Official Newsletter of the Eatonton-Putnam Chamber of Commerce
THE CHAMBER CORNER
Volume 12, Issue 8
August 2012
Customer Service to be topic at Lunch-N-Learn. The stakes have never been higher. Now more than ever, outstanding customer service is essential. In the past an unhappy customer may have told twenty friends about their unsatisfactory experience. Through the internet, social media and other electronic tools, dissatisfied customers have unlimited reach to spread negative news about you, your company and how it treats customers. But there is good news. Join the Chamber on Aug. 15 for our Lunch-N-Learn titled “Success Through Serving Your Customer: How you can get everything you want by giving others what they need.” Glen Gould, a business owner, Chamber executive, author and speaker will teach us the vital role you play in the lives of the customers you serve. Please see the enclosed insert for more information.
Congratulations to Eatonton’s own Vincent Hancock for winning his second Olympic gold medal in the men’s skeet competition! The Chamber is excited to announce that we have the pleasure of coordinating a second homecoming celebration like we did in 2008! We will keep you posted on the details once we know when Vincent will be visiting his hometown! If you are interested in volunteering, please call (706) 485-7701. Stay up to date by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter! facebook.com/epchamber twitter.com/eatontonchamber
Lucky 13t h Taste of Eatonton is October 1!
Indulge in bites of new surprises and signature dishes while celebrating with friends the culinary expertise of the area at the Taste of Eatonton. Save the date to enjoy old favorite restaurants and discover new dining joys at 6 p.m., Monday, Oct. 1 on the lawn of The Plaza Arts Center in historic downtown Eatonton. The Taste of Eatonton is celebrating its 13th year of satisfying the community with exquisite culinary achievements from the area’s top and most beloved restaurants. The Taste of Eatonton features booths from more than 25 different restaurants and caterers from Eatonton-Putnam County, Milledgeville, Greensboro, Madison and Monticello. The very best of the best gather on the lawn to impress attendees with their skills to create delectable dishes and showcase the community’s most beloved treats. Restaurants are currently signing up! Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 the day of the Taste, so be sure to get yours early! Tickets for children ages five to 12 are available for $10, and little mouths four and under eat for free. The entire family can enjoy a quality meal and potentially find a new favorite dining option or two. Tickets go on sale Sept. 4 and can be purchased at Farmers & Merchants Bank Eatonton and Lake Oconee branches; Exchange Bank; BB&T; SunTrust Bank; Pinnacle Credit Union; The Peoples Bank Eatonton, Lake Oconee and Lake Sinclair branches; and Eatonton-Putnam Chamber of Commerce. A silent auction filled with fabulous local deals is one of the highlights of the Taste and the event is the Eatonton-Putnam Chamber of Commerce’s largest fundraiser of the year. Silent auction items range from artwork to dinner deals to spa treatments and vacations. Enjoy an event as treasured as Br’er Rabbit and support one of the best and most long-standing traditions in Eatonton. Clear your schedules and mark your calendar. See you at The Taste! Visit www. TasteofEatonton.com for the latest in vendors participating and more information. Taste of Eatonton Sponsors: (Platinum) WMGZ/Z-97, Smith Communications, Farmers & Merchants Bank, Union-Recorder & Lake Oconee Breeze, Putnam General Hospital, Cuscowilla on Lake Oconee, The Peoples Bank, Putnam County Charter School System and Dock 103.9, and (Gold) Georgia Power Company.
RSVP For Events! Thursday, Aug. 9: Business After Hours hosted by Farmers & Merchants Bank Lake Oconee Branch and sponsored by Putnam General Hospital, 5 to 7 p.m. Enjoy networking, refreshments and a 50/50 cash raffle. The event will be held at 1011 Lake Oconee Parkway, Eatonton, Ga. 31024 (within The Village at Harmony Crossing).
Wednesday, Aug. 15: Lunch-N-Learn: “Success Through Serving Your Customer, How you can get everything you want by giving others what they need,” 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at The Plaza Arts Center. $20, includes lunch. The Lunch-N-Learn series is sponsored by Putnam General Hospital, The Peoples Bank, Putnam County Charter School System, Central Georgia Technical College, Cuscowilla on Lake Oconee, Smith Communications and Farmers & Merchants Bank. The Plaza Arts Center is located at 305 N. Madison Ave., Eatonton, Ga. 31024.
