NOVEMBER, 2008 – GENERAL MEETING
The November, 2008 Chamber general meeting will be held on Thursday, November 6th, at 8:00 AM, at Myron and Phil Steak & Seafood, 3900 W. Devon Avenue, (847) 677-6663. The Chamber thanks Mark Freedman for hosting this meeting and Kate Gallagher from North Shore Community Bank – Sauganash for hosting our October general meeting. Hosting a meeting is great for increasing the exposure of your business.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ MEETING
The next Board of Directors’ meeting will be held on Thursday, November 20th 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 PARKING LOT POLICY
The Chamber’s parking lot is intended for patrons of Edgebrook businesses only! Several cars have been towed. Please remember a two-hour parking limit is being strictly enforced (7:00 AM until 9:00 PM each day (Monday through Sunday). Overnight parking is prohibited and cars in the lot after midnight will be towed. Please respect the right of other shoppers to also use the parking lot.
SIGNUP FOR THE BANNER PROGRAM
The Chamber’s Street Banner Program is going great guns and 31 banners have been hung! Applications are still being accepted. A Standard Banner is $300 and a Custom Banner is $350. The program includes a five-year maintenance program that covers everything. A purchase form is included in this newsletter. The Chamber would like to thank Yvonne M. Antonacci from Koenig & Strey, GMAC Real Estate for being the latest participant in the Banner Program.
2008 WELCOME PACKET PROGRAM
The Chamber would like to thank everyone that participated in the Welcome Packet program! The Chamber always seeks your promotional items for inclusion in this program. You can bring them to the Chamber office or any general meeting. Just another free chamber service for you business.
IN MEMORY OF A GREAT MAN
The chamber would like to extend to the Corcoran family its deepest condolences over their loss of a truly wonderful husband, father, grandfather and friend, Robert J. Corcoran. If you ever met him, it was easy to see that he was a loving and loved man. He will be missed by all, truly. If the Corcoran family is ever in need of anything from the chamber, they have but to ask.
HOLIDAY SLEIGH RIDE
The Chamber and Happy Foods will once again co-sponsor the Holiday Sleigh Ride on Monday, December 8, 2008 (5:00 PM – 8:00 PM). Families will be taken on a 20-minute tour of neighborhood homes to see their outdoor holiday decorations. Santa, Frosty the Snowman and their helpers will offer hot chocolate, cider and festive cookie treats to all who attend. The sleigh ride will start in the alley between Happy Foods and the Chamber parking lot at N. Central Avenue.
2008 CHAMBER HOLIDAY DINNER
The Chamber’s annual Holiday Dinner will be held on Thursday, December 11, 2008 (6:00 – 10:00 PM) at Al Primo Canto Galeteria, 5414 W. Devon Avenue. The cost is only $35.00 per person and chamber event coordinator Maria G. Monastero is cooking up a wonderful dinner menu that will please everyone. Cocktails start at 6:00 p.m. dinner is at 7:00 p.m. The Chamber asks all who plan on attending to donate a gift ($15 or so, with a secret cryptic message attached) for the After-Dinner Auction. A informational flyer is included in this newsletter.
INSTALLATION DINNER RECAP
The Chamber held its annual installation dinner on October 16, 2008 at Myron & Phil Steak and Seafood (3900 W. Devon Avenue). 39 chamber members and friends attended this wonderful event. Host Mark Freedman and chamber event coordinator Maria G. Monastero put together a great menu (an amazing total of eight entrees to choose from!) and an event program that included the presentation of plaques of appreciation to Geri Schnock and Maria G. Monastero for their dedicated service to the chamber and Edgebroo
CITY SNOW REMOVAL NOTICE
All Chicago businesses and commercial property owners are required, under Municipal Code, to remove snow and ice from sidewalks abutting their property or businesses (Section 4-4-310 and 320). Business owners should clear a path at least 5 feet in width. It is important to remember that a sidewalk free of snow / ice is a provision of your business license (Section 4-4-320 & 10-8-180).
NEWSLETTER ADVERTISEMENTS:
Newsletter advertisements are available for $100 per calendar year. Mail your business card to the Chamber by the 20th of each month to be included in the next newsletter. The Chamber would like to thank Marti Corcoran from Century 21 – McMullen for renewing her newsletter advertisement and Jan Kupiec from Baird & Warner for taking out a brand new newsletter advertisement! This is another and inexpensive way to advertise your business.
TEN THOUSAND VILLAGES TRADE FAIR
St. Richard’s Episcopal Church (5101 W. Devon Avenue) will be hosting a fair trade holiday bazaar with the Ten Thousand Villages Fair Trade organization on Saturday, November 15, 2008 (9:00 AM – 3:00 PM) and Sunday, November 16, 2008 (10:00 AM – 1:00 PM). The fair will feature crafts from around the world. 100% of the proceeds will go to the Ten Thousand Villages organization which helps artisans get a fair price for their work. For more information, call Rev. Fran Holliday at (773) 774-4519. A more detailed flyer regarding this wonderful event has been included in this newsletter.
CHICAGO HONORS ONE OF ITS OWN
It has come to the chamber’s attention that Mark J. Kupiec, a long-time chamber member has been honored by The City Council of the City of Chicago by way of an approved council resolution for his distinguished service to the Gift from the Heart Foundation. The foundation provides free room and board for disabled eastern European youth who come to Chicago for an operation at Shriners Hospital. Congratulations Mark!
CONSUMER CORNER INFORMATION
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan warns parents about teen dating violence and what you need to know to protect your children and how to recognize the early warning signs that your child may have already been subjected to it. For more information, check out the Attorney General’s website at: www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce’s has been keeping Edgebrook and other chambers of commerce abreast of recently introduced City of Chicago City Council ordinances that could impact your business. One such ordinance involves the potential of charging property owners or lessees who use refuse containers to obtain a license and pay a fee to the City based on the size of the container. The chamber has included the most current update in this newsletter and plans to make this a featured article in subsequent newsletters.
CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS:
NOVEMBER 6TH – 8:00 AM
General Meeting
Myron & Phil Steak and Seafood
3900 W. Devon Avenue
NOVEMBER 18TH – 12:00 NOON
Chamber Thanksgiving Gift Certificate Drawing
Happy Foods
6415 N. Central Avenue
NOVEMBER 20TH – 4:30 PM
Board of Directors’ Meeting
Edgebrook Branch Chicago Public Library
5331 W. Devon Avenue
DECEMBER 4TH – 8:00 AM
General Meeting
Edgebrook Bank
6000 W. Touhy Avenue
DECEMBER 8TH (5:00 PM – 8:00 PM)
Chamber’s Holiday Sleigh Ride
Happy Foods
6415 N. Central Avenue
DECEMBER 11TH (6:00 PM – 10:00 PM)
Chamber’s Annual Holiday Dinner
Al Primo Canto Galeteria
5414 N. Central Avenue