Mission Statement:
The Charlotte County Chamber of Commerce is organized to advance the prosperity and general welfare of its business members and the community they serve.
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~ 97th Year Serving Charlotte County ~
Punta Gorda ~ Port Charlotte ~ Englewood ~ Charlotte Harbor ~ Murdock
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BUSINESS ONLINE
~ Monday, February 27, 2023 ~
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The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Activates Business Damage Assessment Survey to Evaluate Impact of Hurricane Ian on the State’s Businesses
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) and the State Emergency Response Team (SERT) activated the Business Damage Assessment Survey in response to Hurricane Ian. Survey responses will allow the state to expedite Hurricane Ian recovery efforts by gathering data and assessing the needs of affected businesses.
“Under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, DEO is committed to supporting preparation, response, and recovery efforts of Florida businesses, communities, and citizens impacted by Hurricane Ian. The business damage assessment survey assists DEO and its federal, state, and local partners in those efforts,” said DEO Secretary Dane Eagle. “I encourage businesses impacted by Hurricane Ian to complete the Business Damage Assessment Survey at FloridaDisaster.biz.”
On September 24, 2022, Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 22-219 declaring a state of emergency in all 67 counties in the State of Florida. All affected businesses should complete the survey.
Results from the Business Damage Assessment Survey will be shared with various federal, state, and local agencies to implement appropriate relief. Businesses can complete the survey online or visit FloridaDisaster.biz and select “Hurricane Ian” from the dropdown menu. If you need additional assistance with your business, please call 850-815-4925 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or email ESF-18@em.myflorida.com.
Complete Business Damage Assessment
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In response to Hurricane Ian, the Charlotte Community Foundation activated the Charlotte County Disaster Relief Fund. The CCF Board of Directors pledge $500,000 in matching funds in an effort to provide financial assistance and resources to Charlotte County residents. Additionally, CCF activated the Charlotte County Non-Profit Disaster Relief Fund. This fund will be utilized to provide assistance to nonprofit organizations that incurred structural and/or infrastructural damage preventing them from operating. The William G. & Marie Selby Foundation has generously provided matching funds for Charlotte County. Visit, www.charlottecf.org. | United at Work was created following Hurricane Ian to help business owners ensure their employees were able to take care of hurricane-related needs so that they can show up each day focused and ready to work. The United at Work fund offers financial assistance for individuals who are employed by a business that is based in Charlotte County or has sites in Charlotte County. The fund has a dollar-for-dollar matching grant from the Elsa & Peter Soderberg Charitable Foundation that doubles all donations up to $500,000. With your help, we can establish a $1 million pool of resources for our community. GIVE HELP: If you want to contribute to this fund – click here for more information and to make your donation to United at Work. Your donation will be doubled by the Soderberg Foundation. GET HELP: If you are an employee of a Charlotte County business, – click here to complete a simple form, detailing the needs you have. Our team will help direct you to local resources and let you know what financial assistance you may qualify for. | |
~~ 2023 Community Guide Link ~~ | |
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2022-2023 Sustaining Partners
Sustaining Partner businesses provide additional financial support annually to the Charlotte County Chamber of Commerce which, in turn, provides them with additional valuable membership benefits. These contributions to the chamber allow for the continued increase of promotion, advocacy, involvement, and leadership at the local, state and federal levels. This is done to always be proactive in support of our businesses and the community we serve.
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Charter Sustaining Partner (no years missed) | |
And remember, each time you attend a chamber event, your business card goes into the drawing for a 5 night Bahama or Caribbean cruse for 2 on Carnival Cruise Lines sponsored by Pat Hand, Dancing Moon Travel. The more events you attend, the more chances to WIN...Just look for the big gold bingo drum and add your business card! Drawing will be at our 98th Annual Meeting 2023. |
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MEMBER EVENT - Wednesday, March 8th-Networking at Noon is at Finnegan's Grille & Pub. Cost $20pp. Choose your meal when you Sign up in the member portal.
