part of the gingerbread village recipe - Caro Chamber of Commerce

Caro Chamber of Commerce 

November 30 - December 5 - Gingerbread Village 

December 19 - Chamber Board Meeting - 8:00 a.m. - Municipal Building 

December 20 - After Hours - Chemical Bank - 5 p.m. 

December 25 - CHRISTMAS 

January 1 - NEW YEAR’S DAY 

January 16 - Chamber Board Meeting - 8:00 a.m. - Rolka Building 

January 17 - After Hours - Caro Chamber/Tuscola County EDC/Rolka 

Building 

429 North State Street, Suite 101,Caro, MI 48723 November/December 2012 

This year Caro will once again be transformed into the Gingerbread Village 

welcoming the Bread Family, Santa, and friends and neighbors from near and far. 

Gingerbread Central located at 260 North State Street will be the center of familyfriendly 

fun. This year’s event will take place from November 30 - December 5, 

2012. Some of the events that highlight this year’s festivities include: 

Downtown Open House with Special Friday Shopping Hours and Holiday 

Bargains, Prizes and Gingerbread Dough - November 30 th 

Downtown Art Walk, Musicians, Entertainment and Carriage Rides 

Annual Lighting of the Christmas Tree with the Bread Family and Santa & 

Mrs. Clause. 

Taste of Caro - Brentwood - Thursday, November 29 th 

Free Children’s Matinee at Strand Theatre 

Thumb Area Center for the Arts Christmas Concert 

Gingerbread House Competition 

And much, much more! 

Help us continue the tradition of bringing to life the sights, sounds and smells of the 

Gingerbread Village - an old-fashioned holiday in Caro . . . where true happiness is 

homemade! (See insert.) 

A great time was had by all who 

attended the Caro Chamber Road Rally 

event on Saturday, October 27 th . They 

solved the clues to complete the Fairy 

Tales scavenger hunt! After “the hunt” 

there were prizes, dinner, fun and more 

festivities. 

We want to thank Anderson, Tuckey, 

Bernhardt & Doran and Bell Wasik 

for sponsoring the event. A big thank 

you goes to those providing food for 

the dinner: 

Road Rally 

Garden Gate Bed & Breakfast 

Hungry Howie’s Pizza 

Pizza Hut 

Thumb Meat Market 

The Chamber directors and members 

who planned, organized and did a 

tremendous amount of work on the 

event are: 

Leianne Nichols - Caro Pool & 

Supply 

Mandy Board - Goodwill Industries 

Wendy Jacot - Human Development 

Commission 

GATOR RAFFLE 

The John Deere utility vehicle raffle 

turned into a 50/50 raffle since not 

enough tickets were sold. Total ticket 

sales were $7,310. The drawing was 

held at the end of the end of the 

Tuscola County Pumpkin Festival 

with Meggen Jensen’s name on the 

winning ticket. 

We thank Tri-County Equipment for 

working with us on this project. 

Presenting Meggen (left) with the 

check is Susan Holder, Chamber 

President. 

Dr. Mark Strzelewicz - Caro 

Veterinary Clinic 

Also, many Caro businesses donated 

prizes that were given out to each 

member of every team. Those 

businesses are: 

Caro Big Boy 

(continued on insert - front) 

The first place team (left to right) - Lori 

Offenbecher, Lori Ertman, Wendy Jacot and 

Mandy Board.

Page 2 429 North State Street, Suite 101, Caro, MI 48723 

“Growing …to serve 

you better” 


429 North State Street, Suite 101 

Caro, MI 48723 

(989) 673-5211 

FAX: (989) 673-2517 

E-MAIL: 

executivedirector@carochamber.org 

WEB: www.carochamber.org 

2012-2013 BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

PRESIDENT 

Susan Rickwalt-Holder 

Tuscola Behavioral Health Systems 

VICE PRESIDENT 

Mark Strzelewicz 

Caro Veterinary Clinic 

TREASURER 

Tony Budreau 

Independent Bank 

SECRETARY 

Sandra “Sam” Gutierrez 

Happy Feet Floor Gallery 

DIRECTORS 

Steve Erickson 

Tuscola County Economic Development Corp. 

