Chamber Newsletter - January 2020
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Chamber Chat with Amanda
Dear Chamber Members,
The 2020 Annual Chamber Dinner will be held on Monday, March 2nd, 2020 at Castle Hill Supper Club in Merrillan. Please join us as we highlight our 2019 accomplishments and preview what’s to come in 2020.
Social hour will begin at 5:30 p.m., dinner at 6:30 p.m., and the program at 7:30 p.m. Cost is $30/person. The cost for a corporate table with 8 reservations is discounted at $225. Register by February 14
th
to be entered into a drawing for a $25 Chamber Buck that will be given away the night of the dinner!
The Chamber Awards Committee decided to make some changes to our Annual Awards! We will now be giving four awards each year. The award categories are: Business of the Year (less than 20 employees), Business of the Year (more than 20 employees), Emerging Business of the Year (open in our area 5 years or less) and Service Organization of the Year. Below you will find a link to download the new nomination form with the criteria and specific questions to answer. You may submit nominations in all categories or just those that interest you. You can also submit nominations or print extra forms on our website under the Chamber tab. A list of current Chamber members and past award recipients can also be downloaded below.
Nominations must be submitted by February 14
th
. The winners will be announced prior to the event and will receive recognition in the local media in advance of the event, at the dinner, and throughout the year. Self-nominations are encouraged.
We will be holding a Silent Auction, a 50/50 raffle and we will play ‘Heads or Tails’ for a prize basket. We are looking for donations to add to our Silent Auction and the Heads or Tails Basket and for dinner sponsors. Please consider these inexpensive opportunities to advertise your business and help the Chamber with the dinner costs.
Dinner reservations will be accepted through the day of the event
.
Please send forms to
BRACC, 120 N. Water Street, Black River Falls, WI 54615
, fax to
715-284-9476, or email to chamber@blackrivercountry.net
. If you have questions, contact our office at 715-284-4658.
Thank you, as always, for your continued support of the Chamber. Together we build business, create community and promote tourism.
Sincerely,
Amanda Gunn
Executive Director
Black River Area Chamber of Commerce
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2020 Black River Country Visitor Guides
The 2020 Black River Country Visitor Guides are currently being printed! We will have boxes available for distribution soon. If you would like a box, stop into our office or give us a call and we can deliver them to your business. Here is the beautiful cover!
Main cover photo: Pamela Putrich
Water wheel photo: Dave Meyer
Elk photo: Heidi Kelly
Castle Mound photo: Lina Bloczynski
UTV photo: Lori Chown
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2020 Chamber Board and Officers
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The Black River Area Chamber of Commerce is a working partnership of business people who seek to promote the Chamber’s mission of Building Business, Creating Community and Promoting Tourism. Each year the Chamber seeks individuals to engage in this partnership and serve on the Chamber Board of Directors.
Chamber members received a ballot in November presenting the candidates for the 2020 Board of Directors. The newly elected board members who will serve their first three-year term are Laura Lindow, Reflections on Water; Dana Olson, Black River Country Bank and Nick Slegel, Waumandee Bank. Re-elected to serve a second three-year term are Robert Crampes, Individual Member and Matthew Streeter, Black River Memorial Hospital.
The other directors currently serving on the board are Keith Brown, Clearview Realty; Justin Dougherty, Dynamic Audio & Video LLC; Kristin Franks, Edward Jones Investments; Scott Johnson, Aptiv; William Laurent, Jackson County Republican Party; Sue Miller, Co-op Credit Union; Tamra Soto, Comfort Inn & Suites; Joe Williams, Theisen’s; Melissa Porter, Ho-Chunk Gaming-Black River Falls; and Grady Gutknecht, Jackson County Board of Supervisors.
The Black River Area Chamber of Commerce Board elected board officers at its meeting January 16. The following were elected: Robert Crampes - President, Justin Dougherty - Vice President, Matthew Streeter - Treasurer and Tamra Soto - Secretary.
Three members leaving the board are Karman Briggs from Western Dairyland, Dave Meyer from WWIS Radio who both completed two three-year terms, and Carrie Timp from Revolution BRF who completed a two-year term. The management, staff and board of directors would like to thank all three outgoing board members for their years of service and are grateful to have had their expertise to help guide the Black River Area Chamber of Commerce.
