August, 2008 - the Bitterroot Valley Chamber of Commerce

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Community Enrichment Grant Program . . . In support of our many communities and in furtherance of the Mission Statement of the Bitterroot Valley Chamber of Commerce, hereinafter referred to as the “Chamber”, the Board of Directors does hereby adopt and issue the following policy forthwith: Inclusive of each annual “Chamber” membership dues received, a portion of those monies shall be dedicated to a Community Enrichment Grant (CEG) fund. Said monies shall be segregated from the “Chamber” general account and reserved for community enrichment projects and/or events occurring within the designated areas of coverage of the “Chamber”. At the close of business of each calendar year, a letter will be released to the local newspapers announcing the availability of Community Enrichment Grant (CEG) funds for the following year. In addition, each city/town within the area of coverage will be contacted to announce the availability of “CEG” funds. Requests for funds from the “Chamber” shall be in writing and identify the intended use of funds for the betterment of the town/area. Upon acceptance of the written request, the “Chamber” shall respond accordingly and arrange for presentation of said funds at a pre-arranged meeting. In the event a grant request is not received from a particular town/area, then those allocated funds shall be returned to the segregated “CEG” reserve account of the “Chamber”. The Executive Board and the Executive Director reserve the sole right of discretionary approval and disbursement of all “CEG” funds in behalf of the “Chamber”. Once a pre-determined amount of grant funds has been issued for a particular town/area, no further allocations shall be considered for that area until the following year. The above policy statement was duly moved, seconded and unanimously accepted by the Board of Directors of the Bitterroot Chamber of Commerce during the regularly scheduled board meeting of July 15, 2008. Chamber will begin taking applications January 2009. Baked Goods Auction Ravalli County Museum presents - Big Sky Pie & Baked Goods Auction - Wednesday August 27 at 6 p.m. under the Big Tent at the Ravalli County Fairgrounds You can’t imagine the selection of tempting desserts and breads offered up for you to bid on, so many choices, share with friends, family and visitors! Proceeds to towards the Ravalli County Museums’ educational curriculum and cultural programming. For more information please call 363-3338 or email rcmuseum@qwestoffice.net PAGE 2 Chase Cooper 1321 Red Crow Rd Victor, MT 59875 360-1930 Enhance your home with the warmth and beauty of wood floors. Member of National Wood Flooring Association From Our Director . . . Rick O’Brien As I ponder this edition content, I can’t help but comment on the breadth of venues and activities your Chamber routinely participates and supports. Since we last communicated in the June 2008 issue, and in keeping with my pledge to reach out to our communities valley wide, we have extended a helping hand by volunteering for Chief Victor Days, Stevensville Western Heritage Days, Hamilton July 4 th Parade, Treasure State Art Show, Sr. Pro Rodeo, Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital * Emergency Dept Grand Opening, Daly Days, Stevensville Annual Creamery Picnic, numerous Ribbon Cuttings and several other business Grand Openings – just to name a few! Yes, these are busy times in the Bitterroot. To date, we are witnessing a very modest decline in tourist visitations; however, it is beginning to look like our state’s international travelers have indeed discovered our valley. This type of ecotourist is highly sought as they tend to truly appreciate the beauty of our rural settings, our way of life and they and leave very little trace of their having visited…….. Inserted in this newsletter, you will find a Chamber Board of Director “Policy Statement” that I am proud to have coauthored. This policy position reflects the intent of the Chamber board to render valley wide community assistance fairly and equitably. The funds disperse from this program are funds derived from your supporting membership dues, as opposed to, any outside or governmental entity funding. Your Chamber is a non-profit entity and is reliant upon its strong membership support and fundraising efforts. In closing, you can rest assured that your Chamber is well and intently minding the store. Please do not hesitate to stop by for some new travel brochure releases, general information for your vacation plans or just to say “hello” - YOU are always welcome at YOUR Chamber! Have an enjoyable and safe summer, Rick O’Brien * Executive Director Bell-McCall Co. Dean Porter Sales 300 W. Main Hamilton, MT 59840 (406) 961-4313 -- cell (406) 370-7821
