May 2013 Newsletter

OďŹƒcial Newsletter of the Eatonton-Putnam Chamber of Commerce

THE CHAMBER CORNER

May 2013

Volume 13, Issue 5

BRAG takes a break in the Briar Patch The Eatonton-Putnam Chamber of Commerce Cordially Invites you to the 34th Anniversary Celebration Monday, May 6, 2013 at Rock Eagle 4-H Center Dining Hall 6:30 p.m. - Cocktails | 7:15 p.m. - Dinner | 7:45 p.m. - Awards Ceremony

The Chamber served as an official rest stop for BRAG, Presenting Awards for Business Person, Volunteer, Citizen Bicycle Ride Across Georgia, and Edward Rice Youth in Excellence. on Friday, April 5. Chamber $40 Per Person | Cash Bar staff spent the morning welcoming our visitors on Attire: Business Casual wheels with fresh made peanut butter and jelly sandRSVP by April 30 to (706) 485-7701 or becky@eatonton.com. wiches, fruit, chips, cookies, water, Powerade and the Table Centerpiece Sponsors Already Signed Up: BRAG famous Fig Newtons.

Blackwell Furniture Company Crooked Pines Farm Farmers & Merchants Bank Mission Georgia Power Company FERST Foundation For Childhood Literacy The Eatonton-Putnam Georgia Farm Bureau Insurance, Putnam County Chamber of Commerce is Cuscowilla on Lake Oconee committed to the promotion, Pinnacle Credit Union: Putnam County Branch Farmers & Merchants Bank enhancement and unity of the Putnam General Hospital Bug House Pest Control business community, and is Rock Eagle 4-H Center The Peoples Bank vested in the development of Salon 195 Eatonton-Putnam County as a The Peoples Bank Smith Communications

Sponsored by:

premiere tourist destination.

Strategic Goals

1. Support Business & Community 2. Support Tourism

Values Growth Prosperity Unity

A favorite tradition at the Annual Awards Banquet is the sponsorships of table centerpieces by our Chamber members. These fun arrangements, that represent the uniqueness of each business, will be given away as door prizes. If your business is interested in sponsoring a table centerpiece, please email becky@eatonton.com.We request that the centerpieces be delivered the Friday before the dinner (May 3), or the day of the dinner if it contains fresh flowers.

Pinnacle Credit Union Putnam County Charter School System Putnam General Hospital

RSVP for Events

RSVP: (706) 485-7701 | becky@eatonton.com

Mosquito Authority Networking@Noon

Wednesday, May 15 from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Lodge on Lake Oconee, 930 Lake Oconee Parkway, Eatonton. Agenda includes lunch, table talk, sponsor presentation, commercials and general networking.

Tickets are $15 for members, $25 general admission.

Coffee Connections is Early in May!

Tuesday, May 21 (due to Memorial Day) from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at Spillin’ the Beans, 646 Old Phoenix Rd., Suite B, Eatonton. This Coffee Connections will have a new and improved format! Come learn about important issues in our community and ask questions. Topic and speaker will be announced in the email invitation.

New Board Members Approved As the Board of Directors received no nominations by petition, nominations have been closed and were approved at the April 18 meeting.

The new Board will be installed at the Annual Awards Banquet.

Terms Expiring: Jon Butler, Joe Hudson and Marty Phillips (Served two terms.)

Dr. Rita Daniel (Served one term, eligible to serve another term.)

Nominations: Dr. Rita Daniel, Eatonton Chiropractic Center Brett Mauldin, Marble Works Brandy Huskins, Huskins Law Firm LLC Duncan Criscoe, Crooked Pines Farm

Officers for 2013-14: Chairman - Lowell White, III Vice Chairman - Jay Gregory Secretary/Treasurer - Bryce McCuin

Welcome!

New Chamber Members!

Christian Roofing & Remodeling, Matt Quattlebaum (706) 310-0505 | christianroofingandremodeling.com 1030 Summit Grove Drive, Watkinsville Roofing & Remodeling for Residential & Light Commercial

CitruSolution, Shane Williams (770) 286-9048 | becitrusclean.com | Carpet Cleaning

Classic Smith Construction, Mark Smith (706) 485-1660 | classicsmithconstruction.com 929 Lake Oconee Parkway, Eatonton Custom Home Builder, Remodeling

Dinner 4 U, Thelma Collins (855) 346-4800 | dinner4Utonight.com 102 North Laurel Avenue, Greensboro Provides Quality Dinners Delivered Daily

Harry Rouse (706) 923-0612 | 117 North Rand Court, Eatonton Individual Member

Lake Oconee Optimal Performance The LOOP, Vince DiLetto (706) 474-2511 | looperformance.com 1093 Lake Oconee Parkway, Suite 112, Greensboro Personal & Group Training, Strength & Conditioning

Nason Homes, LLC (706) 485-8500 158 Sammons Parkway, Suite 101, Eatonton Home Builders

“Leadership + Putnam = One Great Community”

Leadership Putnam is sponsored by: Smith Communications, Bug House Pest Control, Farmers and Merchants Bank, Cuscowilla on Lake Oconee,The Peoples Bank, Georgia Power Company, Putnam County Charter School System, Pinnacle Credit Union and Putnam General Hospital.

