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ChamberWorks August 2003 |
» Past Issues |
» Chairman's
Message
» Attention,
Please!
» New
Currency
» Day
of Caring - The United Way
» Shirt
Sales!
» Seaside
Business After Hours Recap
» Tribal
Casinos and Congress
» Coming
Soon: Another Benefit of Membership
Chairman's Message
As we all know, the chamber cannot sustain it's current momentum without the
help of our volunteers. Allow me to take a minute to remind every member that we
are all Ambassadors of the chamber. Each of us is encouraged to attend
the many functions planned throughout the year, and to inform prospective
members of the availability of these events.
We are still looking for people to volunteer for the Ambassador Program, so if you are interested, please contact Kevin Lally of Brooks Newspapers at 203-849-1600 for further information. Being an Ambassador is a rewarding experience in addition to offering the opportunity to network with prospective members.
Congratulations to the Fairfield Theatre Company on their lease agreement with the town. We are looking forward to the planned off-off Broadway productions and the synergy that will come through additional evening activity in the downtown business area.
Look for the Rooster's Restaurant re-opening. We wish them the best of luck following the unfortunate kitchen fire that forced them to temporarily close their doors. We support their success and the positive effect they are expected to have on the downtown community.
And thanks to Valerie Senew and People's Bank, gift certificate sales are reaching record proportions. The certificates are now available at the People's Black Rock Turnpike location at 1940 Black Rock Turnpike and at the 837 Post Road branch of Peoples Bank. Please visit these branch locations to purchase your gift certificates today.
The Seaside Business After Hours was another great success. Just as in years past, the Darien, Norwalk, Westport and Fairfield chambers sold out well in advance. Due to the muggy weather and threatening skies, the event was held indoors -- a slight change from prior venues at the Longshore. Many thanks to all the participating chambers and The Longshore Inn for another nice joint chamber event.
Ted Fitzgerald
Chairman
Attention Please!
We have been running into some problems regarding reservations for events.
The following is chamber policy and should be noted:
Business After Hours
There are no walk-ins allowed at the July Longshore event. Because this event sells out weeks in advance, reservations will not be held without advance payment. Cancellations must be made within 48 hours of this event in order to be credited the prepaid cost. This also allows us the opportunity to take someone from the waiting list and sell them a ticket. If you are a 'no-show', and you did not inform us within 48 hours that you could not attend, you are still responsible for the price of the reservation.
Fundraisers
If a ticket is bought in advance for a major fundraiser, and the attendee finds at the last minute that he/she cannot attend, it is the buyer's responsibility to sell the ticket -- not the chamber's. If you are unable to find someone to purchase your ticket, consider it a donation and ask us to find a deserving party who would like a free ticket. Remember, it is not only very important for us to sell tickets to an event, the event's success depends on audience participation. Without an audience, the event will flop regardless of the number of tickets sold.
The chamber is responsible to a club or hotel once a head count is given for food. Please make sure that you live up to your responsibility when you commit to a chamber event. As a non-profit, we simply do not have the funds to make payment to a club or hotel for a dinner ordered by a member that does not show up, and yet feels entitled to a rebate.
New Currency
The Bureau of Printing and Engraving is issuing currency with new designs and
security features beginning with the $20 note in late 2003. Be aware that while
the size and images on the bills will remain the same, the most noticeable
change will be the color of the money. The redesigned currency is safer, smarter
and more secure because it is harder to fake and easier to check.
The issuance of the new $20 note will be followed by a new $50 note in 2004 and a new $100 note in 2005. While decisions on new designs for the $5 and $10 notes are still under consideration, a redesign of the $2 and $1 notes is not planned.
Educating your employees and customers about the coming changes will be important to help reduce confusion and prevent loss as the new notes are introduced. If you want more information regarding these changes, you may call a toll-free number at 1-877-693-2877 to request educational materials available to the public. According to The Bureau of Engraving and Printing, you may also visit the following site to download all the educational materials: www.moneyfactory.com/newmoney.
