March 2016 - Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce

Chamber Connection
March 2016
2015 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner
Dixie Shaw
Welcome Caribou Area Businesses!
On January 1, 2016 the Central Aroostook
Chamber of Commerce welcomed the Caribou Chamber
of Commerce members with continued support and
representation.
2015 Citizen of the Year Winner
Donald Bouley
Our mission statement is:
“To serve, advance and publicize the commercial,
agricultural, civic and general interests of our member
communities.”
We look forward to collaborating with all the
communities we serve in Central Aroostook County as
well as other Chambers of Commerce in Aroostook
County and beyond to advance our common interests.
2016 Board of Directors
2015 Business of the Year Winner
Pineland Farms Potato Company
Sarah Brooks
Bobbie-Jo Caron
Greg Doak
Nola Farley
William Getman *
Karen Gonya *
Jonathan Isacco
Kim Jones
Shawn Lahey *
Shelley McAtee *
Jim McKenney
Laurie Nelson
Karen Ouellette *
Bonnie Pack
Justin Pelletier
Floyd Rockholt *
Karen St. Peter *
Sherry Sullivan
Penny Wickstrom
Miles Williams *
* Indicates member of Executive Board
3 Houlton Rd., Presque Isle, ME 04769; Phone (207)764-6561, Fax (207)764-1583, www.centralaroostookchamber.com
Thank You to all
RENEWING MEMBERS
For your continued support!
The Central Aroostook Chamber of
Commerce is only as strong as its
membership.
A & L Construction, Inc.
Allstate Insurance Co.
Amy’s Flowers
Aroosta Cast, Inc.
Aroostook Area Agency on Aging
Aroostook County Electric Supply
Aroostook Partnership
Aroostook Shredding
Aroostook Shrine Club
Aroostook Trusses, Inc.
Ashland Auto Supply, Inc.
Ashland Diner, Inc.
Barresi Financial, Inc.
Bear Paw Inn
Bemis & Rossignol, LLC
Buck’s Market
Burger King - Caribou
C.S. Management, Inc.
Caribou Church of Christ
Caribou Country Club
Caribou Friends for Scouts
Caribou Historical Society
Caribou Hydraulic & Machine
Caribou Rehab & Nursing
Caribou Utilities
Cary Medical Center
Cassidy Orthodontics, LLC
Chandler Farms, Inc.
Cornerstone Christian Academy
County Physical Therapy, LLC
County Super Spuds
Critter Hill Kennel
Dana’s Auto Sales
Echoes Press
Richard C. Engels, Esq.
Exquisite Homes, Inc.
FairPoint Communications
Family Eyecare & Mavor Optical
Farm Credit East
Felch & Company, LLC
Fieldstone Cabins & Rainbow Cove RV Park
Freme’s Jewelry
Gagnon’s Auto & RV Sales, Inc.
Gil’s Sanitation, Inc.
H & R Block - Presque Isle
Halfway Home Pet Rescue
Hannaford Supermarket & Pharmacy
Hedrich Vending, Inc.
Highway Tire, Inc.
Diana Higgins, LMT
Husson University - Presque Isle
Irving Farms, Inc.
Jepson Financial Advisors, PA
Jim’s Automotive/ Classic Appraisals
Just Value Associates, PLLC
Katahdin Trust Company
KeyBank
Kiwanis Club of Caribou
Kofstad Agency, Inc.
Patty LeBlanc
Maine Department of Economic & Community
Development
Maine Farmers Exchange
Maine Winter Sports Center
Martin’s Point
McCain Foods USA, Inc.
McClusky’s RV Center
McDonald’s - Caribou
McDonald’s - Presque Isle
McElwain Strawberry Farm
Mockler Funeral Home
NorState Federal Credit Union
North Country Animal Hospital
North Woods Communications, LLC
Northeast Packaging Co.
Northern Maine Community College
Northern Maine Figuring Skating Club
Northern New England Community Resource
Northern Prosthetics & Orthotics
OTT Communications
Overhead Door Company of Aroostook
Bonnie Pack
Percy’s Auto Sales, Inc.
