September 17, 2021

Congratulations to the Community Improvement Award Recipients   In partnership with the Huntingdon County Planning Commission, Community Improvement Awards were presented last evening in the categories of Preservation, New Construction, Community Spirit and Special Merit. These awards would not be possible without the sponsorship provided by Kish Bank. Awards were presented for projects completed in 2020. This 2020 Community Spirit Award recipient is the Huntingdon County History and Heritage Roundtable, which is comprised of representatives from museums, historical societies, and individuals interested in local history. Their website is considered their biggest accomplishment to date. To learn more, please visit their website, huntingdoncountyhistory.com where you will find a brief history of Huntingdon County; information about almost every museum, historical society or organization and historical site in the county; and pages highlighting outdoor activities, community events and stories and legends of the County. Lonnie Smith accepted the award. Click here to continue reading.

Forecasting COVID-19 Impacts on Health Insurance Premiums   As the 2022 open enrollment season is quickly approaching, many business owners are beginning to turn their attention to forecasting insurance premium adjustments for budgeting purposes. Of course, the question mark this year is how much. Although the severity and extent of the COVID-19 pandemic has been unprecedented in modern times, there are safeguards built into the structure of the insurance industry that are designed to maintain stability during significant loss events. Two key elements provide protection against large financial loss for insurance companies and provide some stability in premiums. Additionally, the severity of the virus has varied in different regions of the country. As a result, insurance carriers will be affected differently based on the specific demographics of their insured populations. Carriers with large numbers of insureds in some of the country’s hotspots will experience greater claim expenses than carriers ensuring greater numbers of insureds in minimally impacted regions. IMPACTS FROM EMPLOYER-RELATED EXPENSES: Insurance carriers are also employers and as such, have experienced some of the same pandemic-related business costs as any other business. Added cybersecurity costs, outlays for equipment and software to facilitate their employees' alternative work arrangements, etc. will impact their financial bottom line during this event. Even the downturn in equity markets will affect the expected level of return on their investment portfolio. Continue reading here.

Free Suicide Prevention Training for ANYONE!

Click here for the flyer. Click here to register. Click here for the flyer. Click here to register.

Leadership Huntingdon County

Hold the Dates! Sporting Clay Tournament - September 22 at 3:00 p.m. Date Change! Legislative Luncheon - October 1 from 11:45 to 1:00 p.m. Annual Awards Gala - October 7 Additional events and event details can be found later in this e-news.

Partners In Excellence   Platinum Fulton County Medical Center Shafer Equipment Co. Gold Stern Insurance Agency   Silver Mutual Benefit Group   Bronze Bumgardner & Flasher Oil, Inc. Orbisonia Hardware, Inc.    Royal Bange's Masonary MiCamp Solutions LLC Culbertson Commercial Cleaning Service FirstEnergy Corporation Juniata College Keller Engineers Lincoln Caverns, Inc. and Whisper Rocks McDonald's Stiffler, McGraw and Associates, Inc.  Interested in learning about becoming a Partner in Excellence? Contact Yvonne at  [email protected]  or 814.643.1110 Packages range from $125 to $1,000.

If you are hiring, please send position information to [email protected] or login to the member section of our website to post your jobs. We've begun promoting this on Facebook.

Chamber Events

Sporting Clay Tournament Shenecoy Sportsmen Club September 22, 2021 September 22, 2021 Rain Date 2:15 p.m. Registration 3:00 p.m. Shoot Member Benefit Webinar: Save Money on Energy and Health Insurance September 21, 2021 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. Business After Hours Arize Federal Credit Union September 21, 2021 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Legislative Luncheon Sunset Golf Club, LLC October 1, 2021 11:45 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Annual Awards Gala Huntingdon Country Club October 7, 2021 5:30 p.m. Reception 6:00 p.m. Dinner Hold the Date: Spring Jam April 3, 2022  2022 Administrative Professionals Luncheon is Wednesday, April 27, 2022. "Highway to Rock" Concert featuring Live Wire May 21, 2022