Danielle Folino 

Signature Bank 

Wendy Jacot 

Human Development Commission 

Olena “Len” Jensen 

Thumb Cellular 

Meggen Jensen 

The Advertiser 

Leianne Nichols 

Caro Pool & Supply 

Mark Ransford 

Ransford Collon Funeral & Cremation Services/ 

Ransford - Wasik 

Tom Striffler 

City of Caro 

Christine Trisch 

Heritage Hill 

CHAMBER STAFF 

Brenda Caruthers 

Chamber Administrator 

INTERN 

Stephanie McLoskey 

Delta College 

DISCLAIMER - The fliers and other 

advertisements included with this publication are 

provided by COC as a general service to our 

members and the community. 

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT 

THUMB LAWN & SNOW, LLC 

Our business offers the following services: 

Summer - Lawn Mowing, Fertilizing, Scraping, and Grub Control 

Winter - Snow Removal, and Salting 

Owner: 

Brad Goslin 

Address: 

PO Box 1 


Phone: 

989-665-2549 

Employees: 

5 in Summer 

10 in Winter 

Hours: 

7 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

Our business began in 1988 providing snow removal and in 1993 added lawn care. 

We pride ourselves in offering quality service in a timely manner with a fair price. 

In the future, we plan to continue with our snow removal part of the business and 

expand in the Caro and Cass City areas in the lawn care area. 

NOMINATIONS FOR BOARD TERMS 

The Chamber is seeking nominations for a total of 4 board vacancies. Nominees 

should be an active member in good standing and agree to accept the responsibility 

of directorship. It is imperative that elected directors be committed to the Caro 

Chamber and to their community and realize the importance of active participation 

in meetings and participation in Chamber events. Directors whose terms are 

expiring are Susan Rickwalt-Holder, Sandra “Sam” Gutierrez, Wendy Jacot and 

Christine Trisch. If you have not received a form by mail or e-mail, contact the 

Chamber office. Please, only one nomination per Chamber member business. 

Our Mission: “The mission of the Caro Chamber of Commerce is to 

create a positive and productive environment where business can grow and 

prosper, while enhancing the quality of life in the Caro area.” 

This Newsletter may also be viewed on our website: www.CaroChamber.org

429 North State Street, Suite 101, Caro, MI 48723 

D r i f t w o o d 

Enterprises LLC is 

a new business in 

Caro that has joined 

the Caro Chamber. 

They operate a 

specialized service 

p r i m a r i l y f o r 

delivery of fitness 

and rehabilitation 

e q u i p m e n t t o 

hospitals, doctors’ 

offices, YMCA organizations and high-end residential 

customers such as Joe Dumars, Oprah Winfrey, Rashid 

Wallace, Cleveland Cavaliers and others. The owner, 

Mark Gray, bought the building at 438 Green Street early 

this year. He has made and continues to make 

improvements inside and has plans for outside growth 

and improvements including purchasing more property 

and constructing a new façade and loading docks. He is 

delivering equipment to the Midwest region and is 

currently expanding deliveries to the east. 

Mark’s business is a great success story. He first opened 

Driftwood Enterprises in Cass City approximately 15 

years ago and stayed there for a few years. He downsized 

and moved to Kingston then downsized again to a pole 

barn at his residence in the Fairgrove area for 4-5 years. 

Things turned around and his business began to boom. 

Within the past 3 years, his business has grown 

remarkably. Because of this business, he was able to 

open the popular State Street Fitness business at 160 

North State Street in 2007. 

For more information, call Driftwood at 989-672-6456 or 

see their website at www.driftwoodfitness.com. 

Bob Garske is the 

Caro Postmaster and 

has joined the Caro 

Chamber as an 

individual. Bob has 

lived in the Thumb 

of Michigan since 

1990. He has been 

with the United 

States Postal Service 

for 28 years and has served in Caro since September of 

2009. 

Bob is proud to serve the Thumb communities in a 

federal level service position. He says networking is key 

to his position. Fifteen to twenty post offices work 

directly with him which brings the Thumb area together 

and creates a great Michigan district. M-53 is the dividing 

line for the Detroit district, but he also works with the 

Bad Axe postmaster to keep things working smoothly for 

the entire Thumb. He has been forced to scale back, but 

his goal is to keep area small town post offices open by 

having shorter hours. The Caro office has expanded in 

Page 3 

order to keep the Akron/Fairgrove office profitable. He 

says, “It will be interesting to see what the new postal 

systems looks like a year from now.” 

