Weekly eConnection
801 West Bay Drive, Suite 602 Largo, FL 33770
Tel: 727-584-2321 Fax: 727-586-3112
Membership Edition
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As the COVID-19 situation grinds on, your Chamber will continue to keep you in the loop on resources available. Our gatherings may have been curtailed for the time being, but we remain at your service.
We’re all in this together!
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Renewed Business Members
Our sincere thanks to the following businesses who renewed during the past four weeks. Their continued loyalty is inspiring! To learn more about them, please visit
www.CentralChamber.biz
Piper Fire Protection, Platinum Trustee, 12-year member
Bonham Dental Arts, 35-year Legacy Member
First Citizens Bank, 2-year member
Great Florida Insurance, 5-year member
gWiz Professional Technology Services, 9-year member
Learning Empowered, 3-year member
Main Street Chiropractic, 18-year Legacy Member
McGill Plumbing, 21-year Legacy Member
Professional Systems Printing & Promotions, 2-year member
Raymond James & Associates, 22-year Legacy Member
Ronald Tucker, O.D., P.A., 15-year Legacy Member
Simply Events, Inc., 2-year member
State Farm-Team Cocco, 10-year member
Sugar Creek Development Corporation, 38-year Legacy Member
Sunshine ACE Hardware, 14-year member
Weingarten Realty Investors (Largo Mall), 15-year Legacy Member
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Bay Life Pharmacy
Pinellas Iron & Metal LLC
Kakusha MHC, LLC
Tommy's Express Car Wash - Largo
Bay Paws Pet Resort
Largo Christian School
Sandstone Insurance Partners
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Saluting our Trustees!
We greatly appreciate our Board of Trustees. Their added financial investment supports our diverse program offerings. If you’re interested in joining this celebrated leadership association and take advantage of special benefit offerings, call Tom at
tom@CentralChamber.biz
or 727-584-2321.
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CHAIRMAN
-Rob England – England Brothers Construction
PLATINUM
- Duke Energy, Piper Fire Protection
GOLD
– Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital, Home Instead Senior Care/Be a Santa to a Senior, Jackson & Associates CPA, Melody Hunter-Charles Rutenberg Realty, Paradise Air, Platinum Information Services, Regions Bank
SILVER
– Bay Care/Morton Plant Hospital, Brown Insurance Services, Hampton Inn & Suites-Largo, MID-Florida Credit Union, Nova Southeastern University Tampa Bay Regional Campus, The Palms of Largo, Village Inn, Wealth Builders
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Share info about your business…
Central Pinellas BizReach Connection
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Several weeks ago, we launched a second weekly newsletter BizReach to share member-to-member news during the COVID-19 outbreak. We’re continuing it as the reopening phases move forward.
For a nominal fee of $35 per issue or $100 a month, you can highlight news about your business opening and specials. Here are the details.
One entry for $35, four entries for $100 (you can edit from week to week).
What:
Central Pinellas BizReach
Who:
All Chamber members are eligible to provide business updates and special member-to-member offers/discounts.
When:
Central Pinellas BizReach is distributed weekly on Fridays. Provide information/updates by noon the Wednesday prior.
1. Business Name
2. Current business operations (i.e. restaurant with take out only from 9a to 9p).
3. Member offerings/discounts etc. (i.e. 20% off for chamber members, free webinar series on working remote, 20% of for first responders, etc.).
4. Images in jpg or png format with offer will be accepted. Please keep the image 3" x 3" in respect to others.
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New summer hours
Chamber Office Open (but wear a mask)
The Chamber’s 801 West Bay Drive, Largo office is now open for regular business. However, we require that you wear a mask to enter for your safety and ours. This is a public building, and visitors need to take an elevator to get to our 6
th
floor headquarters.
To help offset a decrease in the organization’s revenues, please note our hours of operation effective June 29 until further notice.
Chamber Summer Office Hours
Monday – Thursday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Closed Friday
* We will be closed Thursday July 2 and Friday July 3 for the Independence Day holiday
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Schedule a “We’re Back” or Grand Opening Ribbon-Cutting
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Celebrate your return to business or your grand opening with a Chamber Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony. Cost is $150. Includes photo/video placement on Chamber social media platforms and a copy for your business to share. Call us to book a date/time today! Last week, we commemorated the grand-opening of Tommy's Express Car Wash – Largo, photo above. They’re now open for business at 5315 East Bay Drive, Largo. It's great to belong!
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EXTENDED THROUGH JUNE 30!
PINELLAS CARES SMALL BUSINESS GRANT
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Pinellas County is providing emergency financial support through the
Pinellas CARES Small Business Grant
for qualified small businesses that are negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic due to orders to close or limit operations.