Tuesday, Aug. 28: Coffee Connections, 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at The Plaza Arts Center. Connect over coffee with a representative of the Chamber board and staff along with fellow members. Coffee Connections is sponsored by Farmers & Merchants Bank, Central Georgia Technical College, Putnam General Hospital, The Peoples Bank, Putnam County Charter School System, Cuscowilla on Lake Oconee and Smith Communications. The Plaza Arts Center is located at 305 N. Madison Ave., Eatonton, Ga. 31024.
Wednesday, Sept. 19: Networking @ Noon sponsored by Allgood Pest Solutions, 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Plaza Arts Center. $10, includes lunch. Agenda includes lunch, Chamber updates, sponsor presentation, table introductions, commercials and general networking. The Plaza Arts Center is located at 305 N. Madison Ave., Eatonton, Ga. 31024.
Welcome!
New Chamber Members! Bone Island Grill, Kara Fuller
(706) 991-1999 | www.boneislandgrill.us 920 Lake Oconee Parkway, Eatonton, Ga. 31024 Casual lakeside restaurant, wide range menu (steak, seafood and pasta) and catering
Déjà Vu Consignment Boutique, Tammy Walker
(706) 473-3920 100 W. Marion St., Eatonton, Ga. 31024 Consignment boutique, men and women’s clothing, jewelry, home accessories, furniture, shoes, handbags and gift items
H. Terry Lyle
(706) 923-0119 385 E. River Bend Drive, Eatonton, Ga. 31024 Individual member
Madison Studios, Chris Cook
(706) 342-7434 | www.madisonstudios.com 150 West Jefferson St., Suite A., Madison, Ga. 30650 Website design and marketing
The Mosquito Authority, Terry Emlet (706) 816-1132 | bugsbite.com 134 Napier Drive, Eatonton, Ga. 31024 Mosquito pest control for yard
Michael’s Window Treatments Correction! Please note the correct phone number is (706) 923-2929. www.michaelswt.com
For more information or to RSVP, call (706) 485-7701, email becky@eatonton.
On Wednesday, July 18, Lake Oconee Urgent & Specialty Care Center sponsored Networking @ Noon at The Lodge on Lake Oconee. Members enjoyed networking, lunch catered by That Pizza Place and a sponsor presentation from Dr. Eddie Richardson. August 2012 / Page 2
On Tuesday, July 31, Coffee Connections was held at Spillin the Beans. Members enjoyed getting to know each other and connecting with Chamber Board Member Dr. Rita Daniel, Eatonton Chiropractic Center, and Membership Manager Becky Needham.
The Barn at Crooked Pines Farm
The Mosquito Authority
On Tuesday, July 10, The Barn at Crooked Pines Farm held a ribbon cutting ceremony. Owned by Angela and Duncan Criscoe, the rustic but elegant 4000+ sq ft. barn was built for special events like weddings, family reunions, birthday parties, corporate events, holiday gatherings and other events big and small in nature. Crooked Pines Farm was established in the fall of 2010 and has become known for its old fashioned Christmas tree lot, Pumpkin Festival and summer camps. Crooked Pines Farm has operated seasonally, however with the addition of The Barn will become a year round business. Anyone interested in renting The Barn at Crooked Pines Farm can contact Duncan Criscoe at (706) 347-0274 or find more information at www.crookedpinesfarm.com. Crooked Pines Farm is located at 355 Harmony Road, Eatonton, Ga. 31024.
On Monday, July 16,The Mosquito Authority held a ribbon cutting ceremony. Owned by Terry Emlet, The Mosquito Authority offers mosquito control for residential houses or businesses, as well as for special events such as weddings, family reunions and more. The Mosquito Authority has a “No Mosquito Guarantee” and provides service without a contract. Through the Barrier Spray Program, the company utilizes an EPA-registered solution that trained applicators apply to trees, shrubs and foliage surrounding outdoor living areas. The program effectively kills all of the mosquitoes that are present at the time of application and serves as an invisible barrier keeping other mosquitoes away for up to three weeks. The Mosquito Authority is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, call (706) 816-1132 or visit www.bugsbite.com.
