MAY, 2009 – GENERAL MEETING
The Chamber’s May, 2009 general meeting will be held on Thursday, May 7th, at 8:00 AM, at Myron & Phil Steak and Seafood Restaurant, 3900 W. Devon Avenue, (847) 677-6663. The Chamber thanks Mark Freedman for hosting this meeting and Kate Gallagher from North Shore Community Bank & Trust – Sauganash for hosting our April general meeting.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ MEETING
The next Board of Directors’ meeting will be held on Thursday, May 21, 2009 at 4:30 PM at the Edgebrook Public Library, 5331 W. Devon Avenue (312) 744-8313. Thanks, to Kathryn Panares for providing our meeting room.
2009 MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY
The chamber’s 2009 Membership Directory is being printed and will be available to you before you read this newsletter. The Chamber thanks everyone who renewed their membership or
joined the chamber for 2009. Your financial support allows the chamber to sponsor activities important to the vitality of Edgebrook’s business district. May your business prosper in 2009!
SIGNUP FOR THE BANNER PROGRAM
Applications are still being accepted for the Chamber’s Street Banner Program. 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.
NEWSLETTER ADVERTISEMENTS
Business card newsletter advertisements are available for $100 per year. Send your business card to the Chamber by the 20th of each month in order to be included in the next newsletter.
2009 MULTI-CHAMBER GOLF OPEN
The 2009 Golf Outing will be held at Ridgemoor Country Club, 6601 W. Gunnison Street, Chicago, Illinois on Monday, June 15, 2009. The event is being co-hosted by the Edgebrook, Edison Park, Norwood Park and Sauganash Chambers of Commerce. In addition, the Kedzie / Elston Business and Industrial Council has also decided to join us in this “must attend” summer event! A detail registration flyer has been included in this newsletter. Participation in this golf outing will be the best advertising money you ever spent!
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 the information at: www.cityofchicago.org/streetsandsanitation.
AN EDGEBROOK GEM WORTH SAVING!!!
If you have used the chamber’s FREE parking lot recently, you may have seen a flyer indicating the chamber will be hold a Public Meeting to discuss the future of the parking lot on May 7, 2009 at 6:30 PM at the Edgebrook Public Library (2nd floor conference room). Chamber President Julie A. Schultz’s recent article in the Nadig Newspaper (thanks to Glenn Nadig!) indicated that the parking lot has become a serious economic hardship. Since then, the chamber has received donations from four businesses (the chamber thanks Robert Matijevic from Glad Cleaners, Maureen Stebbins from Curves, Joseph Tomaska from Salon Louise and Nancy Erskine from Heritage Travel), and three private citizens of Edgebrook (the chamber thanks Ms. Christine L. Clark, Mr. and Mrs. Philip Milano and Ms. Jacqeline Ruda!). Although this is a great start, additional contributions are needed before the parking lot fund can be self-sufficient. With the cost of parking meters going up, a FREE parking lot is worth fighting for. Sometimes you don’t realize the importance of something until you lose it. Please, let’s not let that happen!
SWAP 2009 VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
Spring is here and it is time to coordinate the chamber’s annual business district cleanup program with the Cook County Sheriff’s SWAP Program. The chamber seeks volunteers to help coordinate this effort (see attached flyer). The chamber will even spring for coffee and bagels! Help us spruce up our downtown business district and take pride in Edgebrook!
BEAUTIFUL BOUNCING BABIES ARRIVE!
Congratulations go out to the proud parents of Molly Marie Celestin (born to Jenise and hubby Robby Celestin on February 24, 2009) and Mark Edward Orszula (born to Maria G. and proud papa Mark Orszula on April 16, 2009). All the best go out to these two fine ladies and their husbands! These two wonderful women will obviously make exceptional moms
as they are already great examples of active and concerned board members of the Edgebrook Chamber of Commerce. Salute!
SAUGANASH WELLNESS CENTER
Come join Dr. Deanna Minkler, CHt and Rachel Shaffer, LMT in celebrating their 3rd anniversary on May 7, 2009 from 5:00 – 7:30 pm (6160 N. Cicero Avenue, Suite 214). There will be yummy food and beverages, free raffle prizes and complimentary mini-massages. Parking is always free and convenient. If you would like to setup an appointment, call Deanna or Rachel at (773) 283-4470 or email them at info@sauganashwellness.com. To explore their full-range of services, visit their website at www.sauganashwellness.com.
CHICAGO RIVER DAY
Volunteers of all ages are welcome to join the Friends of the Chicago River and the Chicago Police Department’s 16th District CAPS Office for a day of hands-on environmental
work on May 9, 2009 from 9:00 am until noon. Volunteers will collect garbage, sort for recycling, remove invasive vegetation, spruce up river edge trails, plant native seedlings, participate in hands-on workshops, create river-inspired art and explore the beauty of our in-land waterway (cleanup equipment, supplies and refreshments will be provided). Afterwards, there will be a festival and barbeque (environmental fair, live music, etc.) for all volunteers at River Park, 5100 N. Francisco Avenue from noon to 3:00 pm. For information on how to participate, call the 16th District CAPS office at (312) 742-4521.
