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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~ 96th Year Serving Charlotte County ~
Punta Gorda ~ Port Charlotte ~ Englewood ~ Charlotte Harbor ~ Murdock
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BUSINESS ONLINE
~ Monday, September 20, 2021 ~
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2020-2021 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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*Supreme Charter Sustaining Partner (no years missed) *Charter Sustaining Partner
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~ Chamber Events and Updates ~ |
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Business Card Exchange, Thurs., September 23, 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. At Beef O'Bradys (Deep Creek location) 24901 Sandhill Blvd., Punta Gorda. Please bring a small gift to promote your business. Please RSVP here.
96th Annual Meeting Luncheon, Fri., October 1, 2021 - Noon - 1:30 p.m. Please join us as we celebrate our longevity and contributions to the community while looking forward to a successful future. Individual Tickets $75 or Tables of 6 $375. Register in the MIC by clicking here. member portal or call the office 941-627-2222.
Wed., October 20, 7:15 a.m. Third Wednesday Coffee at the Charlotte Harbor Event and Conference Center. Sponsor: Buffalo Graffix, Non-Profit: Young Life, Guest Speaker: TBA
We have decided to go quarterly with the printed newsletter the Charlotte County Chamber of Commerce Business Perspective. The next issue will be delivered in October so we'll need your inserts on or before September 20. Provide 1,500 inserts, complete the contract and return it with your check $150 for profit/$100 nonprofit. . Here is the link to the flier with all the details.
The next issue of the FIR$T THUR$DAY ADVERTI$ER will be sent out on October 7. Members interested in taking advantage of this new digital monthly format will save the
cost of printing a flier. We prefer a PNG file (at least 600-650 pixels wide, resolution 72PPI if possible and file size no larger than 4MG) for the "digital flyer" ad in the FIR$T THUR$DAY ADVERTI$ER, due no later than 5 p.m. on the Tuesday prior to the First Thursday of the month. Sustaining Partners receive free ads as part of their partnership, or cost per issue is $145.00, and $95.00 for a non-profit. This is an exclusive opportunity for members of the Charlotte County Chamber of Commerce. (The chamber reserves the right to deny, publish and edit any submissions.) Email your ad to advertiser@charlottecountychamber.org and include the web address we should link it to, or
call us 941-627-2222 for more information.
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~ Join us for a Ribbon Cutting ~ |
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New Business? New Renovation?
Consider a Ribbon Cutting to promote your business.
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Remember, you can post your own "Hot Deals" and "Member to Member Deals!" in the MIC (Member Portal).
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Place In The Sun Vacation Rentals
8501 Placida Rd., Unit A3, Placida, FL 33946
Mike Ruiz
(941) 697-2175
https://placeinthesun.com/
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Know of a business who would also benefit from being a Chamber member?
Businesses may join online now on our website or please recommend a business to
Bob White bwhite@charlottecountychamber.org and he will follow up with them!
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There are four sponsorship levels which include the exhibitor booth space(s), lots of promotional perks, print and digital advertising, party tickets, and more than ever before.
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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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Attention Business Owners: Small Business assistance and advice is now available from SCORE Port Charlotte on a drop-in basis. Stop by the Charlotte County Economic Development building on Friday from 9 to noon. This Friday, Certified Mentors Greg Imig and Nils Weibulll will be available for a casual chat about your business and the challenges you are facing. SCORE is powered by the SBA and offers confidential one-on-one business mentoring at no cost. Stop by the City Hall Friday September 24th and visit portcharlotte.score.org for more information.
This year’s Goffers Who C.A.R.E. scramble will be held on September 25, 2021 at the beautiful Riverwood Golf Club located at 4100 Riverwood Dr, Port Charlotte, FL 33953. Individual registration is $90.00, team registration is $360.00. Includes: green and cart fees, driving range, breakfast, lunch, 2 beverage tickets, goody bag, raffle entry, and more! For more information visit https://carefl.org/events/ or contact Jamie at (941) 639-5499. Sponsorship opportunities are still available, advertise your business at the hottest scramble of the year.
