Chamber Focus | November 2020

TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM / 1

FRIDAY, November 6, 2020

FOCUS ON

BUSINESS Unity Within Community: Salute to Military & First Responders

NOVEMBER 2020 EVENTS

CALENDAR

36TH MILITARY & FIRST RESPONDER VIRTUAL SALUTE Tuesday, November 10, 2020 12:00 pm

Temple Chamber of Commerce YouTube Channel youtube.com/c/TempletxOrg

BUSINESS NETWORKING BREAKFAST Thursday, November 12, 2020 7:00 - 8:00 am Hilton Garden Inn 1749 Scott Blvd Temple, TX Registration required - templechamber.com CDC COVID-19 guidelines for social distancing & mask requirements will be observed

HOLIDAY AROUND TOWN Thursday, November 19, 2020 5:00 - 8:00 pm Bell County Expo Center 301 W. Loop 121 Belton, TX CDC COVID-19 guidelines for social distancing & mask requirements will be observed

TempleChamber.com

HEB Partners volunteer at the Lunch To Go portion of the 36th Annual Military & First Responder Salute October 27, 2020 The Temple Chamber of Commerce has proudly hosted a celebration of the military and veterans the past 35 years.

Due to the pandemic, the 2020 event was reimagined as a virtual salute and lunch to go to honor those on the front lines of the COVID-19 battle and to demonstrate Unity Within Community.

The 36th annual event, presented by HEB, includes recognition of the military (13th ESC/Fort Hood, 1st Medical Brigade/Fort Hood, 36th Sustainment Brigade/TxANG), veterans, JROTC, law enforcement, fire & rescue, EMS, and medical/health care professionals.

The annual luncheon shifted to “lunch to go” outside of the Santa Fe Business Center and was held on October 27, 2020. The Chamber and volunteers served 2,000 meals to the military, veteran organizations, first responders, food kitchens, shelters, and the community.

The traditional components of the annual luncheon such as the presentation and retirement of the Colors, National Anthem, Vietnam Era Veteran pinning, patriotic music, and messages of support have been recorded to create a virtual salute.

Videos from various partners, community, and military leaders have also been incorporated into the virtual salute to share a message that is mindful of the struggles all have endured since early March, and the importance of the Greater Temple community bonding together.

The virtual salute will air on the Chamber’s YouTube Channel, https://www.youtube.com/c/TempletxOrg, at noon on November 10, 2020.

Thank you to the event sponsors, volunteers, and the community for helping show appreciation to those who have given so much.

FRIDAY, November 6, 2020

2 / TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM

October New Chamber Members Belaire Junction RV Park Tyler Bradford 13103 NE HK Dodgen Loop, Temple, TX 76502 (254) 314-8033 http://BelaireJunctionRVPark.com Mobile Home Parks

Denny’s John Cochran 1420 SW HK Dodgen Loop, Temple, TX 76504 (254) 598-2658 www.dennys.com Restaurants

BELFOR Property Restoration Rusty Thornton 1206 W. Ave O, Belton, TX 76513 (254) 939-1468 www.belforusa.com Construction Companies & General Contractors

JLN Creates Jocelyn Griffin PO Box 573, Temple, TX 76503 (254) 948-1381 www.facebook.com/jlncreates Home Decor & Gifts

Thrivent Financial Eric Braeuer 5100 Midway Drive Suite 100, Temple, TX 76502 (254) 541-6621 https://connect.thrivent.com/eric-braeuer Financial Services

Bryn Oaks Bed and Breakfast Rhonda Eggleston 410 N. Main Street, Belton, TX 76513 (254) 291-3240 www.BrynOaksBNB.com Bed & Breakfast

KCEN Channel 6/Kathy Armstrong Kathy Armstrong 215 N. 3rd Street, Temple, TX 76501 (254) 859-5481 www.kcentv.com Television Stations

Tour Temple Matthew Briggs 319 S. 1st, Suite 26, Temple, TX 76504 (254) 853-4410 http://tourtemple.com Tourism

