Newsletter - Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce

August 2012
Newsletter
Chamber Calendar
Tuesday | AUGUST 7
Reception for Terry Amstutz
11:30 a.m.
Baptist Health Medical Center
FRIday | AUGUST 10
Teacher Appreciation Lunch
11:30 a.m.
Grand Prairie Center
FRIday | August 17
Chamber Board of Directors
11:30 a.m.
Chamber office
TueSday | August 21
Business After Hours
5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Pat’s Place
TUESDay | August 28
Duck Gumbo Cooks Meeting
6:00 p.m.
Chamber office
THURSday | August 30
SIDC Board of Directors
12 noon
Chamber office
Friday | September 7
Appreciation Golf Tournament
11:00 a.m.
Stuttgart Country Club
Contact Us
Chamber of Commerce
507 S. Main | P.O. Box 1500
Stuttgart, AR 72160
(870) 673-1602
Stephen Bell
Executive Vice President
[email protected]
Bethany Hodges
Director of Programs
[email protected]
Teacher Appreciation
Luncheon to thank local teachers
n The Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce will
honor local teachers on Friday, August 10, at its
annual Teacher Appreciation Luncheon sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Stuttgart.
The luncheon is held to thank both public and
private school teachers for their hard work and
dedication to the students of Stuttgart.
The luncheon will begin at 11:30 a.m. at the
Grand Prairie Center. This year’s theme is based
on the popular TV show “American Idol” and is
called “American Teacher.”
Tickets are $12 and may be purchased by calling
the Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce at 673-1602.
T-shirts are once again being pre-sold this year.
Kelly Houghton is chairman of the Teacher
Appreciation Committee of the Stuttgart Chamber
of Commerce.
The Education Committee of the Stuttgart
Chamber of Commerce will also be awarding several cash grants to teachers through its
CenturyLink GREAT grant program and Lennox
AMERICAN TEACHER — The theme of this
year’s Kiwanis Teacher Appreciation Luncheon
is “American Teacher,” based on the popular TV
show American Idol.
Math and Measurements grant program.
Elizabeth Skinner is chairman of the Chamber
Education Committee.
Arkansas Rice Expo
Stuttgart hosts major rice event
n Stuttgart hosted its largest event so far in
the Grand Prairie Center when the Arkansas Rice
Expo convened August 3 with more than 1,200
in attendance.
Gov. Mike Beebe was the keynote speaker at
the event with his speech on “What’s Right With
Arkansas.”
The second annual Arkansas Rice Expo began
at 8 in the morning, winding up with a free catfish
lunch cooked by the Yoder Ruritan Club.
Before the event, Chuck Wilson, director of the
Arkansas Rice Research and Extension Center,
said, “We will have our traditional field day plot
tours, but the rest of the activities will be inside
the Grand Prairie Center.”
Last year’s Arkansas Rice Expo drew more
than 1,000 people despite 100-degree temperatures. With the record heat so far this summer,
“we figure the air conditioning will be a welcome
change,” Wilson said.
This year’s Arkansas Rice Expo also featured
the finals of the Arkansas Rice Expo Recipe Con-
test and the new pedal tractor derby.
This year, the 63,000-square-foot Grand Prairie Center served as the hub of activities for the
Rice Expo, offering something for everyone in
air-conditioned comfort.
Opened in April 2011, the center features two
salons that hold 420 and 210 people each; a catering kitchen; an outdoor cooking pavilion; four
classrooms; four meeting rooms that can seat up
to 30 people; and a 750-seat auditorium that can
expand to 1,500 seats.
Other speakers included:
• Dr. Clarence Watson with the University of
Arkansas Division of Agriculture.
• Dr. David Gealy with the Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center.
• Rich Hillman with the Rice Research and
Promotion Board
• Janet Carson with the Cooperative Extension
Service on “Gardening in Rice Country”
Virtual tours were also held at the Grand Prairie
Center in Salons A and B.
Business After Hours
Pat’s Place restaurant will host event
PROMOTING RICE — Gov. Mike Beebe was the keynote
speaker at the 2012 Arkansas Rice Expo in Stuttgart.
n Pat’s Place restaurant will
host a “Business After Hours”
on Tuesday, August 21.
