The Annual Meeting updates our membership and community with a highlight of the Chamber's previous year as well as an update on the programs and plans set for the upcoming year. The Athens Area Chamber of Commerce has hosted the Annual Meeting for over 100 years as an opportunity to honor businesses and community members, enjoy networking and fellowship, and share progress and goals with our membership.

The 121st Annual Meeting will take place on Tuesday, February 18th, and the 2025 Small Business of the Year Award, 2025 Spirit of Athens Award, and Upshaw Bentley Citizen of the Year Award will all be presented. Nominations for these Awards are now open!

Athens to Host Young Gamechangers in 2025

GeorgiaForward’s Young Gamechangers is a unique and proven leadership action program that gathers 45 of Georgia’s brightest young minds to develop creative and viable recommendations for one community.

We are thrilled to announce that Athens has been selected as the 2025 host city for Young Gamechangers. 15 participants between ages 25-40 will be selected from the Athens area along with 15 from the Atlanta area and 15 from rural Georgia. Class participants tackle real community and economic development issues with colleagues from across the state, building up civic engagement tools like collaboration, compromise, and negotiation.

Learn more about the program and eligibility requirements here.

Join us for a Pre-Legislative Update with the Athens-Clarke County Delegation. We are honored to have our elected officials Senator Frank Ginn and Representative Houston Gaines.

Date and Time

Thursday, Dec 5, 2024

8:00 AM - 9:15 AM EST

Location

1055 Barber

Please join the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce as we celebrate the Ribbon Cutting for The Cancer Foundation, a local non-profit whose mission is to help alleviate the financial burden of cancer for patients” throughout Northeast Georgia.

Date and Time

Thursday, Dec 5, 2024

2:00 PM - 4:00 PM EST

Ribbon Cutting at 3:00

This special Network Lunch will provide an opportunity to mix and mingle with our Leads Group members and learn more about joining a network of trusted referral partners!

Date and Time

Tuesday, Dec 10, 2024

11:30 AM - 1:00 PM EST

Location

Hope Haven

795 Newton Bridge Rd. Athens GA 30607

Business After Hours is a drop-in style event designed for networking and getting to know members of the business community. Bring plenty of business cards to exchange!

Date and Time

Thursday, Dec 12, 2024

5:00 PM - 7:00 PM EST

Location

Many thanks to our host and sponsor, Synovus,  for planning a special evening at their downtown location on 150 W. Hancock Ave. Athens GA 30601.

At Crawford Laundry, our mission is to lead a legacy of exceptional service in the laundry industry, creating more time freedom for our customers in Athens, GA and surrounding areas. We are dedicated to providing a laundry experience that goes above and beyond your expectations.

We own and operate our own facility, allowing us to maintain complete control over the cleanliness of our environment, our machines, and your laundry. This ensures that every order is handled with the utmost care and precision.

We specialize in comprehensive wash & fold laundry service and dry cleaning service, utilizing cutting-edge technology to ensure your orders are handled efficiently and seamlessly. Our commitment to excellence means you can trust Crawford Laundry to take care of your laundry with the highest standards of quality and reliability.

Live Oak Caregivers is a licensed provider of in-home care services dedicated to enhancing wellness, preserving dignity, ensuring safety and enriching quality of life. We are NOT a franchise but an experienced, family-run organization with over two million hours of service delivered to more than 1,000 clients since we opened in 2014.

Our experienced caregiving workforce includes over 350 Certified Nursing and Personal Care Assistants, carefully selected and trained to assist clients with the vital activities of daily living. More than 150 of these caregivers have logged over 5,000 hours for us.  

Pioneer Community Care is a Nurse Practitioner-Led primary care clinic serving patients in Athens Georgia and the surrounding areas. In collaboration with a physician, our nurse practitioners provide a wide range of routine primary care services including chronic disease management, treatment of common acute illnesses, as well as wellness checkups and preventive care.

