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Daylight Saving Time Arrives Early
Every spring when Daylight Saving Time kicks in, we lose an hour of sleep on the weekend and stumble into work on Monday more bleary-eyed than usual -- or stumble into work an hour late, as the case may be.
Starting this year, the clocks change a few weeks early, on the second Sunday in March to be precise.
At 2 am Eastern Standard Time on Sunday, March 11, we're supposed to "spring ahead" and turn our clocks to 3 am Eastern Daylight Time. My, how the time flies. For our trouble we get to see the sun rise later (great if you're into that sort of thing, I guess). We also get to drive home in broad daylight (Woo woo!), even as were just getting used to seeing the sun after 5 pm.
But the real fun begins when we learn just how many of our "smart" electronic devices are paying attention. Today we have cell phones, alarm clocks, VCRs and computers that do the clock turning for us. Time-sensitive activities like bank deposits and credit card payments could be screwed up by the unexpectedly early springing, they tell us. Or not.
More chaos may ensue in late October when the clocks fail to "fall back" at the usual time, instead waiting until the first Sunday in November to plunge the world into premature darkness.
Naturally, the groundhogs knew this was coming all along.
2007 Membership Drive Gearing Up
The official 2007 Membership Drive will happen over three days: April 10, 11 and 12. But well before we hit the phones, our volunteers will be riffling through their rolodexes for new prospects. The goal is a simple one: 100 new members by April 12.
We'll arm our volunteers with a "tool kit" filled with in-depth information on all the Chamber has to offer -- along with some extra incentives for businesses that join during the drive. The campaign begins in earnest around mid-March.
Leading the charge will be our Team Captains: Arianna Hudson, Kathi Eigenrauch, Sue Delco, Jason Hyde and Victoria Ferarra. We encourage them to recruit two or three friends, but the more the merrier -- give one of our Captains a call if you're ready to sign on. Kathi Eigenrauch also functions as the Drive Chairman.
Any team that can recruit 6 new members by April 1 (but don't stop if you're on a roll) can consider their job done. The rest will be joining us at the front lines on the phone lines in April.
For the main event -- the three-day telethon at Sacred Heart's Trumbull campus -- we'll have special prizes for the teams and individual volunteers who shine the brightest, balloon-poppings to herald every new signup, and a continental breakfast or sandwiches as appropriate. We'll be shooting for that goal of 100 new members, but we'll be having fun doing it.
Pretty as a Postcard
Now available: an all-new series of Fairfield and Southport picture postcards, a proud creation of the Fairfield Chamber of Commerce. We have eight scenes to choose from -- or collect them all! (Sorry, needed to get that out of my system.)
From the shoreline to the Old Post Road, Grasmere to Southport, this is just the beginning of our quest to capture the town from many angles in all seasons. Winter has been decidedly uncooperative so far, but we keep hoping for something photogenic. (Our backup plan is to relocate the Bronson Windmill to Oswego, New York.)
The photography and design are the work of a certain sanity-challenged newsletter writer who will remain nameless to protect our innocent readership. But we can assure the public that there are no subliminal messages hidden in the pictures.
The postcards are on sale now at the Chamber office for 35¢ each, or you can save yourself a nickel and buy 3 for $1. Retailers interested in carrying these cards should call us at 255-1011. We're offering them at a wholesale price in groups of 400, which includes 50 of each scene.
Flavors Savored in Record Numbers
"Savor the Flavor" -- an updated version of the Chamber's annual wine tasting event -- succeeded beyond our wildest dreams and secured its place as the biggest fundraiser in the Chamber's history. Ever.
We have many, many people to thank for it. First are the 143 guests who bought tickets to the event along with a raft of raffle tickets. They came through again in the silent auction as nearly every item was sold. (Somehow Patricia ended up with the lion's share -- we're still trying to figure that one out.)
Next, we must thank our five participating restaurants -- Coppia Ristorante, The Field, The Pantry, Taco Loco and Vino on the Brick Walk -- who shared a taste of their work with everyone who wandered within range of the food tables. Veteran chefs served up classic Italian, Northern Italian, Mexican and American fare, plus some decadent desserts from The Pantry that were worth the price of admission all by themselves. (No, they didn't offer me a bribe to say that. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't accept one -- especially something with chocolate in it.) The food was excellent and plentiful, and even with the record crowd they were in no danger of running out of great stuff to eat.
The silent auction would not have been the success it was without the broad array of auction items donated by area businesses. Consultations, theater tickets, flowers, goodie baskets, gift certificates, recreational activities, educational activities ... the list goes on. This is a major fundraising event for the Chamber, and the auction plays a big part. It's fun for the bidders and good marketing for the donors.
We are also grateful to our sponsors: Blackrock Realty LLC, Chamber Insurance Trust, Hatfield Insurance Agency, Porsche, Audi, Mercedes-Benz of Fairfield, and Brody, Wilkinson & Ober.
We thank the Jarryd Torff Trio for providing the perfect musical accompaniment for the evening.
And last but not least, we thank Mother Nature for sparing us the snow that fell in other parts of Connecticut.
Be sure to check out Greg Beno's slideshow of the event to see what you missed if you weren't there, or just to see if anyone you know was caught looking goofy on camera. (Hey, it happens to the best of us.)
Our next food and wine affair is tentatively scheduled for spring 2008, possibly under a tent, and definitely bigger and more savory than ever.
A Different View of the Business World
Investigative journalist and author Jeff Benedict has a new book with a new angle on business. Known for his controversial writings on the business of sports (not to mention his leading role in the drive to contain Connecticut's casino gambling industry), in his latest book Benedict looks at the world through the eyes of Mormon business executives. It's a point of view that few of us have experienced.
The Mormon Way of Doing Business: Leadership and Success Through Faith and Family follows the careers -- religious and corporate -- of such high-profile figures as JetBlue CEO David Neeleman and former Dell CEO Kevin Rollins, among others. A Mormon himself, Benedict explains how the teachings and beliefs of the church shaped their concepts of business success and business ethics, and why the two notions are inseparable.
File Your Trademark Application Online
Progress marches on (and online): The US Patent and Trademark Office has launched TEAS, the Trademark Electronic Application System. As you'd expect from the name, this system will allow you to fill out a form on their web site and submit the complete application electronically. For details, tutorials and more, see www.uspto.gov/teas.