8 A SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015 Florence Area Business Beat A service of the Florence Area Chamber of Commerce May 6, 2015 UPDATE Welcome New Members! Call or visit these new Chamber members and tell them you’re glad they joined! www.florencechamber.com 541-997-3128 Underwriters 2014-2015 Three Rivers Casino & Resort Distinguished Sponsors 101 Things to Do Banner Bank Bi-Mart Burns’s Riverside Chapel Driftwood Shores Resort Florence Heating & Sheet Metal Fred Meyer Stores KCST/Coast Radio Oregon Pacific Bank PeaceHealth Peace Harbor Medical Center Sea Lion Caves Shippin’ Shack/Siuslaw Signs & Graphics Spruce Point Assisted Living TR Hunter Real Estate The Siuslaw News Be sure to thank these members for their investment in our community! Coming Events For even more information on other exciting local events, visit www.FlorenceChamber.com/Calendar. Noon Forum: Chamber members and the public are invited to the Chamber’s Noon Forums on the third Th ursday of each month at the World Market Buff et at Th ree Rivers Casino. Lunch is $11.75. Come enjoy food, friends, and fun! Meet area business leaders and fi nd out what’s going on in the Florence business community! May 21: Andy Marohl from Siuslaw Middle School presents his students’ Lego Robotics class. Business Aft er Hours: Chamber members and the public are invited to Business Aft er Hours, an opportunity to network at a local business, exchange business leads and tips, and learn about the business that is hosting. Th ese fun networking events are generally held on the fi rst and third Th ursday of the month: May 7 Siuslaw Public Library May 21 Florence Regional Arts Alliance June 4 Laurel Bay Gardens June 18 Banner Bank ODENDRON F OD ES H R TI h t L VA 10 8 OTHER IMPORTANT DATES & EVENTS May Chamber Board of Directors election—get involved! May 6: Rhododendron Court Showcase May 15-17: 108th Rhododendron Festival LET’S CE 7, RE N 20 O FL 15 Rock ‘n Rhody , O 15 R E G O • M AY N -1 July 4: Fireworks Display in Old Town, Wings & Wheels Fly-in/Car Show at Florence Airport September 11-13: Rods ‘n’ Rhodies Invitational Car Show 12, 13: City Wide Garage Sale—FEC and everywhere October 3 Oktoberfest—FEC 11 Chowder Festival—Historic Old Town November 11 Veterans’ Day Parade December Florence Holiday Festival Wind Swept Gallery – 85337 Hwy 101, Florence, OR 97439. 541-361-0122. Unique sculptures made by chainsaw and featuring the works of Sculptures in Motion by Ryan Anderson. Custom orders welcome. Th ey can even turn that ugly stump in your yard into a piece of art. Y Marina of Florence – 14390 Hwy 101, 902- 3513. www.ymarinaboats.com. Y-Marina of Florence off ers many diff erent brands of new and pre-owned boats including Hewescraft , North River, SmokerCraft , Duckworth, and many more. Siuslaw Tale Spinners Toastmasters Club – meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the Siuslaw Fire/Rescue Station, 2625 Highway 101 North, Florence, Oregon 97439. 541-999-5357. Provides a supportive and positive environment to develop communication and leadership skills. If you’d like to know more about the Florence Area Chamber of Commerce and what it can do for you, call 541-997-3128 or e-mail Cal Applebee at Cal@ FlorenceChamber.com Meet Our Distinguished Sponsors Burns’s Riverside Chapel Burns’s Florence Riverside Chapel has been a part of the Florence business community even before it came under the management of Alan and Karen Burns in 1987. Th e Burns’ purchased the funeral home and crematory in 1992 and soon aft er became the Chamber’s fi rst Distinguished Sponsor. Th ey have been in their current location at 27th and Kingwood since January 2006. Th ey have always been active supporters of our community and the Chamber. With a staff of four, they provide a full range of funeral and burial services, including the only pet crematory on the Oregon Coast. In addition, they own Pacifi c Sunset Cemetery with a section devoted to Veterans, as well as provide support for families with VA funeral services. Th e Chamber is honored to have them as a Distinguished Sponsor. Bi-Mart As one of the fi rst membership discount stores, Bi-Mart began serving membership families in the Northwest in 1955, starting in Yakima Washington. Bi-Mart opened the fi rst Oregon store in Eugene in 1962, and opened the Florence store in 1990. Th ey currently employ 35 Florence-area residents. Bi-Mart is employee owned and operated by people who live in, and are closely involved with, the community they serve. Th ey proudly support local charitable organizations, educational programs and sporting events, and the Chamber is proud to have them as a Distinguished Sponsor. Florence Heating and Sheet Metal Originating down on Bay Street under the bridge, Florence Heating & Sheet Metal evolved from Florence Welding with a move to its current location on Kingwood Street in 1991 as one of only two businesses on that street at the time. Steve and Krystal Wolford purchased the business in 2000, and currently have four employees. Florence Heating & Sheet Metal install heat pumps, furnaces, and ductless heat pumps, and is an independent Trane dealer. Th ey service all brands, and do architectural fl ashings and custom sheet metal work. As residents of the Mapleton area, Steve and Krystal actively support the Mapleton Booster Club as well as Boys & Girls Club of Western Lane County and your Florence Area Chamber of Commerce. Th e Chamber is proud to have Florence Heating & Sheet Metal continue their outstanding support as one of our Distinguished Sponsors for 2014-2015! Get the Chamber’s Membership Advantages • Networking • Business Tips • Cooperative Promotions • Preferred Trade Status Local Royalty Dines With Business Leaders Chamber members were introduced to the 2015 Rhododendron Court on Thursday, April 16, during the