MEMBER EVENT - March 15, 2023 Third Wednesday Coffee will be at the 24Twenty One Event Center in Port Charlotte from 8:00 a.m. until 9:00 a.m.. Thank Our Sponsor: Mark Martella, Martella Law Firm, PLLC for the Coffee and Breakfast Goodies. Our Program Speaker: Patti Allen, Executive VP of Community and Government Affairs, Fishermen's Village Development Plans. Please register in the Member Portal.
Tuesday, March 21 Lunch and Learn. Topic: Being prepared to Protect your family and BUSINESS when Life Happens. Presenter: Mark Martella, Martella Law Firm PLLC. In this presentation, Mark will discuss the importance of having a proper estate plan in place to protect your family and your assets, especially if you are a small business owner. If you don’t have the proper documents in place BEFORE you need them, you face the specter of your family having to go to court which is time consuming and expensive! If you own a small business and it is stopped in its tracks because of your incapacity, the costs are even more catastrophic. Cost for this Lunch and Learn is $10pp and includes lunch and a beverage. Choose either an Italian or Turkey/Cheddar sandwich when you register in the member portal.
Thursday, March 23 Business Card Exchange is hosted by Frolich, Gordon & Beason Law Firm, 18401 Murdock Circle Suite C, Port Charlotte. Please register in the member portal so that we may plan accordingly. Remember to bring your business cards, and if you like a small gift to promote your business.
The Leadership Charlotte class of 2023, has kicked off their fundraising with a Booze Yeti. It is a Tundra 65 yeti filled with top shelf alcohol. The class is raising monies to give a helping hand to local charities that were damaged in Hurricane Ian. These nonprofits help our community exponentially. The tickets for a chance at winning the Booze Yeti is 1 for $20 or 6 for $100. Anyone 21 years or older can purchase these tickets from any Leadership Charlotte ’23 Classmate or at the Charlotte County Chamber office.
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~ Golf anyone? Did you see these Chamber items too? ~ | |
Advertise in the Quarterly Newsletter Members, the Charlotte County Chamber Newsletter Business Perspective is a DIGITAL Quarterly publishing January/April/July/October. Members who want to include a Digital page to ride with the newsletter should complete and return the agreement and provide their digital page by the 20th of the month before publication. *Cost $100 for-profit and $50 non-profit each issue *Sustaining Partners receive free digital flyers depending on their partnership level. Send your digital flyer to Newsletter@charlottecountychamber.org or call 941-627-2222 for information, or click here to learn more. | | | |
13th Annual Business Expo | | |
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Interested in Expo2024?
We'll have the event on our calendar soon! It will take place on Thursday, February 8, 2024.
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We want to thank our Expo2023 Sponsors: | |
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Print Sponsor: Buffalo Graffix
Newspaper Sponsor: The Daily Sun
Radio Sponsor: iHeart Media, Inc.
Platinum Title Sponsor: Chapman Insurance Group
Platinum Title Sponsor: Adjuster Groups LLC
Gold Presenting Sponsor: Quigley Eye Specialists
Gold Presenting Sponsor: Lockett-N-Homes Realty Co.
Silver Sponsor: Advanced Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery
Silver Sponsor: Southwest Florida Insurance Associates, Inc.
