JULY, 2009 – GENERAL MEETING
The Chamber’s July, 2009 general meeting will be held on Thursday, July 2nd, at 8:00 AM, at North Shore Community Bank & Trust – Sauganash, 4343 W. Peterson Avenue, (773) 545-5700. The Chamber would like to thank Board of Director Kate Gallagher for hosting this meeting and Peter Spryopoulos from East of Edens Restaurant, for hosting our June general meeting.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ MEETING
The next Board of Directors’ meeting will be held on Thursday, July 16, 2009 at 4:00 PM at the Edgebrook Public Library, 5331 W. Devon Avenue (312) 744-8313. Thanks, to Kathryn Panares for providing our meeting room.
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.
MULTI-CHAMBER GOLF OPEN RECAP
The 2009 Multi-Chamber Golf Open held at Ridgemoor Country Club on Monday, June 15th was a smash hit! The weather was great and 88 golfers played a golf course in primo condition. Afterwards, 70 diners joined the golfers for a fabulous buffet dinner. Participation was high for the silent auction and raffles that garnered some great prizes for the lucky winners. Everyone enjoyed hours of socializing and networking in a relaxed atmosphere with no rush-hour worries.
The incredible and dedicated efforts of chamber of commerce executive directors Rita McGovern (Edison Park), Ellen Wierzewski (Norwood Park), Jackie Boland (Sauganash) and Betsy Lavar (KEBIC) made this great event possible.
Holding the outing at a close-in location was critical to its success. Ridgemoor Country Club staff went out of their way to make this a special day and they made the participants feel welcome in their home. As a golfer (a bad one at that), I found that when I got into the middle of the course, I felt like I was in a distant suburb or maybe even Wisconsin, not on the outskirts of Chicago. Great job Ridgemoor!
Due in larger part to the efforts of the participating chambers of commerce, their membership and our local governmental officials including: Alderman Margaret Laurino (39th Ward), Alderman Patrick J. Levar (45th Ward), Alderman Brian Doherty (41st Ward), Illinois State Senator Ira I. Silverstein (15th District) and Illinois State Representative John D’Amico (8th District), this event showcased the City’s northwest side and what it has to offer!
If over 150 people were willing to participate in this event during one of the worst economic downturns in our country’s history, well, it certainly appears the groundwork has been laid for an even more successful event next year. Again, thanks to all of you that participated in this summertime event and we look forward to seeing you in 2010. FORE!
EDGEBROOK FESTIVAL 2009
CRAFTERS AND EXHIBITORS WANTED!!!
The dates for the annual Edgebrook Festival are set! Come join us on Saturday, July 25th (noon until 10:00 pm) and Sunday, July 26th (noon until 8:00 pm)!!! The festival will be located on N. Kinzua Ave. (east of the METRA tracks and north of W. Devon Ave.).
The festival is a great way for the Chamber to give back to Edgebrook residents and promote the goods and services provided by downtown Edgebrook businesses. The Festival will feature a fantastic Kid’s Corner sponsored by Swedish Covenant Hospital, 18-hours of great live music by local bands; a food and beverage court with a well-stocked beer garden and great food provided by local food vendors including Myron & Phil Steak and Seafood restaurant, a doggy adoption sponsored by Chicago Canine Rescue and our local Baird & Warner (Lisa Kon and Jan Kupiec) and dozens of artisans & crafters selling unique and stylish items. A sponsorship form and exhibitor registration form have been included in this newsletter.
THE STATE OF THE PARKING LOT
The chamber held a Public Meeting on May 7, 2009 to discuss the future of the parking lot. Although attendance was rather light, other civic-minded people and businesses heard the message and reacted in a meaningful way.
The chamber has received a donation from the wonderful Jon Skor (John Skor Advertising Specialties), who, like most everyone, has been hurt by the economy. Jon still found a few coins to contribute to a most worthy cause. The Edgebrook Community Association decided to double their monthly contribution (thanks to president Jeff Manuel, Treasurer Jim Quinn and the ECA’S Board of Directors!). Business-man Peter Spryopoulos (East of Edens, 6350 N. Cicero Avenue)), who has absolutely no economic incentive to subsidize the parking lot, held a “Save the Parking Lot” fund-raiser on June 11, 2009 and donated half of his proceeds between noon and 5:00 pm. WOW! This was a huge donation and it puts the parking lot in a much better financial position. Barbara Eastman and Happy Foods has set up a donation box at her store for shoppers to contribute their spare change.
The parking lot fund is not out of the woods yet (winter and snow-plowing will be here sooner than you think). However, with support from those wonderful people, organizations and businesses mentioned above and in the past, maybe this will become a non-issue in the near future. Please call the chamber at (773) 775-0378 if you would like to contribute to this cause. If you prefer, you can mail your donation to the chamber office (6440 N. Central Avenue, Chicago, IL 60646).
SWAP 2009 VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
The chamber’s cleanup program coordinated with the Cook County Sheriff’s SWAP Program is in full swing and you should already see a difference. The chamber seeks volunteers to help coordinate this effort. The chamber will even spring for
coffee and bagels! Help us spruce up the downtown and take pride in your community.