The Goodwill MicroEnterprise class helps individuals with a business idea develop a plan for a successful business start-up. Subject matter experts and a team of experienced business coaches work with you as you make your dream into a viable plan. Classes are two nights a week for six weeks and start at 6 pm. The fall class starts on October 11th. This class will be held at the Community Resource Center in the Goodwill Store in the Peachland Promenade. For more details go to: www.goodwillswfl.org/microenterprise
Seven Jazz Concerts (Oct - April) at the Cultural Center Theater, 2280 Aaron St., Port Charlotte, FL 33952, the first on October 11 at 7pm La Lucha with Ona Kirei & James Suggs. Seven Jam Sessions (Oct - April) at the American Legion Post 110, 3152 Harbor Blvd., Port Charlotte. Fourth Sunday 1-4pm. Membership in the Charlotte County Jazz Society assists with a College Scholarship program for local high school students. For more information contact the Charlotte County Jazz Society Hotline: 941-766-9422 or visit www.ccjazz.org
Join C.A.R.E. on October 14th at noon for a FREE Lunch and Learn about Domestic Violence. Attendees will hear from domestic violence advocates, Charlotte County Sheriff’s office, and legal professions. Help us raise awareness around domestic violence in our local community and reserve your spot today. For more information visit https://carefl.org/ or call 941-639-5499.
Valerie’s House has two amazing fundraising events coming up. A Night of Swing!! Suncoast Swing Band with Zarita Mattox benefitting Valerie’s House & Dream Chasers and Dream Makers Girls Mentoring Program. This event will be on Saturday, October 16th at 6pm. Purchase tickets at www.militaryheritagemuseum.org Perfectly Polished Nail Boutique is selling bracelets for the month of September. The proceeds are going to Valerie’s House https://puntagordanails.com/
The Tidewell Foundation 2021 Tidewell Trot 5K and 1-mile Run/Walk will take place on Thursday, Oct. 21 at Nathan Benderson Park. The event begins with a vendor fair at 5:00 pm followed by the 5K race at 6:00 and the 1-mile run/walk at 6:15pm.
More than 800 local runners and walkers are expected to participate in the 2021 Tidewell Trot. Proceeds will benefit the Tidewell Foundation in its grants to Tidewell Hospice for charity care, grief support services, specialized veterans care, music therapy, telehealth and more for more than 10,000 people in our region annually — all at no cost to them. Sponsors for the 2021 Tidewell Trot will gain exposure from advertisement and promotion of the event, in addition to the more than 800 participants in attendance. To learn more about becoming a sponsor, call (941) 552-7546, email events@tidewellfoundation.org or visit tidewellfoundation.org.
Incoming on Fri, OCT 8, 6-10 pm, it’s a M*A*S*H Party & FUNdraiser!! – The Virginia B. Andes Volunteer Community Clinic hosts its Annual Appeal Kick-off Party with Special guest “Pvt. Igor Straminsky” (TV series Chef) Jeff Maxwell * Emcee Stacey Deffenbaugh * Come dressed in your best M*A*S*H attire for PRIZES!! Games * Food * Cash Bar * Holy Trinity Banquet Hall (Port Charlotte). $75 /pp. RSVP by Sept. 30, 2021. Tickets online https://volunteercare.org/mash OR Call/Email Karen: 941-276-4075 – kamador@volunteercare.org
It's Official! The Florida International Air Show will be held October 16th & October 17th at the Punta Gorda, FL Airport (PGD) featuring the F-16 Viper Demo Team. We are looking for sponsors and volunteers. Steve Lineberry, Media & Marketing Director (833) 743-3427 Ext. 703 floridaairshow@outlook.com www.floridaairshow.com
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Did you know we offer a 30 min high-intensity group training class EVERY weekday from 12-12:30? This is the perfect class for those who don't have a lot of time during your day to work out but want to get in shape. The small class size is excellent for individualized attention, so you're basically getting personal training at a great rate! Contact Rhino Strength & Performance to learn more. www.RhinoStrengthFL.com
Do you want happier and healthier employees? Learn how Gulfcoast South AHEC can offer FREE tobacco cessation counseling and FREE Nicotine Replacement in the form of patches, gum and/or lozenges at no cost for qualifying participants. As part of Tobacco Free Florida’s in-person/virtual Group Quit sessions, we are here to help. Call 866-534-7909 or visit gsahec.org to register today.
