Easter Seals Arc Grand Opening in Garrett

Easter Seals Arc of Northeast Indiana will hold a grand opening event for a new satellite office in Garrett, Indiana, on Monday, November 10 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The event will include tours of the facility, refreshments, and an opportunity to meet and mingle with staff. The Easter Seals office is the first disability services office in Garrett. The office will handle in-home waivers, network for safe families, respite, and will also provide service to DeKalb, Noble, and Steuben counties.

Nancy Leming, Manager of Community Living for Easter Seals Arc says “People’s needs are constantly changing and we want to be able to change with them, to serve them the best we can. By opening this office, it will help us to provide more opportunities to families who need in-home services. It’s also a win-win situation for both Easter Seals Arc and the community of Garrett. The addition makes us more visual in Northeast Indiana, and allows us to create solutions and change lives at the same time.”

The new office is located at 1866 South Randolph St., Rd. 327 (Coldwater Road), Garrett, IN 46793. For more information contact Tony Belton at (260) 469-2777.

Colorectal Cancer Awareness Forum

Dear Chamber Members and Human Resource Directors:

You are invited to a Colorectal Cancer Awareness Forum. Members of our medical community and representatives of the health insurance industry will share life-saving information on how to prevent the second leading cause of cancer deaths in this country colorectal cancer.

What: Colorectal Cancer Awareness Network (CRAN) of Northeast Indiana
When: Thursday, November 13, 2008
Where: Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce, 826 Ewing Street
Time: 7:30 am – 9 am

Continental Breakfast, RSVP’s are appreciated. Please call “T” Irmscher at (260) 471-3911 Please consider attending. It might just save a life!

Feet on the Street

by Teresa Royer
Member Relations Specialist

My travels recently took me to the Coca-Cola Bottling Company warehouse where I met the Sales Center Manager, Aaron Brown. Aaron has been back “home” for about 8 weeks. He has relocated here from Pennsylvania and is originally from Knightstown, Indiana.

Aaron is very personable and knowledgeable about the Company. He’s also very passionate about the initiatives he shared with me that Coca-Cola is involved in and is excited about growing them here in Fort Wayne.

The company is very proactive in their Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability initiative. Coca-Cola’s CRS initiative focuses on the environment, the community, and its employees. Coca-Cola believes strongly in recycling and Aaron shared with me that you can make a t-shirt out of 5-20oz. plastic bottles; which they were happy to give such shirts to their employees.

The Fort Wayne facility is exploring many environmental initiatives at this time, including water stewardship, energy conservation, and recycling. They are exploring ways to collect and recycle rainwater for local landscapers and irrigation companies. This water then can be used to provide their services while saving the use of hundreds possibly thousands gallons of water.

You can check out their website at http://www.cokecce.com/ where you can finds tips and suggestions on how you can incorporate “Green” initiatives in your daily life.

Coca-Cola is also very civic-minded and wants to be part of the community. i.e. giving back and getting involved, their employees are encouraged to volunteer their time as well to non-profit organizations. Aaron is interested in forming partnerships with other like-minded companies regarding this effort in giving back. Interested?

Voters are Ready for Smarter, Better Government

This election it was hard for the bottom of the ballot to compete with the glamour at the top. However, voters proved both across the state and here in Allen County that they are ready for their government to join them in 21st century.

Voters in Aboite and St. Joseph townships demonstrated that they were ready for change in the structure of their local government. And while Wayne township was not quite ready, 31 of the remaining 43 townships across Indiana were.

Local results were as follows:
Aboite - Yes 8,494/ No 7,210
St Joe - Yes 14,509/ No 11,553
Wayne - No 14,397/ Yes 12,729

In tough economic times, taxpayers are ready for their government to spend their tax dollars more wisely. Chamber members, stay engaged, there is more to come. There will most certainly be more discussion as we head into the 2009 session to make local government smarter.

Thanks to everyone this election who worked on this important initiative!

To learn more about the statewide effort for smarter government check out mysmartgov.org.

IDEM Invites Small Businesses to Fall Financial Workshop

Who: Indiana Department of Environmental Management, Indiana Economic Development Corporation, the Indiana Office of Energy and Defense Development and the Kosciusko County Solid Waste Management District

What: Northeast Indiana Recycling Market Development Conference: “Financial Opportunities for Start-up & Small Businesses”

Where: Center Lake Pavilion, 119 East Canal Street, Warsaw, Ind. 46580

When: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. (local time), Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Representatives from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management’s (IDEM’s) Recycling Market Development Program, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, and the Office of Energy and Defense Development will be discussing available funding opportunities for new and existing businesses during a free conference sponsored and hosted by the Kosciusko County Solid Waste Management District.

Participants will learn about funding opportunities available through the Recycling Market Development Program and address how businesses can work toward lessening their impact on Indiana's environment. The Recycling Market Development Program offers grants and zero-interest loans ranging from $6,000 to $1 million to businesses to promote and assist recycling efforts beyond the collection stage in Indiana.

