Volume 30, Issue 6 | June 2022

2022 Board of Directors                        Celeste Rayne Chair Farmers Bank of Willards                              Derrick Elzey Vice Chair State Farm Insurance Tylor Lennox Treasurer Coastal Wealth Management                               Olive Mawyer Secretary OLEA Marketing                                   Laura Morrison Landmark Insurance Allen Duncan GSB Media Ashley Haldeman Lakeside Assisted Living Nancie Corbett Bluebird Farms Donna Frankowski Shamrock Realty Rich Cropper Cropper Services, LLC Tina Simmons Atlantic General Hospital Don Robertson Seafloor Carpets, Hardwood, and More Amy Hedger Coastal Home Care Steven Sweigert Past Chair   Mitchell & Hastings Financial

June 1 - YPP meeting 7 - Chamber 401K plan lunch 9 - Ribbon Cutting - True Value 9 - OP Utility Forum 14 - Coffee Connect AT Grace Center 16 - OP Chamber Connection Interest Meeting 16 - Ribbon Cutting - Pop's Kitchen 17 - Board of Directors Meeting 21 - Ambassadors Meeting 21 - Regional Chamber Spring Mixer at Bordeleau (SOLD OUT!) 22 - Ribbon Cutting - Empower U PT 430 22 - Ribbon Cutting - Chesapeake Health Care Berlin 4pm 23 - BAH at OP Snowball Stand July 6 - YPP Meeting 15 - Board of Directors Meeting 19 - Ambassadors Meeting Stay up to date on all our doin's. You can add your events too! Community Calendar

THIS MONTH'S FEATURED PARTNERS: Ocean Pines Chamber Connections St. Paul's Episcopal Church Coastal Lending Group BBSI

Copy and paste the below png and add it to your email signature and website. Let everyone know you are a proud Ocean Pines Chamber of Commerce partner!

President's Corner

I hope you are buckled in, because here comes the season! Unfortunately, we are still dealing with the same staffing shortage and yet another rise in COVID cases. Despite those facts, they will still come and YOU will provide the same, tremendous service as you always have. That's WORCESTER COUNTY STRONG and that's what we do! You may have heard by now that our chamber has created its own 401k plan for businesses of all sizes. We will have an informational free lunch on June 7 to explain it all. The plan will be managed by Transamerica through Coastal Wealth Management. Please RSVP so we ensure we have enough food. Make sure you know the options you have for your business and employees. Another exciting endeavor is our Ocean Pines Chamber Connections group. A microcosm of referral eager chamber partners, the group will meet every second and third Thursday of each month at 9am. Join us for an interest meeting on June 16 at 9am at the OP library to learn more and submit your application. This is a one-per-industry group. Jump into the season with both feet but make sure you take time to breathe and take care of yourselves! If there's ever anything we can do at the chamber, just yell. Stay strong and be well.

Corporate Sponsors

‌

‌

Shore Community Connections networking group was founded in June of 2017 and has existed as a local networking/referral group for Ocean City, Ocean Pines, and the surrounding areas. We are excited to announce that we will be joining forces with the Ocean Pines Chamber and our new name will be Ocean Pines Chamber Connections. We will still operate independently from the Chamber but all members of OPCC will need to be a member of the OP Chamber and keep their membership in good standing.   We are a category/industry-exclusive group so only one member per industry will be able to be a part of the networking group. Applicants will be reviewed and notified of their admittance within a week of submitting their member profile.    OP Chamber Connections will be holding an interest meeting on Thursday, June 16th at 9am at the OP Library on Cathell Rd (beside the post office) where more information about the group and its existing members will be shared. The group will then meet on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of every month at 9am at the OP Library. If you are interested in learning more about our group, please join us on the 16th. For more information, please contact Trish Seitz at 7178914277 or trish_seitz@comcast.com.

Facebook Page

Why are there logos and ads in the newsletter? The first week of each month (if I'm on the ball), over 900 businesses, media outlets, community leaders, and residents receive this newsletter. Do you want those eyes to see your logo or ad? Call us! 410-641-5306

Welcome to the New Rector at St. Paul's Episcopal in Berlin The congregation of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Berlin would like to invite you to meet their new interim Rector, Fr. Carl Mosley during an upcoming service.  Fr. Mosley will be with the historic community church for about 2 years while they conduct a search for a full-time rector.  Their services are at 8:30 am (no music) and 10:30 am (with music) every Sunday with a coffee hour after each service. They wholeheartedly invite you to join them for fellowship, coffee, and snack before you head about your day.  St. Paul's is a traditional Episcopal Church featuring a beautiful historic building that was founded in 1825. Their original stained glass windows are in the library of Congress. The building has recently been renovated and repainted.  Welcome, Fr. Mosley!

OPCC YPP Next Meeting July 6, 2022 8:30am - 9:30am at the Chamber office

The Ocean Pines Young Professionals had a wonderful turnout for the Joint Mixer at Nick’s Golf. We were able to connect with new faces and bridge the gap between chambers. We hope to continue the Joint Mixers in the future. In continuance of that venture, we have reached out to the Ocean City Young Professionals to assist them with the OC Air Show again this year to help show our support for our fellow chamber and the community. The next Monthly Mingle is at our home base here in Ocean Pines on Wednesday, June 15th. We are going to have a cookout along with making new connections in our young professional community. Hope to see you there! The Young Professionals of the Pines (YPP) aims to unite the next generation of professionals. YPP creates opportunities for emerging business leaders to build relationships, expand their leadership skills, and develop their careers while paving the way for the future success of the Ocean Pines community. The group is designed for professionals between the ages of 21 and 35.  If you can’t make it to our meeting in person, the option to join us via Zoom is also available. Keep an eye on our Facebook page (Ocean Pines Chamber YPP) as well as our LinkedIn Group for more information on upcoming events!

