Grants Pass & Josephine County Chamber of Commerce Newsletter: October 2023

We support and promote our local commerce through communication, advocacy and partnerships! October 2023

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Chamber Membership

An Investment in Your Business and Our Community!

Membership in the chamber is much more than a plaque on the wall, the fulfillment of a sense of civil obligation, or the means to generate new business. Rather, membership represents a commitment to the continued prosperity of Josephine County’s economy. The Grants Pass & Josephine County Chamber of Commerce is the catalyst that enables businesses to accomplish collectively what no one business could do alone. A strong united effort gives a voice to members. Tourism, service, retail and manufacturing each contibute to our business community. Come visit us about joining the Chamber and add your energetic voice to the community.

Staff

Chamber of Commerce Contact Information

Grants Pass & Josephine County Chamber of Commerce

1995 NW Vine Street • Grants Pass, OR 97526

Phone: 541.476.7717 Fax: 541.476.9574

Josie Molloy President/CEO jmolloy@grantspasschamber.org

GPCOC@grantspasschamber.org • www.grantspasschamber.org

Executive Board of Directors

CHAIR/ Trent CarpenterSouthern Oregon Sanitation

Board of Directors

Win Howard - Asante TRMC

Art Dyer Customer Service Representative adyer@grantspasschamber.org

Christie Swafford Programs & Events cswafford@grantspasschamber.org

Brittni Biller Membership & Business Dev. bbiller@grantspasschamber.org

Karen Henningsen Accounting accounting@grantspasschamber.org

CHAIR ELECT/Kate LaskyJosephine Community Libraries

VICE CHAIR/ Alan Meyer - Pacific Power

TREASURER/ Clay LeedyWild River Brewing & Pizza

Chamber Foundation

Lowell Gibson - Chair; NiceBadge

Roy Lindsay - Vice Chair

Rebecca Stoltz- Director; JCLF - Secretary

Greg Roe - Director; B&GCRV - Treasurer

Lawton Lesueur - Director; Mid.Emp.Ins.

Terri Wiley- Director; Evergreen Fed Bank

Hyla Lipson- Director, GP Museum of Art

Every Thursday Morning at 10:30 am Chamber Chatter is Sponsored by Evergreen Federal Bank, showcasing events and businesses in our area.

Chamber Chatter is fun and informative while discussions with the Morning Hosts of KAJO, KLDR and KRRM keep it lively and interesting.

Join us at 10:30 am each Thursday morning to listen to Chamber Chatter and find out what is happening in our Community for the weekend. Keep your radio dialed to 94.7 FM, 98.3 FM, 99.7 FM or 1270 AM 10:30-11:00 am on Thursdays.

Kelsy Ausland - Ausland Group

Jeff Javelona - Old Town Mail House

Juliet Long - RCC

Lee Wassink - The Glass Forge

Greg Roe - Boy's & Girl's Club RV

Meghan Boehm - So. Ore. Aspire

Nathan Miller - Rentec Direct

Lawton Lesueur-Midland Empire Ins.

Donnie Garnett - People’s Bank

Tiffany Johnson - RE/MAX

Be involved with your Business Community

Wednesdays ~ Starts at 8:00 am

Doors Open @ 7:30 for Networking

October 2023

Business For Breakfast ~ Greeter’s Meeting

Meeting Time: 8:00

Oct 4th

BBSI

Fruitdale Grange • 1440 Parkdale Drive

Oct 11th

Carden Industries

Fruitdale Grange • 1440 Parkdale Drive

Oct 18th

Wednesdays 8:00 AM

Our Mission is to support and promote our local commerce through communication, advocacy, and partnerships! Membership Info: 541-956-4102

AmeriTitle

Fruitdale Grange • 1440 Parkdale Drive

Oct 25th

Kelly’s Automotive Service 1661 NE 6th St • Grants Pass

Learning with The Library

New virtual meeting booth opens at Grants Pass library branch

Library Resources to help Grow your Business!

Anew communication booth for virtual meetings sponsored by AllCare Health is available for community use at no charge during open hours at the Grants Pass branch of Josephine Community Library.