Bob has an open door policy and wants to be a help to 

businesses. If you have questions or want to know more 

about any of the postal service marketing tools, contact him 

at 989-673-3104. 

Bob wishes to be involved more in the community, and we 

look forward to seeing him as he participates, as his time 

permits, in events. We welcome Bob Garske to the Caro 

Chamber! 

We would like to 

welcome Hudson 

Produce Farm to 

the Caro Chamber. 

T h e i r f a r m 

specializes in 

c o m m e r c i a l 

v e g e t a b l e 

production, and 

they offer their products for sale at the Caro Farmers 

Market and at their farm located at 1780 Colwood Road, 3 

miles northeast of Caro. 

Hudson Produce Farm is owned and operated by Dr. Hal & 

Mrs. Alice Hudson along with their children - Dalice, age 

16; Hal Jr., age 13; and Lecretia, age 10. All three of their 

children are students at Caro Community Schools and are 

involved in the Northern Lights 4-H Club. 

The Hudsons have grown produce for over 10 years, the 

first 3 years in Clare and the last 7 years in Caro. Produce 

grown varies from year to year, but usually includes: 

tomatoes, potatoes, green beans, cucumbers, peppers, sweet 

corn, spinach, lettuce, and salad mix. 

Hudson Produce Farm recently achieved Michigan 

Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program verification 

with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural 

Development for the farmstead, cropping, and livestock 

systems for their farm. 

Dr. Hudson serves as Extension Horticulture Educator for 

commercial/consumer vegetable production with MSU 

Extension and shares his expertise and programming on a 

statewide basis. Anyone desiring further information on 

vegetable production may contact him at MSU Extension at 

989-672-3870 or by e-mail at hudsonh@anr.msu.edu. 

Hal serves as chair of the Caro Farmers Market Committee 

for the Caro Chamber of Commerce. The Caro Farmers 

Market is a major event hosted weekly by the Caro 

Chamber of Commerce beginning the first Saturday in May 

and running through the Saturday of the Tuscola County 

Pumpkin Festival.


The Chris Barrios Agency, a State Farm 

Insurance provider and Chamber 

member, hosted a Grand Opening and 

Ribbon Cutting celebration on Saturday, 

October 6. Pictured from left: Rodney 

Christopher Barrios, Nancy and David 

Barrios, Chris Barrios - Agency Owner, 

Brenda Caruthers - Caro Chamber of 

Commerce Executive Director, Steve 

Erickson - Tuscola County EDC 

Executive Director, Grant Rose and 

Silena Rogers - Insurance Sales. Not 

pictured are Amanda Light and Kerry 

Rose. 

Chris opened the Agency on September 

1 st in the former Team One Credit Union 

building. Chris is a 2009 graduate of 

Saginaw Valley State University, where 

he received a BS in Kiniesiology and 

minor in Coaching. While attending 

SVSU, Chris was a sprinter on the 

SVSU Track and Field Team and earned 

GLIAC All-Conference recognition. 

Prior to opening his own agency, Chris 

worked for the Rollie Stephens State 

Farm Agency in Flushing, and he 

completed his internship with the Andy 

Wilder Agency in Yale, MI. 

Chris currently lives in Cass City, and is 

the youngest son of David and Nancy 

Barrios. 

Allure Salon & Spa opened their doors 

on October 15, 2012, at 1152 East Caro 

Road in a beautiful new building which 

is welcoming and relaxing inside and 

out. Owner Renee Kilbourn and the 

experienced staff provide every type of 

hair service plus much more - kertatin, 

Klix hair extensions, toner, gloss 

treatments, malibu, protein, special 

occasion style, blowout, updo, updo with 

extensions, a bridal package, a salon and 

style package, a variety of massages, 

body treatments and teeth whitening. 

Their hours are 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. and are 

flexible with customers needing evening 

hours. The Allure team is available to 

serve their customers and make them 

feel appreciated. For more information 

or an appointment, contact the salon at 

989-672-1231. 

Pictured at the First Dollar Presentation 

are (left to right) Chamber Directors 

Leianne Nichols of Caro Pool & Supply 

and Susan Rickwalt-Holder of Tuscola 

County Behavioral Health Systems, 

stylist Kendra Rummel, Chamber 

Director Steve Erickson of Tuscola 

County EDC, owner Renee Kilbourn, 

and Chamber Directors Brenda 

Caruthers, Len Jensen of Thumb 

Cellular and Meggen Jensen of the 

Advertiser. 