The Chamber is excited to have a great group of leaders to provide direction and support as we move into the New Year.
Any Chamber member can run for election as a board member. The Board of Directors meets the third Thursday of each month at 3:30 p.m. at the Chamber office. Contact Amanda Gunn if you are interested in being a candidate in the future.
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Regional Economic Development Meeting Scheduled
The 7 Rivers Alliance and the Black River Area Chamber of Commerce will host a quarterly regional Economic Development meeting from
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, January 23rd.
Hear updates on the 7 Rivers Alliance Workforce Development Plan, childcare, housing, transportation and more. We'll also have an open forum to hear about your projects and to share best practices.
WHEN: Thursday, Jan. 23, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
WHERE: Black River Area Chamber of Commerce, 120 N. Water St., Black River Falls
Lunch will be served!
If you plan to attend, please confirm by emailing Chris Hardie at chris@7riversalliance.org.
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Free Lunch & Learn Session with the State of Wisconsin - Edvest - Wisconsin's 529 College Savings Program
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Date: February 5, 2020
Time: 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Lunch will be served at 11a.m. program begins at 11:30 a.m.
Location: Black River Area Chamber of Commerce, 120 N Water St, Black River Falls.
Please call the Chamber office to register by January 31, 2020.
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Employers & Organizations
Join the 370+ Companies Participating in Edvest at Work
A New Employee Benefit at No Cost to You
You want more ways to differentiate and enhance your employee benefits package. With automatic payroll deduction, your employees get a hassle-free opportunity to save for their children’s higher education costs with low, budget-friendly minimums that make saving easy. And the best part? It costs you nothing and creates no additional administrative burdens. In fact, we’ll do all the work.
Edvest offers ongoing support at no charge, a payroll action guide and a digital toolkit with everything you need to help educate your employees about saving for college.
www.edvest.com/benefit
For so many families, the Edvest College Savings Plan is a smart choice.
Here are just a few reasons why:
· State tax benefits
· 100% tax-free growth
· Financial aid friendly
· Use at approved schools anywhere in the US or abroad
For more information, contact:
Jessica L. Fandrich
College Savings Program Investment Finance Officer
Department of Financial Institutions
Wisconsin 529 College Savings Program
4822 Madison Yards Way | North Tower | P.O. Box 8861 | 4th Floor | Madison, WI 53708-8861
Office: 608-266-1805 | Cell: 608-516-9172
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Chamber Committees
Are you interested in being involved in a committee within the Chamber? We are looking for more people to join the Karner Blue Race Committee, Oktoberfest Planning Committee, Annual Dinner Committee and Chamber Ambassador Committee!
The Karner Blue Race Committee meets once a month from February through July to plan the Karner Blue Race.
The Oktoberfest Committee meets once a month from May through October to plan the Black River Area Oktoberfest.
The Annual Dinner Committee meets from December through February each year and helps plan the Annual Dinner and also helps with the Annual Awards selection process.
The Chamber Ambassador Committee meets every other month throughout the year.
Chamber Ambassadors are volunteers from member businesses that act as public relations liaisons related to networking/social events sponsored by the Chamber. Ambassadors attend ribbon cuttings and Business After 5 events, volunteer at Chamber events and assist in recruiting new members.
If you are interested in joining a committee or if you'd like more information, contact us today!
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Events and Press Releases to Share
Please send us information on any upcoming events your business or organization is hosting. We will get them posted to the calendar on our website and in the printed calendar we distribute at our office. We also share many different events on our Facebook page!
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Brochures, Rack Cards and Business Cards
Make sure to drop off a supply of your brochures, rack cards and business cards at the Chamber office. Help us help your business by passing along information to both our out-of-town visitors and to local residents who come to the Chamber. If you can't make it to the office, give us a call at 715-284-4658 and we will gladly pick them up at your business!
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Goody Bag Items Needed
Throughout the year, we put together goody bags for our Karner Blue race, new teachers, hockey tournaments and other events. We are asking businesses to donate goody bag items. If you have items such as pens, magnets, key chains, coupons, etc that you would like to donate, give us a call or drop them off at our office. It is a great opportunity to advertise and promote your business!