In addition, business representatives will have the opportunity to meet with state funding partners to help plan and implement recycling activities into their business practices. The morning will include a session highlighting the importance of small businesses and start-ups to Indiana's environment and economy.

Additional information can be obtained by calling IDEM’s Recycling Market Development Program at (800) 988-7901 or the Kosciusko County Solid Waste Management District at (574) 372-3087 or by accessing IDEM’s Web site at idem.IN.gov.

OSHA Training Seminar Next Week

Back by popular demand! The Chamber, Ivy Tech and the Public Safety Academy of Northeast Indiana are proud to present the OSHA 10-hour Outreach Course for General Industry. The course, offered through Safework Indiana, provides incredible low-cost, quality training close to your workplace.

If you work in general industry affected by OSHA regulations, this training will meet those regulations and give you much needed information. The event takes place November 13-14 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the Public Safety Academy of Northeast Indiana (7602 Patriot Crossing). Cost is $255 per person with group rates available.

Topics include: Introduction to OSHA, General Duty Clause, Inspections, Citations and Penalties, Recordkeeping, Walking and Working Surfaces, Fire Safety, Exit Routes, Emergency Action Plans, Fire Prevention Plans and much, much more.

To register contact Ann Travis at (260) 480-4118 or atravis@ivytech.edu.

FHFH Working with Community Harvest Food Bank to Eliminate Hunger

Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry (FHFH) is partnering with the Community Harvest Food Bank by encouraging hunters and farmers to donate deer, cattle, and pigs to participating butchers who will package and process the meat into family-size portions to be distributed through the Harvest Food Bank or other charities. All bills for the processing are sent to the FHFH, which will pay through fundraising efforts.

Protein is the most difficult commodity for food banks to obtain. On average, one deer provides up to 200 meals. Hunters will be entered in a drawing for a $750 Knight Long-range Muzzleloader every time they donate a deer.

Donators are encouraged to call the butcher prior to drop-off. For more information or a list of participating butchers contact Debra Treesh at (260) 541-0365 or (260) 281-2311 or treesh@fhfh.org.

Small Business Workshop Presented by SCORE

SCORE is to hold a Small Business Workshop on Thursday, November 20 from 9 a.m. to noon. The Workshop, entitled “How to Start Your Own Business” will cover:

• Pre-Business and Basic Planning


• Marketing Your Business


• Financial Planning and Alternatives


• Legal Business Structures


• Putting it all Together

The workshop is provided in conjunction with Chapter 50, Womens Enterprise, the Small Business Development Center, and the City of Fort Wayne. Admission is free but registrations are preferred (though not required). For more information or to register contact City of Fort Wayne – Office of the Mayor at (260) 427-1111 or citizens@cityoffortwayne.org.

The workshop takes place in the Omni Room on the 2nd floor of the City-County Building (One Main Street).

FWCS Phone Lines Back Up

Jeff Babicz Guitar Featured in New Book

Jeff Babicz Signature Series Colossal model guitar of Babicz Guitars has been featured in a recent book release from Lark Publications.

Author Robert Shaw says this of the Babicz guitar: “Jeff Babicz’s guitars employ three unique solutions to problems inherent to traditional flattops. Most notably, Babicz’s ‘lateral compression soundboard’ anchors the strings directly the lower part of the soundboard rather than the bridge..."

The book, “Hand Made, Hand Played; The Art & Craft of Contemporary Guitars” features over 300 hand-made guitars illustrated in full color and focuses on the artisans who made them. The book was released on October 7 and can be found at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com.


Babicz Guitars can be found at their showroom in downtown Fort Wayne.

FWCS Phone Lines Down

Phone lines are down in all FWCS school buildings this morning. Officials are working to correct the situation, parents are asked to be patient if they are trying to reach the schools for attendance or other reasons. If there is an emergency, parents can call 467-1000, and someone at the administration building will assist them. Phones at Grile Administrative Center and Anthis Career Center are working.

The Chamber's Robyn Nicholls Speaks at Midwest Workkeys Summit

Robyn Nicholls, manager of the Chamber’s WorkKeys Program, was invited to participate as an expert WorkKeys panelist and speaker at the WorkKeys Midwest Regional Economic & Workforce Development Summit, held on October 27 and 28, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Summit drew more than 350 attendees from throughout the Midwest at the third annual event.

Employers across the nation are finding it increasingly more difficult to find workers that possess the foundational skills necessary to be successful in a job, e.g., reading, math, or utilizing data. WorkKeys is a system that can help employers with this challenge. WorkKeys is a criterion-referenced skills definition and assessment system that identifies the foundational skills required to effectively perform in a job – and also provides the related assessments to ensure that workers meet those requirements.

The Chamber’s WorkKeys Program has been providing WorkKeys job profiles to benefit employers in our region since 2004 – defining skills required in 300 jobs at more than 100 companies. Robyn is recognized as one of the top profilers in Indiana, profiling more than 200 jobs.