We welcome Save-A-Lot to the Caro 

Chamber. Last newsletter we read about 

Save-A-Lot being purchased and kept 

open by three generations of grocers 

Tim, Tom and Paul Freeman of Freeman 

Family Enterprise. The store has been 

remodeled, and the parking lot has been 

repaved and striped. Stop in and meet 

Manager Jason Lemanski and see the 

spacious and inviting grocery store. 

Store hours are 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. Monday 

through Saturday and 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. on 

Sunday. It is located in Sugar Creek 

Plaza at 1253 East Caro Road. 

We welcome Sunny Physical 

Therapy to Caro and to the Chamber. 

Owner Pat Peachera recently opened 

the business at 1525 West Caro Road 

in the Caro Health Plaza building 

across from VG’s. Pat says, “A healthy 

body without pain or pain medications 

is within everyone’s reach. Yours can 

be obtained through our proactive, 

quality, one-on-one approach. All of 

our treatments are provided in a 

relaxed and private environment.” 

All of their care is provided by a 

licensed physical therapist, never an 

aid or technician. The physical 

therapist will work only with you 

during your appointment, and you will 

see the same physical therapist for all 

your treatments. Pat says, “You will 

get faster results in fewer sessions 

through their hands-on techniques.” 

They serve Tuscola and Saginaw 

counties. Their hours are Monday - 

Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. but are flexible 

for people who need evening hours. 

Their contact number is 888-994-4244. 

Legio n B uil di ng 

Corporation of Caro 

has joined the Chamber. 

This is a non-profit 

c o r p o r a t i o n t h a t 

manages 2 properties. 

The first is the memorial home of 

Theron W. Atwood Sr. American 

Legion Post No. 7 located at 110 West 

Frank Street in Caro. It has 250 

members and is the largest Veteran 

Service Organization in Tuscola 

County. Its primary function is to 

assist veterans. 

The second property is the Starlite 

Event Center located at 1517 North 

Henry Street in Bay City. Starlite is 

the income generator, sponsoring 5 

Bingo events per week. All profits 

(continued on page 5)


(continued from Page 4 - Legion) 

are used to maintain the properties, 

meet the financial obligations of the 

American Legion and Starlite Event 

Center. Any surplus is put into a 

philanthropic fund to assist veterans, 

civic organizations and other charities. 

For hall rental and other information, 

call 989-673-0643. 

On Trak Consulting & Career 

Coaching is owned by Julie Carr and is 

a new Chamber member. Julie is a 

certified career coach and inspirational 

speaker who is passionate about 

helping people find their passions and 

designing a direction that will help 

them to fulfill their career dreams and 

live life with purpose. 

Julie lives in Caro and has been an 

independent contractor with Thumb 

Works! for over 10 years, working with 

individuals in career transition both in 

one-on-one and group workshops. She 

has worked mainly with females 

seeking career change or transitioning 

into the work force. She is currently 

developing curriculum for adolescents 

to choose a career that defines their life 

purpose and utilizes their talents and 

gifts to their fullest potential. 

Julie conducts workshops around the 

state entitled, “Succeed Despite the 

Economy.” She has flexible hours and 

is offering 10% off coaching and 

workshop participation for Chamber 

members. For more information, 

contact Julie at 989-325-0636 or 

jcarrontrak@gmail.com. 

Pictured at a First Dollar Presentation 

are (left to right): Chamber Director 

Sam Gutierrez - Happy Feet Floor 

Gallery, Julie Carr - owner, Chamber 

Director Steve Erickson - Tuscola 

County EDC, Executive Director Brenda 

Caruthers and Jim McLoskey of Senator 

Mike Green’s office. 

Caro NAPA has joined the Chamber. 

Under new ownership, Jason Lockwood 

has managed the business for the past 2 

years. This is an auto and truck parts 

store that also provides hydraulic hose 

assembly and testing of batteries, 

alternators and starters. 

They are presently located in the 

Industrial Park on the west side of Caro. 

They are remodeling the former Midwest 

Rotary building at 1065 East Caro Road. 