The virtual meeting booth features a space large enough for up to two people to conduct a virtual interview, take an important call, or FaceTime with a loved one in a quiet space. Patrons can bring their own device or, if needed, borrow a library laptop. Reserve the Communication Booth by emailing info@josephinelibrary.org, calling 541-476-0571, or in-person at the Information Desk at the Grants Pass branch.

A library card is not needed to participate. Yet, if you need to, sign up for an instant online library card today at: josephinelibrary.org/library-cards.

The Chamber of Commerce advocacy efforts happen all year long! In October, we are gearing up for a full month of providing important information for the upcoming November ballot.

The Grants Pass & Josephine County Chamber of Commerce and Illinois Valley Chamber of Commerce have endorsed the Josephine County Law Enforcement Service District. You will find our argument in favor of the Service District in the voters’ pamphlet.

Informative Socials with Sheriff Dave Daniel will be held in Grants Pass and Cave Junction. The Grants Pass event will be held October 12, 6:00 p.m. at the Fruitdale Grange. The Cave Junction event will be held October 20th, 5:30 p.m. at Wild River Pizza. We strongly encourage residents of Josephine County to attend these socials to learn how the Service District will work and answer any questions you may have. Please also invite your neighbors, family and friends to these events.

The Grants Pass & Josephine County Chamber of Commerce and The Daily Courier will also be hosting a forum on Monday, October 23, 6:00 p.m. at City Hall on the City Police & Fire Levy. This will also be on the November ballot.

In regard to Public Safety Funding, the Chamber also attended a meeting in Salem with local legislators across the state with a plea for adequate funding for our community. We shared the ongoing struggles both the Sheriff’s Office and City Public Safety deal with constantly.

Advocacy efforts like these are important because it ensures that the interests of businesses are represented, contributes to economic growth, and fosters a supportive environment for businesses to thrive. Chambers of commerce play a vital role in shaping the business landscape and the overall well-being of the communities they serve.

Please continue to communicate with the Chamber in any areas of concern you are dealing with as a business and what we can do to help! We have communication channels locally, state-wide, and on a national level. Our businesses’ voices need to be heard! I am always available to come to your office or set up a coffee meeting so we can discuss those issues. Please reach out if I can be of assistance.

Photo Credit: JustJeri.com

Hey y’all. We’re the Smith’s, owners and operators of Smitty’s Food Truck serving that farm to fork fresh deliciousness. We work with local farms, dairy’s, butchers, and creameries in creating that deliciousness y’all know and love.

We make all of our Smitty’s Signatures Sauces in small batches daily, including our Roasted Poblano Crema, Our Rainbow Chimichurri and Our Avocado Roasted Garlic Aioli. ���� These sauces of ours pair perfectly with our Farm Style Street Tacos,���� That Carnivore Yum Bowl of ours, ���� The Farm Style Bowl ���� and of course that monstrosity of a Wrap ���� that we encrust in two-year aged extra sharp white cheddar. ����

Enough about that though, we’re sure you want to know a little bit about who we are, too. Jake was raised here in the beautiful Grants Pass finding his passion for food at the age of 18 at The Laughing Clam, where his skills in the kitchen grew over the past 14 years. He most likely would have been at The Laughing Clam forever… That was until he met myself, Nik, �� who believes in keeping money local, natural, organic and Non GMO. We mixed Jake’s need for stability and Nik’s need for traveling making Smitty’s Food Truck, a small local family owned and operated Food Truck.

We love being a part of fun, family friendly and community centered events, especially those with live music make sure to follow us @Smittysfoodtruck for our weekly schedule.

We look forward to serving y’all that farm to fork fresh deliciousness and remember to ask about that Small-Town-Famous-SecretMenu of ours! ��

For the month of October you may find us at Fort Vannoy Farms serving Tuesday thru Sunday from 10am to 6pm. ��

www.SmittysFoodTruck.com

Jake & Nik Smith

High School in 1975 and instead of working in manufacturing I enlisted in the U.S. Navybe a litte of the excitement at the Chamber Visitor Center. ~ Art Dyer

Started in 1994, AllCare Independent Physician Association (IPA) is a team of local doctors and providers with one focus: preventing illness and promoting healthy lifestyles in our communities. We live here. We know you. Together, we are AllCare IPA. Changing healthcare to work for you.