CLIhub Meagan Kapustka 2001 S. 57th Street, Temple, TX 76501 (224) 522-0073 Marketing

Reliant, an NRG company Sandee Treptow 2745 Dallas Parkway Suite 200, Plano TX 75093 (469) 277-4083 www.reliant.com Energy Services

Yellow Pine Investments Carter Fisk 3302 Yellowpine Terrace, Austin, TX 78757 (512) 534-8040 www.yellowpineinvestments.com Real Estate Developers

October Renewing Chamber Members

Acorn Waste Solutions Amy’s Attic Self Storage Ashford Homes Bailey Financial, John Baird/Williams Construction, Inc Bell Air Conditioning, Inc. Bell County Beer Dist. Assn.

Birdcreek Manufactured Housing and RV Park Blount’s Speedy Rooter Bourland Landscape Supplies & Outdoor Power Equipment E.R. Carpenter L.P. CenTex CBD, LLC Cinderella Films CJ’s Concrete Construction Service & Materials Cure & Francis Law Office Datamars, Inc Delta Centrifugal Corporation Dynasty Chinese Restaurant Electric Grilling Technologies, LLC Feed My Sheep

Best-Way Carpets 3206 AIRPORT ROAD (254) 770 - 0932 www.bestwaycarpets.com

Firefly Yoga & Movement Studio First Community Mortgage Garlyn Shelton Golden Age HealthPlans Grace Presbyterian Church Gunter Financial Services - Raymond James Harper-Talasek Funeral Home Hope Pregnancy Centers, Inc. I Heart Media Waco/Temple/Killeen Immanuel Lutheran Church In-Charge Electrical JDK Topsoil King Solomon Masonic Lodge #1427 Lamar Advertising Northwest Hills Self Storage Oscar Store Panda Temple Power Precious Pets RBO Technology RE/MAX Temple-Belton Realtors/Move with Mallory RK Marshall SPJST Supreme Lodge

•SALES •SERVICE •INSTALLATION

Texstar Travel Center Adil Maknojia 1300 N. General Bruce Drive Temple, TX 76504 Truck Stop/Travel Center

State Farm Insurance/Mitchel Davis Stellar Homes Stokes, Bill Summers Mill Retreat & Conference Center Temple Children’s Museum Temple Heat & Air Texas Benefit Alliance, Inc. Thumbs Up Compliance Topsarge Business Solutions Tri-Co Propane U.S. Dermatology Partners Un-Included Club United Ag and Turf Victory Designs Promotional Products Visiting Angels V-Quest Office Machines & Supplies Ward & Moore Insurance Services, LP Wildwood Apartment Homes Wolfe, Wendy R. Woodward Creative Group, L.L.C.

RENTING

The SMART way to get things done!

Choice Rentals, Inc.

254-774-8503 • 2405 S. Gen Bruce Dr, Temple, TX 76504 Lloyd Johle - Celebrating 50 Years in Business!

TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM / 3

FRIDAY, November 6, 2020

Holiday Around Town 2020

The Temple Chamber of Commerce is excited to work alongside the Belton Area Chamber of Commerce to host Holiday Around Town at the Bell County Expo Center from 5:00 - 8:00 pm on Thursday, November 19, 2020. Through this event, the Chambers give members the opportunity to set up booths to promote merchandise and services that they provide to fellow members and the public.

This unique hybrid business after hours and business showcase offers a great opportunity for attendees to witness firsthand what Temple and Belton have to offer, to make new and exciting connections, and kick-off holiday shopping all while enjoying delicious complimentary food and beverages provided by the Bell County Expo Catering Service.

This event is open to the public, allowing them the perfect opportunity to explore, and learn about local businesses all while getting in some holiday shopping.

Each vendor will give away a door prize valued at $50 and attendees will receive Shop Small tote bags, while supplies last.

There is no admission or registration needed for this event.

CDC COVID-19 Guidelines for social distancing and mask requirements will be observed.

For more information, contact the Temple Chamber of Commerce at (254) 7732105.