PostNet
Bone Island Grill
On Friday, July 20, PostNet held a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the new ownership, store remodel and motto. PostNet offers copying, faxing, printing, digital services, wide format printing, personal mailboxes, notary, custom size boxes and shipping with FedEx, UPS, DHL and USPS. PostNet recently underwent a major remodeling after Steve Davis purchased the store on March 5. With the new ownership and new look comes a new motto too, “PostNet is your local, friendly, neighborhood business center.” Customers may stop in, email or call for any of the services. PostNet is proud to offer new customer friendly hours, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (closed on Sunday). PostNet is located at 6350 Lake Oconee Parkway, Suite 102, Greensboro, Ga. 30642. For more information, call (706) 453-4901 or visit www.postnet.com.
On Tuesday, July 24, The Bone Island Grill held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the grand opening. The Bone Island Grill is a casual lakeside restaurant serving dinner. The menu consists of appetizers, entrée salads, pastas, seafood and steaks. The restaurant is open Tuesday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., with the bar open until 10 p.m., and Friday through Saturday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., with the bar open until 11 p.m. While customers wait on their table, they may enjoy a game of corn hole while being taken care of by a cocktail server. Catering is also available as well as a banquet room that can accommodate 45 to 50 people. There are two new docks with 19 slips available to those coming by boat. The Bone Island Grill is located at 920 Lake Oconee Parkway, Eatonton, Ga. For more information, call (706) 991-1999 or visit www.boneislandgrill.us. August 2012 / Page 3
After Hours
BUSINESS Sponsored by:
PGH
PUTNAM GENERAL HOSPITAL
Thursday, Aug. 9, From 5 to 7 p.m. Come enjoy food, drink and the opportunity to network! Remember, this is your chance to meet other contacts in the business community. Be sure to bring plenty of business cards! Look forward to: Networking Activities 50/50 Cash Raffle People do business with those that they know, like and trust! Business After Hours creates relationships that will last a lifetime!
Please RSVP to: Becky@eatonton.com or (706) 485-7701
BUSINESS AFTER HOURS will be held at Farmers & Merchants Bank Lake Oconee Branch The Village at Harmony Crossing 1011 Lake Oconee Parkway Eatonton, Ga. 31024
Lunch-N-Learn: Customer Service Wednesday, August 15 $20 for Chamber Members, Includes Lunch Lunch Served at 11:45 a.m. | Program: Noon to 1:30 p.m. Located at The Plaza Arts Center 305 N. Madison Ave., Eatonton, Ga. 31024 Please RSVP: (706) 485-7701 | Becky@eatonton.com
Success Through Serving
Your Customer
How you can get everything you want by giving others what they need: The stakes have never been higher. Now more than ever, outstanding customer service is essential. In the past an unhappy customer may have told twenty friends about their unsatisfactory experience. Through the internet, social media and other electronic tools, dissatisfied customers have unlimited reach to spread negative news about you, your company and how it treats customers. But there is good news. Using the techniques you’ll learn in this program and understanding the vital role you play in the lives of the customers you serve, you can leverage customer experience to achieve greater success for you and your company. You really can get everything you want by giving others what they need!
About the Speaker: Glen Gould Having owned, operated and sold twelve companies, Glen Gould has first hand knowledge of what it takes to achieve success and what it takes to make it through failure. Glen is a business growth and relationship thought leader. He has built four multi-million dollar enterprises from start-up. Glen is a contributor to numerous print and on-line publications and has co-authored three books; Meet Me At Starbucks, 101 Networking Nuggets and Is Your NetworkingWorking? Glen has worked with Fortune 500 corporations including Allstate,Walmart, Target, Kroger, Kmart, Albertsons and Publix as well as thousands of small and mid-sized firms. He understands business and helps to inspire positive change in people and organizations. Glen was President of the Punta Gorda (FL) Chamber during post-hurricane Charley clean-up and revitalization and understands what it takes to get people moving for a common purpose. He has served as Director of Small Business at the Metro Atlanta Chamber and currently serves asVice President at the Newnan-Coweta Chamber (GA) and Board Chair of the Atlanta Micro Fund, a Small Business Administration Loan Intermediary. He is married to his high school sweetheart Tammy and they have two sons, Grant and Carson. They reside in Atlanta, GA. Inspiring positive change through engaging presentations, built from a lifetime of experience.