Pine Village Homes
Pioneer Broadband
Presque Isle Animal Hospital
Presque Isle Historical Society
Presque Isle Wesleyan Church
Progressive Realty
ReEnergy Ashland
Reno’s Family Restaurant
Rosella’s
Russell’s Motel
Solman & Hunter, P.A.
Sullivan’s Floor Covering
Sunrise Massage & Birth Services
Tempo Employment Services
The County Federal Credit Union
The Maine Dance Academy
The Northern Light House
Thompson -Hamel, LLC
Tompkins Plumbing & Heating, Inc.
Town & Country Apartments
Trader Joe’s Outpost
Tri-Community Recycling & Sanitation Landfill
United Insurance - Kieffer Agency
Wilder’s Jewelry Store
Chamber Connection
November 2015
Northern Athletic Supply
December 2015
Machias Savings Bank
Presque Isle
December 2015
Machias Savings Bank
Caribou
January 2016
ACE Rent A Car
Tell us about a recent
Customer Service Experience
and
nominate the business you want to recognize.
Nominations are due by the 25th of each
Month
And can be made by calling the Chamber at
764-6561
Or by emailing us at
[email protected]
Page 2
Welcome to our
Newest Chamber
Members!
Gauvin Foundation
How to contact your representatives:
2016 Elected Officials
U.S Senator
Susan Collins - [R]
25 Sweden St.
Caribou, ME 04736
207-493-7873
U.S. Senator
Angus King - [I]
169 Academy St. - A
Presque Isle, ME 04769
207-764-5124
U.S. Representative
Bruce Poliquin - [R]
445 Main St.
Presque Isle, ME 04769
207-764-1968
Maine State Senators
Senate District 1 - Peter Edgecomb - [R] 207-287-1505
Senate District2 - Michael Willette - [R] 207-287-1507
Collage Beauty Studio
Maine State Representatives
District 146 - Dustin White - [R-Washburn] 207-227-8756
District 147 - Robert Saucier - [D-Presque Isle] 207-227-1160
District 148 - Anthony Edgecomb - [R-Fort Fairfield] 207-484-8119
District 149 - Carol McElwee - [R - Caribou] 207-498-8605
District 151 - John Martin - [D-Eagle Lake] 207-834-7568
Grand Opening
Sign!
Available for your use
from the
Central Aroostook
Chamber of
Commerce
$75.00 deposit fully
refunded when sign is
returned!
Call us at 764-6561
To reserve it today!
[email protected]
Area Events
AROOSTOOK COUNTY — The Aroostook Partnership, in conjunction with the four
institutions of higher education in the region, is once again looking for exceptional entrepreneurs
in Aroostook County and are soliciting nominations for the 2016 Aroostook Entrepreneur of the
Year.
Aroostook’s Entrepreneur – 2016 Award will be given to a business leader who demonstrates
excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation and personal commitment to
their business and community. A notable change this year is an increase in prize money, which
will now be awarded to the top three finalists. The nominees will be recognized and the winner
will receive a plaque and a check for $1,000 at a special recognition dinner later this spring at
Northern Maine Community College. Second and third runners up will receive $500 and $250
respectively.
Partnership Chairman Chris Anderson said Entrepreneur of the Year is very important for the
organization and Aroostook.
“The Aroostook Partnership is about fostering prosperity,” he said. “Prosperity occurs when
organizations grow and employ people. Communities thrive when prosperity occurs. Entrepreneurs create new organizations therefore; the Aroostook Partnership celebrates our entrepreneurs as catalysts for our communities’ future prosperity.”
Nominations must be received by April 29, 2016.
There is no fee for nominations and selfnominations are encouraged. Previous nominees are eligible to be nominated again. Program
details and a nomination form are available for download at www.appme.org.
To be eligible for consideration, nominees must be the founder, owner, or manager of a private
or public company; be primarily responsible for the recent performance of the company or organization; and be an active member of top management. The company or organization must have
been in operation at least one year.
A panel of six judges, one representing the Aroostook Partnership, and the supporting organizations, Husson University, Northern Maine Community College, University of Maine at Fort
Kent, University of Maine at Presque Isle and last year’s winner will select the 2016 honoree.
Entrepreneurship plays a vital role in the growth of the U.S. economy. According to the Small
Business Administration, small businesses provide 55 percent of all jobs and 66 percent of all
net new jobs since the 1970s.