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See what Extraco can do for your business, contact an Extraco Commercial Banker today at 254.774.5500 or visit extracobanks.com/business

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4 / TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM

FRIDAY, November 6, 2020

Leadership Temple Class of 2020 Graduates The Temple Chamber of Commerce recently celebrated the Leadership Temple Class of 2020 with a graduation reception and dinner at the Oscar Store. Like so many aspects of our lives, the Leadership Temple 2019-20 program year was disrupted by COVID-19 in the spring which delayed the in-person celebration of their accomplishments until a safe gathering could be arranged.

Leadership Temple, a program of the Temple Chamber of Commerce, is a professional development and education program designed to help current and emerging leaders understand the dynamics of the community and the role leadership plays in its long-term success.

Under the 9-month program, participants meet monthly to survey how the community works from an entirely new perspective, helping them grow as leaders and professionals. The curriculum includes carefully selected topics and locations, chosen in an effort to set a foundation of how and why our community operates and interacts with surrounding communities and the state.

Participants are also given access to behind-the-scenes opportunities and to community leaders in order to foster dialogue and inspire engagement in activities which contribute to the growth and betterment of the community.

Each participant is also assigned to a small group, known as an “Action Team”, that is tasked with working together to formulate, develop, and execute a project to impact and spur positive change in the community. Examples of previous Leadership Temple projects include the Temple Community Clinic, the Bark Park, and Whistle Stop Park.

The Action Teams reported on their projects to Chamber and community leaders through a virtual platform on May 27, 2020. This year’s projects included a Putt-Putt Golf Course Feasibility Study, a Temple Entrepreneurship Program, Foster Love Respite Training, and Transportation Reform.

The Putt-Putt Golf Course Feasibility Study sought to determine whether a public Putt-Putt Golf Course would be sustainable in Temple, TX. The Team conducted a community-wide survey, researched existing public courses in similarsized communities, and is still working on determining initial capital expenses and projected maintenance costs, as well as determining the prime location.

The Temple Entrepreneurship Program will help educate, coach, mentor, and equip local small business owners with the tools they need for success and has the potential to catalyze the growth of Temple’s economy. The 8-week series will walk entrepreneurs through some of the most challenging aspects of managing a small business. The series will begin in 2021 and be run through the Chamber.

Leadership Temple Class of 2020 at the State Capitol Fall of 2019 tation/mobility options in order to meet basic community needs.

Join us in congratulating the graduates of the 2019-20 program: Tami Annable, Temple Health & Bioscience District; Adelaide (Addie) Baird Earles, Magnolia Realty; Crystal Bell, Pattillo, Brown, & Hill LLP; Camryn Bintz, KPA Engineers; Stephanie Branham, Allumed, Inc.; Crystal Cowen, MRB Group; Justin Dorsey, Extraco Banks; Jennifer Douglass, Digital Cowgirl; Nichole Guajardo, State Farm Insurance; Sandra Haake, DB Commercial Real Estate; Christian Hernandez, Temple Independent School District; Daniel Jones, Brockway, Gersbach, Franklin & Niemeier, PC; Chris McCormack, Central Counties Services; Dana Mitchell, QuVa Pharma; Josh Murray, Canyon Creek Baptist Church; Kyle Revis, The Wood Group of Fairway Mortgage; Linnea Reyes, Central National Bank; Dylan Ripley, Edward Jones Financial Advisor; Michael (Mike) Snell, First Christian Church; and Scott Tarrant, McLane Group.

Andrew Lambert, Wilsonart, served as Class President and Tucker Glaske, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, served as Curriculum Chair for the 2019-2020 program.

Graduates emerge from the program with an unprecedented level of community awareness as well as insights they can apply in the workplace. It maintains a strong alumni network and prepares future Temple leaders for communityoriented, decision-making positions.

The Foster Love Respite Training project had a two-fold objective to create awareness about the need for Respite providers, and to help make Respite training more affordable in Bell County. Certified Respite providers are the only individuals allowed to “babysit” for parents of foster children in Bell County.