Silver Sponsor: Life Care Center of Punta Gorda
Silver Sponsor: BMR Company Roofing Services
Bronze Sponsor: Mosaic
Bronze Sponsor: Succentrix Business Advisors
Bronze Sponsor: ShorePoint Health Port Charlotte/Punta Gorda
Bronze Sponsor: J & J One Stop Gun Shop LLC
Bronze Sponsor: Reaper Rodent Removal
Bronze Sponsor: Tommy's Express Car Wash
Bronze Sponsor: Hodges University
After Hours Party Sponsor: Elite Inspections & Pest Solutions
Main Stage Sponsor: BMR Company Roofing Services
Bag Sponsor: WhitCo Insurance-Alexia Martin Agency
Refreshment Station Sponsor: The Purple House Salon by Shawn Gilstad
Kick off Party Sponsor: Charlotte Harbor Event & Conference Center
Lanyard Sponsor: Chapman Insurance Group
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GreenDoc
4678 Tamiami Trail
Unit 104
Port Charlotte, FL 33980
John Ramirez, Thomas Williamson
(941) 257-3010
info@greendocfl.com
http://www.greendocfl.com
Fowler Construction Services LLC
13251 Oakwood Ct.
Punta Gorda, FL 33982
Jennifer Fowler
(941) 505-1508
info@fcsroof.com
http://www.fcsroof.com
Symple-Merchant Services
Please call for information
Mike Gray
(804) 543-4492
mike@gosymple.com
http://www.gosymple.com
Amazing Moments Planned Events
Call or email for information
Ashley Pulver
(941) 979-7432
amazingmomentsplanned@gmail.com
Insured Restored LLC
2751 Tamiami Trail, Unit C
Steven Hodges
Port Charlotte, FL 33952
(941) 979-9099
insuredrestored22@gmail.com
http://insuredrestored.com
Leak Busters Roofing
18501 Murdock Circle, #100
Port Charlotte, FL 33948
Richie Colletti, Katie Havens
(239) 291-9260
LBWest@myleakbusters.com
http://www.myleakbusters.com
Judy Lynch Portraits LLC
225 West Virginia Avenue
Punta Gorda, FL 33950
Judy Lynch
(941) 621-6974
judy@judylynchphotography.com
http://www.judylynchphotography.com
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~ Join us for a Ribbon Cutting ~ | |
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Tuesday, February 28th - The Furniture Warehouse
Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting at 530 p.m.
1241 El Jobean Rd., Port Charlotte
Light appetizers & bubbly.
Special drawing for Euro Stress Free Chair & Ottoman and 2 Lamps.
Please RSVP in the member portal.
Wednesday, March 1, 2023 - Parrot Outreach Society POSTPONED
Friday, March 3, 2023 - Robert L. Cochran CH82 Disabled American Vets
New Location Ribbon Cutting 10:30 a.m.
1441 Tamiami Trail, Port Charlotte (inside the PC Town Center Mall near Dillards)
For planning purposes please RSVP in the member portal.
More information on these as we get closer to the date:
Wednesday, April 5, 2023 - Total Gastroenterology/Dr. Ahmadi
Friday, May, 12 2023 - Granny Nannies Senior Home Health Agency
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Everyone is invited to attend Chamber ribbon cutting events. Come out and support your fellow members in a casual, fun, networking opportunity. | |
#MembershipAddsValue! #OneCommunity | |
Members Send YOUR Member News/Events to BOL@charlottecountychamber.org and we'll share it each week. Email submissions of 90 words or fewer, in paragraph form, by noon on Friday for inclusion the following Monday. This is a free members-only benefit! (We do reserve the right to publish and edit any submissions.) | |
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Charlotte Players- NATURAL WOMAN: A TRIBUTE TO CAROLE KING STARRING KATIE PINDER BROWN MON FEB 27 2023. Natural Woman is the premier tribute to legendary singer/songwriter Carole King. Professional piano entertainer Katie Pinder Brown play s and sings live the iconic songs that defined a generation. Located at The Charlotte Harbor Event And Conference Center, 75 Taylor St, Punta Gorda. For more information go to www.charlotteplayers.org or call 941-255-1022.
Charlotte Players- The Folk Legacy Trio - Starring former members of the Kingston Trio, Limeliters & The -Diamonds March 6th. The Folk Legacy Trio let's baby boomers relive the great era of folk music from the 50's 60's and early 70's with their dynamic harmonies and instrumental excellence. The trio features George Grove formerly of "The Kingston Trio" for 41 years, Rick Dougherty, formerly of "The Limeliters" and "The Kingston Trio" for 13 years and 12 years respectively, and Jerry Siggins the former lead singer of the legendary doo-wop group 'The Diamonds" for 27 years. Located at The Charlotte Harbor Event and Conference Center. Show begins at 7:30p. For tickets go to www.charlotteplayers.org or call 941-255-1022.