This is the seventh time the Entrepreneur of the Year competition has been held in Aroostook.
Originally a LEADers Encouraging Aroostook Development initiative, the competition continues
now under the Partnership after the LEAD and Aroostook Partnership for Progress merger in
November 2015.
“It is important to stress and encourage entrepreneurial efforts; they play a key role in economic development, and we have some excellent examples that we need to reward and celebrate,”
said Dorsey.
Previous winners include David Harbison of Bison Pumps in Houlton, Matt Bell of Northeast
Pellets in Ashland, Northern Maine Distilling’s Jessica Jewell and Scott Galbiati (formerly of
Houlton), Troy Haney of Haney Building Specialties in Caribou, Corey LaPlante of Northern
Prosthetics in Presque Isle and Josh McLaughlin of J. McLaughlin Construction in Houlton.
For more information, contact Dorsey at 498-8736 or by email at [email protected].
3/03-3/05-Caribou Rec Chimney Pond Ski Trip
3/04-First Friday Art Walk
3/04-3/05-New Sweden Sno Carnival
3/04-3/06-UMPI Outing Club Weekend in the
Woods
3/05-TAMC Snowshoeing
3/05 Himie Towle Memorial Ski Frolic
3/05-Republican Caucuses
3/05-3/08-Can Am Crown Sled Dog Races
3/05-Caribou Historical Museum Railroad
Display
3/06-Democratic Caucuses
3/06-Henry Anderson Memorial Ski Dag
3/08-UMPI hosts Shakespeare & Company
3/09-Aroostook Birders Slideshow & Pot Luck
3/10 - NMCC Job Fair
3/10-Caribou Rec Ski4Life
3/10 & 3/12-Youth Turkey Hunting Seminar
3/11-3/13-NA & US Ski Orienteering
Championship
3/12-Limestone Winter Fun Day!
3/12-UMPI Spaghetti Dinner & Auction
3/12-Frozen Motor Mayhem
3/12-Acadia FCU Skate Marathon
3/12-Snowfest
3/13-UMPI hosts snowshoeing
3/13-Sportsmen’s Inc. Kids Ice Fishing Day
3/14-Caribou Rec Ice Fishing Trip
3/16-Chamber Breakfast Series
3/16-Reverse Career Fair
3/17-Wintergreen Arts-Ladies Night Out
3/18-3/20-Lonesome Pines Winter Carnival
3/19-Wintergreen Arts - Artful Egg!
3/20-FKOC Snowshoeing
3/21-Caribou Rec Adult Snowshoeing
3/23 & 4/02-Adult Ed. Hunter Safety
3/28-3/31 - Safety Symposium
4/02-Agri-Business Trade Fair
4/13-PI Career Center Job Fair
VISIT OUR WEBSITE
TO SEE COMPLETE INFO ON THE ABOVE EVENTS!
http://www.centralaroostookchamber.com
If you would like to see your event in our newsletter
or on our website please contact us at:
Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce
207-764-6561
Or by email at
[email protected]
“I’m a Member, Now What?”
For some businesses, being a member of the Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce
(CACC) is second nature. For others, they have a hard time seeing the value in their investment.
What does the Central Aroostook chamber of Commerce actually do? The mission states: To
serve, advance and publicize the commercial, agricultural and civic interests of Central
Aroostook County. This mission is multi-faceted: it involves Business Networking, Education,
Economic & Community Development and Community Events.
Business Networking: This may be the most well-known opportunity for our members. Along
with our monthly newsletter, we have advertising opportunities, we give business referrals and
we are often the first information resource that new businesses seek out when considering
Central Aroostook County.
Education: The Centr al Aroostook Chamber of Commerce hosts monthly
Breakfast Meetings to meet the State of Maine Commissioners. The CACC also joins other local
institutions and businesses to provide forums for discussion on local issues.
Economic & Community Development: One of the main objectives of the Centr al
Aroostook Chamber of Commerce is to make Aroostook County a place where people want to
live and work. The Chamber is the liaison between our region, the State of Maine and the nation.
We work to accentuate the positive aspects of our region to those near and far.
