APRIL, 2008 – GENERAL MEETING
The April, 2008 Chamber general meeting will be held on Thursday, April 3rd, at 8:00 AM, at North Shore Community Bank, 4343 W. Peterson Avenue, (773) 545-5700. The Chamber thanks Kate Gallagher for hosting this meeting and Robert Martell of Edgebrook Bank for hosting our March meeting. If you want to host a general meeting call the Chamber office at (773) 775-0378. Hosting a general meeting is a great method to increase the exposure of your business.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ MEETING
The next Board of Directors’ meeting will be held on Thursday, May 15th at 4:30 PM at the Edgebrook Public Library, 5331 W. Devon Avenue (312) 744-8313. Thanks to Katherine Panares for providing our meeting room.
CHAMBER’S PARKING LOT
The Chamber rents the parking lot at the northeast corner of N. Central and W. Devon Avenues and also pays for insurance and snow-removal. The parking lot is for the use of patrons of Edgebrook businesses, not business owners, their employees or METRA passengers. A 90-minute parking limit will be strictly enforced in 2008. To donate, please call the Chamber office at (773) 775-0378.
SIGNUP FOR THE BANNER PROGRAM
The Chamber is still accepting applications for
the Street Banner Program. Businesses can purchase a Standard Banner (standard lettering font) for $300 or a Custom Banner (customized lettering font and business logo) for $350. The cost of purchasing the banner includes a five-year maintenance program that covers, re-hanging, repair and replacement of your banner. You pay a one-time fee and that is it! The chamber also has a professional designer to help you with banner logo design and layout at no additional cost. A purchase form has been included in this newsletter. If you have any questions, please call the Chamber office at (773) 775-0378. The Chamber would like to thank Herb Hernandez from Parkway Bank and Lisa Kon from Baird & Warner for participating in the program.
Please join the thirteen businesses that have already participated in the program and have your own business banner proudly displayed in the Edgebrook business district for all to see!
CHAMBER VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
The Chamber will have an active schedule of events in 2008. The Chamber has 15 committees and needs a sufficient number of volunteers (especially for the Edgebrook Festival 2008) to staff them. Chamber members and local residents are urged to volunteering. Sign-up forms will be available at the April general meeting.
MEMBERSHIP DUES FOR 2008
Membership forms for your 2008 dues have been mailed. Please keep up your membership, we need you! If you are not a member, it is never too late to sign up. Members of the Chamber’s Directory Committee will be calling you, asking that you consider renewing your membership. Dues must be received by April 17th to be included in the directory.
AFTER-HOURS BUSINESS NETWORKING
The Edgebrook, Lincolnwood and Sauganash Chambers of Commerce are co-hosting another after-hours business networking event, this time at Whole Foods Market Sauganash (6020 N. Cicero Avenue) on Thursday, April 24, 2008 from 5:30 – 7:30 PM. This event is FREE of charge to dues paying members. Non-members pay $15. The chamber would like to thank Jessica Jaffari from Whole Foods for helping us coordinate this event.
WELCOME OUR NEW MEMBERS!
Seatle Sutton’s Healthy Eating provides healthy and freshly prepared meals for individuals and they can be picked up or delivered to your front door! They are located at 5677 N. Milwaukee Avenue. Call Hazel Clementz at (773) 671-4200 or send her an email at hclementz@yahoo.com.
World Wide Wellness provides a wide-range of health and wellness services. They are located at 6133 N. Avers Avenue and you can call Judy Sachs at (773) 615-8410 or email her at jmlsachs@yahoo.com for an appointment.
CITY OF CHICAGO LITTER NOTICE
Each year, the City of Chicago spends millions of dollars to clean-up litter. Refuse causes neighborhoods and business districts to look rundown and deteriorated. The City has implemented an aggressive anti-littering program and you can download it at: www.cityofchicago.org/streetsandsanitation.
BUSINESS CARD DIRECTORY
The Business Card Directory is being printed as we speak. This valuable advertising tool was developed to help promote local businesses. If you had decided to participate, your critical business information will hit the mailboxes of 18,000 homes! Thanks to David Wians of State Farm Insurance and Helmuts Lackajs of James McCarthy and Associates for developing and running with this advertising idea.
SWEDISH COVEANT HOSPITAL:
Swedish Covenant Hospital will be hosting an upcoming lecture entitled: “Be Internet Savvy” on Tuesday, April 8th (6:30PM – 8:00PM). This lecture will be held at the Anderson Pavilion Medical Library. A reservation is required for this lecture so please call (773) 878-6888 to secure your seat now!
EDGEBROOK LIBRARY PROGRAMS
The Edgebrook Pubilc Library has a full slate of adult programming for April. Matt Fishbune from Edward Jones Investments will be presenting a four-part investors’ workshop starting on April 1st (7:00PM to 8:30PM. In addition, the Edgebrook Historical Society welcomes author Karen Abbott on April 2nd (7:00PM – 8:30PM) who will present a slide/lecture on her best-selling book “Sin in the Second City: Madams, Ministers, Playboys and the Battle for America’s Soul.”
SWAP VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
As you may know, the chamber has re-instituted the Cook County’s SWAP Program to help clean and spruce up downtown Edgebrook. This program employs young men and women who are seeking to turn their lives around. The chamber has coordinated several cleanup dates (one Saturday per month, May through October) with the Sheriff’s Office and seeks chamber volunteers to help monitor the cleanup progress. The chamber will pop for coffee and pastries! A flyer about this program has been included in this newsletter.
STATE LANDSCAPING GRANT STATUS
The chamber, with the help of Jerome Butler from the Edgebrook Community Associatio, are looking at several bid proposals. It is looking quite favorable that a contract will be executed in the near future! Work within planter boxes located through downtown Edgebrook could begin this May. Stay tuned for status updates as they become available.
NEWSLETTER ADVERTISEMENTS:
Newsletter advertisements are available for $100 a calendar year. Mail your business card or mock-up to the Chamber by the 20th of every month to be included in the next newsletter. The Chamber would like to thank Robert Martell from Edgebrook Bank and Brandon Leavitt from Solar Service, Inc. for renewing their newsletter advertisements.
CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS:
APRIL 3RD – 8:00 AM General Meeting
North Shore Community Bank – Sauganash
4343 W. Peterson Avenue
APRIL 24TH – 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM Business After-Hours Networking Event
Whole Foods Market Sauganash
6020 N. Cicero Avenue
MAY 1ST – 8:00 AM General Meeting
Myron and Phil – Steak and Seafood
3900 W. Devon Avenue
MAY 15TH – 4:30 AM Board of Directors’ Meeting
Edgebrook Public Library
5331 W. Devon Avenue
MAY 29TH – 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM Business After-Hours Networking Event
Lincolnwood Place
7000 N. McCormick Boulevard