Our mission is to provide care that is individualized, patient centered and science-based, to help our patients achieve their goal of getting healthy. Our clinicians follow a Holistic & Integrative approach to health & wellness, with emphasis on disease prevention & health promotion. They also utilize a Functional Medicine model to address the root cause of diseases and not just manage symptoms.

St. Mary’s Hospital earned national recognition for its efforts to increase organ, eye and tissue donor registrations across the state of Georgia through the DoNation Campaign. DoNation engages workplaces of all sizes and industries to highlight the importance in the lifesaving and life-giving mission of organ and tissue donation and transplantation.

The Classic Center Cultural Foundation is now accepting applications for the Paul T. Martin Hospitality Education Fund. Applications are open to anyone currently enrolled in a hospitality, event, music, or sports management program at the University of Georgia or Athens Technical College. Graduating seniors of the Athens Community Career Academy are also encouraged to apply.

Kelci Cash joins Coldwell Banker Upchurch Realty as a licensed REALTOR® in residential properties.

Kelci Cash began her career with Coldwell Banker Upchurch Realty in August of 2024 after earning her real estate license. As an Athens area native, Cash has acquired the local expertise and knowledge allowing her to best serve her clients. Her familiarity with the region ensures her clients receive the latest insights on the current real estate market.

In her free time, Cash enjoys spending her moments outdoors either fishing, hunting or showing livestock in addition to traveling with her family. She is also an active member of Deep Creek Baptist Church. Cash’s positive attitude and problem-solving skills make her an excellent Realtor® to guide her clients to their dream home.

The Classic Center Cultural Foundation is now accepting applications for the performing arts and visual arts scholarship. Applications are open to 9th through 12th-grade high school students living in the Northeast Georgia region.

Students interested in applying should visit ClassicCenter.com/Scholarships or email Foundation@ClassicCenter.com. Scholarships will be awarded based on an application and audition or interview process. The deadline to apply for the performing arts and visual arts scholarship is March 7, 2025

Dear Chamber Members,

We here at the Winterville Cultural Center and Marigold Auditorium want to spread some holiday cheer your way! We have a fun act coming to our stage Saturday November 30 - Greg Hester’s Street Choir, A Van Morrison Tribute Band. Atlanta singer Greg Hester recreates the aura of Van Morrison onstage with all of the joy of the diminutive Irish giant at his best. You'll thrill to the kicks, shouts, and struts, as well as the classic stage presence of the Belfast Cowboy. Hester catches all the nuances of "Van the Man" as he tears through the best of his mighty songbook and fan-favorites. The show starts @ 8 pm, and our bar will be open!

If you would like FREE tickets to this event, please email wintervillecampus@gmail.com. We will add you to the guest list - limit of 4 per chamber member.

We would love this opportunity to network and gather together this holiday season. Enjoy an evening in Winterville's Historic Theater on us! Happy Holidays!

Tina Mills

Executive Director

Winterville Cultural Center

The Classic Center, in association with the International Association on Venue Managers (IAVM), is proud to join forces with the Clarke County School District’s Athens Community Career Academy (ACCA) as a new curriculum pathway begins this semester.

The Entertainment, Sports, and Event Management pathway has welcomed 16 students for the 2024-2025 academic year. This program offers a comprehensive education in venue management, providing hands-on experience in event planning and implementation. The curriculum covers key topics such as selecting appropriate venues, creating effective marketing strategies, and managing event budgets. Additionally, students in this pathway have the opportunity to earn an IAVM Certificate of Venue Management Studies, further enhancing their professional credentials.

The Red & Black: Strengthening Athens & UGA with Trusted, Quality Journalism

Our goal is to raise $10,000 in community matching funds by December 31. Your investment will help us achieve our year-end campaign goal and fund our student stipends and reporting opportunities. 

Cookies with Santa

Bring the kiddos to Lexington Vintage on December 14th from 1-3 for a low-stress photo op with Santa! Milk and cookies provided.

Date and Time

Saturday, Dec 14, 2024

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM EST

Location

1743 Lexington Rd Athens GA 30605