River Views Holiday Buyers Guide, Mill Studio Arts member spotlight, Wellness tips for virus immunity and more... |
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The 2020 holidays are upon us, and they are certainly going to be different this year. With the challenges of the pandemic, families are opting for safety with virtual gatherings and fewer place settings around the table, and holiday shopping will look different as well.
While local stores and restaurants may have fewer people browsing and dining in person for safety reasons, online ordering, curbside pick-up, gift certificates and more make it easy to keep your holiday spending in the community.
If ever there was a time to shop local - that time is now.
These small business owners are our neighbors and friends (and fellow Chamber members!). We see them at the gym, at church, at ball games, and serving on local committees and boards. They fill our store fronts and bring vibrancy to our downtowns. Buying local keeps money in our community to be used again and again, building our local economy in the process.
Shop Small + Shop Local has never been more important.
Think of your favorite coffee shop, the store that always has the perfect last minute gift, your go-to restaurant, the bakery that makes the perfect birthday cakes, your hair salon, or your local gym. Next week, after the Thanksgiving leftovers are put away, put on a mask, or open up your laptop, and shop local. Every purchase you make at a local business will help to keep doors open and employees working right here in your community. Help make a difference this year!
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River Views Magazine
Holiday Buyers Guide
Free listing opportunity
There is no cost to be included in the Buyers Guide and any business can submit information for publication. Every business can feature one of their products or services that they want to present to shoppers for the Christmas season.
Each gift idea listing should contain a photo and up to 30 words describing your product or service. Please contact publisher Tom Aikins at 207-699-6772 or email your listing information to tom.aikins@gmail.com.
Paid advertising space is also available for this section (as well as the entire magazine) if you are interested in reaching readers with a targeted message for this upcoming shopping season. To find out more about River Views, go to http://www.river-views.com.
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New Chamber Members
Aflac/Maria Tusinski - Aflac is a Fortune 500 company that provides financial protection with enhancement insurance to more than 50 million people worldwide.
SL Healthplans - Offering a full range of Level/Self-Funded Health plans to help businesses take control of their Health Benefits costs (more on this exciting new opportunity for Chamber members coming soon!).
USource Energy - Usource is an energy consulting firm that helps organizations reduce costs and mitigate risk. Services include customized solutions in renewables, demand management, energy procurement and efficiency. More info as well coming soon ...
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Introducing the
Chamber Business Spotlight
Video Series
We're introducing our new "Chamber Business Spotlight" video series in an effort to 'meet' and connect our members in a new way, until it's safe to network in person again.
We want to shine a spotlight on our member businesses through these short videos to let others know more about who you are, what you do, and why you're passionate about your business and the Biddeford + Saco community.
In the premiere video of our series, Todd and Kim Regoulinsky, the publishers of Keep It Local Maine, share their passion for promoting local Maine businesses through their magazines and their newly launched podcast. Click HERE to view the video.
We are looking for more businesses to feature, it's a great way for people to learn more about who you are and what you do. No business is too big or too small. If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming video, contact Donna at the Chamber, donna@biddefordsacochamber.org.
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Monthly Member Spotlight:
Mill Studio Arts
BIDDEFORD - Wednesday’s are a hum of activity and creative energy at Mill Studio Arts in North Dam Mill with the student’s lively chatter filling the room as they learn, explore and create.
We recently visited with local artist and teacher Amy Goodness to learn more about her newest venture offering art lessons in her bright and welcoming studio... Read the full article HERE
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Six Things you can do to be a "Bad Host" to Covid-19
Dr. Ellie Rolnick of member Rolnick Chiropractic in Saco shares the advice she has been giving her chiropractic patients on how being a 'bad host' to virus germs is a good thing, and offers some tips to boost your immune system as another defense against Covid-19:
"A good ‘host’ does everything to make their friends and family comfortable when they are visiting. Since we don’t want the coronavirus hanging out for a visit, we encourage our patients to ‘Be a Bad Host’, and provide an environment where germs don’t want to hang out.
We know that wearing a mask, washing our hands and social distancing help to prevent getting or giving coronavirus. We are also learning that the majority of folks who develop severe cases of COVID-19 often have preventable complicating factors such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and more. Other issues such as chronic pain can also depress the immune system and make people more susceptible.
There are some simple measures people can take starting today to reduce these complicating factors, boost their immune response, and make their bodies an unwelcome environment for harmful viruses.
Eat well – eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, free-range animal protein (whenever possible), non-gluten grains, and healthy fats. Eliminate refined sugar, and reduce dairy and empty calories from refined starches.
Exercise – even short walks can help improve your overall health and reduce stress.
Minimize stress – meditating for just 10 minutes per day can put us in a better frame of mind, and reduce anxiety and harmful stress.
Get adequate rest – aim for 8 hours of sleep each night. Put down your phone and turn off all screens at least 30 minutes before bedtime, and go to sleep!
Drink plenty of water – Staying hydrated is important to your overall health. It's especially important to drink enough water during the dry winter months. General guidelines suggest aiming for 8 eight-ounce glasses a day.
Resolve pain issues - Chronic pain can depress the immune system, making you more susceptible to germs. Chiropractic treatment can help."
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Supporting Non-Profits this Holiday Season, such as the Biddeford Mills Museum
We have scores of Chamber members that are Non-Profits (including ourselves), and while this year has been challenging for every person, business and organizational sector in our community, it's been especially challenging for non-profits. Most non-profit organizations rely on live events or in-person activities to raise funds, most of which have not been able to happen this year, so no doubt many are experiencing financial difficulties.
One example is the Biddeford Mills Museum, which has not been able to host visitors or offer tours this year of the Mills due to the pandemic. One way to help them is to purchase a hand-crafted wooden cribbage board made from rustic Biddeford mills floor planks in partnership with Biddeford Center of Technology vocational students. They are available at Trillium and make a thoughtful holiday gift for anyone on your list.
If circumstances allow you to make donations at this time, our local non-profits would be greatly appreciative if you considered them!
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