Don't Miss It!
 Congratulations to our December Small Business of the Month!
Congratulations to our December Small Business of the Month, Global Escapes! Thank you to Tiffany and the rest of the team for your dedication to the Athens community and your work with the Chamber!
Your Chamber at Work
Lead Athens Alumni Event!
Lead Athens Alumni, are you on our email list to receive announcements and updates? We have an exciting event coming up and you're invited! Email marissa@athensga.com for more information. 
Upcoming Chamber Events
Take Charge of Your Brand Position in 2023! - December 1st, 8:30-10 AM
Make plans to join us on December 1st as we hear from the marketing and branding experts at Kaptiv8 on preparing your branding strategies for the upcoming year.

Thank you to our host and breakfast sponsor, Best Western!
Athens Cooks Ribbon Cutting - December 6th, 12PM
Join us as we celebrate Athens Cooks' grand opening at 100 Prince!

Athens Cooks is a carefully curated kitchen shop + cafe + wine bar offering charcuterie, catering, party supplies, registries, classes, and gifts.
ATHENA Nominee Luncheon - December 8th, 11:30 AM - 1 PM
Join us as we celebrate and honor nominees for the annual ATHENA Leadership Award!

Since the program's inception in 1982, more than 7,000 exemplary women leaders in over 500 communities internationally have received the prestigious ATHENA Award. By honoring exceptional leaders, the hope is to inspire others to achieve excellence in their professional and personal lives.
Business After Hours - December 8th, 5 PM - 7 PM
Make plans to toast the holidays at our final Business After Hours of the year. 

Many thanks to our host and sponsor, Synovus, for planning a special evening at their downtown office on W. Hancock Avenue.

Enjoy amazing appetizers from The National and hot drinks from Java Joy served by their wonderful Joyristas.
A. LaFera Salon Ribbon Cutting - December 12th, 11AM - 12PM
Join us as we celebrate A. LaFera Salon's new location on Oglethorpe Ave!
Network Lunch - December 13th, 11:30-1PM
The final Network Lunch of the year will be hosted at Homewood Suites with lunch from I Heart Mac & Cheese. Each attendee will have the time to introduce themselves, and we encourage you to bring business cards, brochures, and promotional materials.
Pancakes & Policy: Pre-Legislative Update with Athens-Clarke County Delegation-December 14th, 8 AM - 9:15 AM
Make plans to join us for breakfast as we hear from our elected officials on their focus for the upcoming 2023 Legislative Session.
Women Who Work Holiday Party - December 15th 5-7 PM
Make plans to join us at our final program of the year, as we network, enjoy delicious appetizers and get inspired with a special presentation from Allyn Rippin, the artist and curator behind My Aging Face.

Hosted at the Lyndon House Arts Center with appetizers sponsored by Chicken Salad Chick!
Special Greetings to our New Members of the Week!
Welcome to the AACOC, Blender!
BLENDERZ is an acai + smoothie bar with a fun retro vibe! We put a twist on your typical Acai bowl by offering it in a fresh cut coconut. We also offer a self serve option where you can build-your-own bowl with your choice of toppings.

Our mission is to ignite a smile with every smoothie, juice & acai bowl served.
Welcome to the AACOC, Sir Grout!
Sir Grout is a leading company in the "hard surface" restoration industry that offers professional services to satisfy the special needs of local homeowners and businesses. Our trademark cleaning, repair and flagship "color sealing process" have set us apart from the traditional restoration methods.

Sir Grout also offers natural stone honing, polishing and sealing for marble, granite, travertine, limestone, and other natural stones. We provide all professional services to recover the splendor of your hard surfaces. Whether it's tile or grout cleaning and sealing or natural stone restoration our unique processes and products will transform and renew floors, kitchens, foyers, mudrooms, bathrooms, showers and more in less than a day.
Members in the News
UGA Innovation Hub Bootcamp!
As the Innovation District moves forward and the entrepreneurship ecosystem continues to thrive at UGA, we want to make sure that our programs are truly inclusive and represent the diversity of our campus and Athens-Clarke County community. To facilitate this goal, a focused Innovation Bootcamp program is in its fourth year of delivering tailored training in order to equip attendees with the key skills needed for success in an innovative, entrepreneurial environment.  We are excited about the impact our Innovation Bootcamp is having for UGA faculty, students, and across our community! Our spring 2023 Innovation Bootcamp is geared directly to entrepreneurs of color who want to learn the basics of entrepreneurial knowledge and expand their networks. Emceed by Jamine Moton of Skylar Security, the bootcamp will meet on Thursday evenings from 5pm-8pm starting on January 19 and ending on March 2. Sessions will be held at the Delta Innovation Hub on UGA’s North Campus.

The bootcamp is a free opportunity for entrepreneurs of color to network, learn the basics of successful entrepreneurship, and hear from inspirational individuals in the community who have figured it out! Participants will be engaged in activities, pitches, hearing stories from panelists and keynote speakers, and getting to know community and UGA entrepreneurs.
Peter Stoddard on the Lewis Grizzard Museum
Athens Area Chamber of Commerce Member, Peter Stoddard of Rotary E-Club of the South, speaks on Lewis Grizzard and the museum dedicated to him in his hometown of Moreland, GA. Watch the video here.
UGA Hockey Returns For Their Last Set of Indoor Games!
The UGA Ice Dawgs are back and will return for their final set of indoor games at Akins Ford Arena at The Classic Center this December.
Don’t miss Athens’ favorite hockey team as they hit the ice against the Kennesaw State University Owls on Thursday, December 1st. The puck doesn’t drop until 7:00 p.m. but arrive early to grab a cup of hot chocolate and take a stroll through the facility to admire the holiday decor.
Community Announcements
Giving Tuesday is Here!
Each year, this global day of generosity is a chance to come together as a community to thank, help, give, show kindness, and share what we have with those in need. While there are many organizations worthy of your support on November 29, I hope our neighbors facing hunger can count on your gift to the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia. The price of food, energy, and rent has climbed so high that people can no longer afford all their basic needs and thousands are bracing for a holiday of hunger. Your generosity on Giving Tuesday will put food back into their hands. With every $10 you give, you can provide 30 balanced meals to a family facing hunger.
Find Balance this Holiday season!
The hustle and bustle of the holiday season is well under way, along with the stress that so often comes with it. Join us Wednesday, December 7th to slow sown, shop local, and connect at our Holiday Self Care Social. Enjoy treats and shopping from local businesses such as Totally Taylored, Grail Bra Specialists, Figment Kombucha, Shiraz, Esthetics by Beta, Foxglove Plantbar and MORE, along with chair massages, meditation and breath work sessions, and of course some Holiday deals 😉. Take some time to take care of YOU this holiday season, so that you can better enjoy this special time of year. 
Join ACCA and Home Instead Senior Care as we share the joy of the holiday season with our community’s older adults by providing presents to seniors who might not otherwise receive a gift this year. To participate, select an ornament, purchase the items listed, and drop off the gifts (wrapped or unwrapped) with the ornament attached at ACCA (135 Hoyt St., Athens, GA 30601) by December 2nd! Look for ornaments out in the community at places like Walmart on Epps Bridge Rd, Fleet Feet, Village Drug Shop, Hawthorne Drug, etc., or select an ornament virtually by clicking the link below!
Thank you to all of our 2022 Chamber Champions!
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