The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office would like to alert our local business community to the rise in recent catalytic converter thefts. If possible, please email Trista.zimmerman@ccso.org and let us know if your business has any Isuzu, large Ford models or box trucks that are kept on location at your business. This information will be sent to our Intelligence unit for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please give me a call at 941-613-3227. If you find your catalytic converter was stolen, please remind employees not to touch anything and call the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office at 941-639-0013 for deputies to respond.
Former Bayfront Punta Gorda Massage Therapist are relocated and offering a Deep Heat Stone Massage at Sandhill Healing Center. This luxury treatment is meant to melt away muscle tension, increase circulation, blood flow and metabolism using heated stones over the body incorporating aromatherapy and natural muscle therapy ointments. SPECIAL 60 minutes $70; 90 minutes $95. Contact any of the Therapists directly for all your scheduling needs. Crystal Lacen, LMT 239-745-6413; Dawn Lautner, LMT, RYT 941-763-0130; Suzie Boland, LMT 941-380-6550 (Est. Lic. #MM30714).
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) policy on "arrests": "Although an arrest record standing alone may not be used to deny an employment opportunity, an employer may make an employment decision based on the conduct underlying the arrest if the conduct makes the individual unfit for the position in question. It is the conduct, not the arrest, that is relevant for employment purposes." Many arrests do not result in criminal charges and charges are often dismissed. For FCRA-compliant background screening, contact Doris Hebert-Ferrigno at NRG Background Checks. 941-488-8500; 800-531-6522; nrginfo@atlantic.net
If you like to avoid surprises, let Complete Auto Repair help. Our system keeps track of all the maintenance your vehicle will need in the future. Regular maintenance prevents most repair situations which are more costly to address. Just call us at (941) 623-2926 give us your vehicle information, and we can give you an estimate of your next year’s costs. If you haven’t been to our shop, we can get the same information from our comprehensive inspections. Let us save you time, money, and aggravation in 2022!
If you will need to move it is more important than ever to book early. In 2020, just 30% of Canadians planned to head to warmer weather. This year that number is 90%. Once Snowbirds start coming, it will be even more difficult to secure a mover. Some movers don't fulfill promises. Gardiner & Sons Moving & Storage follows through with our commitments. Call Kenny at 941-423-5311 to schedule your move as soon as you can so we can make sure your transition goes as smoothly as possible.
Murdock Stones Etc. has two well-stocked Landscape Supply yards to help you with your outdoor projects as the weather is (kind of) cooling off...check us out at: 590 Prineville St. in Port Charlotte (by the Sun Flea Market). or 7621 Sawyer Circle (off Gasparilla Rd. …look for the World’s Largest Mailbox). Or online at www.murdockstonesetc.com. 941-629-6651.
Did you know over $45K in Identify theft recently occurred with an additional $65K that was prevented. Protecting your credit is a growing concern for many Consumers today. There is more Identity fraud now than there ever was. Consider "freezing" your credit reports. Once frozen, no one will be able to use your social security number for any reason. You choose when your reports should become available again or unlock them before a purchase requiring credit. For more information on Identify Theft call Sue Craig at Independent Financial Consulting at 941-916-5324.
There is no better time to buy a home. Toby Lynn helps get the right mortgage program for your sister, parents, or best buddy! Toby makes the process easy from Pre-Qualifying to Closing. Specializing in Happy, Smooth, and On-Time Closings! CALL TODAY! Toby Lynn, Branch Manager, The Mortgage Firm, 941-356-6579 – www.ThePerfectMortgageSolution.com
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“When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.” — Paulo Coelho, Brazilian lyricist and novelist |
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We encourage members to shop with other members to keep our community and local economy strong. If you do business with one or more of our renewing members please congratulate them for their Chamber Anniversary. These are members who renewed between August 16, 2021 and September 15, 2021... Take a look! |
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~ New Kids on the Block ~ |
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Michael J. “Mike” Hufford, whose impressive career as a banking officer and commercial lender began in the mid-1970s, has joined Charlotte State Bank & Trust. He will serve as a vice president of commercial lending based at the bank’s Lee County loan production office in Cape Coral. Born and raised in North Dayton, Ohio, Mike studied finance, lending, and banking at Ohio University Savings and Loan Academy, Chicago Institute of Banking. and Wright State University. He served as chief lending officer at banks Ohio and Kentucky.