Lunch-N-Learn series is Sponsored by: Cuscowilla on Lake Oconee, Putnam County Charter School System, The Peoples Bank, Smith Communications, Central Georgia Technical College, Putnam General Hospital and Farmers & Merchants Bank.
Member Events & News Member -2- Member Events________________ Aug. 9: Steffen Thomas Museum of Art Annual Meeting of the Membership, 5:30 to 7 p.m. This event is open to anybody interested in the museum, wants to know what all STMA does, and/or wants to get involved. The evening will be wrapped up with a reception which will include refreshments, tour of Richard Olsen’s fabulous show Vietnam Revisited III: Another Focus along with the Museum Shop in all its summer finery. Please feel free to come and learn more about the museum, shop and enjoy the art. For more information about STMA, visit www. steffenthomas.org or call (706) 342-7557. Aug. 14: Central Georgia Technical College presents “Getting Managers to Embrace Training,” an evening of learning with Richard Fletcher, Director, Learning & Organizational Development for Zaxby’s Franchising, 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. In this session, you will learn how Zaxby’s Licensee Managed Training Program increased compliance by 300 percent, saved thousands of dollars and produced better training and better managers. Registration is $10. The session will be held at the Macon Campus and refreshments will be served. To register please go to this website: http://www.astdatlanta.org/events. Aug. 18: Rock Eagle 4-H Center presents Saturday at the Rock, Watershed Sampling from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Rock Eagle 4-H Center. Saturday at the Rock is geared for all ages and is $5 for participants five years old and up and free to anyone four and younger. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Registration is needed prior to arrival. Call Matt Hammons at (706) 484-2862 or e-mail mhammons@uga.edu to register. For more information, visit http://www.rockeagle4h.org/ee/community/SaturdayattheRock.html. Aug. 18: The Plaza Arts Center presents Meet Me at The Plaza Outdoor Summer Concert Series: Grapevine. 7:30 p.m. on the lawn of The Plaza Arts Center. Bring lawn chairs and picnic baskets, fun for the whole family! Tickets available at the gate, both branches of Farmers and Merchants Bank or online at www.ThePlazaArtsCenter.com. August 2012 Insert
Aug. 30: Infinity Network Solutions presents Happy Hour with Happy Clients at Bonefish Grill, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Summer is coming to a close and we’re beginning the homestretch of 2012. Take a moment to join the Infinity team for a relaxing, happy hour. Drinks are on us! Visit www.techtartare.com. Aug. 30: The Steffen Thomas Museum presents the opening reception for “The Abandoned Rural America 2: The American Small Family Farm in Transition” exhibit at 6 p.m. The exhibit reflects how four Georgia artists with distinctly different styles respond to the changing face of our rural landscape. Artists Peter Muzyka, Lisa Wheeler, Don Jolley, Charles St. John Dyer tell the story of this inexorable trend. The reception is free and open to the public. The accompanying video presentation will commence at 7 p.m. For more information, visit www.steffenthomas.org or call (706) 342-7557. Sept. 7: The Village at Harmony Crossing presents First Friday. There will be live entertainment, kid’s events on the lawn and merchants will be open late offering specials and discounts to shoppers. For more information, call (706) 923-0190 or visit www.vharmonycrossing.com. Sept. 8: The Plaza Arts Center presents The Hit Men Live, 7:30 p.m. Experience the greatest hits of the 60s, 70s and 80s the way you first heard them, from the guys who made and played them all. Such well-known hits include ‘Oh, What A Night,’ ‘Who Loves You,’ ‘Mr. Dieingly Sad’ and ‘Younger Girl’, as well as popular songs and more solid gold hits they helped make famous, ‘Walk Like a Man,’ ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry,’ ‘Hanky Panky’ and ‘Mony Mony.’ For more information, call (706) 923-1655 or visit www.theplazaartscenter.com. Sept. 15: Rock Eagle 4-H Center presents Saturday at the Rock, Birds of Prey from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Rock Eagle 4-H Center. Saturday at the Rock is geared for all ages and is $5 for participants five years old and up and free to anyone four and younger. All children must be Continued on back...