AllCareHealth.com/IPA

Murphy Creek Wellness

Karla Reinhart, DNP, FNP-C, ND focuses on the whole person incorporating Functional Medicine. She received her doctorate of nursing practice and her masters in nursing with a focus on Family Nurse Practitioner from Frontier University.

Karla has more than 30 years experience in women’s health, obstetrics, and pediatrics. She brings a wealth of skill, experience and broad knowledge to whole person healthcare. Karla treats newborn to geriatric, with a focus on the individual, and whole family wellness, along with incontinence and women’s health.

Open House Phoenix location only Tuesday, January 16 5-7 p.m.

New provider on board Spring 2024.

Born and raised in Grants Pass Oregon, I have a natural love for everything Southern Oregon.

My background is 90% Real Estate. I did have some side hustles during college. But right out of college I started my first job in a Real Estate office & have been working in the “biz” for almost 25 years. It has become more then just a career; it’s my passion.

With a servant’s heart, I have a strong desire to learn more and share that knowledge. I strive for Honesty and integrity, along with determination and dedication.

My “why” is my family! Along with my husband AJ, we have raised a beautiful daughter; who is married and gave us our first grandson!

We are in the thick of raising 3 wild, crazy & perfect young boys. I also have a huge soft spot for our fur-babies (3 Frenchie breed pups & a couple of sweet kitties)!

In my free time, you can usually find me out enjoying this amazing community with my family. Hiking, lakes, community events & everything this little piece of the world has to offer.

~ Tiffany Johnson

Family Fun All Month!

Oct.

Fall in Grants Pass, Oregon, is a beautiful and picturesque season. The mild weather brings a perfect opportunity to take advantage of festivals, events, outdoor recreation, and fall foliage. Here’s a list of fall activities:

Foliage: One of the highlights of fall in Grants Pass is the changing of the leaves. Vibrant fall foliage, with trees turning shades of red, orange, and yellow. Check out local parks for stunning colors.

Outdoor Activities: With its beautiful natural surroundings, Grants Pass is a great place for outdoor enthusiasts during the fall. Grab a map at the Visitor Center for ideal hiking, biking, and scenic drives to enjoy the fall colors. Festivals and Events: Check out pumpkin patches, the haunted maze, Art Along the Rogue, Halloween Downtown Trick or Treating, Trunk or Treats and fall festivals!

Octoberfest Activities: TapWalk event in Downtown Grants Pass, A seasonal time when many breweries release special brews.

Wine Tasting: Fall is an excellent time to explore the wineries and vineyards. You can enjoy wine tasting while taking in the picturesque fall scenery.

launch a Pumpkin in the Pumpkin (hunker, shoot apples from the Apple Blaster, ride the Cow Train, enjoy Tasty Treats at our Farm Store, then pic k your perfect pumpkin from our 8 A cre P umpkin Patch.

Fishing: Fall is a popular time for salmon and steelhead fishing on the Rogue River. Anglers come from all over to try their luck in the river during this season.

Local Produce: Fall is harvesting time, and you can visit the Saturday local farmers’ markets to enjoy fresh produce like apples, pears, pumpkins, and more! Or check out one of the farm stands! Take the Rogue Valley Food trail to find all the local treasurers: https://www.southernoregon.org/food-trails/rogue-valley-food-trail/

Culture: Check out one of the fall inspired events such as Dracula at Barnstormers or Pioneer Spirits Come Alive at the Josephine County Historical Society. Check out the community calendar for all upcoming shows at www. grantspasschamber.org/events

Coffee: Grants Pass is home to an abundance of outstanding coffee! Enjoy the fall offers such as pumpkin spice. Grab that fall inspired coffee and take a stroll through our historic downtown. Fall is the perfect time to shop locally!

Overall, fall in Grants Pass, Oregon, offers a mix of natural beauty, outdoor activities, and seasonal festivities. Whether you’re a nature enthusiast, foodie, or simply looking for a relaxing and scenic getaway, fall has something to offer for everyone.

