8A | SATURDAY, APRIL 6, 2019 | SIUSLAW NEWS
BUSINESS BEAT
541-997-3128
290 Highway 101, Florence, OR 97439
www.FlorenceChamber.com
www.facebook.com/fl orenceoregon
www.twitter.com/FlorenceOrCoast
April 6, 2019
Welcome New Members!
PREMIER PARTNER
Providence Medicare Plans
1500 Valley River Dr. #200, Eugene
541-579-5901
Premiums starting at $0/month
in Clackamas, Multnomah and
Washington counties, King and
Snohomish counties, and Lane
County.
healthplans.providence.org/
medicare
BUSINESS PARTNERS
Adventure MotoStuff , LLC
4969 Hwy 101 #4 541-590-3679
Parts, Apparel and Accessories for
Street, Dirt and Sand Motorcycles,
ATVs and Side by Sides (UTVs).
Outfi tting motorsport adventures
since 2004. Now located in
Florence, Oregon just north of Fred
Meyer.
amotostuff .com
Pavilion Catering
715 Quince St. 541-590-9212
Pavilion Catering is now the
exclusive caterer for the Florence
Event Center which hosts many
events such as; Rotary Auction,
Boys and Girls Club Auction,
Soroptimist Bras 4 Cause, Various
Conferences, Peace Health Holiday
Dinner and Volunteer Lunches,
Private Events and Parties,
Weddings, and the Rotary Club’s
weekly lunches just to name a few.
2018-2019
Corporate
Underwriters
Drift wood Shores Resort
Th e Korando Dental Group
Th ree Rivers Casino Resort
TR Hunter Real Estate
Distinguished
Sponsors
101 Th ings to Do Magazine
Banner Bank
Bi-Mart
Best for Hearing
Burns’s Riverside Chapel
Blue Heron Gallery
Christina Voogd, Principal Broker
Coast Radio
Fred Meyer Stores
Handyman 101 Construction, LLC
John’s Construction and Painting
Lofy Construction
Oregon Pacifi c Bank
PeaceHealth
Peace Harbor Medical Center
Sea Lion Caves
Shorewood Senior Living
Spruce Point Assisted Living
Th e Siuslaw News
Wind Drift Gallery
Be sure to thank these members
for their investment in our
community!
From the Director’s
Desk
By Bettina Hannigan
Chamber Executive
Director
Too busy to be
grateful? I love the
saying “Attitude of
Gratitude” but real-
ly, how oft en do we
take a moment to be
deliberately grate-
ful? As Jack and I
traveled the train
home from Seattle’s National Main Street
Conference I had the pleasure of reading
a book recommended by other chamber
execs called “Th e Energy Bus”. It was an
excellent read at just the right time. Aft er
a long dark winter my energy was, shall
we say waning? As your chamber director
I see the same affl iction on many of our
hard working business owners, managers
Business Matters:
“I Will Survive” ReVision
Florence
By Russ Pierson
Chamber Board
President
“At fi rst I was
afraid, I was petri-
fi ed.”
And so begins
Gloria
Gaynor’s
monster 1978 disco hit, “I Will Survive,”
a tune that might well serve as our theme
song over the next few months as the Re-
Vision Florence project munches its way
through the Highway 101 downtown cor-
ridor and a bit of Highway 126, too. Aft er
all the planning, all the preparation—and
then more planning and more prepara-
tion aft er the initial bids came in above
budget—the project has begun in earnest,
and it is expected to be with us in one
and staff members. We try to refresh on
the run. “Well, I took a day off , I should be
better right?” We tend to put unreason-
able expectations on ourselves and those
we work with and then when they’re not
met our energy wanes even more.
How refreshing to reconnect with
gratitude and positive energy! Th e thing
I most appreciated was the literally in-
stantaneous rejuvenation and empower-
ment. How wonderful to wake up Mon-
day morning excited about what the week
holds! Gratitude is one of several instru-
mental actions that increase positive en-
ergy. I was sharing my thoughts on this
article to a chamber member this morn-
ing, she shared her recent experience ac-
tively journaling daily gratitude. Not only
is she and her team more hopeful, new
and exciting opportunities are present-
ing themselves where they weren’t before.
Coincidence? Maybe, but I don’t think so.