The restaurant, which features home-style cooking, is
located at 2104 South Main.
Members of the Stuttgart
Chamber of Commerce are
invited to meet owner Bob
Creekmore and Pat White of
Pat’s Place at the Business After
Hours.
They will also get to sample
items from the menu at Pat’s
Place. The event will be held
from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
“Business After Hours” is spon-
sored by the Stuttgart Chamber
of Commerce and hosted by a
local business.
It is a chance for business people to gather and network at an
informal setting.
Golf Tournament
Industry Appreciation Event set September 7
PROMOTING STUTTGART — The Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce had an information booth at the 2012 Arkansas Rice Expo
held at the Grand Prairie Center in Stuttgart.
n Business owners and executives are being invited to
participate in the annual CenturyLink Industry Appreciation
Golf Tournament.
The tournament is hosted by
the Stuttgart Industrial Development Corporation and Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce.
The golf tournament is free
and open to any business person in Stuttgart. The 3-person
scramble will be held Friday,
September 7 at the Stuttgart
Country Club.
“The tournament is being
held to thank our local businesses for being such an important
part of our community,” said
SIDC President Carl Humphrey.
“We want to encourage as many
business people as possible to
participate in the tournament.”
Registration forms are avail-
able at the Stuttgart Chamber of
Commerce office, 507 S. Main.
You do not need to have your
own 3-person team. Individuals will be assigned to teams, so
individual golfers are welcome
to register.
“It’s going to be a great way to
spend the day with other business owners and executives in
Stuttgart and learn about their
businesses,” Humphrey said.
“The CenturyLink Industry
Appreciation Golf Tournament
is going to be a great way for
the business community to get
together for a relaxing day of
networking.” Lunch will also be
provided to those participating
in the golf tournament.
Find Us On Facebook
RICE EXHIBIT — Lana Flowers and Jenna Sexton worked the
Producers Rice Mill booth at the 2012 Arkansas Rice Expo.
n You can follow the activities and events of the Stuttgart
Chamber of Commerce by following us on Facebook.
Simply go to Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce on Facebook
to find us. Facebook is a social
network that connects people
with friends or others who
share their interests. Be sure to
hit the Like button on our page.
Yard of the Month
Chamber selling ads
for 2013 Stuttgart Profile
YARD OF THE MONTH — Don and Celeste Daugherty of 2104 Strait Place
received the Yard of the Month for July from the Beautification Committee
of the Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce. Stephen Bell and Bethany Hodges
presented the Yard of the Month sign to Celeste Daugherty. The Yard of
the Month is sponsored by Stuttgart Flowers & Gifts
 The Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce is still
selling ads for the 2013 Stuttgart Profile magazine.
The 152-page magazine will be:
• Full color quality publication
• 10,000 copies are printed and distributed
This will be the only publication endorsed and
distributed by the Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce
and the Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce will be responsible for all content and advertising.
The magazine will be used to promote our community and your business. The Stuttgart Chamber of
Commerce is asking you to support this effort with
your advertising.
The magazine will be an important marketing tool
for Stuttgart. It will be given to new residents and
visitors in an effort to promote the city and all the
businesses in it.
It will help them find your business when you
advertise in the magazine.
Feel free to contact Bethany Hodges at (870) 6731602.
Local Economy
City sales tax revenues
VISITORS FROM CHINA — Stephen Bell and Bethany Hodges of the Stuttgart
Chamber of Commerce welcomed a delegation from China with the Arkansas
Council for International Visitors. The Arkansas Council for International Visitors is part of a national network that receives government officials, journalists,
and nonprofit advocates from other countries brought to the United States by
the State Department. They are identified by our embassies as people in a
position — now or in the future — likely to have influence on issues related
to American foreign policy.
Current Year
Previous Year
June
363,297
346,681
May
358,001
308,547
April
370,043
326,846
March
328,132
338,217
February 477,399
433,582
January
391,927
342,595
December
381,266
342,844
November
382,987
325,765
October
349,911
364,625
September
395,921
321,784
STUTTGART CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
P.O. Box 1500
Stuttgart, AR 72160
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