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Thank you to
Norgaard Agency
for hosting our January Business After 5 event that took place on Wednesday, January 8, 2020. Members enjoyed delicious food catered by Revolution BRF and beverages from Sand Creek Brewery, Ripp Distributing and Creekside Winery. We had a great turnout and everyone had a wonderful time!
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Members enjoyed networking at the event
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Owner John Norgaard talked about the history of Norgaard Agency and gave away Sand Creek Beer and Creekside Wine as door prizes!
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Join us for the next Business After 5 event at
Pine View Care Center on Wednesday, February 12th!
Remember - all employees of any Chamber member business are welcome to attend Business After 5.
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Rotary Youth Exchange 2020/2021
Host an Exchange Student! This is an opportunity to learn first-hand about another country and its culture. You can share the American lifestyle with a high school student from another country and develop a life-long extended family connection in another part of the world.
The Program:
The Rotary Club of Black River Falls will be welcoming a foreign exchange student to the area August 2020 – July 2021.
The exchange student (15-18 years old) will need two or three families to live with for a four or six month period throughout the year.
The Rotary Club of Black River Falls will provide guidance before the student arrives and will help answer any questions that may arise.
Hosting:
We are looking for host families for the exchange student. Host families may have children at home, they may have children who are grown and out of the home, or they may not have children at all. The only things needed are an extra bedroom and a heart big enough to welcome a child from another country into your home.
Expectations:
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Participate in a background check and orientation by the Rotary Club of Black River Falls.
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Support and welcome the student as part of the family including privileges and obligations.
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Supply room and board for the student. The student must have their own bed and if necessary, they may share a room with a child of the same gender and similar age.
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Provide a private study place in the home.
Get Involved:
If you are interested in hosting the exchange student, contact Youth Exchange Officer Kristin Franks at
Kristin.Franks@edwardjones.com
or
651-380-7905
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Jackson County Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers - Volunteers Needed
Jackson County Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers is a faith-based organization, helping maintain independence and dignity for health impaired older adults, people with disabilities and people with special needs.
Interfaith has volunteer openings for friendly drivers, visitors and shoppers this winter for home bound individuals! Some of these errands can be done on your schedule, after work and can be as little as one hour a month or as much as one hour a week! With the winter weather already in full swing, they really need a few more winter volunteers! If you are able to help, contact the Interfaith office at 715-284-7058.
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The City of Black River Falls has 75 city owned residential building lots for sale for just $9,900*!
The subdivision is located north of I-94 near Exit 115. The list price for any lot is $19,900 and the city is offering a $10,000 building incentive if the buyer builds within 24 months of closing. That's right! Buy the lot for $19,900 and get $10,000 back when an occupancy permit is issued. That brings the final cost of the land down to just $9,900!
For more information, contact the City Administrator at 715-284-2315.
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Advanced Auto Parts
115 South Roosevelt Road
Black River Falls, WI 54615
Phone: 715-284-9411
Choose Advance Auto Parts to find what you need at an affordable price. Open 7 days a week. At Advanced Auto Parts there’s much more than the items needed for repairs and maintenance. There are also friendly, knowledgeable Team Members who will answer questions and recommend the parts needed to do your own repairs. For added convenience, order any quality auto parts online and pick them up on the same day. Need more information? Call (715) 284-9411 today.
Black River Housing, LLC
521 N 8th Street & 145 Rye Bluff Road
Black River Falls, WI 54615
Phone: 715-284-4235
www
.
blackriverhousing.com
Black River Housing brings you affordable apartment living in Black River Falls, Wisconsin. Our apartments offer great locations with easy access to amenities and the surrounding area. Please contact us if you have questions about our facilities and availability.
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7 Rivers Alliance Updates
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Inspire Program
The Inspire 7 Rivers team has taken initiative to grow its network of employers and students. Inspire is a way to link together education and industry to help students and job seekers achieve their goals and address communities’ workforce development needs. Inspire 7 Rivers is launched in school districts within Black River Falls, Holmen, Tomah, Hillsboro and Blair-Taylor, and over the next three years, the program will expand to include school districts throughout the entire 7 Rivers Region.