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Accounting Specialist Nicole Carter was promoted to Assistant Controller at Charlotte State Bank & Trust. She will be working more closely with Controller Ann Banting in accounting, auditing, and budgeting for the bank. Nicole is celebrating her seventh anniversary at the bank this month. She worked as an investment assistant before moving into accounting over four years ago. She earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree at the University of South Florida and spent 10 years working at South Biscayne Church in North Port.
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~ Member-to-Member Testimonials ~ |
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Thanks to a member suggestion, we are enthusiastically sharing testimonials from our members about their positive business experiences with other members of the Charlotte County Chamber of Commerce. Submit a paragraph of 90 words or less describing your experience. Include your name and business name, and email your Member-to-Member Testimonial to Janet at jcaffee@charlottecountychamber.org before noon on Friday to be included the following week. We are proud of our members and this is an excellent way to let them shine even more!
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Tell us about your good experience with a fellow member and we'll share it here and post is on our website. |
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~ Job Spot ~
Members may post jobs using the MIC (Member Portal) at no cost.
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The Charlotte County Chamber of Commerce is seeking a highly motivated, creative, outgoing, organized and professional individual to serve as our Membership Coordinator. This position covers a wide range of responsibilities while working in a collaborative and pleasant environment. To review the full scope of responsibilities and expectations, click on the Job Description link. All serious inquiries and resumes are to be sent to bwhite@charlottecountychamber.org
Dellutri Law Group, P.A. – Port Charlotte Office-Guest Services position available.
Must be a Self-Motivated Action Taker, Take Pride In Your Work, & have a relatable personality easily getting along well with co-workers & clients. Full time with health, dental, vision, and 401K benefits. Great hours, Monday thru Friday from 8:00 - 5:00 with an hour lunch. No weekends. Must have excellent customer service skills, ability to multi task, open to learning new things, and above all a positive attitude with a great personality. PLEASE FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS: Submit a cover letter & resume via email to Resumes@DellutriLawGroup.com . Then call this number 239-210-7252 to leave a sample voicemail so we can hear how wonderful you sound, please explain why you are the perfect candidate for the job.
Your Port Charlotte, FL, Sam's Club at 17700 Murdock Cir is hiring immediately to meet the increased needs of our members. If you or someone you know is looking for work, please click the link below to check out all open positions. Our associates and members are our top priority. We have these safety measures across the country: • Masks and gloves for associates • Daily health screenings before each shift • Sneeze guards at checkout • Wipes and sprayers for carts • Enhanced sanitation guidelines Click here to apply now. Together, we're working every day to provide the products and support our communities need. We hope you'll join the Sam's Club family.
Career Source of Southwest Florida online resources include available jobs
Your "Help Wanted" information could be here! Please submit 90 words or less to BOL@charlottecountychamber.org. AND REMEMBER you can login and post your job in the MIC (Member Portal) and it will be visible to all on our website https://business.charlottecountychamber.org/jobs/
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Showcase your business through sponsorship! |
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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 Janet Caffee jcaffee@charlottecountychamber.org or call 941-627-2222 for details. Cost to sponsor is $300.
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LOCAL-
Please call 2-1-1 for any resource needs.
STATE AND FEDERAL-
Florida Chamber of Commerce- www.floridachamber.com/coronavirus
Small Business Administration- www.sba.gov/disaster
Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association- https://frla.org/covid-19/
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I asked the three-year-old what he likes to eat.
“Nuts,” he replied.
“Great,” I said. “What kind, pecans? Walnuts? Peanuts?"
“No,” she said with a smile, “donuts!”
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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 County Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
2702 Tamiami Trail
Port Charlotte, FL 33952
941-627-2222
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