherst/University, a project of Chamber investor Ellicott Development and several media outlets ran with it!  Read about it here: The Amherst Bee , Buffalo Business First and The Buffalo News . Direct, daily flights between Buffalo and Denver are coming next year. “Direct flights to key cities like Denver are something that people put a lot of stock into," says President/CEO A.J. Baynes. Read more here in Buffalo Business First.

Have Your Voice Heard!

We want to hear from you about the services we provide at the Chamber. What do you like? What changes should be made?  Take our quick MEMBER SURVEY! Click HERE !

Update Your Emails! Add Reps! Text Alerts!

Bounced emails? No longer with the company? Make sure the Chamber has the most up-to-date information about you and your business! Log onto your MIC today and while you are there, ADD REPS!

Also, how about TEXT reminders of special events going on??? OPT IN! TEXT "notify acc" to 313131 .

Be "In The Know"

The Chamber is on Facebook,Twitter, LinkedIn , Instagram and YouTube!

FOLLOW US HERE! ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

AVOID WEIGHT GAIN DURING THE HOLIDAYS  The holiday season can be a difficult time to keep the extra weight off. Being able to resist the temptations that lurk at holiday parties and family get-togethers isn’t easy, but a few simple tips and reminders may help your waistline:   Don’t skip meals. Going to a party on an empty stomach could cause you to graze on unhealthy hors d’oeuvres and overeat before dinner is even served. Have a quick and healthy snack before you leave the house, like sliced apples or celery sticks with peanut butter.   Drink water. Dehydration can cause you to feel hungry, so be sure to consume at least six to eight glasses of water every day.   Control portions. Smaller plates tend to lead to smaller portions, meaning fewer calories to consume. This also avoids the obligation of having to finish everything on your plate. Try a small sampling of what’s been prepared and savor each bite.   Be selective with sweets. Desserts made with graham cracker crusts are generally lower in fat than the traditional homemade pie crusts. And if you can’t resist trying both the pumpkin and apple pies, take a smaller slice of each.   Avoid liquid calories. Alcohol is perhaps the biggest contributor to weight gain during the holiday season – especially the sugary, carbonated beverages – as it has nearly twice as many calories as carbohydrates or protein.   Try healthy holiday food swaps. If you’re the one doing the cooking or making a dish to share, try some minor modifications to make your holiday recipes healthier without sacrificing flavor. For instance, use 1% or skim milk instead of whole or 2% milk. Or season dishes with herbs and spices instead of butter.   Stay physically active – Just because you don’t have time to make it to the gym doesn’t mean you can’t sneak in exercise during the day. Use the stairs at work, walk an extra lap when holiday shopping or take a parking spot that’s further away.   Here’s wishing you and yours a happy and healthy holiday season!

Thank You to Our Investors

Amherst Chamber of Commerce | (P) 716.632.6905 | (F) 716.632.0548 | www.amherst.org