Fun Found Under Every Turning Leaf! Find Events at www.GrantsPassChamber.org/Events

Chamber Ambassadors attended the 2023 Ambassador Convention Sept 14-17 in KLAMATH FALLS

The Ambassadors are the oldest and largest standing committee of the Grants Pass & Josephine County Chamber of Commerce. Ambassadors serve as the welcoming committee for the chamber. Ambassadors are goodwill representatives, or the public relations arm of the organization that works for business and community interests in Josephine County. Every year a different Chamber Ambasssador group around the State of Oregon acts as host for a convention that allows the hosting Chamber to showcase Professional Development, Networking Activities, Tours & the Businesses of their area.

Ribbon Cuttings

Our Chamber Ambassadors organize Ribbon Cutting Celebrations for a variety of events for Chamber Members!

• New Businesses

• Grand Openings

• Remodels/ New Construction

• New Ownership

•Business Anniversaries

Contact Brittni to schedule your celebration! bbiller@grantspasschamber.org

Company: Takelma Art Installation

Date: Friday, Oct 6th

Time: 3:30 pm

Location: H St & 5th

Purpose: Unveiling

Company: Williams Branch

Josephine Community Library

Date: Saturday, October 7th

Time: 10:00 AM

Location: 158 Tetherow Rd

Purpose: Grand Opening

Company: MEC Disabilities

Date: Saturday, October 14th

Time: 10:00 AM

Location: 580 SW 6th St STE C

Purpose: Grand Opening

Zoom City Bar & Grill

241 SW G St.

N e w s R e l e a s e

Participants will hear remarks from library leadership at 10:30 am and be a part of the historical photo and ribbon cutting at 11 am. Afterwards, tour the new property and browse the new building

The new facility will include running water, a restroom, expanded books and other materials, updated technology including broadband Internet, a designated children’s area, 1,000 square feet of library use, and ADA-parking

When the new Williams branch opens, library hours of operation will be extended by two hours Fridays. The new hours of operations are as follows:

Tuesday | 1–6 pm

Wednesday | 1–6 pm

Friday| 11 am–6 pm

Saturday | 1–6 pm

The current Williams branch located at 20695 Williams Highway will c l o s e o n M o n d a y , O c t o b e r 2 to move to the new location. The loan period on all items checked out from the Williams branch through October 1 is extended until Saturday, October 14 and can be returned to the new location.

Funding for the design and construction of the new Williams library branch came from local donors, including a community crowdfund that took place last year, raising $140,000. Other funders include Four Way Community Foundation, Oregon Community Foundation, A Greater Applegate, Roundhouse Foundation, Ford Family Foundation, and a grant from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) via the Oregon State Legislature and Rep. Morgan. Library leaders worked with ZCS Engineering & Architecture, Inc. and Vitus Construction, Inc. for the past year designing and renovating the 1000square-foot building into a public library space.

For more information about library building projects, visit josephinelibrary.org, email info@josephinelibrary.org, or call 541-476-0571.

Welcome Our Newest Chamber Members

MEC Disabilities

MEC Disabilities

580 SW 6th St., Grants Pass

Phone: (877) 354-7365

Primary: Nikki Sanger

Email: nikkisanger@mecdisabilities.org

Website: http://www.mecdisabilities.org

Category: Disability resources

Description:

Nonprofit to help children with disabilities and their families. Equipment, resources, and sensory center.

Kar.Ma Day Spa

Kar.Ma Day Spa

1837 SW Nebraska Ave, Grants Pass

Phone: (541) 244-8546

Primary: Karla Pringle Stephens

Email: kpinglestephens@gmail.com

Website: https://www.facebook.com/KarMaDaySpaGP

Category: Spa

Description:

Full service day spa hosting 10 independent service providers. We have massage, barbering, Women’s hair, manicures, pedicures, facials, waxing, sugaring, lashes, reflexology and more

Join us in Ashland, Oregon on October 26th and 27th for the 26th annual Oregon Connections Telecommunications Conference.

This year's conference theme is Broadband : Future Proofing Oregon and will feature keynotes by Senator Ron Wyden and NTIA’s Adam Geisler.

Senator Wyden will discuss his

Commerce NTIA will present Money Talks and Implementation Rocks! The $3 billion journey of NTIA's Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program: lessons learned and opportunities discovered.

