ATHENA Nominations Due Monday January 5

Help celebrate the remarkable individuals in our community. The Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce it is now seeking nominations for the 5th Annual ATHENA Award® and also applications for ATHENA Scholarships which will be presented at a luncheon March 11, 2009 at Ceruti's Summit Park.

The ATHENA Award® program celebrates exceptional individuals who have achieved excellence in their profession, have served the community in a meaningful way and have assisted women in their attainment of professional goals and leadership skills. Nomination forms and criteria are available at www.fwchamber.org and are due next Monday, January 5, 2009 by 5 p.m.

For more information please contact Kristi Holmes, Vice President of Communications & Member Relations at (260) 424-1435 or kholmes@fwchamber.org.

Hit Musical to Come to the Embassy Theatre

The U.S. premiere tour of the U.K. smash hit Girls Night: The Musical will be presented on Friday, Feb. 20, 2009, at 8 p.m. at the Embassy Theatre. Single tickets are available for $50 and $40 at the Embassy box office, all other Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com or charge-by-phone at (260) 424.1811. A 10 percent discount is available to groups of 10 or more.

Girls Night: The Musical has earned rave reviews and packed theaters throughout the United Kingdom and three national tours since 2003. It premiered in the U.S. in May, 2007 and has toured throughout the U.S. since.


Hilarious and touching, it follows five friends in their 30s and 40s during a wild and outrageous girls night out at a karaoke bar. Together, they reminisce about their younger days, celebrate their current lives and look to the future, all the while belting out 14 classic anthems, from I Will Survive and Lady Marmalade, Man I Feel Like A Woman, and Girls Just Want to Have Fun to name just a few…

For more information visit http://www.fwembassytheatre.org/.

Happy 2009!

Happy 2009 from the Chamber! The Chamber will be closed on January 1 in observance of the New Year's holiday. Normal operating hours (8 a.m. - 5 p.m.) will resume on Friday, January 2.

Real Men Read

As part of a community-wide effort to close the achievement gap by 3rd grade, the United Way is introducing a low-commitment/ high-impact program called "Real Men Read." The initial target group is low income 3rd grade boys in FWCS and EACS, 61% of whom are not reading at grade level. The United Way is asking Real Men to participate just one hour a month in March, April and May. An informational meeting will take place Thursday, Jan. 8, from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. at the Urban League. The goal is to have 150 men launch the program to all 3rd grade classrooms. Please forward this information to the Real Men you know who could become reading role models for our children.

For more information please contact the United Way at (260) 422-4776 or http://www.unitedwayallencounty.org/.

December 31 Chamber Hours

The Chamber is open from 8 a.m. to noon on December 31. Happy New Year!

Stepping Stones Achieves Quality Rating for 3rd Year

For the third year in a row, Stepping Stones Child Development Center, a division of Easter Seals Arc, has achieved a Level Four rating, the highest quality rating available for a Paths to Quality provider.

Established in 1996, Paths to Quality is a voluntary system created to assist parents in identifying and selecting quality child care and recognize providers for ongoing efforts to achieve higher standards of quality than the minimum state licensing requirements.


Providers who choose to join PTQ receive a verification visit, are assessed, and are placed on one of four levels. Providers receive yearly re-verification visits to determine if they have maintained their current level or achieved a higher level.


The goals of the Paths to Quality as originally conceived were:
1. Raise the quality of child care and early education experiences for children,
2. Give parents tools to help determine the best quality program for their children,
3. Support and recognize providers for quality care.

The levels are:

Level 1-Health and Safety Needs,
Level 2-Environment Supports Children's Learning,
Level 3-Planned Curriculum Support Children's Development,
Level 4-Achieve National Accreditation.

Each level includes specific criteria that must be met in order for that level to be awarded.

For more information about Paths to Quality, or Stepping Stones Child Development Center, call Tony Belton, Community Relations Coordinator for Easter Seals Arc at (260) 469-2777.

YLNI Offering Discount Hotel Rooms This New Year's Eve For Masquerade Ball

Young Leaders of Northeast Indiana (YLNI) invites you to spend this New Year’s Eve in style. Start the night off at YLNI’s annual blowout fundraiser—the 4th Annual Masquerade Ball at The Embassy Theatre—and then complete your stay downtown by taking advantage of the special rates offered by the Downtown Hilton.

YLNI's Annual Masquerade Ball Fundraiser
Embassy Theatre Lobby, 125 West Jefferson Blvd.
December 31, 2008 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Masks Required/Black Tie Optional
Black & White Theme
Ages 21 & Over

The Hilton Fort Wayne is reserving a block of rooms for a special price of only $89 per room for the night of the Masquerade Ball. Please call the Hilton at (260) 420-1100 to make a reservation. Remember to mention the YLNI Masquerade Ball to get the special rate!

Purchase tickets at http://www.ylni.org/. Tickets are $35 in advance, $30 for YLNI dues paying members (up to 6 tickets), or $40 day of the event. This event has sold out in the past, so be sure to get your tickets now!

For additional information on YLNI and the Masquerade Ball, contact Beth Bobay at (260) 413-8999 or social@ylni.org.

Health and the Holidays Art Contest

(click on image for larger view)


Ross Medical Education Center is sponsoring an Art Contest over the holidays for local schools. Students' artwork will be on display for public voting in Ross Medical's windows in Glenbrook Commons from December 22 to January 9. Ross Medical will provide donations to the top three schools’ art departments based on the voting results.

Leaders Needed

The next Leadership Development Roundtable recruiting meeting will take place January 28 from 8 a.m.- 9:30 a.m. at the Chamber of Commerce (826 Ewing Street).

Leadership Development Roundtables offer a confidential forum of peers in non-competing businesses. Regular meetings are held to share and gain practical knowledge and counsel on today's business challenges. Roundtables are made up of Leaders or Managers with a minimum of three direct reports.

Leadership Development Roundtables are structured to help business managers address a variety of important issues and to offer a springboard for solutions to help improve productivity and profitability. This group explores ideas and inspires its members with experienced techniques and strategies that can avoid costly mistakes.

For more information call (260) 424-1435 or register through the Chamber calendar online by clicking here.