Weekly Newsletter.png

WHAT'S NEW AT THE CHAMBER

Business After Hours at Sycamore and Stone Farm!

All was merry and bright at our special holiday Business After Hours at Sycamore & Stone Farm in Chester Springs on Monday night.


Guests enjoyed local wine from LeGarage Winery and local cheese from Birchrun Hills Farm during the event. #ShopSmall this holiday season, and visit Sycamore & Stone Farm for a wide variety of locally sourced gifts and treasures. 


Thank you to all who attended and to Jeff Devlin and the entire Sycamore & Stone Farm staff for hosting such a lovely event.


Click here to see more photos of the event.


If you are interested in hosting a Business After Hours to showcase your business, please email Julie@chescochamber.org

Youth Leadership Program at Wawa

This past Wednesday, CCCBI's Youth Leadership Program participants spent the day at Wawa Corporate Headquarters.


Our program included fun team building activities and an awesome behind-the- scenes tour of Wawa HQ to learn about their latest innovations and the many career paths available at Wawa. Thank you to our member, Wawa, for being such a wonderful host!


Click here to see more photos of the day.

Submit Your Small Business Awards Nominations

The Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry is proud to recognize the success of small business in our community at our upcoming Small Business Awards Dinner.

Chamber members meeting the following criteria will be eligible for the small business award. Businesses can nominate themselves or another business they feel should be recognized.

 

Criteria:

  • Must be a member in good standing of the Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry
  • Must employ fewer than 75 employees
  • Business must have been in operation for a minimum of five years
  • Business should show success in its industry and be active in the community


The Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry is also proud to recognize the success of nonprofit organizations in our community through our Nonprofit of the Year Award. Chamber members meeting the following criteria will be eligible for the award presented at our Small Business Awards Breakfast. Businesses can nominate themselves or another business they feel should be recognized.

 

Criteria:

  •  Must be a member in good standing of the Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry
  • Must be an active 501 (c)(3) organization within Chester County
  • Must have been in operation for a minimum of three years
  • Must show success in its industry and be active through contributions and support for the community while adhering to the nonprofit’s mission statement


Click for Small Business of the Year Nomination Form

Click for Nonprofit of the Year Nomination Form


Please email your completed nomination form to Julie@chescochamber.org


Deadline for submissions is 5:00PM on Friday, December 16, 2022

Seeking Member Perspectives to Support Business

We are seeking more members who would like to share perspective on ways to support your business, to feature in our upcoming newsletters for our readers. 


If you are interested in sharing subject matter expertise focused on improving the workplace, uplifting neighborhoods in our region, and issues relevant to the changing needs of our business community please email Marguerite DeGrassa, at Marguerite@chescochamber.org

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

CCCBI Attends Brandywine Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association Legislative Roundtable


Each November, the PA Restaurant & Lodging Association (prla.org) Brandywine Chapter hosts the Delaware County & Chester County Legislators at a roundtable held locally.  The main goal is to discuss legislative issues & problems the hospitality industry is facing.


This year, the following legislators (or staff) were in attendance:

Representative Danielle Friel-Otten

Representative Christina Sappey

Representative-elect Lisa Borowski

Representative-elect Paul Friel

Representative Jen O’Mara

Representative Melissa Shusterman

Representative Dan Williams

Representative Leanne Krueger

Senator Carolyn Comitta

Senator John Kane


In the audience this year, were several Chambers of Commerce, Delco & Chesco Health Department Directors, several Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), Delaware County Community College, tourism agencies Chester County’s Brandywine Valley and VisitDelco, along with hoteliers & restaurateurs. The diversity of the group allowed for a great discussion about employment challenges from different industry perspectives.

The top three issues are:


  • Finding Employees – facilities cannot find the staff to work or show up to work, if hired.
  • Costs – cost of goods (supplies, utilities, labor, banking, etc) is continually increasing, forcing pressure on margins & price increases. This in turn reduces customer spend (reduced revenue).
  • Food & Related Supply Chain Issues – shortages of food items and goods are driving costs up or causing shopping at the local supermarket. Supermarkets use their purchase volume to starve the industry’s supply.


Of special note was Delaware County Community College. As many restaurants and hospitality groups are all looking for good employees, the College is investigating certificate programs to get new employees into industry job faster without completing a 2- or 4-year degree program. This is also a great way for employers to upskill current employees.


On the legislative front, discussion focused on two topics: Tourism Improvement Districts (TIDs) legislation and Association Health Care Plans (to drive health care costs down). 


Lastly, the Brandywine Chapter has been promoting Naloxone Community Training to fight the problem of Fentanyl. Community involvement is critical to helping spread this training. Please reach out to PLRA for more information.



CCCBI looks forward to continuing the discussion around these important issues, working with our community partners to address them, and advocating on behalf of our members for solutions.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Penn Oaks Golf Club


As you step foot for the first time upon Penn Oaks Golf Club, the perfect scenery and breathtaking views may take you back in time. The magic of their terrain as an area landmark dates back to pre-colonial era, when King Charles II first bestowed the parcel of land to William Penn. Penn Oaks staff always provides their guests with exceptional service. For more information on the wonderful wedding, event, and golf amenities that Penn Oaks offers, visit their website at pennoaksgolfclub.com


In Spring 2023, the Brian Dawkins Driving Impact Celebrity Golf Tournament is returning to the beautiful Penn Oaks Golf Club. After a successful inaugural tournament in May 2022, the charity tournament will once again raise funds for the Brian Dawkins Impact Foundation’s programs and work to bring transformational moments to young people in underserved communities.


The tournament will give participants the chance to test their golf skills alongside NFL veterans and various sports entertainment celebrities. Along with a full day of golf, the 2-day event will also consist of a VIP reception and celebrity soiree with a live and on-line auction. There are several opportunities for people to participate in this fundraising event as individuals or as a company, including title and hole sponsorships. For more information regarding the tournament and to learn about how you can get involved, reach out to drivingimpact@briandawkins.com


The Chester County Chamber greatly appreciates Penn Oaks for their Chamber membership!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Check out our website for more upcoming events!

We’d love to hear from and highlight your business! We are seeking member spotlight stories to include in our weekly newsletter!

Email your news to marguerite@chescochamber.org

CHESTER COUNTY CHAMBER OF BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

WWW.CHESCOCHAMBER.ORG

Facebook      Instagram      LinkedIn      Twitter      YouTube