Other sessions include : Working Partnership Models (Non-Profit, Municipality, EDD, Tribal) ; Convergence-Colliding

The 2022 Business Survey led by the Business Retention and Expansion Committee identified workforce issues as the biggest concern for local businesses.

• 69% reported having problems recruiting employees

• 54% who reported recruitment challenges said labor shortages or the availability of qualified employees is the biggest challenge

• 67% said that interpersonal skills are the most critical ones needed for their business

The Demographic Drought

This shortage of workers is a regional, national, and global trend that is expected to persist and even worsen in coming years. Three dynamics were already well underway prior to 2020: the mass exodus of baby boomers from the workforce, record-low participation in labor force by workers who are 25 to 54 years old, and the lowest birth rate in U.S. history. The COVID-19 pandemic simply accelerated these long-term trends. This phenomenon is described in more detail in “The Demographic Drought – Bridging the Gap in Our Labor Force,” a 2021 report that was well publicized in many national business journals.

As one of the key takeaways in this report states: “the US faces the shortfall of 8.5 million workers in years to come, which will cause both higher education institutions and businesses to desperately compete for recruits who simply don’t exist.” The report says there is no silver bullet, only “a few stopgaps we can employ to work with the challenge.” The ones most actionable include:

• Recruit beyond traditional demographics

• Reskilling, upskilling and alignment

• Retain current employees

• Value people more

Finding Solutions

Fortunately for the Rogue Valley region, local leaders from business, education and workforce have been collabo-

rating on these kinds of innovative partnership solutions for years.

Developing “Soft Skills”

One example of this creative private-public partnership is the development of the Essential Employability Skills Rubric by the region’s Business-Education Partnership in 2018. Convened by the Rogue Workforce Partnership and Southern Oregon Economic Development, Inc. this group consisted of leaders from business, K-12 education, higher education, workforce, and other community partners.

The rubric was created for use in local high schools, colleges, workforce training and business employment settings to help bridge the gap in the development of these critical interpersonal or “soft” skills. It provides a pathway and guide for students, job seekers and current workers to grow these skills.

Inspired by the rubric, Tiffany Grimes the CEO and Founder of Empower, then created a companion series of virtual workshops called the LaunchPad Series. These are offered through the WorkSource Oregon one-stop centers throughout the state and an ever-expanding number of K-20 education and businesses in our region and beyond.

These workshops focus on creating new awareness, new brain pathways, new levels of emotional intelligence, and new behavior. Empower applies the latest research in neuroscience to create dynamic learning experiences that finally “cracks the nut” to impact this needed growth in essential skills.

Employers can expect that if a job seeker applies for work and presents a LaunchPad Completion Certificate, they’ve completed this transformative soft skill development work that’s aligned directly with the employer-driven essential employability skills.

The series is made up of six, 60-minute interactive virtual workshops offered three times per week at varying times. Participants have the flexibility to take the series consecutively or as

their schedule allows. The on-line registration makes it easy for employers to access and can even be offered in-person or to an employer specific cohort.

Leadership Development

Empower has also just created a new LaunchPad Lead series of six virtual workshops for team leads, supervisors, managers, owners, and executive leaders. Its focus is on improving personal effectiveness skills and capacities in leaders - a critical part in the comprehensive strategy to better recruit, upskill and retain workers. It’s being offered statewide through Central Oregon Community College and starts October 5th.

RCC’s Small Business Development is also starting a “You as a Leader” class this fall for managers and owners. This is in addition to their current offerings on Employee Management for Business Owners

Other Partnership Solutions

In the coming months, we’ll be highlighting other examples of the creative work regional partners are doing to recruit, reskill, upskill, and retain workers. Partners currently at the table include businesses leaders, the region’s K-12 school districts, Project Youth+, Rogue Community College, Southern Oregon University, WorkSource Rogue Valley, Rogue Workforce Partnership, and many others. Industry leaders currently engaged include those from healthcare and behavioral health, manufacturing, construction, transportation/logistics, natural resources, technology, and childcare/ early learning. Partners are eager for other local business leaders to join in these efforts.

If you want to find out more about this work, contact Joe Spagnualo at WorkSource Rogue Valley’s Business Services Team.