The program will offer one-time $5,000 grants to qualifying small businesses to cover expenses such as employee wages, vendor bills and rent.
Application portal open for submissions from eligible Pinellas County small businesses
Pinellas CARES Small businesses in need of emergency funding can now apply online for the
Pinellas CARES Small Business Grant
.
This program provides one-time $5,000 grants to eligible businesses to help offset the significant, temporary loss of revenue to these qualified businesses during this pandemic, and to assist businesses in retaining and paying employees. To determine if your business is eligible, please visit
www.pced.org/cares
. Here, you’ll find detailed information about the program, including
frequently asked questions
, and a
preview of the application
. The deadline to apply is June 30, 2020. Pinellas County expects to have enough funding to provide one-time $5,000 grants to those businesses that qualify.
This program is intended to help offset the significant, temporary loss of revenue to these qualified businesses during this pandemic, and to assist businesses in retaining and paying employees. For more details, click here:
https://www.pced.org/page/covid19loans
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Follow Facts,
Not Fear
Your Chamber and our partners at the Florida Chamber of Commerce urge you to be cautious but not fearful when it comes to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The Florida Chamber is the official state chapter of the National Safety Council, and we are all committed to helping keep Floridians safe. The safety of our collective employees is paramount, and they deserve the facts.
A website is available with regularly updated information. It includes important links from Governor DeSantis’ office, the Emergency Operations Center, Centers for Disease Control, Florida Department of Health and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Please visit and add to your bookmarks:
https://www.flchamber.com/follow-facts-not-fear/
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CITY OF LARGO BUSINESS CONTINUITY GRANT PROGRAM
The application period for the City of Largo's Business Continuity Program continues. A link to the online application portal is posted on the
Business Continuity Program
page. Information regarding business eligibility is currently posted.
The online application portal will require an email address, and applicants will be required to create a username and password. Application status can be checked by signing into the portal. Please note, the application period will close when all the funding for the program has been expended.
The intent of the program is to assist small businesses that have experienced economic injury resulting from the Florida Governor's Executive Orders and Pinellas County's order mandating that businesses close, or partially close, due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
The program provide a $1,000 grant, on a first-come, first-served basis, for eligible businesses with 2 - 50 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) employees (or contracted equivalents) to assist with commercial rent or commercial mortgage assistance to aid in business continuity, community recovery, and to prevent business closures and the loss of jobs.
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Enterprise Florida bumps spending amid job losses
Florida’s business-recruitment agency approved a spending plan Thursday that will increase funding for international marketing as officials try to revive the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic. In an online meeting, the Enterprise Florida Board of Directors voted without opposition to support a $23.1 million spending plan for the fiscal year that starts July 1, up from nearly $21.3 million in the current year. More from
WJXT
.
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Cannabis experts say business is booming in Florida
The COVID-19 pandemic has put many people in a state of high stress, either from the virus itself, or unemployment and paying bills. "For somebody who's locked up going stir crazy, it's a great way to chill and mellow out," said Dr. Robert Brueck at Emerald Medical Center. Since January, nearly 50,000 Florida residents got a medical marijuana card. Currently, 345,273 people in the state have a medical marijuana card, which is 100,000 more than June of 2019. "I think people now realize that it's not a curse, that it has tremendous potential," said Brueck. [Source:
WCJB
]
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The Weekly E-Connection is made possible by the following generous sponsors:
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We’re about Value!
A new Chamber program year is upon us! And we’ll be continuing to tout our five “value” principles and how each relates to being part of the organization.
Value of Investment
- The Chamber brings members valuable cost-savings resources that directly impact their bottom line. From member-to-member discounts to affinity partnerships - all are designed to lower the cost of doing business.
Value of Information
– The Chamber brings members unique resources. Roundtable discussions, workshops, advocacy on local and state issues, contacts, reference to other businesses, expertise, etc. Information that is timely and relevant to the success of all business operations.
Value of Influence
– The Chamber represents the interests of its members and communities. Whether at the local, state or federal level, it is the advocate on all issues of importance to business.
Value of Interaction
– The Chamber provides its members opportunity. People want to do business with people they know, like and trust. Networking events, B2B programs, and partnerships foster relationships that encourage leads, referrals and more business for our members.
Value of Impact
– The Chamber is one of the few, if not the only, organization that can impact the three main pillars in its service area – government, citizens, and businesses. We deliver results that directly benefit our members.
If you would like to assist in volunteering on a committee to help influence these values, just give us a call. It’s another sure way to build business connections. It really is great to belong!
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Reserve your space now!
Run your Ad or Logo in the Central Pinellas Chamber of Commerce's eConnection Newsletter that publishes weekly. Be seen by over 2,000 members and friends. Take advantage of an open/read rate that exceeds 25%.
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