“Whether it’s in Oklahoma City or right in our own back yard in Northeast Indiana, everyone agrees that workforce skills is a critical issue for regional competition in the global economic environment", Nicholls said. "As evidenced in Oklahoma, strategies are being developed and implemented, and one of the tools being utilized is WorkKeys.”

Meet Me @ 5 at the Dome Next Thursday!

Go “Back to Your Childhood” at November’s Meet Me @ 5. The Dome will host a special Meet Me @ 5 on November 13 from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.

The event will feature miniature golf, batting cages, great networking, prizes and much, much more.

The Dome is located at 5702 Engle Road, Fort Wayne IN, 46804.The cost to attend is $5 plus a business card for Chamber members or $10 plus a business card for non-Chamber members. For more information, contact Teresa Royer at (260) 424-1435, ext. 265 or troyer@fwchamber.org.

Register online at fwchamber.org. Hope to see you there!

Orthopedic Design and Technology Conference

More than 50 national and regional companies will be participating in the Orthopedic Design and Technology Conference starting today in Fort Wayne. Manufacturers, industry suppliers, physicians and members of the financial community will come together to examine emerging design, technology and market trends in orthopedic manufacturing.

Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership President and Chief Executive Officer John Sampson says the medical device cluster in Northeast Indiana is estimated to have a value in excess of $8 billion.

Write a Will – Leave a Legacy Event Hosted at the Embassy Theatre

The Embassy Theatre Foundation, Inc. will host a Write a Will event as part of the “Leave a Legacy®” initiative by the Planned Giving Council of Northeast Indiana (PGCNI).

Simple wills that contain at least one charitable bequest to any organization will be written with no cost for those who attend the event. Appointments will take approximately on half hour.

Call (260) 424-6287 to make an appointment during the following sessions, to be held at the Embassy Theatre.

Monday Nov. 10, 10 a.m.- noon, and 1 p.m.- 3 p.m.
Thursday Nov. 13, 8 a.m. - noon.

Remember, you don’t need to be wealthy to leave a legacy; you only need to have a cause you care about and the “will” to make a difference.

“Leave a Legacy®” is a national campaign in partnership with the PGCNI and is partnering with several sites in Fort Wayne for events during the week of November 10-14, 2008. A complete list of sites can be found at http://www.pgcni.org/waw.html. The purposes of “Leave a Legacy” are to promote awareness of the need to have a will or estate plan and to encourage charitable giving from estates.

Parents Night Out

Chamber member Kindercare, located southwest near the Village of Coventry shopping center, is offering "Parents Night Out" evenings. Have a date night with your spouse or run some errands while your kids have fun and play in a safe environment.

"Parents Night Out" is open to everyone, not just Kindercare participants! The first evening takes place this Friday, November 7 from 6 - 9 p.m. The charge is $15 per child. To reserve a spot call Kindercare at (260) 432-2112. Future "Parents Night Out" dates are: November 21 and December 5.

Vote YES on Township Assessors

"VOTE YES" on the township assessor question. Click Here to visit MySmartGov.org and find out why voting "YES" on the township assessor question is important.

For voters in Aboite, St. Joseph and Wayne townships in Allen County, please don’t forget to “Vote Yes” to transfer township assessing duties to the county assessor. For Fair and Consistent Assessments "VOTE YES."

Click here to watch the video.

YWCA to Hold Discussion on the Impact of Race in Election ‘08

The YWCA of Northeast Indiana will hold a discussion on the outcome of the presidential race and specifically the historical impact of this election as a result of the first African-American presidential candidate. “Race in the Race: How Racism Impacted the 2008 Presidential Election” will take place Wednesday, November 5 from 12-1:30 p.m. at the YWCA’s new address (1610 Spy Run Ave.). Mike Wolf, Ph.D., an Associate Professor of Political Science at IPFW will facilitate the discussion. Topics include:

• How race and racism have been portrayed in the media?


• Were there discrepancies between what the polls showed and what actually happened on election day? Why or why not?


• How did minority groups react to each candidate?


• How have Islam, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, and other religious topics been utilized by the media?
  

Please RSVP to Sue Hiatt at shiatt@ywcaerew.org by Monday, Nov. 3rd to reserve a seat.

Elite Woman Supermarket Survival Tour

Healthy eating is in store for you on November 6!

Shopping for groceries should not be a difficult task. With so many items to choose from, and all in one place, the grocery store should be a breeze, right? But it’s not! With the many different health claims and confusing label lingo, you may feel like you need an advanced degree just to feed your family. Before you know it your quick trip to the store has turned into an hour, and your cart is still empty!

With the Supermarket Survival Tour, Elite Woman can help you learn how to wisely navigate the grocery store aisles. Learn about preparing a grocery list so you have what you need and always have a well- stocked pantry. Find out how to read and compare food labels and interpret product health claims so you can feel confident that you are choosing the healthiest foods. Shop with confidence in knowing that you are choosing the best foods to support your health-related goals. To reserve your spot or for more information please call (260) 969-5080.