4. Community Events: If you live or wor k near Aroostook County, then you have most
certainly been exposed to one of the numerous community events that the Central Aroostook
Chamber of Commerce hosts. The Annual Dinner in January, The Maine Quebec Caravan in
February, City-Wide Yard Sale and Strawberry Shortcake Sale in June, Potato Booth at the
Northern Maine Fair in July, Crown of Maine Balloon Fest in August, Haunted Woods Walk and
Aroostook County Brew Fest in October and the Holiday Light Parade in December are all
opportunities for your business to participate and gain exposure in events that draw people from
all over the State of Maine.
You membership is important to your community AND your business—utilize it! Call us today
at 207-764-6561 and connect with us to access all the resources available to you!
Original article by Cynthia Ross appeared in the Business Insider, a publication of the Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Chamber Connection
Page 5
Central Aroostook Chamber
of Commerce
Opportunities to be Involved
CACC has several committees in which
members of the community and businesses in the
area are welcome to help plan and
participate while learning what the Chamber does.
There are also committees essential to the basic operation of the Chamber. Anyone with an interest in the suc-
January—Annual Awards Dinner
February—Maine Quebec Caravan
June—Area Wide Yard Sale
June—Strawberry Shortcake Sale
July/August - Potato
cess and future of the Chamber is
encouraged to become involved through committee participation.
Now is a good time to join and help make a
difference in Central Aroostook County.
For more information please contact
Theresa Fowler at:
[email protected]
or 764-6561.
*Monthly Meetings*
Chamber Board Meetings are typically the
SECOND Tuesday of each Month.
During the winter they are held at the
Chamber office.
During the spring and summer months we like to
visit members in the community.
Chamber Connection
Page 6
Chamber Checks
Program
YEAR ROUND GIVING !!
The Chamber Checks Program isn’t just for the holidays! It is for year round spending in our local stores!
They are regular business size, fully encoded checks. The checks will be signed by Lynnette Frederick or Theresa Fowler. They are
being issued in $ 10, $15, $25 and $50 denominations. At the time of use the checks will be dated and made payable to the receiving
business. The check will be accepted at its full face value and any required change will be given to the client. For simplicity they will be
considered like cash until the bank deposit is being made.
Your business will then deposit the check in your bank deposit like any other check received for payment from a client.
The checks have gone through a duplicate printing process to make them protected against forgery.
Like Gift Certificates the money from the purchase will be placed in a specific account and held. There are no printed expiration dates as
they will expire 6 month after the check is presented for purchases, not 6 months from date of purchase here at the Chamber.
We are hoping that this project will encourage support of local businesses. There will be a list of businesses which have agreed to accept
these checks as forms of payment sent with each purchased check. Local businesses will be given window decals to advertise that they
accept these checks for payment as well.
If you have any concerns please contact the Chamber office and speak to either Lyn or Theresa at your convenience.
Thank you for your continued support.
The Following Businesses Participate in the Chamber Checks Program:
ACE Rent A Car
Amy’s Flowers
Aroosta Cast
Aroostook Limousines
Aroostook Savings & Loan
Aroostook Shredding
Aroostook Tech, Inc.
Ashland 1 Stop
Ashland Diner
Aural Rehabilitation Services/ARS Hearing Aids
Beaulieau’s Auto
Big Cheese Pizza (Caribou & PI)
Bigrock Mountain
Bike, Board & Ski
Braden Theater
Bradley’s Citgo & Car Wash
Bread of Life Bulk Foods & Specialty Store
Burger Boy
Card Smart
Care & Comfort
Caribou Inn & Convention Center
Caribou Save - A -Lot
Cary Medical Center Gift Shop
Chandler Farms, Inc.
City Drug Store
Collage Beauty Studio
Condon Sign, LLC
Country Cleaners
Country Collectibles
Criterium-Brown Engineers
Cushman & Sons, Inc.
Daigle Property Maintenance
Dana’ s Auto Sales
Eagle Hill Stamp & Coin
Family Eyecare & Mavor Optical
Gagnon’s Auto & RV Sales, Inc.
Gil’s Sanitation
Governor’s Restaurant & Bakery
Graves Supermarket, Inc.