Fishermen’s Village will play host to their annual St. Patrick’s Day Celebration on Friday, March 17th, 2023 beginning at 12 noon and continuing until 9 pm. The public is encouraged to attend. Authentic Irish/Celtic Music and Dance to be featured will include: The Black Velvet Band 12noon-3 pm (Dry Beach) *The Punta Gorda Bag Pipers 2-4pm in various areas of the property (parade at 2pm) *Drake School of Dance students Irish dance 3 & 4pm (Center Court) *Emily Ann & Kel Thompson 5-9pm (Dry Beach) *Musician Jeff Walton 5-9pm (Center Court) www.fishermensvillage.com.
Valerie’s House-Charlotte County is a nonprofit organization that helps grieving children and families who have lost a loved one to go on to live fulfilling lives. Our vision is that no child grieves alone. Would you like to be a Valerie’s House Volunteer Facilitator? Our next training will be in Port Charlotte on April 15th & April 16th. Please complete the volunteer application link to join us: Volunteer in SWFL — Valerie's House (valerieshouse.org). We will also be having our Charity Quarter Frenzy Fundraising Event on March 9th at 6pm at the 24TwentyOne Event Center. We hope to see you there.
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Happy International Woman Day, March 8th. This day and every day, honor all of the smart, hardworking, kind, strong, compassionate women in your life. You might even consider making a donation to or volunteering for a charity that helps women, such as C.A.R.E. https://carefl.org/giving/donate/ . C.A.R.E., Victim’s Service Center provides support for all genders who are living with or survivors of domestic violence or sexual violence. If you or someone you know is in need of help, please call 941-627-6000.
2022 Best of Charlotte Concierge Real Estate Agent Lesley Barton and her crew of dedicated experts are always catering to you on your terms and we are always here to help you however we can. www.SunshineDaysRealEstate.com.
Thanks to everyone who came to Complete Auto Repair’s 13th Customer Appreciation Party! We’re already thinking about Number 14. We appreciate the ongoing partnership with the Peace River Car Club and Tailgaters of Central Florida. They bring the best ‘eye candy’ and a community spirit that makes our event truly unique.
Are you repairing your home from Ian damage? Consider having Gardiner & Sons Moving & Storage store your possessions until the repairs are complete. We can pack them up, move them to a construction-free environment, and back home once repairs are complete. We’ll even set things back up for you, right where they belong. When quality counts, call Gardiner & Sons, 941-423-5311.
Did you know that Murdock Stones Etc. sells industrial grade weedmat (groundcover) and weedmat pins? The weedmat comes in 12 different sizes. For the month of March, all chamber members can get $10 off any one roll of weedmat. 590 Prineville St. in Port Charlotte (by the Sun Flea Market). 7621 Sawyer Circle (off Gasparilla Rd. …look for the World’s Largest Mailbox). www.murdockstonesetc.com. 941-629-6651
Hello, my name is Mike Pershing, and I am the new Procurement Manager for CCPS. We are excited to do more business with our local vendors. To register with the District for solicitations, go to www.PublicPurchase.com and register, at no cost, with Charlotte County Public Schools (FL). You will then receive email notifications when we have a solicitation in your field. If you have questions, I can be reached at 941-621-3011.
Free Wind Mitigation Inspection With Every Complete Roof. Do you need help getting the money you deserve from your insurance company?...Call us, we offer in-house supplementing! Leak Busters Roofing is a trusted provider of residential and commercial roof repairs and replacements. When you hire us, you'll get a dedicated team of professionals. We welcome the opportunity to earn your business and add you to our growing list of satisfied customers. For a Free Estimate, call our Port Charlotte Showroom 239-291-9260, or stop by anytime Mon-Fri 8am-4pm, 18501 Murdock Circle, Suite 100, Port Charlotte, FL 33948.