Member Events & News
...Member Events continued from front.
accompanied by an adult. Registration is needed prior to arrival. Call Matt Hammons at (706) 484-2862 or e-mail mhammons@uga.edu to register. For more information, visit http://www.rockeagle4h.org/ee/community/SaturdayattheRock.html.
Member -2- Member Weekly Events___________ The Plaza Arts Center presents Modern Clogging Dance Class for kids at The Plaza Arts Center every Thursday. Learn hip-hop moves set in a clogging format. Tap shoes (new or used) and street shoes are acceptable. Clogging at 3 p.m. for ages three to six and at 5 p.m. for ages seven to ten. Jazz Dance Class at 4 p.m. for ages five to eight. Enjoy learning a combination of modern dance, hip hop and gymnastic moves in this energetic dance class. Tennis shoes are needed for class. $30 per four classes; $50 per four classes for two siblings. Please call The Plaza to register at (706) 923-1655 or visit www.theplazaartscenter.com. The Village at Harmony Crossing Farmers Market, every Saturday. Local merchants offer fresh produce, dairy, meats and an assortment of handmade arts and crafts. For more information, call (706) 923-0190 or visit www.vharmonycrossing.com. Bodyplex Lake Oconee is offering Bootcamp Classes every weekday at 6:15 a.m. and 7 a.m. Group Personal Training, includes nutritional advice and body composition analysis. Contact Jennette Snider for more details at (706) 986-9376 or visit www.bodyplex.com. Goodwill Lake Oconee will be offering Job Connection classes weekly to assist in job searching, resume building and more. For more information, call (706) 485-0245. Crooked Pines Farm presents weekly horse courses. Each Sunday the farm will host equestrian Julie House who will offer 45 minute lessons, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. These lessons are customized to meet the skill and experience of each rider. The cost for the lesson will be $45 per student. To August 2012 Insert
reserve your space, please call (706) 347-0274. For more information, visit www.crookedpinesfarm.com.
Member -2- Member News_________________ Allgood Pest Solutions has a new Facebook Page! “Like” your fellow member by visiting Allgood Pest Solutions of Georgia’s Lake Country. The FERST Foundation for Childhood Literacy is collecting items to be stored for a Fall Yard Sale. All types of items are needed (no clothing). Large (furniture and appliances) and small (most anything). Especially interested in Fall and Christmas decorations. Please call for questions or large pick up items: Linda Elkins (706) 485-0974 or Gail Godfrey (706) 484-0616. We can provide a letter for you to use for tax purposes for any donations. Lights of Oconee is excited to announce that Melanie Branyan has joined the team as Lighting Sales Associate. Branyan brings over 14 years of combined experience in sales, management and retail. Her responsibilities as sales associate will be retail showroom sales including lighting, mirrors and accessories and lighting consultations. Lights of Oconee is located in The Village at Harmony Crossing shopping center. For more information, call (706) 9235483.
Please remember to submit your Member to Member News & Events formatted to 50 words or less to becky@eatonton.com by the 20th of each month to be included in the following month’s newsletter.
Contact Us: Eatonton-Putnam Chamber of Commerce
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Chamber Sta Roddie Anne Blackwell, President Becky Needham, Membership Manager Bonnie Simmons, Tourism Manager Chairman: Wes Lewis, Georgia Power Company Land Department Vice Chair: Jon Butler, Sears at Lake Oconee Treasurer: Lowell White, III, Calvert & White Custom Homes Terri Camp, Rock Eagle 4-H Center Marcia Clanton, Putnam County Charter School System Rita Daniel, Eatonton Chiropractic Center Carrie Dietrich, Central Georgia Technical College Jay Gregory, Gregory Bridge Company Joe Hudson, Farmers & Merchants Bank Bryce McCuin, JBM Creative Marty Phillips, Techknow Gurus Cynthia Wallace, Real Estate Agent August 2012
Chamber Champions! Thank you to our 2012