Joe Spagnualo WorkSource Rogue Valley

J.SPAGNUALO@employ.oregon.gov

The Young Professionals Network is for young professionals in the target age range of 18-45 who are looking for networking opportunities with other young professionals, connections to the community and business leaders, community engagement, and professional development. The network holds monthly luncheons, quarterly socials, and community service projects.

Asante, Banner Bank, NiceBadge

First Interstate Bank, Logan Design, Midland Empire Ins., Weekend Beer Co., People’s Bank of Commerce, Jim Sigel Automotive, Hampton Inn & Suites, and RE/MAX Integrity-Bifano Home Team

Our Young Professionals had some fun with Team Building in September. Club Northwest was so kind to invite us to check out their brand new pickleball courts. As expected, the courts are world-class! While some of the attendees had prior experience playing, Pickleball Pro, David Johnson did a great job breaking down the key fundamentals of the game to the newbies. He demonstrated how to properly hold the paddle, the ease of scoring and explained the kitchen which is the non-volley zone.

This month our Luncheon will be on Tuesday, October 24th, at the Hampton Inn. The topic will be “Hospitality”, featuring Terry Hopkins of ORLA. For more event information and registration, please visit our Community Calendar at www.grantspasschamber.org.

To learn more about the Young Professionals Network, please email Christie Swafford at cswafford@grantspasschamber.org Follow us on social media or sign up for text alerts by texting GPYPN to 38316

Chamber of Commerce Text Messaging Program

General Messages - Text GPJC to 38316

To join the YPN group - Text GPYPN to 38316

To join the Greeters groupText GREETERS to 38316

To join the Merchant groupText MERCHANT to 38316

AllCare Health

American Mineral Research, Inc.

Barrett Business Services, Inc. ~ BBSI

Baskets Beyond

Cascade Self Storage - Grants Pass

Concierge Home and Business Watch

CSO Financial

db Pro Audio

Family Nurturing Center

First American Title Company

Gallop ‘n Glitz

Grants Pass Broadcasting Corp.

Grants Pass Clinic

Grants Pass Daily Courier

Grants Pass Museum of Art

Grants Pass Power Equipment, LLC

Grants Pass School District 7

Highland House Nursing & Rehab Center

Hillcrest Memorial Park

John L. Scott Real Estate Grants Pass

Josephine County Eagle

Laurel Hill Nursing Center

Mary’s BBQ @ The Club

Marzi Sink Factory

Mid Rogue Imaging Center

Mini Mac Self Storage, LLC

Mock’s Ford

Old Town Mail House

Palm Industries, Inc

RCC Small Business Development Center

Reality Marketing LLC

Red Hott Promos

Roe Motors GM

Royale Gardens Health & Rehab Center

S&B Grading and Excavation LLC

Sheri’s Cottages LLC

Siskiyou Tree Experts

SMG - Medford , LLC

Southern Oregon ESD

Southern Oregon University

SpotOn Inc.

Star Automotive

Synergy One Lending

The Bifano Home Team @ RE/MAX Integrity

The Home Depot

Valvoline Instant Oil Change

Visit Grants Pass

WaFd Bank - City Centre Branch

MONTHLY UPCOMING CHAMBER EVENTS

Greeters- “Business for Breakfast”

Every Wednesday - 8:00 am

Connect w/Enews & Calendar for Locations

Government Affairs Committee

1st Monday - 9:00 am

Young Professionals Network Committee (YPN)

2nd Monday - 12:00 noon

Business Retention & Expansion Committee

2nd Tuesday - 8:00 am

Chamber Board Meeting 2nd Thursday - 8:00 am

Ambassador Committe Meeting

1st Wednesday - 7:00 am

This is the valley's premier craft beer event held in beautiful Grants Pass.

Participants travel from location to location sampling amazing craft brews, delicious food and surprises along the stroll!

Tickets Available at Chamber of Commerce 1995 NW Vine Street and ONLINE: www.GrantsPassChamber.org

**This is a 21 and over event. Children are NOT permitted to accompany adults. Each participant must personally check-in and have a valid ID.

Day of Event ~ Downtown Grants Pass

Check-In starts at noon and event begins @ 2:00 PM in front of Elegance II Antiques

331 SE 6th Street