They will move in the next week or two. 

They look forward to being more visible 

and having more space to better serve 

the needs of their customers. 

Their store hours will continue to be 

7:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday through Friday 

and 8 - 2 p.m. on Saturday. They are 

offering Chamber members a 10% discount 

off total purchase. 

Watch for their opening in the new 

location and stop in to get acquainted 

and wish them the best. For more 

information, they may be contacted at 

989-672-4525. 

P r o - T e c h 

C o m p u t i n g , 

located at 116 

East Frank Street. 

has joined the 

Caro Chamber. 

John Walker is 

the owner. He has 

been in business 

over 10 years and 

o p e n e d t h e 

business in Caro 

2 years ago. He has one full-time 

employee. 

John says they “strive to do the best at 

what they do.” Everything is backed 

100%. They provide quick turn-around 

Page 5 

and the same-day service as much as 

possible. They sell new laptops and 

custom-built PCs with 2-year 

warranties on parts and labor. They do 

repair on PCs and laptops and 

networking virus removal. They also 

provide data recovery and free 

diagnostics. 

Pro-Tech services the Thumb of Michigan 

with hours Monday - Thursday 10 

a.m. - 6 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

and Saturday 10 a.m. to 12 noon. They 

are offering a 10% discount on service 

to Caro Chamber members. 

G.C. Express broke ground to begin 

the construction of a new fueling center 

and Subway restaurant at the corner of 

M-46 and M-24. G.C. Express is an 

expansion of Marlette Oil and Gas 

Company which is a company locally 

owned by its shareholders (customers). 

It has been serving the Thumb area 

since 1920. 

The new 7,000-square foot facility will 

include a Subway restaurant, 

hand-dipped ice cream, and a fully- 

stocked convenience store. There will 

be a separate fueling area for cars and 

trucks along with a fully-equipped 

shower area for over-the-road truck 

drivers. 

Poet Biorefining is excited about the 

opening of this business. Michigan’s 

first ethanol processor has given a grant 

to G.C. Express to help with the cost of 

constructing E-85 blender pumps for 

the distribution of E-85 in the area. 

E-85 has a number of advantages over 

conventional gasoline. One advantage 

is a reduction in tailpipe emissions and 

i n c r e a s e d p e r f o r m a n c e . A 

diversification of fuel sources reduces 

the dependence on foreign oil. The 

project is expected to create 25 new 

(continued on page 6)


jobs. During the Ground Breaking 

ceremony, Scott Dorman from Marlette 

Oil and Gas expressed his appreciation 

to State Senator Mike Green, Steve 

Erickson of Tuscola County Economic 

Development Corporation and Fremont 

Township Supervisor Henry Wymore 

for their assistance in the initial phrase 

of the project. 

Tuscola County EDC Executive 

Director Stephen Erickson thanked G.C. 

Express for filling a much-needed gap 

in Tuscola County. The long anticipated 

truck stop is needed to spur economic 

growth in the area and to work with 

Poet Biorefining in constructing a 

pro-ethanol retail outlet locally. 

Pictured at the Ground Breaking on the 

previous page are (left to right): Ron 

Lindberg, Keith Bauer of Poet 

Biorefining, Don Adamyczk, Scott 

Dorman, Steve Erickson of Tuscola 

County EDC, Senator Mike Green, Bill 

Bushaw of Tuscola County EDC and 

Scott Walker. 

ABOUT OUR MEMBERS 

H&R Block 

has moved their 

office to 1146 

Cleaver Road 

( b e s i d e 

M a n c i n o ’ s ) . 

They remodeled 

the building to 

provide office 

space for all 

their staff in the 

same location. 

They continue 

to provide 

bookkeeping, 

payroll, tax 

preparation and advice to those needing 

their services. Daniel Block, franchise 

owner, wants his customers to know 

they look the same and have the same 

feel. It is just a bigger, better and more 

visible location. 

They continue to grow and have 

recently purchased the Caro Tax & 

Accounting business located at 1796 

West Caro Road, Suite B. Business will 

continue there as usual as they make the 

transition to H&R Block. 