Hampton Inn By Hilton
Hand Me Down Antiques
Harry’s Motor Sports & Equipment
Diana Higgins, LMT
Hillside IGA
Irish Setter Pub
JP Market & Deli
Lynox Welding Supply
Diana Mains, LMT
Mars Hill Country Club
Mars Hill IGA
Merchants on the Corner
MOJO Outdoor Sports
Northeast Pellets
Northern Business Products
Northern Maine Community College
Northern Prosthetics & Orthotics
Pat’s Pizza
Percy’s Auto Sales
Plourde & Plourde, Inc.
Pottery by Karen St. Peter
Precision Lawn Services, Inc.
Presque Isle Country Club
Presque Isle Save - A - Lot
Quality Homes Services
RLW Management, Inc.
Rathbun Lumber
Shallie’s Place
Star City IGA.
Steaks N’ Stuff
Sunrise Massage & Birth Services
The Aroostook Medical Center
TAMC’s Country Heart Gift Shop
The Maine Dance Academy
The Olde Rustic Attic
Tim Horton’s (Caribou & PI)
Verizon Wireless Zone
Walmart
BDN Maine Outdoors
1/16 page—$65.00
1/8 page—$130.00
1/4 page—$260.00
1/2 page—$520.00
BDN Maine Outdoor prints over 50,000 issues
of their magazine four times a year.
Advertising
Opportunities
All purchased advertising will receive a free
Facebook posting
Email Blast to Membership—$25.00
The Chamber will send your ad out to our over
300 members
Monthly Newsletter—$25.00
Your ad will be included in our monthly
newsletter
Annual Directory
The Directory includes all of our membership,
local organizations, places of worship, and
information on Central Aroostook County. With
1200 printed annually, the directory is given in
relocation packets, new member packets and is
distributed throughout Aroostook County.
Website Banner/Rotator Ads
Top Banner—First Month FREE then $50.00 per
month with a 6 month
commitment up front. After 6 months you can
continue on at the same monthly rate or pick
times of the year that would benefit your
company the most.
Rotating Side Banner—First month FREE then
$20.00 per month with a 6 month
commitment up front. After 6 months you can
continue on at the same monthly rate or pick
times of the year that would benefit your
company the most.
Bangor Metro
1/16 page—$100.00
1/8 page $200.00
1/4 Page—$400.00
1/2 Page $800.00
With a monthly circulation of 12,500 magazines,
Bangor Metro is growing in popularity here in
Aroostook County due to a special feature called
“Crown of Maine”.
WAGM-TV-CACC Presents
$260.00 for 40 airings total over one month.
Choose the month that best suits your
business’s needs. The Chamber pays $60.00 of
the cost..
You get: A 15 second piece that introduces you as
a member of the Central Aroostook Chamber of
Commerce (5 seconds), then your advertising
information with an
exterior shot of your business (10 seconds) with a
total of 20 airings on CBS and 20 airings on FOX
over the month you choose.
Event Sponsorship
The Central Aroostook Chamber of
Commerce holds eight events each year with
varying levels of sponsorship. Please contact the
Chamber for sponsorship menus.
The Central Aroostook Chamber of
Commerce buys advertising to share with it’s
Members through local radio, local
publications, special inserts, and tourism items
sent through out the State of Maine
.
There are lots of winter activities yet to
be enjoyed. The snow that has fallen in
the past few days will help the businesses
by bringing snowmobilers who have
been waiting all year to ride. The ski hills
are open and looking for skiers. Have
fun.
Our monthly breakfast meetings have
been well attended and the information
shared by the presenters of interest to all.
In March we are going to have our
meeting in Caribou to make it more
convenient for the new members in that
area. We will return to Presque Isle for
our April meeting. The location of future
meetings will depend on the response
from Caribou area businesses. We are
willing to alternate locations but only if
attendance warrants it.
With the addition of so many new
members we have a lot of technology to
update. I hope to establish a good system
for forwarding email that will sort the
recipients by business interest. I want to
ensure that businesses receive all the
information that may be of assistance to
them and provide them with information
they may need.
Our monthly newsletters are one tool
that we use to communicate with our
members. We encourage you to share
these with your colleagues. New business
information and the calendar of events
are useful to many. The coming events
are sent out weekly so people are aware
of activities in the area they may want to
participate in. I frequently hear from
people that they would have attended
something if they had known about it.