Th e Florence community has been
challenged recently with the opportuni-
ty to take sides against one another. I’m
reminded of the story I shared with you
all when I took this position. A very dear
friend of mine married a man that had
been married prior and had two diff erent
sets of children. She came into the fam-
ily as an outsider looking in. I asked her
what she did to bring everyone together
and she said she drew the circle bigger
with herself in it. Th at was many years ago
and her love and dedication has been the
foundation to that family to this day. Let’s
make the circle bigger in our community,
bringing all sides inside. Love, respect,
humility and kindness will build the
bridges we need to strengthen and grow
our future. I am grateful for all those who
serve and share their positive energy with
our city and our community.
Positive energy has a rich history in
both religious and non-religious applica-
tions. Th e ability to overcome negativity
and move forward requires positive en-
ergy and determination. Florence, we can
do hard things, it’s time to get on the bus!
form or another into October of this year.
Including Rhody Weekend. Ruh-roh!
Th is is a big project and it will un-
doubtedly cause us all a little grief some-
where along the way, but with the right
mindset, a willingness to be fl exible, and
a couple of mission-critical tools, I be-
lieve we can—not just survive—but thrive
through this season.
As for mindset, it is important we
remain positive and take the long view.
Some of us will have our businesses dis-
rupted directly. ODOT will be right out-
side our doors making noise, creating
dust, and perhaps making it tough for
our customers to access our business for
a few days. If we communicate with our
customers, work to ensure there’s good
signage showing alternate routes and de-
velop constructive working relationships
with the contractors, then “this too shall
pass.” As a bonus, the businesses im-
pacted the most during construction will
also benefi t the most from the remarkable
transformation this project will bring to
our community.
Th e City has done a remarkable job
preparing for this project. Th eir Con-
struction Survival Guide, available at City
Hall or online (from the City’s website or
directly here: https://russp.me/revision)
is a treasure of tips and ideas that includes
real-world contact info when you have a
question—and a clear project timeline so
you can understand what is happening
when, along with photo-realistic render-
ings of what it will all look like when it’s
over.
Your membership in the Florence
Area Chamber of Commerce means you
have a mighty partner in spreading the
word about your business and ways you’re
reaching out to your customers. And you
automatically fi nd yourself in a network
of like-minded business owners, both in-
vested and investing in our region’s busi-
ness community.
WE will survive … together.
April 11 th at
11:45AM Join
the Florence
Area Chamber
of commerce
Lunch & Learn
Noon Forum
“Cyber Security – Get Secure” interactive
panel discussion. Cyber Security is a HOT
topic and aff ects every business. Merchant
Services, Online Transactions, Information
Storage, Ransomware, Identity Th eft are just
a few areas of attack. Cyber Security protects
systems, networks, and programs from digital
attacks. Th ese cyberattacks are usually aimed
at accessing, changing, or destroying sensitive
information; extorting money from users;
or interrupting normal business processes.
Forewarned is forearmed!
Come out to this month’s Lunch & Learn
and get armed! Delicious lunch is available for
$14. April 11th at 11:45am at the Best Western
Pier Point Inn just south of the Siuslaw Bridge.
Th is event is open to the public. Strong
business builds strong community!
April 18, 2019 @ 5:00 PM - 7:00PM, Bob Garcia
Insurance Agency Hosts Business aft er Hours. Eat,
Drink. Repeat. Drink, Eat. Repeat. Celebrate spring.
Come join the Bob Garcia Allstate Insurance Agency
as we celebrate our fi rst year of business in Florence.
Free Disaster Preparedness Kit (while supplies last)
for all. Free Raffl es! (Must be present to win) More
free stuff giveaways. We make insurance fun!!
May 2 nd – Siuslaw Watershed Hosts Business Aft er Hours – Details to follow.
May 23 rd , 5:00-6:30PM, Friends if the FEC host Business Aft er Hours! Th e Friends
of the Florence Events Center is thrilled to be hosting Business Aft er Hours. Come
join us and enjoy great food, friends, and fun. We’ll have live entertainment and
even a raffl e or two, but you have to be there to win the great prizes. Learn how the
Friends support visual and creative arts, music, dance, and theater in Florence. See
what we’re all about!
Business gets done at Business Aft er Hours! Th ese events are FREE and open to
the public.
Connect – Develop – Grow
Event Committee Meetings – Come join the fun!
Want to grow your business? Business by referral is powerful. Participating on a
Chamber Committee is an eff ective way to build relationships and referrals. Contact
us for upcoming meetings and times at 541-997-3128.