YPP Facebook Page

YPP LinkedIn Page

Struggling with energy costs? CQI may be able to help.

Learn About Saving on your Energy Costs with CQI

Join the Chamber Energy Purchasing Cooperative Alert – Significant Utility Rate Increase as of December 2021 The utilities in each service area are required to offer customers an electricity and natural gas supply service and rate if they have not elected to sign a contract with a licensed third-party supplier. Prior to December 2021 the rates offered were reasonable and on average one cent higher than third-party supplier rates. However, as of December 2021 meter read date, the rates have significantly increased by on average 40%. The utility rates when compared to current third-party supplier rates are on average three cents higher.   We recommend you look at your most recent energy invoice to determine if the electricity and/or natural gas rates have been affected by these increases in rates.  The Chamber of Commerce Energy Purchasing Cooperative program provides you with an option to help seek pricing that provides savings when compared to the utility rates and offers you long-term budget stability.  To learn more about the purchasing cooperative simply watch this short video.

Coastal Lending Group SVN - Miller Commercial Real Estate Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore Authentic Adjustment, LLC The Learners Lab Foundation True Value of Ocean Pines

Welcome to the Ambassador Corner!

Want more exposure for your business while advocating for the community and chamber? Become an Ambassador! We welcome all new partners to the chamber and ensure that they get the most out of their partnership. We meet every third Tuesday of the month at 1:30am at the chamber office. Stop by!

A Lender for Life Coastal Lending Group, LLC is a Maryland-based mortgage company that services MD, VA, NJ, DE, PA, and FL. We pride ourselves on being your lender for life. At Coastal Lending Group, LLC, we treat each customer as an individual, not a number. We don't place you into a loan profile formula created by the banking industry. We use "common sense" and will help you obtain the best loan possible. Coastal Lending Group, LLC was founded in 2008, with a vision of simplifying the mortgage process as well as adding transparency to the business. We are small enough to give you that personalized service you desire and local enough to give you sound advice with the knowledge you need to help make your dreams come true. Although we are small in size our connections to banks are large and distinguished. We have developed relationships with over 23 of the best mortgage banks and lenders in the country giving us access to very competitive interest rates and a full array of mortgage loan options. Our mission is to always give the best possible financial advice we have at our disposal and always do the right thing for our clients. Ashley Ball Crist is the Branch Manager / Senior Loan Officer of the Ocean City Branch. She has been in the business for over 13 years and prides herself on making sure her clients are highly informed throughout the process and not just obtain a mortgage loan, but the right loan that best suits their current and future financial profiles. We make it personal and enjoy that our clients quickly become friends. Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer, looking to trade up, exploring second home options, refinancing, deciding to downsize, or simply wishing for a change, Ashley can help you. It is important whom you choose to look over your budget, income, and savings, helping you get a clear picture of what type and amount of loan is realistic. There are many factors to consider when getting a home loan; interest rates are only one element of the complete package. Luckily, CLG is extremely competitive in that arena. Ashley and her team will help you consider all your options so you can concentrate on making the best decision for your needs. The financial aspects of home buying can be stressful and overwhelming—but it doesn’t have to be, not with a trained and caring professional like Ashley in your corner.

Facebook

Website

Artisan Vendor and Nonprofit Spots Available! Sponsorship Opportunities

Our partners renew their support on their anniversary months. The below list are those who renewed since the last edition of the Chamber Chatter. Thank you for your continued trust and support!

1 - 4 years CQI Associates 5 - 10 years Chesapeake Home Services BBSI

‌

When Was the Last Time You Looked into BBSI for Your HR Needs? The transaction that a client traditionally engages in with vendors like payroll processing and workman’s comp insurers looks something like this: the price is paid, and service is rendered. Period. In contrast, the relationship that a client engages in with BBSI is just that...a relationship. We strive to build and nurture client relationships that are transformational, not transactional.  Sure, we provide payroll administration, a great workers’ comp program, safety, and risk solutions as well as expert guidance on a variety of HR and business consulting services that revolve around human capital topics, as well as processes related to federal, and state and local HR compliance. But our Product is ultimately our People. We are an inquisitive group that wants to understand who you are. We want to uncover what reality is like for you today and what challenges you’re facing, but that’s just the beginning. What we really want to understand is your story and why you started your business. What do you hope to achieve? What makes you proud, and what keeps you up at night. Only then can we work together to create a blueprint for your success. You’ll know your team by name, you’ll have their phone numbers, and they’ll know you every time you call. We’re here to support your vision, nurture your teams, and ultimately drive you across the goal line. That’s what we do and it’s why we show up every day. We understand that as a business grows, the business owner will be pulled in a variety of directions – dealing with human resources issues, ensuring legal compliance, completing payroll, ensuring the safety of employees on job sites, casting a vision for the company, and sticking to it, etc. It's difficult to manage all of these tasks alone.  Every day, our team of professionals helps businesses of all sizes grow revenue, increase efficiency, mitigate risk, and scale profitably. BBSI will help you reduce your administrative burdens so you can focus on growing your business and achieving your goals. We’re here to support your vision, nurture your teams, and ultimately drive you across the goal line. That’s what we do and it’s why we show up every day. And with a client retention rate of over 97%, we’re confident that our results speak for themselves.  Give us a call, we’re looking forward to meeting you.

Facebook

Visit our website

August 6, 2022 Angler registration is open! Sponsorship Opportunities Sponsorships up for grabs The sooner you commit, the longer we have to THANK YOU! Early Bird Sponsorship Award goes to Bluewater Advisory!! Don't forget, we also host a tricky tray and silent auction during the weigh in. We need auction items!