The team raised funds to offset the cost of training and hopes to help Foster Love host the training. Additionally, the group has become digital advocates helping Foster Love spread their message as well as the need for Respite providers via social media.

The Transportation Reform project discovered businesses, organizations, and community leaders concerned about current transportation services in Temple.

They met with and built relationships with these stakeholders in order to facilitate the sharing of information, ideas, key concerns, and potential solutions.

The team created a flyer with existing transportation services and is compiling all of the data collected to share with stakeholders. They seek to fill in the gaps in communication for moving towards a solution for better access to transpor-

Leadership Temple Class of 2020 at McLane Children’s Fall of 2019

TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM / 5

FRIDAY, November 6, 2020

THBD Supports Innovation Wave in Fight Against COVID-19

Temple Health & Bioscience District It is no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has dominated business conversations across all industries in 2020. While most businesses focus on avenues to maintain and develop new operations amid restrictions and health concerns, Temple Health and Bioscience District (THBD) set its sights on finding opportunities to combat the pandemic head-on.

On October 6, THBD participated as a founding partner in the virtual launch of Texas Global Health Security Innovation Consortium (TEXGHS). A consortium between academia, public sector, and private sector partners, TEXGHS serves as a resource for the Texas innovation community by supporting the development of new technologies and the adaptation of existing technologies that address pandemic infectious disease threats. TEXGHS connects the Texas innovation ecosystem to the world by leading engagement with the broader global health security community and serving as a focal point for outside innovators to support pandemic response and prevention in Texas.

The TEXGHS launch event included breakout sessions from Texas State Representative Donna Howard on the importance of scientific innovation, as well as Clay Johnston, Dean of the Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin. As TEXGHS continues to expand, THBD and other members of the consortium work to design a model than can be adopted to develop innovative solutions nationwide.

Tami Annable, THBD Executive Director, serves on the founding team of TEXGHS. As a bioscience incubator, THBD operates as a launchpad for entrepreneurs, startups, and small-to-mid-size businesses looking to develop technologies to combat the pandemic. One of the incubator’s tenants, Industrial Genetics, LLC, has been featured in local and national media for its development of wastewater and environmental surface testing of COVID-19.

“We are proud to offer our lab and office space and cutting-edge equipment to help researchers create solutions to this global challenge,” says Annable. “As

TEXGHS grows, we look forward to supporting new medical innovations that can help fight this pandemic.”

As an incubator, THBD offers 5,000 sq. ft of office and laboratory space including seven tenant offices, three tenant labs, a 700 sq. ft of common lab space, administrative offices, two conference rooms, and a break room. Tenants, like Industrial Genetics, benefit from access to the space and technology at a low operating cost, with the hopes that they will establish business roots in Temple, Texas.

To learn more about TEXGHS and the innovators participating in the consortium, visit texghs.org. To learn more about THBD, its tenants and collaborative work, visit templebioscience.org.

Veterans Day Ruck March in Downtown Temple - November 7, 2020 Rucks On Main, a Temple, TX based non-profit organization, will host its inaugural event November 7, 2020, at the Santa Fe Plaza in Downtown Temple. The organization was founded with the mission to advocate, mentor, and educate the community on the reintegration process for Veterans and their families.

The inaugural event coincides with Veterans Day weekend and is a militarythemed ruck march. The event is open to anyone who wishes to participate.

Participants can register in advance at www.rucksonmain.org, or in-person on the day of the event (credit card only). Registration is $55.

For the Veterans Day ruck march, everyone will place a picture of their favorite Veteran on their ruck sack (backpack). Ruckers will fill their rucksacks with non-perishable food items (up tp 40lbs) that will be donated to charitable food organizations once they cross the finish line.

All participants will receive a t-shirt and a beer wristband when they check in between 7:30 - 9:00 am. At 9:00 am ruck marchers will step off to complete a 6-mile ruck through downtown Temple and historic neighborhoods in North Temple. Everyone who crosses the finish line will receive a challenge coin and a free beer (Must be 21) for completing the ruck march.

