Ribbon Cutting at Foundation Counseling Group

   The Chamber, Ambassadors, and guests celebrated the grand opening of Foundation Counseling Group with a ribbon cutting last week.

    President of Foundation Counseling Group, Jesse Batey, welcomed the program by thanking the many supporters of their new venture and Vice President, Lou Santiago Jr., joined to help cut the ceremonial ribbon, pictured.

   To learn more about their services, visit foundationcounselinggroup.org

Welcome, Inspired Living at Ivy Ridge!

  Chantal Van Watermuelen, of Inspired Living at Ivy Ridge, was presented with her official Chamber plaque by Chamber Ambassador, Carolyn Jones, of Cruise Planners.

    Inspired Living at Ivy Ridge is a community designed to care for the needs of Moms and Dads living in the surrounding St Petersburg and Clearwater areas with memory-related issues. Through their Inspired Journeys Memory Care program, each resident is individually evaluated, and a personalized care and wellness plan is designed to best meet their physical, mental, and emotional needs.

    To learn more, visit them online at InspiredLiving.care

Our sincere thanks to the following businesses who joined the Chamber during the past seven weeks. To see theirs and YOUR Chamber Directory listing, please visit www.CentralChamber.biz

Staples #229

OFFICE-EQUIPMENT - SALES/SERVICE/SUPPLIES

Ken Hayes

13013 Seminole Blvd., Largo, FL 33778

727-559-0000

gm0229@staples.com

www.staples.com

Lithium Battery Power

LITHIUM BATTERIES

Michaela Gonzalez

1001 N Hercules Ave, Clearwater, FL 33765

727-223-9831

michaela@LithiumBatterypower.com

www.LithiumBatteryPower.com

Blue Brick Title and Escrow

TITLE AGENCY

Sherrie Towle

611 Druid Road E. #404, Clearwater, FL 33756

727-441-8880

Sherrie@BlueBrickTitle.com

www.BlueBrickTitle.com

Foundation Counseling Group

COUNSELING/LIFE COACHING

Jesse Batey

13220 Belcher Road S. Suite 4, Largo, FL 33773

727-210-5570

info@foundationcounselinggroup.org

foundationcounselinggroup.org

Blue Sky Roofing

ROOFING

Ramon Guitard

801 West Bay Drive Suite 100, Largo, FL 33770

727-382-3277

ramon@blueskyroofing.com

blueskyroofing.com

Evara Health

HEALTH CARE

Melissa Anderson

14100 58th Street N, Clearwater, FL 33760

727-824-8181

EvaraHealthFoundation@HCNetwork.org

www.EvaraHealth.org

Saluting Chamber Loyalty!

Our sincere thanks to the following businesses who renewed during the past five weeks. Their continued loyalty is inspiring! To learn more about them, please visit www.CentralChamber.biz

Cloud Law Firm, PA, Gold Trustee &7-Year Member

Enclave on East, 5-Year Member

GilDewey's, LLC, 8-Year Member

Grow Financial Federal Credit Union, 10-Year Member

Infinium Medical, Inc., 17-Year Legacy Member

Knapheide Truck Equipment Center, First Renewal

Mangsen Law PLLC, 6-Year Member

Mod Wash, First Renewal

National Aviation Academy. Gold Trustee & 11-Year Member

Phillies Florida LLC/Clearwater Threshers, 27-Year Legacy Member

Serenity Funeral Home and Serenity Memorial Gardens, 54-Year Legacy Member

Sheraton Sand Key Resort, 42-Year Legacy Member

SPCA Tampa Bay, 21-Year Legacy Member

Spectrum Reach, 6-Year Member

The Haus Coffee Shop, Inc., 10-Year Member

Valley Bank, Silver Trustee & 9-Year Member

(Legacy Member = 15 years or more)

Welcome, Addicted to the Bean!

   Victoria Hull, barista at Addicted to the Bean, was presented their official Chamber plaque by Chamber Ambassador, Glen Schultz of Signature Voices.

    Addicted to the Bean prides themselves on providing organic, fair-trade tea and the best coffee by working locally to source the freshest, highest-quality offerings. Whether you’re stopping in for coffee, lunch, or an afternoon snack, their little coffee shop has you covered!

    Learn more about their offerings at BayWayBean.com.

Ambassador of the Month

   For her volunteerism to the Chamber, Stacy Gillis of Advanced Video Systems, was recognized by our Ambassadors Team as Ambassador of the Month for the fifth time in a row at the group’s meeting last week. 

    If you would like to volunteer with us as a member of the Ambassadors Team, reach out to Emmy at membership@centralchamber.biz. The group meets monthly on the first Wednesday at 8:15 AM.

Early Bird Rate now open...

La Niña could develop this year, possibly bringing a busy hurricane season

This winter has been dominated by El Niño, which tends to aim moist Pacific air toward Florida. NOAA says there’s a strong chance that a La Niña will form during hurricane season, which could enhance tropical storm formation in the Atlantic.

Florida tax holidays won't match 2023's, but businesses might get another break

With business groups long saying the tax should be scrapped, state lawmakers could look at further reducing a tax on commercial leases.

Florida could remove the majority of mentions of climate change from state law

A bill advancing through the Florida Legislature with the backing of the House speaker would delete the majority of references to climate change in state law.

Florida cruise ships are filling up fast for spring and summer vacations

AAA says a majority of spring and summer cruise vacations are booked during the first three months of the year. Officials said the record-setting bookings from the end of 2023 have carried over to this year.

U.S. military hopes one day to move supplies, maybe troops, on SpaceX’s Starship

While NASA is rooting for SpaceX to achieve Starship success so it can land humans on the moon, the U.S. military has plans of their own for the massive rocket that could include launches from Florida’s Space Coast.

Bay Care/Morton Plant Hospital

Business & Family Insurors

Check Before Hire

Cloud Law Firm PA

Duke Energy

Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital

HCA Florida Largo Hospital

Home Instead/Be a Santa

Jackson & Associates CPA

Melody Hunter Homes

National Aviation Academy

Pinellas Technical College

Piper Fire Protection

Platinum Information Services

Regions Bank

State Farm - Team Cocco

The Palms of Largo

Valley National Bank

Village Inn

Visit St. Pete/Clearwater

Wealth Builders