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Leadership Putnam graduated on Thursday, April 4 at Rock Eagle 4-H Center. The class included Jill Brown, Howell Cardwell, David Collis, Angela Criscoe, Doug Dozier, Titus Dunn, Diane Gallagher, Maribel Gonzalez, Maurice Hill, Jr., Jennie Marshall, Robbie McNeill, Katy Meeks, John Montgomery, Stacy Paine, Matt Powers, Scarlett Prater, Jennifer Rainey, Joseph Simmons, Mark Smith, Jr., Brandi Stapp and Fred Ward.

At the graduation ceremony, Angela Criscoe was recognized by her classmates as the student who displayed the most outstanding leadership. The class also presented two projects to better our youth and community, Big Brothers Big Sisters and Health Wise: 3 for 30.

For the Big Brothers Big Sisters movement, the leadership class is looking for community members who are interested in mentoring our youth to volunteer to help a child succeed.

Health Wise: 3 for 30 is a health consciousness community initiative offering a free workshop on June 22 at Crooked Pines Farm.

Allgood pays it forward and challenges other businesses to do the same

Women in History Day Honors Bonnie Congratulations to our own Bonnie Simmons, Tourism & Special Events Coordinator, for being a Women in History Day honoree on Friday, March 29 at The Plaza Arts Center.

Bo Trawick State Farm Grand Opening Celebration On Thursday, April 11, Allgood Pest Solutions and the Eatonton-Putnam Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors presented a food donation to the LifeSource Food Distribution Program. At the Taste of Eatonton, Burton Ayres, the regional manager for Allgood Pest Solutions bought a raffle ticket for a chance to win a dinner for 10 prepared and served by the Board of Directors. Luck was with him and he won, but instead of picking his closest friends, Burton discussed the opportunity with his Allgood team and decided to “pay it forward.” Allgood asked that the Chamber donate the food to an organization that served needy families. The Chamber recommended that the LifeSource Food Distribution Program would be a perfect resource for the donation and Allgood agreed.The Chamber Board of Directors all contributed with an assortment of food, enough to feed several families for two weeks, and presented it to LifeSource on Allgood’s behalf.

When the regional and state management of Allgood heard what Burton was doing locally, they decided that they wanted to be a part of this charitable gift by matching what the Chamber Board had collected.

Later that same day, Allgood sponsored Business After Hours where they announced a challenge to other Chamber members to do the same by making a food or monetary donation to LifeSource.

To participate in the LifeSource challenge, please contact Bob or Valerie Landau at (706) 484-2331.

On Friday, April 5, Bo Trawick State Farm held a grand opening celebration. Bo has opened a new State Farm Agency at Lake Oconee in The Village at Harmony Crossing Shopping Center.

According to Bo, “the main reason that I wanted to become a State Farm Agent is I have a strong desire to make a lasting impact on people’s lives and develop life-long relationships. I’m really excited about the opportunity to meet new people and make a new home for my family here.”

Bo, and his wife, Molly recently celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary and are the proud parents of baby girl, Ellie, who just turned one. In addition to opening the new State Farm Agency, Bo and his family have made Putnam County their new home.

Bo is excited about the opening of his new office at The Village at Harmony Crossing, and invites anyone to drop in for a visit. Bo’s office is located at 103 Harmony Crossing, Suite 5 in Eatonton. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. For more information, call (706) 484-9744.

May 2013 / Page 3

The Chamber Corner, May 2013

(706) 485-7701 | fax (706) 485-3277 PO Box 4088 | 305 N. Madison Ave. Eatonton, Ga. 31024 Becky@eatonton.com www.eatontonchamber.com www.facebook.com/epchamber www.twitter.com/eatontonchamber

Presorted Standard U.S. Postage PAID Eatonton, GA Permit No. 6

Chamber Staff: Roddie Anne Blackwell, President Becky Needham, Membership Manager Bonnie Simmons, Tourism Manager

Board of Directors: Wes Lewis, Chairman Georgia Power Company Jon Butler, Vice Chair Lowell White, III, Treasurer Calvert & White Custom Homes Eric Arena Putnam County Charter School System Terri Camp Rock Eagle 4-H Center Rita Daniel Eatonton Chiropractic Center Carrie Dietrich Central Georgia Technical College Jay Gregory Gregory Bridge Company Joe Hudson Farmers & Merchants Bank Bryce McCuin 2JS Interactive Marty Phillips Techknow Gurus Cynthia Wallace Real Estate Agent

2013 Chamber Champions!