CONSUMER CORNER
Do you find yourself in credit card debt? Are you tempted by those advertisements that promise to free you from your financial woes? The truth is, these companies can not do anything for you that
you can’t do for yourself for free! If you feel you need help managing your credit card debt, there are legitimate alternatives available to you. Contact your credit card company directly to see if they
offer a repayment program that fits your budget. Talk to a reputable credit counselor by consulting the National Foundation for Credit Counseling at www.nfcc.org. Make sure the company you choose is licensed in Illinois by visiting the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation at www.idfpr.com. Lastly, before using anyone to help you with your debt, check their business record by calling the Better Business Bureau at 1-800-243-0618.
COMMERCIAL REFUSE CONTAINERS
If you recall last November, the Chicago City Council granted the Department of Transportation (CDOT) the authority to issue permits for commercial refuse containers (CRCs). Back in the day, I remember them being referred to as garbage cans. Anyway, your private refuse hauler was required to apply for and receive permits for their CRCs with yearly fees ranging from $80 to $780.
Of course, these fees are passed on to the businesses that actually use the containers. However, the fee schedule is currently under review and will likely be lowered because, lo and behold, the city received more CRC permit applications then anticipated. Fancy that, setting a fee schedule without actually knowing the number or type of CRCs currently in use. Refuse haulers and their customers will get a reprieve from this permit fee until the schedule is revised and approved. Amazing! However, in an effort to encourage businesses to recycle their waste, the City of Chicago will exempt CRCs used for recycling from this permit fee. More information will be posted shortly and you can access it from CDOT’s web site at: www.cityofchicago.org/transportation.
SWEDISH COVENANT HOSPITAL
Swedish Covenant Hospital offers a priority program that will schedule your mammogram appointment in seven days or less! To register, call (773) 878-6888. We can also visit their website at: SwedishCovenant.org/breasthealth to learn more about their Breast Health Program. If our physican is not affiliated with them, Swedish Covenant Hospital will fax them the results!
EDGEBROOK FESTIVAL 2009
The dates for the annual Edgebrook Festival are set! Come join us on Saturday, July 25th and Sunday July 26th! The festival will once again be located on N. Kinzua Ave. (east of the METRA tracks and north of W. Devon Ave.). The Festival will feature: 18-hours of live music from local bands; a beer garden and numerous
local food vendors; a Kids Corner; and dozens of artisans & crafters. An exhibitor registration form has been included in this newsletter.
GET RID OF JUNK MAIL
Are you tired of sorting and tossing junk mail? Do you feel vaguely guilty about adding to the nation’s landfills as you throw all that stuff away unopened?
Junk mail is a bane on the environment and bad for our sanity. It’s estimated that 53 million trees and 5.2 million tons of carbon emissions are required to produce those catalogs and ads. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that only 40% of the six million tons of junk mail delivered in 2007 was recycled.
The EPA, an agency of the executive branch of the federal government, is concerned about junk mail’s environmental impact. Its blog has some helpful suggestions regarding recycling and opting off lists.
What about the United States Postal Service (USPS)? Interestingly enough, the USPS is an “independent establishment” of the executive branch of the U.S. government.
The executive branch is fighting with itself! While the United States Postal Service valiantly delivers 6 million tons of useless junk every year, the EPA works to undermine this delivery!
Ya gotta love America!
Thoughtful citizens like ourselves might ask why the government is running a “service” that is a) bad for the environment and b) a daily irritant to nearly every American. The Postal Service cheerily delivers tons of unwanted mail because junk mail produces a great deal of money. In 2008 “standard” mail (i.e. junk mail) represented 27% of total mail revenues.
The United States Postal Service is reluctant to institute any measure that would have a negative impact on direct mail volume. It has estimated that national implementation of “Do Not Mail” legislation could cost the United States Postal Service $6 billion annually.
But, 13 state legislatures ARE considering “Do Not Mail” legislation. This idea horrifies the Direct Marketing Association (DMA). The Association decided it would be better for the industry to take the lead and established an opt-out tool called DMA Choice (www.dmachoice.org).
Because this is America, various organizations have sprung up to take junk mail out of your life for a fee. Other enterprising entities will send you a kit to help you do it yourself (also for a fee but the kits are cheaper).
It’s easy to get rid of the catalogs simply by calling the sales department and asking to be removed.
Junk mail is worse than e-mail spam. While e-mail spam is annoying, junk mail is annoying AND bad for the environment. Get it out of your life!
CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS:
MAY 7TH – 8:00 AM
General Meeting
Myron & Phil Steak and Seafood Restaurant
3900 W. Devon Avenue
MAY 21ST – 4:30 PM
Board of Directors’ Meeting
Edgebrook Branch – Chicago Public Library
5331 W. Devon Avenue
JUNE 4TH – 8:00 AM
General Meeting
Location To Be Determined
JUNE 15TH – 11:30 AM – 9:00 PM
Multi-Chamber Golf Open
Ridgemoor Country Club
6601 W. Gunnison Street, Chicago, Illinois