Stop in and see the new office and 

congratulate Dan on his successful and 

growing business. He may be contacted 

at 989-673-3257. Check out their 

website at www.hrblock.com 

Team One Credit Union Hires 

Laura Crase as Branch Manager 

Team One is pleased to welcome Laura 

Crase as the branch manager of their 

Sandusky office located at 625 South 

Sandusky Road. Laura comes to Team 

One from State Farm where she was an 

Agent and Registered Representative in 

Caro for many years. She brings more 

than 12 years of experience in the 

financial service field, in addition to her 

insurance background, to her new 

position as branch manager. 

Laura has always been very active in 

the community. She served as a Caro 

Chamber director and officer for several 

years and is also a Rotary member. 

“I’m proud to be joining Team One, an 

organization that cares about and is 

involved in the communities where they 

are located,” states Laura. “It’s 

something that is very important to me 

as a former business owner in a small 

community, and I’m happy that it is a 

top priority of Team One as well.” 

Laura is excited to be back in the 

financial service field as it’s something 

she truly has a passion for. At the 

Sandusky branch, she joins a dedicated, 

friendly team of individuals that are 

committed to providing exceptional 

service to members of the community. 

Laura and her husband Ken, a police 

officer in Marlette, have 3 children and 

live in Marlette. 

Our Vision: “Our vision is to be the 

foremost voice for area businesses and 

organizations. We exist to provide 

leadership and to serve and represent 

our members. We maintain a strong 

presence in the community by 

organizing or assisting in activities that 

benefit the citizens and the business 

sector. The Chamber actively engages 

our members to be involved in the 

community and provides opportunities 

to socialize, exchange ideas and 

network.” 

Bullet Auto & Truck Service Center 

continues to grow and expand their 

business. They have remodeled their 

lobby and it is now warm, comfortable 

and inviting for anyone needing to wait 

for their vehicle. They are improving 

their façade, but because of the 

weather, it will be spring before it is 

completed. 

They have expanded their wrecker 

service to 24 hours and they accept 

most insurances now. They also carry a 

line of remote starters and can install 

one while you shop or get a haircut 

downtown! 

Pictured are owners and technicians 

Eric Spreder (left) and Randy Putman. 

Their winter hours are Monday - Friday 

8 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Saturdays by 

appointment. Stop in to see them or 

give them a call at 989-672-2277. 

Independent Bank 

I n d e p e n d e n t B a n k 

announces some staffing 

changes. Barbara Haranda 

formerly Branch Manager 

for the Caro office was 

recently promoted to Vice 

President Community Banking for 

Independent Bank. As a Community 

Banker, she will be leading sales and 

mentoring efforts for the following 

offices: Kingston, Marlette, North 

Branch, Lapeer and Clio. Her home 

office is now Marlette. 

Tony Budreau has been promoted to 

Branch Manager of the Caro office. He 

was the Assistant Manager for the Caro 

office and has 4 years of experience 

with the Caro customers. He is active in 

the Chamber and is doing a great job as 

treasurer of the Board of Directors. He 

has also helped with various Rotary 

functions. 

BUY LOCAL 

Keep Dollars in Caro!


BELL-WASIK, INC. 

1014 E. Dayton Road, Caro, MI 

989-673-6126 

10% Discount on Service 

BER-WA-GA-NA CAMPGROUND 

2601 W. Sanilac Road, Vassar, MI 

989-673-7125 

10% Discount 

BULLET AUTO & TRUCK SERVICE CENTER 

403 N. State Street, Caro, MI 

989-672-CARS (2277) 