Chamber’s monthly Noon Forum luncheon at Three Rivers Casino and Resort. these outstanding youth are representing our community and vying for the title of Queen Rhododendra and King of the Coast! Tickets are on sale for tonight’s Rhododendron Scholarship Showcase at 6:30 p.m. at the Florence Events Center. Tickets can be purchased at the Florence Chamber of Commerce, The Siuslaw News, Banner Bank, Mon Ami Deli and Antiques, or from any member of the Rhododendron Senior Court. Photo: Siuslaw News Free “After Hours” Events Open To All “It’s our 100th anniversary and we’re having a party,” says Meg Spencer of the Siuslaw Public Library. “Th e library has served Florence since May 7, 1915.” Th e library is hosting the fi rst of two Business Aft er Hours events in May. Th e events are free and open to the public. Spencer invites everyone to stop by to check out the library and have a photo taken with the giant library card. Th ere will be appetizers, beverages, live music, door prizes, a scavenger hunt, and other fun. Th e event is a Florence Area Chamber of Commerce “aft er-hours” so that means everyone, not just Chamber members, is welcome. Th e event is tomorrow, May 7, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Florence Library, 1460 9th St. Th en, on May 21, the Chamber hosts another Business Aft er Hours from 5:30-7:00 p.m. at the Florence Regional Arts Alliance (FRAA). “We are planning to off er a barbeque meal with side dishes and beverages, and expect to hold this outside next to the Art Center,” says FRAA member Harlen Springer, adding that they have a fallback plan in the event of unfavorable weather. “We want to encourage all participants to enjoy the art in the center, see how and where we conduct classes and workshops, and learn about our ‘artist in residence’ program,” says Springer. “If you want to know when the real business gets done in Florence, it’s aft er 5:00 p.m., usually on the fi rst and third Th ursdays,” says Chamber director Cal Applebee in jest. “It’s a great time for the public and business people to meet, network, share business tips, get updates on the latest local business news, and visit with colleagues who can boost your business and whose business you can boost.” Business Aft er Hours events are free and open to the public. Th ey are sponsored by a diff erent Chamber member each time, and each event has a casual, open-house feel. Th e Chamber does not charge members a fee to host or promote the event. Why I Am A Chamber Member By Scott Steward, Owner, Creative Wave Marketing Solutions Networking and civic pride! Shortly aft er joining the Chamber I participated in a Noon Forum presentation on public relations and marketing. Aft erward, a member asked me if I could help his company with its marketing. At a Business Aft er Hours a few weeks later, I chatted with another member about her advertising. Suddenly I had two excellent new clients who have endorsed me to other potential clients. I believe in the Chamber’s work to strengthen local businesses and bring more business to the area. Contributing to those eff orts has been rewarding. To not participate would be to shirk my civic duty to “be part of the solution” to grow a healthy business climate that will benefi t all of us. Tell everyone why you support your chamber. Email Cal Applebee at cal@fl orencechamber.com. You Never Know Who You’ll Meet By Cal Applebee, Executive Director, Florence Area Chamber of Commerce If you like meeting interesting people, have a good knowledge of the Florence area, and enjoy helping visitors fi nd all the fun things to do and see in our area, you might just be a great candidate for the always fun and exciting opportunity to volunteer in the Florence Area Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center! At the Visitor Center we receive as many as 5,000 phone calls and more than 11,000 visitors annually from all over the globe. We mail out thousands of pieces of information about our community and get to meet and greet local and visiting business leaders. Th e questions and requests for information range from maps to trails to lodging to adventure and more. Visitors arrive as singles, couples, families, and tour groups, all seeking information and experiences in the Florence area. It’s a rewarding job full of variety that will give you a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment when you watch visitors leave with a smile on their face! Our good-hearted group of dedicated volunteers includes our Ambassadors, and typically work four hour shift s one or two days each week between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on weekdays. On weekends, and through most of the year, the Visitor Center is open fewer hours. Th e business leaders who are Chamber members, and our many daily visitors, are always grateful for our volunteers for their time, talent, and helpful information – we couldn’t successfully host thousands of visitors without them! We have several opportunities for volunteer service at the Visitor Center, and we invite you to come learn more. If you are seeking an experience that’s fun, challenging, and rewarding, please call Cal Applebee at 541- 997-3128 or email cal@fl orencechamber.com NEW! Florence First Friday Come enjoy live music, dinner, shopping, art, and more from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on the fi rst Friday of the month in Historic Old Town and the Antique District! Join the Florence Area Chamber of Commerce! • www.florencechamber.com • 541-997-3128 Have some good business advice? An event to promote? A story about your Chamber membership? To get an article or notice published in Business Beat, e-mail Cal@FlorenceChamber.com by the third Friday of the month. Publisher: Cal Applebee, Executive Director. Editor: Scott Steward, Creative Wave Marketing Solutions.