Afterwards, ruckers may gather to enjoy live music, food trucks, and 1 locallybrewed craft beer (must show ID and wrist band for beer).

Visit rucksonmain.org for more information.

FRIDAY, November 6, 2020

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Operation: Dumpster Drop Is Coming to a Neighborhood Near You Tanya Gray, Keep Temple Beautiful

Looking for a way to give back to your community? Cleaning up around your home is a great way to do that while also making your neighborhood a great place to live. Since you will need a way to dispose of your waste, Keep Temple Beautiful with the City of Temple and Citizens For Progress have created a free dumpster program to assist citizens in the process.

Operation: Dumpster Drop allows residents to individually clean up their yards while safely social distancing to get rid of trash, yard trimmings, debris, tires, etc.

A schedule has been set for the neighborhood placements of the dumpsters which will be dropped in a neighborhood every two weeks through 2021.

The schedule for Operation: Dumpster Drop is as follows: November 7: East Downs, 712 E. Calhoun Ave November 21: Temple Heights, 1515 S. 7th St December 5: Ferguson Park, 908 E. Avenue B December 19: Central, 300 S. 27th St (Fred W. Edwards Academy) January 2: Jackson Park, 925 N. 4th St (Jackson Park) January 16: Crestview, 1503 E. Avenue J January 30: Woodlawn, Dead End on Chevy Cir (between 3002 & 3016

Chevy Cir) February 13: Downtown, 220 E. Adams Ave (Impact Temple Church)

February 27: Bird Creek, Dead End on Arrowhead Dr (near Bird Creek Park & 4819 Arrowhead Dr) March 13: Historic, 820 W. Munroe Ave (Optimist Park, Dead End of Nugent) March 27: I-35 Midtown, 2114 W. Avenue D (across from 201 S. 41st St) April 10: Garden, Corner of N. 7th & Mayborn (near 402 Mayborn Dr) April 24: Northwest Hills, 813 Brandywine Dr May 8: Bellaire, 2603 N. 3rd St (Walker Park)

If you are also in need of tools for your tidying up then don’t despair, tools are available through the Transform Temple Tool Library along with a COVID-19 cleanup packet from Keep Temple Beautiful that includes trash bags, gloves and literature on safely conducting a mini cleanup.

Don’t forget to document your cleanup with pictures and email them to Tanya@ keeptemplebeautiful.org. A family or individual who does the best job will receive a “swag bag” with goodies from Keep Temple Beautiful, the City of Temple, TxDOT and Niagara Water. To recognize residents for their effort in keeping Temple beautiful, the best looking yard will also be awarded a swag bag and a sign stating they have the most beautiful lawn in the neighborhood. The sign will be placed in the winner’s front yard for two weeks of bragging rights. So, be on the lookout because Operation: Dumpster Drop is coming to a neighborhood near you!

For more information on Keep Temple Beautiful and our programs, call (254) 493-4000 or Tanya@keeptemplebeautiful.org. Don’t forget to like us on, Facebook at facebook.com/keeptemplebeautiful!

Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home Earns 2019 Dignity Award for Excellence

an annual award given by Service Corporation International (SCI), North America’s largest provider of funeral, cemetery and cremation services. SCI named six winners out of 611 locations that educated the public about SCI’s brand, Dignity Memorial® products and services, gathered quality leads, built long-term relationships with prospective clients, and engaged in community involvement.

“Achieving the Dignity Award for Excellence was accomplished by the tremendous support from our Market Manager Keith Turner, our General Manager Steve Faram, our location managers and the finest and most dedicated funeral directors and staff in the profession who serve client families in need every day,” said Funeral Director Joseph DeCroce.

“We also have a dedicated and outstanding L.I.F.T.® Program, which provides social support to widows and widowers adjusting to the loss of their spouse, and an awarding-winning sales team that contributed to achieving such a high level of service.”

