It’s Official! Milky Way is 1000th Chamber Member
Winners Announced for Highmark/Chamber Golf Classic
Chamber Board Approves Comcast Member-Benefit Proposal
Emergency Preparedness to be Topic of Upcoming Program
Relay for Life Benefits from Wessel Gift
The Shoe Fly Stores to Host Thursday’s Business After Hours
Looking for Great Employees? Look Here!
GRYP Picnic Promises to be a Great (and Inexpensive) Time
Congratulations to Stacy Myers!
NEW MEMBER-2-MEMBER OFFERS

It’s Official! Milky Way is 1000th Chamber Member
The long wait is over. On May 17th, The Chamber’s Board of Directors approved new members to the organization and that approval included the 1,000th member. The Milky Way, a Claysburg soft-serve ice cream business owned by Dan and Donna Bon, was officially noted as the new member that propelled The Chamber into quadruple digits.“An exciting time,” was the way Membership Co-Chair Lori Glunt of M&T Bank described the milestone. “We knew after the last Board meeting that our membership stood at 999. So the next one in was the big one. It’s great to be part of such a historical event.” The Milky Way will be featured as the cover story in the next issue of the Blair Business Mirror, to be published June 12th. Other forms of recognition will also take place within the next few weeks.

Chamber Board Approves Comcast Member-Benefit Proposal
The Chamber’s Board of Directors has approved a proposal from Comcast that will mean that Chamber Members who buy cable television advertising will receive a number of additional 30-second spots that will co-brand the business with The Chamber at no additional cost. “The Chamber is always looking for ways to publicize what the organization does and also promotes our fine members,” explained Chamber President Beverly Green. “Comcast’s proposal, like the Blair Business Mirror and the Chamber Minute, allows us to heighten the awareness of local business and emphasizes why people should look to buy here. It’s really a win-win.” The specifics of the Comcast proposal will be marketed to Chamber Members within the next few weeks.

Emergency Preparedness to be Topic of Upcoming Program
The Chamber is partnering with Paradigm Solutions and the Altoona-Blair County Development Corporation to present, “Emergency Preparedness for Schools, Colleges & Universities,” a program featuring discussion on how best to protect students, schools and the communities they serve. The program will be held June 7th from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Devorris Center for Business Development. There is no cost to attend but space is limited. To register, call Paradigm Solutions International at 943-4007, Extension 306.

Relay for Life Benefits from Wessel Gift
As part of its corporate sponsorship of The Chamber’s May Breakfast Club, Wessel & Company of Johnstown conducted a drawing among event attendees with the winner to designate the $300 prize to the charity of their choice. Wessel’s Managing Partner Robert Eyer presented a check to Nancy McClelland of Hollidaysburg who then passed it on to the Relay For Life – American Cancer Society. “Wessel is pleased to be able to help a local charity and we congratulate Nancy on her very worthwhile choice,” Eyer pointed out. Wessel & Company have been an active member of The Chamber for several years.

The Shoe Fly Stores to Host Thursday’s Business After Hours
Thursday’s Chamber Business After Hours will be held at The Shoe Fly Stores, located in the Pleasant Valley Shopping Center in Altoona. Owner Byron Lasser has been a pillar of the local business community for many years and is an authority on all brands and styles of footwear, particularly as it pertains to difficult-to-find sizes. If Byron doesn’t know it, nobody in the industry does! To register for the Business After Hours, contact The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online at www.blairchamber.com.

Looking for Great Employees? Look Here!
The Chamber and the Center for Independent Living of South Central Pennsylvania will join forces on Thursday to present a program that will have significant value to all businesses that hire employees. Entitled, “ADA and IT: Americans with Disabilities Act,” this presentation will focus on the pitfalls many employers fall into when interviewing, hiring and working with employees with disabilities. It will highlight how employers can take advantage of tax credits and incentives for hiring workers with disabilities. Renee Sluzalis, coordinator of Pennsylvania’s regional ADA Resource Center, will present the 90-minute program that will begin at 1:30 p.m. at the Devorris Center for Business Development. There is no cost to attend but pre-registration is encouraged. Call The Chamber at 943-8151.

GRYP Picnic Promises to be a Great (and Inexpensive) Time
The Chamber’s Growth and Relationships of Young Professionals (GRYP) will collaborate with the Blair County Bar Association Young Lawyers Division on a first-ever Young Professionals Picnic, set for May 30th at Pavilion #1 at Canoe Creek State Park. The picnic will begin at 6:00 p.m. Dress is casual and spouses of young professionals are welcome as well. The cost is just $5.00-per-person. Contact The Chamber at 943-8151 to register.

Congratulations to Stacy Myers!
The Chamber’s Program Specialist, Stacy Myers, will be Stacy Hoover following her marriage next Saturday to Jeff Hoover of Cresson. Stacy has been employed at The Chamber for the past eleven years and has been instrumental in the growth of events and programs such as the Blair County Home & Garden Show, the Business Trade Show, Business after Hours and a variety of Farm-City activities. Stacy’s email address will now be shoover@blairchamber.com. We wish her the best!

NEW MEMBER-2-MEMBER OFFERS
Among the recent “Member-2-Member” offers that Chamber Members have submitted for other members of the organization to support and enjoy are:

To examine other Member-2-Member offers or to submit an offer from your business, visit The Chamber Web site at www.blairchamber.com.