15% Discount, except for oil changes 

CARO CHIROFIT 


989-673-5559 

10% Discount on 60 minute massage 

CARO DRUGS 

1525 W. Caro Road, Caro, MI 

989-672-1080 

20% Discount 

CARO NAPA 

1065 E. Caro Road, Caro, MI 

989-672-4525 

10% Discount 

CARTER LUMBER COMPANY 

1250 Carter Drive, Caro, MI 

989-672-3108 

10% Discount 

CURVES 


989-673-4888 

No Set-up Fee 

DRIFTWOOD ENTERPRISES 

438 Green Street, Caro, MI 

989-672-6456 

15% Discount on Reconditioned Fitness Equipment 

FRAMEWORXZ 

3540 N. Hurds Corner Road, Caro, MI 

989-550-7648 

10% Discount 

H & R BLOCK 

1184 Cleaver Road, Suite 300, Caro, MI 

989-673-3257 

10% Discount 

HAPPY FEET FLOOR GALLERY 

526 S. State Street, Caro, MI 

989-670-7747 

10-20% Product Discount 

HOLZWORTH SIGNS 

3696 E. Bevens Road, Caro, MI 

989-673-5295 

10% Discount 

$$ MEMBER-TO-MEMBER DISCOUNTS $$ 

INNOVATIONS 


989-672-5500 

15% on Products 

MAPLE GROVE VETERINARY 

CLINIC 


989-673-7387 

Free Temperament Test 

MUFFLER MAN 


989-673-6263 

10% Discount 

NARAYAN MEDICAL CLINIC 


989-672-8700 

10% Discount on Fitness & Cash- 

Based Medical Equipment 

ON TRAK CONSULTING & CAREER 

COACHING 

1111 Luder Road, Caro, MI 

989-325-0636 

10% Discount on Coaching or Workshop 

Participation 

PRO-TECH COMPUTING 

116 East Frank Street, Caro, MI 

989-670-0063 

10 % Discount on Service 

RUMMEL INSURANCE AGENCY 

1018 E. Caro Road, Caro, MI 

989-673-4169 

Up to 15 % Discounts 

S & B AUTO REPAIR 

176 Columbia Street, Caro, MI 

989-673-3808 

10% Discount on total bill except for 

oil changes 

SERVPRO 

3465 Mertz Road, Caro, MI 

989-673-7680 

10% Discount on Carpet Cleaning 

STATE STREET FITNESS 


989-672-0787 

Reduced Sign-On Fee 

SUNNSATIONAL TANNING AND 

EMBROIDERY 


989-673-7866 

$5 off tanning purchase with lotion 

*Employees of your business may need to show I.D. 

*Other stipulations may apply; please check with each member. 

TAYLOR PHOTOGRAPHY 

516 N. Almer Street, Caro, MI 

989-529-35578 

Free 8x10 photograph 

THE DIAN Z 


989-323-0010 

10% Discount 

THE GARDENS AT GRICE’S 

2560 Mertz Road, Caro, MI 

989-673-8733 

10% off Hall Rental 

THE OVEN 


989-673-2285 

10% Discount - Dine-in only 

THUMB AREA 

TOURISM COUNCIL 

9281 Lane Road, Millington, MI 

810-569-6856 

15% Discount on Membership Fee 

THUMB COOLING & HEATING 


989-673-4948 

5% Discount 

THUMB OFFICE SUPPLY 

779 S. Van Dyke Road, Bad Axe, MI 

989-269-8122 

10% Discount (excluding sale items) 

THUMBS UP DIRECTORY 

9545 W. Fairgrove Road, Reese, MI 

989-220-5920 

20% Discount 

VAUGHAN’S RV CENTER 


989-672-4100 

10% Discount on Parts and Service 

WILL’S GREENHOUSE 

3605 Apache Road, Vassar, MI 

989-673-6451 

Will pay Sales Tax on Purchases 

WORTH’S MARKET 

4730 Main Street, Millington, MI 

989-871-2101 

10% Discount 

Page 7 

Offering special discounts or money-saving packages to other members brings new business 

through your door, increases word-of-mouth advertising, and establishes a business-to-business 

connection with other Chamber members. Contact the Chamber office to register your Memberto-Member 

Discount benefit and we’ll promote it for you! The Chamber number is 989-673- 

5211, and our e-mail is executivedirector@carochamber.org.

Don’t miss these evenings of fun, 

refreshments, and networking with other businesses in the area! 

A delightful After Hours was held at 

Caro CHIROFIT in November. Dr. 

Tim and his staff gave tours of the new 

office to Chamber members and most 

everyone attending enjoyed a chair 

massage from one of the therapists - 

Stephanie Adams or Katie Findlay. 

CARO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 

AFTER HOURS 

Pictured below left are staff members (left to right): Katie Findlay, Laura Beckman, and 

Tammy Crowder (Stephanie Adams is not pictured). Pictured below right is Dr. Tim 

Sala explaining door prize supplements to Bob Moore. We met new people and had a 

great time networking with other Chamber members. 

UPCOMING AFTER HOURS 

Thursday, December 20, 

2012 

Chemical Bank 

Thursday, January 17, 2012 

Chamber/EDC 

If you would like to host an After 

Hours or need someone to partner 

with, please contact Brenda at the 

Chamber office.