Day of Caring - The United Way
The Day of Caring is a well-loved and much-anticipated annual event. This year,
volunteers are already being tapped to perform projects ranging from general
clean-ups, painting and landscaping to food drives and informal counseling for
job-seekers.
If you are an employer or just someone interested in participating in this United Way program on Thursday, September 18, please contact John Voket at the United Way at 203-334-5106, ext. 307, or email him at jvoket@thewaytocare.com by August 15. Do not call the chamber office.
Shirt Sales!
Since our last issue of ChamberWorks, which announced the availability of
t-shirts for sale, we are happy to report that numerous inquiries have come in,
and shirts have been sold! Stop by and take a look. We think you will be
pleasantly surprised; they appeal to all types and sizes of wearers, and we have
all sizes available. In white or navy, they make a great gift for you, too! The
price is $15.00 each.
Coming Attraction: Baseball Hats!
Seaside Business After Hours Recap
A sell-out crowd of 260 enjoyed the ambiance of the Longshore County Club in
Westport on July 21. Because of the muggy air and threatening skies, the event
was held indoors in the main ballroom, however, those who cared to venture onto
the heat-infused grounds were welcome to do so. The four chambers sharing space
this year were Norwalk, Westport/Weston, Fairfield and Darien. This provided
members of multiple chambers the opportunity to network with four chambers in
one evening, in addition to savoring a summer evening along the Connecticut
shoreline. Hot and cold hors d'oeuvres were served in abundance, and the cash
bar provided libations to quench the thirst of the most discriminating
participants.
Make a note: The Longshore holds us to 260 people due to lack of parking facilities and Westport's fire codes. If you were unable to attend this year's event because you couldn't commit until the last minute, learn your lesson and get your reservation and check in early next year. I promise you great value for your money, and a memorable shoreline evening of fun and networking.
Tribal Casinos and Congress
In the July 25 article by Rick Green, a Hartford Courant staff writer, new
figures became available regarding tribal gambling. Tribal gambling revenues
have increased 33% between 2000 and 2002 to nearly $14 billion in annual
revenue. In 2002, tribal gambling revenues gained 13% over the previous year,
while growth in Nevada and New Jersey was negligible.
Merrill Lynch's Kurt van Kuller predicts Indian gaming will grow to an $18 billion business by 2005. And Dianne Feinstein, D-California, noted that as many as 22 tribes may be looking to build so-called off-reservation casinos in her state.
Weekly announcements proposing expanded or new Indian casinos around the country have prompted Congressional leaders to sit up and take notice. In California, a bill has been introduced that would require a proposed casino near San Francisco be subject to local land-use restrictions and other controls—something that Indian tribes are not currently subjected to.
In Rick Green's article, Rep. Rob Simmons, R-2nd District, said "Congress legalized Indian gambling to spark economic development on the reservation—not as a means to build resorts near affluent urban areas for casino investors."
Stay tuned to see what will happen when Connecticut's appeal against the federally recognized Eastern Pequot tribe is decided. The tribe's reservation is located in North Stonington, but they are looking for land in eastern Connecticut for their casino.
Coming Soon: Another Benefit of Membership
The Fairfield Chamber of Commerce would like to start a Leads Group this Fall.
Would you like to participate in a group that brings you more business contacts?
Based on a format that works to benefit all participants, the Chamber will
create groups that give members an opportunity to share and obtain business and
sales leads from representatives from other types of business. In sum, these
Leads Groups increase business exposure and client contact. The Chamber of
Commerce is about uniting business people and improving the quality of life
within our community. We feel strongly that one of the crucial components of
building a business is networking. We appreciate the support and commitment of
our membership. Please call us at 255-1011 or e-mail us at: info@FairfieldCTChamber.com
if you would like to join our leads group. Also, let us know if you have had
experience with these groups and may want to facilitate the Fairfield chamber
leads group.