The Inspire program is now up to over 114 employers and 97 coaches that collaborate with over 1,000 active students in the area.
Our team continues to communicate about the benefits of the program to local organizations. We are currently working on creating a more effective, user friendly registration process for employers to join. If you or any employer is interested in learning more please email
Chris@7riversalliance.org
.
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Department of Workforce Development -
Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
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WisConnect is your source for Wisconsin internships!
Employers can recruit interns on WisConnect to enhance their skilled talent pipeline. Create an employer profile, post internships, search for Wisconsin college students and find resources to build or expand internship programs. It's easy to get started.
Create a free WisConnect account
to start your search for interns today. Once registered, you can build your employer profile to showcase and attract interns, post internships and search for qualified interns who meet your talent needs.
College students are joining WisConnect daily. Visit the site frequently to make new talent connections.
Students can seek internships to gain valuable job skills and launch their career. Create a professional profile, upload your resume, and search for internships with Wisconsin employers. Create a free WisConnect account to start your internship search today. Once registered, students can search for internships, explore Wisconsin businesses that offer internships and identify opportunities to gain valuable job skills. New internship postings are added frequently. Visit WisConnect often to find new opportunities.
For more information visit the link below!
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DWD Shipbuilders Training Grants
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The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) has announced that applications are now being accepted for Shipbuilders Training grants. The objective of this expanded Wisconsin Fast Forward (WFF) grant program is for shipbuilders in Wisconsin to design and implement training programs that enhance shipbuilding-related employee skills and productivity.
This grant program is only available to Wisconsin shipbuilders with 1,500 or more employees that designs and constructs vessels 40 feet in length or greater for commercial or government use that is operating a shipyard facility geographically located in Wisconsin.
Up to $1,000,000 is available in the 2020 fiscal year to shipbuilders in the state to train new and current employees.
Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. CST on Wednesday, February 12, 2020.
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Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation News
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Economic Development Programs
The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) offers programs and resources that spur economic prosperity in Wisconsin! Funding, resources and training help companies that do business in Wisconsin maximize their potential. Discover the support WEDC and Wisconsin’s statewide economic development network offer businesses and communities!
Click here to learn more.
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Made in Wisconsin
High-Quality Products from Hard-Working People
When something is produced in Wisconsin, it is a point of pride for those who had a hand in its creation. WEDC created a cost-free logo for businesses to use to proclaim their products' Wisconsin origin. The Made In Wisconsin logo can be adapted to reflect a company's production process.
Join the hundreds of companies who are already participating in the Made In Wisconsin program by filling out an application
here
!
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2020 Business After 5 Calendar
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February 12 - Pine View Care Center
March - No Business After 5
April 8 - Gundersen Black River Falls Eye Clinic
May 13 - Jackson County Historical Society
June 10 - Ho-Chunk Gaming Black River Falls
July - No Business After 5
August 12 - Black River Memorial Hospital
September 9 - Meier's Associates Inc
October 14 - JC Financial Partners
November 11 -
Network for Youth & UMOS
December 2 - BRACC Holiday Party
Our Business After 5 calendar for 2021 is starting to fill up! If you are interested in hosting a Business After 5, give us a call today to reserve your spot!
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2020 Chamber Board of Directors
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President -
Robert Crampes, Individual Member
Vice President -
Justin Dougherty, Dynamic Audio & Video LLC
Treasurer -
Matthew Streeter, Black River Memorial Hospital
Secretary -
Tamra Soto, Comfort Inn & Suites
Board Members
Keith Brown, Clearview Realty
Kristin Franks, Edward Jones
Grady Gutknecht, Jackson County Board Rep
Bill Laurent, Jackson County Republican Office
Laura Lindow, Reflections on Water
Sue Miller, Co-op Credit Union
Dana Olson, Black River Country Bank
Melissa Porter, Ho-Chunk Gaming-Black River Falls
Scott Johnson, Aptiv
Nick Slegel, Waumandee State Bank
Joe Williams, Theisen's Home-Farm-Auto
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From left: Lynette LeGarde, Samantha Windsor, Kathy Kopp and Amanda Gunn
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Black River Area Chamber of Commerce
120 N Water St
Black River Falls, WI 54615
715-284-4658
www.blackrivercountry.net
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