The six winners of the Dignity Awards for Excellence are all based on historic revenue divisions, while two Jimmy Odham Innovation Awards are given, one for Internal Innovation and one for External Innovation.

Joe DeCroce displays the Dignity Award for Excellence. Photo Credit: Greater Killeen Chamber Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home was one of six winners of the 2019 Dignity Awards for Excellence for its outstanding service and community involvement,

Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home serves Fort Hood – one of the largest military bases in the world – and the surrounding areas from Killeen, Copperas Cove and Temple, Texas.

TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM / 7

FRIDAY, November 6, 2020

Virtual Event Invites Local Employers to “Meet Temple”

Temple Economic Development Corporation It comes as no secret that Temple, Texas allures businesses, from startups to mid-size companies and corporate giants, with affordability, strong infrastructure, and a superior location within a three-hour drive of 80 percent of Texas’ growing population. However, the latest prospect of Temple Economic Development Corporation (Temple EDC) is not a business entity, but the talented workforce itself.

On Wednesday, October 21, 2020, Temple EDC hosted the official launch of Meet Temple, a talent attraction brand designed to connect employers, employees, and individuals with relocation opportunities in Temple. The virtual launch event featured a guest list of Temple-based human resource officers, hiring managers, and executives, with more than 70 individuals in online attendance.

The launch event included three sessions presented by the Temple EDC team and its partners: “Optimizing Your Job Postings to Recruit the Right Talent,” presented by Ashley Schlosser, Founder and CEO of Live Out Loud, Inc., a central Texas public relations firm; “Talent Wars 2020: What People Look for in Jobs and Locations in the Age of COVID-19,” presented by Patience Fairbrother, Senior Director of Digital and Brand Strategy at Development Counsellors International; and “Introducing the Meet Temple Brand,” presented by Amanda Carlson, Director of Marketing and Communications at Temple EDC. In addition to the breakout sessions, the Meet Temple virtual launch featured a networking power-hour as an opportunity for local professionals to interact in private one-on-one sessions. During the Meet Temple brand introduction, Amanda Carlson and Temple EDC President and CEO Adrian Cannady hosted a question and answer session about the talent attraction brand, its goals, and resources. Most of the attendee-initiated questions centered around the unveiling of the Meet Temple Employer Toolkit.

Carlson introduced the toolkit during her presentation as a resource that promotes Temple, Texas to talent around the country and globe. The toolkit includes a brochure packed with statistics and information about job and industry growth in Temple and Meet Temple brand images that can be shared via social media and email. To gain access to these assets, hiring professionals can visit

meettemple.com/employer-toolkit and create a login using their email address. From there, individuals will be prompted to complete the Meet Temple ambassador certification. Respondents who complete the certification with a passing score of 80 percent or higher will be granted permission to download and share assets within the Meet Temple toolkit.

After the Meet Temple brand introduction, Cannady and Carlson tallied points from the virtual event’s gamification portal to announce three winners who engaged with the most content and attendees during the event. The winners received Meet Temple brand merchandise, courtesy of Temple EDC. “We are encouraged to see the outpouring of support for Meet Temple from local business leaders,” says Carlson. “While the labor market is competitive, Temple continues to rise above as a top destination for talent across the nation.

The launch event is the first step of many that showcases all that Temple has to offer and attract the best talent to live, work, and play in Temple, Texas.”

To learn more about Meet Temple, visit meettemple.com. Stay tuned for more updates from Meet Temple and Temple EDC as the two work together to attract and retain the highest caliber businesses, organizations, and workforce to the growing city of Temple, Texas.

Horizon Bank Strengthens Commercial Lending Team in Temple

Faron Phinney, Senior VP Horizon Bank

Horizon Bank, SSB, announces the addition of Faron Phinney, Senior Vice President to its new Temple, Texas footprint. Phinney will be responsible for developing lending relationships within the Temple area.

Phinney holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Angelo State University, and is a graduate of the National Commercial Lending School at the University of Oklahoma. He serves as Chairman of the Executive Board Bell County Youth Fair, and is a prior Director for the Belton Chamber of Commerce and the Belton Christian Youth Center. Phinney and his wife have resided in Bell County for over 35 years.

