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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
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OTHER IMPORTANT DATES & EVENTS
May
Chamber Board of Directors election—get
involved!
May 6: Rhododendron Court Showcase
May 15-17: 108th Rhododendron Festival
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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.