Gulfcoast Engraving & Awards LLC has moved to a new location. Find them in The Bell Plaza, 2395 Tamiami Trail, Suite 207, Port Charlotte, FL 33948. If you need a unique engraved gift item, corporate award, acrylic, glass or crystal award, custom pins or medals, stainless drinkware, sports awards, shirts & apparel, stamps, plaques, name badges and much more, give them a call or stop in. They have been proudly serving Southwest Florida since 1988. (941) 743-7744
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Members may create Member-to-Member deals, Hot-Deals, post Jobs and News Releases using the MIC (Member Portal). There is no additional cost to do so! We recommend that you check these links each week to see what members are offering. | | |
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On March 3rd from 10:00a.m. until 2:00 p.m. CareerSource Southwest Florida-Port Charlotte Center, 3745 Tamiami Trail, Port Charlotte, FL 33952 is hosting a free JOB FAIR. Participating employers including: Allegiant Travel Company -Ambitrans Ambulance -Charlotte County Board of County Commissioners -Charlotte Technical College -City of Punta Gorda -Coke Florida -EHC Construction -Goodwill Industries of SW FL -King Plastic Corporation -Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor. More information visit www.careersourceswfl.com.
Blue Butterfly Counselor - Part Time - 20 hours The purpose of the Blue Butterfly Counselor is to enhance the quality of the Blue Butterfly Family Grief Center for Tidewell Hospice families, and community families. The Blue Butterfly Counselor will provide bereavement education, interventions and support services through individual and group support, grief workshops or seminars, resource information and referrals to other agencies as appropriate. Requirements: Master’s Degree in Counseling or a related field or two years supervised counseling experience. LCSW, LHMC, LMFT preferred. Two years of full-time clinical practice with grief and loss counseling preferred. Two years of experience working with children required. An equivalent combination of professional experience and education may be considered as meeting the Education/Professional requirements.
Please apply at https://careers.empathhealth.org/job/port-charlotte/blue-butterfly-counselor-part-time-20-hours/41239/44239557024 or send a copy of your resume to the recruiter at lciraolo@empathhealth.org.
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~ New Kids on the Block ~ | |
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Help us welcome Community Development Director Briyin Butgereit to the United Way of Chalrotte County. Briyin comes to UWCC with education from FedEx University and an extensive background in cultivating relationships. His drive for excellence resulted in his receipt of the Purple Promise Award from FedEx Corporations, the highest award for customer service in a critical situation. Briyin has experience working with various United Ways across the country while with a previous employer coordinating airshow activity. Briyin's passion for mental health led him to found Today Matters Mental Health Ministry in Punta Gorda. His free time consists of family, golf, and music (he’s a professional singer!).
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“The key is not the will to win. Everybody has that. It is the will to prepare to win that is important.” – Bobby Knight | |
Showcase your business through sponsorship! | |
Are you looking for an opportunity to showcase your business? A great opportunity would be sponsoring one of our Third Wednesday Coffees. Sponsors receive recognition in Business Online, on Facebook and in the Chamber calendar. Sponsors may place marketing materials on the tables at the event and will have 4-5 minutes to introduce yourself/staff/business. Available slots are limited. Please contact Jami Joannes jjoannes@charlottecountychamber.org or call 941-627-2222 for details. Cost to sponsor is $300. | |
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Bob and George are golfing, when a bird flies overhead. "Wow! What a big duck!" Bob says. "That's no duck, it's a goose." George says.
"No, it's a duck!" Bob says. "I say it's a goose!" George says. And so the argument went. "Duck!" "Goose!" "Duck!" "Goose!" "Duck!" "Goose!"
Another golfer behind them, playing the hole, yells, "Fore!" and hits the ball.
Bob sees the ball coming and yells, "Duck!"
George yells back, "Goose!"
BONK.
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Charlotte County Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
2702 Tamiami Trail
Port Charlotte, FL 33952
941-627-2222
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