“We are excited to be able to provide local lending solutions to this important and growing market,” said James Dyess, President and Chief Executive Officer of Horizon Bank.

Horizon Bank is a community bank headquartered in Austin, Texas, with seven locations and $1.3 billion in assets. Horizon prides itself on creating lifelong customer relationships and business partnerships in its communities, from the headquarters in Austin, Texas, and beyond. For more information, visit their website at www.horizonbanktexas.com.

“Horizon Bank is committed to supporting business growth in the communities we serve.”

FRIDAY, November 6, 2020

8 / TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM

Shop Local this Holiday Season

The COVID-19 outbreak has taken a toll on our families, friends, and neighbors.

It has resulted in difficult times for many of our local businesses, which are vital and unique to our community. Early on in the pandemic, some industries were mandated to close temporarily, others had to scale back, and many have changed their operations completely.

As we enter the holiday season, and potentially another wave of COVID-19 cases, we must continue to support the local businesses who create the fabric and character of our community. It is easy to rely on online shopping in a time like this, but we have to think of the long-term consequences of a quick online checkout.

According to the Small Business Economic Impact Study, consumers’ local impact during the holiday shopping season is significant because an average of $0.67 of every dollar spent at local businesses stays in the local community.

Looking at that bigger picture, think how those dollars spent in the greater Temple area make our community a little better. The local businesses where you shop, dine, or play, employ our family, friends, and neighbors. They pay taxes, which help to provide essential services like police, fire and rescue, infrastructure improvements, schools, and parks. Local businesses also support various local clubs, teams, and events.

This holiday shopping season, we encourage you to shop and buy local with Temple Chamber Members. Be sure to check out our Temple Chamber Member directory templechamber.com.

When visiting local establishments, be sure to wear a face-covering and adhere to social distancing guidelines.

Plus, here are a few other ways to safely support local business: 1) Order Takeout or Delivery – many of our local restaurants have found a way to continue safely serving during this difficult time. Many have curbside pickup or even delivery options. Now is a perfect time to order from your favorite restaurant or to try somewhere new!

2) Order Ahead – simplify your transactions by placing your order before arriving. Many businesses are offering an option to purchase goods or services through their social media, via a phone call, or through email. Ordering ahead will shorten your exposure time to others and lessen the risk for everyone involved.

3) Purchase Gift Cards – support your favorite business by purchasing a gift card now to use later.

4) Write Positive Reviews – Write positive reviews of your favorite local businesses on Facebook, Google, and Yelp.

5) Utilize Social Media – Like, Follow, Comment, Share – help spread the news of your local businesses to your friends and followers!

Local business owners are our family members, friends, and neighbors; they are our community, and they need our support now more than ever before.

Social Enterprises: New Structures for Positive Change

Tisha Dodge (Courtesy Photo)

The McLennan Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Temple Chamber of Commerce, and Extraco Banks will present a virtual training on December 3, 2020, at 11:00 am about the legal structuring of social enterprises.

A social enterprise is a business model that addresses a basic unmet need or solves a social or environmental problem through a market-driven approach. It blurs the lines of traditional business, government, and nonprofit sectors.

Social enterprises allow you to make a posi-

tive impact without the limits of a non-profit. Join the virtual training with Tisha Dodge to discover if a social enterprise is right for your business.

Tisha Dodge, a business lawyer of 24 years and seasoned business owner of her own social impact businesses, will answer your questions. Tisha earned her BA in Political Science from George Washington University in Washington DC and her JD from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law in 1995.

Tisha believes an entrepreneur can make a profit and serve a greater good. Her law firm, Dodge Legal Group, SPC, is the first, and presumed only, Texas Social Purpose Corporate Law Firm in Texas and provides legal services to social enterprises, start-ups, established businesses, and non-profits, empowering you with legal knowledge to maximize business growth.

Register for the training at http://bit.ly/SBDCSocialEnterprise.