Money for BR Youth Homes Join forces with Discovery Care Centre to raise money for Bitterroot Youth Homes. The residents of Discovery Care Centre and the residents of Bitterroot Youth Homes will be baking home-made cookies that you can bid on in a silent auction. The bidding will begin Monday, August 11th and will continue until Friday, August 15th when the cookies will be baked and picked up. Only the top 12 bidders will win, so bid high! Call Kay at 363-0619 to place your bid. All proceeds will go directly to Bitterroot Youth Homes to buy much needed supplies. Christmas Ornament Christmas is coming! What better gift than a Capitol Christmas Collectors Ball! This beautiful red glass ball features the 2008 Capitol Chrismtas Tree logo. The Capitol Christmas Tree will be lit the first week in December in Washington. ‘The Tree’ has already been selected and this year will come from our own Bitterroot National Forest! The cost is $8 for one (1) or two (2) for $15 - so stop by the Chamber office and pick one up today - it is a memory that will last a lifetime! Taxpayer Many tax questions are easily resolved with a call or letter to the Internal Revenue Service. But some problems are more involved. That’s where the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) can help. TAX is an independent organization with the IRS who assist taxpayers who are seeking help in resolving tax problems that have not been resolved through normal channels or who believe that an IRS system or procedure is not working as it should. Taxpayers may be eligible for TAS assistance if: 1) They are experiencing economic harm or significant cost. 2) They have experienced a delay of more than 30 days to resolve their tax issue or 3) They have not received a response or resolution to the problem by the date that was promised by the IRS. The service is free, confidential, and available for businesses as well as individuals. There is at least one local Taxpayer Advocate in each state. Advocates know the tax system and how to navigate it. If you qualify, you will receive personalized service from a knowledgeable Advocate. To find out more call Local Taxpayer Advocate at 406-441- 1022 or email Teresa Thompson at teresa.thompson@irs.gov. Troublesome Tax Issues? Marketing Director Kyle Alexander Summer is finally here! I have enjoyed meeting a lot of you these past two months, and look forward to meeting even more of you. I must admit as Membership and Sales Director I have learned a lot about what is going on in our valley. One of the most common complaints I hear from small business owners is the high cost of advertising. As the old saying goes “Advertise when things are good, Advertise when things are so-so, Advertise when things are bad”. Well one of the best advertising values in the Bitterroot Valley is The Bitterroot Valley Chamber of Commerce. Just look at this newsletter that you are reading. You would be surprised how inexpensive the advertising rates are for this publication, and this publication goes to all six hundred plus (600+) members. Did you know that you can insert a flyer in this publication for only $75? How about offering a discount to fellow Chamber members, or giving a heads up for a special sale you plan on running. A project that is very dear to me, and quite successful, is our banner ad program. I cannot emphasize enough to you how great a business tool this is. The Bitterroot Valley Chamber of Commerce web site has gone through somewhat of a remodeling phase, thanks to the very capable work of Pat Easley, and we now are up and running full steam ahead. You must visit our web site. Simply go to www.bvchamber.com and click on the “Business Directory”, then pick a category. Look at the banner ads on the landing page, they all go to individual web sites or well designed profile pages. At the bottom of the landing page is a place for you to click on for additional listings. Now, I ask you where do you want to be, on the front landing page or on the second or third page with all of the additional listings? Finally, if you are going to be at the Ravalli County Fair this year, please stop by the Bitterroot Valley Chamber of Commerce Booth. That’s right, we are having a booth! It will be my pleasure to promote to all of the visitors to the fair - your business. It will be the big kickoff of our “Shop Local, Keep The Loot In The Bitterroot” program. I will be personally handing out thousands of brochures instructing people on how easy it is to shop on the Chamber’s web site. Among other things that we will be doing at this booth is actively recruiting new members; business people just like you who care not only about their business, but also about their community and the environment in which we do business. See you at the fair! ALWAYS BUY CHAMBER PAGE 3
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Page 5 and 6: Calendar of Events August 2008 Augu
Page 7 and 8: Committee Reports . . . Co-Chairs:
Page 9 and 10: QUALITY USED CARS & TRUCKS OF HAMIL

August, 2008 - the Bitterroot Valley Chamber of Commerce

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