In Case You Missed It

COVID-19 Vaccines at Penn Highlands Healthcare Vaccine sign up now available. Per the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Penn Highlands Healthcare is vaccinating any Pennsylvanian ages 12 and above. Please call the PHH Vaccine Information Line at 814-503-4735 to sign-up or by visiting www.phhealthcare.org/vaccine to schedule a vaccine. If have questions, please call the PHH Vaccine Information Line at 814-503-4735 Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Did you know........ Small businesses represent the largest segment by number of most local chamber membership rolls. Results in the research study by The Shapiro Group, Inc. and Market Street indicate the impact of local chamber membership on small businesses is very powerful. If a consumer knows a small business is a member of its local chamber, the business enjoys a 44 percent increase in its consumer favorability rating, a 51 percent increase in consumer awareness, a 57 percent increase in its local reputation and a 63 percent increase in the likelihood that consumers will patronize the business in the future. Research indicates that chamber membership stimulates business-to-business commerce in the local community. Other businesses in town are more likely to do business with you and your company if you are a member of the local chamber. Because a major part of a small business typically comes from business-to-business services, it is essential to maintain a positive standing within the local business community. Show your membership pride and that you are a repitable business. Download the Chamber logo to use on your website. Click the logo for more information.

Paid Leave Tax Credit Resources and Guidance Click here to view the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Fact Sheet to learn more about the Paid Leave Tax Credit, how it works, and who is qualified to received it. Click here to view the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)’s Fact Sheet to learn more about how to claim the tax credit during quarterly filings and additional resources for employers about the program.

Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC): Step by Step instructions with a CPA Click here for the On-Demand Video

Member Restaurant Information We are are providing the following to make it easier to support local restaurants. Click the restaurant name to view their menu. Those in bold are offering curbside pickup. Standing Stone Coffee Company Three Twelve Kitchen and Cocktails Stone Town Gallery and Cafe Cassville Country Store and Restaurant Hoss's Steak & Sea House Burger King McDonalds Pizza Hut/WingStreet

Looking for more ways to promote your business? Tag the Huntingdon County Chamber of Commerce in your Facebook posts and we will share them on the Huntingdon, PA - Promotions & Activities page. This page is followed by more than 4,000 people and it is free advertising for you.

U.S. Chamber Pandemic Relief Resources:   Updated Guide to Emergency Loans – They have updated their information guides for the pandemic grant and loan programs. They will continue to update these as more information is provided by the SBA and Dept. of the Treasury.  Click here to view the guide document.  Pandemic Webinar Recordings - You can view the Chamber’s webinars explaining the new pandemic relief bills from late December and early January. They've uploaded the recording from this week here, plus the accompanying slides here, and you can find the recording from our December discussion here.

Resources from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce The U.S. Chamber continues to create, update, and evolve its various guides and resources. 10 Steps to Host a Vaccine Clinic  Public-Private Partnership Best Practices for Vaccine Distribution Generalized Overview of the Requirements to Host a Vaccine Clinic  The Best Ways for Employers to Promote COVID-19 Vaccines  Mask Guides: Recommendations for Wearing and Selecting  How to Select a Mask Graphic COVID Vaccines Digital Resources Center Guide to Small Business COVID-19 Emergency Loans COVID-19 Vaccines FAQ Federal Unemployment Assistance Proposals: State Impact Comparison Guide to PPP Loan Forgiveness Reopening Business Digital Resources Center Reopening Business Digital Resources Center Toolkit Small Business Reopening Playbook Main Street Lending Program Guide State-Specific Guidance Map Backgrounder on Health Coverage Options Backgrounder on Unemployment Insurance Under the CARES Act Independent Contractor's Guide to CARES Act Relief Coronavirus Emergency Loans Small Business Guide and Checklist Temporary Paid Leave and Family Medical Leave Guide Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program Guide Employee Retention Tax Credit Guide Coronavirus Small Business Guide Coronavirus Response Toolkit

Click here for access to timely resources.

Quick Connect Coaching Sessions Weekly, Tuesdays at 8:30 am Looking for a quick answer to a question related to disaster recovery, reopening, stabilizing, or projecting for growth? Then attend a "Quick Connect" session to get your questions answered. Each week a consultant will address answers related to a specific topic. Learn more

Contact Us Yvonne Martin President/ CEO [email protected] MacKenzie Huntsman Program Director [email protected] 500 Allegheny Street Huntingdon, PA 16652 Phone: 814-643-1110 Fax: 814-643-1115

Stay Connected Chamber Website ‌ ‌ ‌ Looking to start an endowment or to support community efforts? Click the logo above to learn more about the Huntingdon County Foundation.