EDGEBROOK COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
Great fun and civic pride is expected in abundance at the Edgebrook Community Association’s (ECA) annual Fourth of July Parade and Picnic fund-raiser, starting at 11:00 am. This year’s theme of the parade is “Saturday in the Park….Edgebrook’s Fourth of July.” The parade will begin at Edgebrook School (6525 N. Hiawatha Avenue) and it will culminate at Wildwood Park (6950 N. Hiawatha Avenue) where the picnic will take place and great fun will be had and yummy food will be sold. The ECA is seeking volunteers to help with this great summer event. For more information on how you can participate, please call (773) 775-4065.
SWEDISH COVENANT HOSPITAL
Swedish Covenant Hospital was recently featured by NBC 5 News Chicago for their advanced use of Electronic Medical Record (EMR) technology. The segment featured the hospital’s Emergency Department’s fully paperless process, from physician ordering to medication, radiology and laboratory systems that has made it safer and faster for patients to receive the medical care they need.If you would like to learn more, check out the hospital’s website at: www.SwedishCovenant.org.
THE CONSUMER CORNER
It is critical that job seekers learn how to avoid scams that prey on their eagerness to return to the work force. One scam is called “Secret Shopper,” which leaves its victims jobless and thousands of dollars poorer. This scam just a counterfeit check scam disguised as a job offer. The scam artist sends an “spam” email solicitation directly to you or you see it in your local newspaper. Once you “bite” on the ad, you are sent an employment packet which includes, amongst other things, a realistic-looking cashier’s check. As a “trainee” you are assigned to deposit the check in your bank and then wire the balance (minus certain banking costs) to an address, usually in Canada. Of course, the check is a fake, and you are responsible for its full value plus penalties and fees. If you have been scamed in this way, call Illinois Attorney General’s Consumer Fraud Hotline at (1-800-386-5438).
2010 BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ ELECTIONS
The annual process of preparing the new slate of Chamber Officers and Directors for 2010 has started. If you have the devotion and willingness to be an active volunteer, please contact the Chamber! The Chamber needs your ideas and energy.
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.
THE UPSIDE TO ECONOMIC MELTDOWN OR HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE BEING BROKE
By Eco-chic
It was Tuesday evening. I was in my usual chair. At my usual desk. Staring at the usual pile of unopened 401K statements. Pondering my options.
Laid off. No jobs in my field. I really SHOULD be exercising since I will need to be in pretty good shape to work until I’m 95.
But, then I realized that there actually ARE some potentially decent things happening to us, individually and as a society, because of the recession.
Number 1. As a result of the dearth of jobs in my field, I am now free to explore any crazy ideas I might have. I know a mechanical engineer enrolled in acting classes and a stockbroker doing stand up comedy. Another friend whispered that he actually LIKED being a bartender better than being a real estate broker. My high strung, high flying friend Lynne stopped doing international finance and settled into a not-for-profit CFO gig.
“Time and job satisfaction is more important than money,” she has announced piously. (I want to either avoid her or kill her – but will probably do neither as she does make some sense.)
We all chased money and security. Neither is available now. Horrors! We must pursue…job satisfaction. Doing something worthwhile. Maybe being a little creative.
Number 2. We are living less alone. We find roommates to help with the mortgage. Children move back in with parents. Older adults move in with children. We’re even seeing several generations living in one house once again.
This could really screw up the housing market. Wait! It already IS screwed up! But, this is even worse news. In the good old 1990’s, builders followed demographic trends and built units for smaller and smaller families. Your parents living without you. You living without anybody. Lots of very tiny households with very high incomes living in very expensive condos.
Anything sound different to you? Correct! Pops is now living with you and junior just moved back in too. You, my friend, are living in a 1960’s sitcom and the entire downtown condo market will stay in the dumps longer as a result.
Number 2 may or may not be positive. Maybe we are less alone. Maybe less lonely. Maybe our family/friend bonds are stronger. Then again, maybe we all get divorced once this downturn is over.
Number 3. I now spend my leisure time differently. My friends and I play board games and grill burgers. Gone are evenings spent in “upscale” restaurants listening to some 22 year-old recite a lengthy list of specials and then advising us on our wine selection.
I carefully consider each purchase. I decided I can live without $5 coffees and piles of books from Amazon. I grind my own beans and go to the library, and, you know what? It’s just fine. We’re moving from “conspicuous consumption” to “pondered purchasing”.
OMG! What is happening here? I suddenly want a meaningful job? I live with “other people”? I spend time talking and playing game instead of throwing money at a dinner and waiting to be entertained?
This is scary. I might be entering a “The Brady Bunch” type of reality. It hasn’t been the way I’m used to living but…I don’t really miss my other life. I may keep this one. Just don’t ask me to hold hands and sing “Kumbaya.”
CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS:
JULY 2ND – 8:00 AM
General Meeting
North Shore Community Bank -Sauganash
4343 W. Peterson Avenue
JULY 16TH – 4:00 PM
Board of Directors’ Meeting
Edgebrook Branch – Chicago Public Library
5331 W. Devon Avenue
JULY 25TH and 26TH – 10:00 AM TO 10:00 PM
Edgebrook Festival 2009
N. Kinzua Avenue just east of the METRA tracks and north of W. Devon Avenue; adjacent to Baird & Warner
AUGUST 6TH – 8:00 AM
General Meeting
Myron & Phil Steak and Seafood Restaurant
3900 W. Devon Avenue