Insert — Front 429 North State Street, Suite 101, Caro, MI 48723 

CITIZEN OF THE YEAR and 

JR. CITIZEN OF THE YEAR 

The Caro Chamber of Commerce is now 

seeking nominations for the 2012 

Citizen of the Year and Jr. Citizen of the 

Year. Nominations should be submitted 

on or before December 31, 2012. To 

make a nomination for Citizen of the 

Year just give us their name and your 

contact information. We will do the 

research and compile the information 

regarding their accomplishments. The 

person should be an individual who 

resides in the Caro area and has 

selflessly given his or her time while 

making an outstanding contribution 

promoting Caro and volunteering their 

time in Caro. 

A committee of past Citizen of the Year 

recipients will select the 2012 Citizen of 

the Year. 

Nominations for the Jr. Citizen of the 

Year will be compiled from the Caro 

Area School District. Freshmen through 

senior year students are eligible. This 

student needs to be academically 

talented, demonstrate the potential to be 

an outstanding citizen, have high morals 

and values. Involvement within the 

school, church, community and 

workforce is also important. A 

committee from the Chamber of 

Commerce Directors will interview 

candidates and make a selection. 

Letters of nomination should be 

addressed to: 


CITIZEN OF THE YEAR 

OR 

JR. CITIZEN OF THE YEAR 

429 North State Street, Suite 101 

Caro, MI 48723. 

Both honors, Citizen of the Year and Jr. 

Citizen of the Year, will be announced 

during the annual Citizen of the Year 

dinner on Saturday, February 23, 2013, 

at the Caro Knights of Columbus Hall. 

“Christmas gift suggestions: To 

your enemy, forgiveness. To an 

opponent, tolerance. To a friend, 

your heart. To a customer, service. 

To all, charity. To every 

child, a good example. To 

yourself, respect.”--Oren Arnold 

(continued from page 1 - Road Rally) 

Caro Pool & Supply 

Caro Veterinary Clinic 

Chris Barrios Agency - State Farm 

Family Video 

Feathers & Furry Friends 

Goodwill Industries of Mid-Michigan 

Holly’s Hair Design 

JJ Jamokes 

Kenneth Tiseo, DDS 

Lasting Impressions 

Moore Motor Sales 

Pat Curtis Chevrolet - Cadillac 

The Fowler Center 

The Oven 

Valley Title 

VG’s 

Wear-A Bouts Resale Store 

White Chiropractic Health Care 

AFTER HOURS 

Thank you to Caro Chamber members 

who have hosted an After Hours in 2012 

to showcase your business and provide a 

great networking opportunity. 

Yellowbook 

Thumb Cooling & Heating 

PJ O’Brien Catering & Party Rental/ 

Town & Country Bridal 

Team One Credit Union 

The Fowler Center 

A Dove Nest Bed and Breakfast 

Rock Products 

Tuscola Behavioral Health Systems 

Maple Grove Veterinary Clinic 

Caro CHIROFIT 

Chemical Bank 

Those scheduled for 2013 are: 

January 17 - Caro Chamber of 

Commerce/Tuscola County EDC/ 

Rolka Building Open House 

February 21 - Moore Motors 

March 21 - ServPro 

April 18 - Consumers Energy 

May 16 - The Dian Z 

June 20 - Osentoski Reality 

July 18 - BER-WA-GA-NA 

Campground 

August 22 - Caro Centre 

September 19 - Westover Wild 

Wings Poultry Processing 

October 17 - Chris Barrios Agency - 

State Farm 

November 21 - Law Office of Renee 

Wood 

December 19 - Anchor Cove 

Outreach Church 

Mark your calendar and plan to attend 

as many as you can in order to get to 

know what our businesses and their 

owners provide to the community and 

surrounding areas. 

Merry 

Christmas 

and 

Happy New

Insert—Back 429North State Street, Suite 101 Caro, MI 48723 

AMERICAN SMALL 

BUSINESS LEAGUE 

The Chamber office received this 

information and wanted you to be 

aware of the following information: 

In January of this year, President 

Obama proposed closing the Small 

B u s i n e s s Ad m i n i s t r a t i o n b y 

combining it with the Department of 

Commerce. That was followed by 

S. 2129, the “Reforming and 

Consolidating Government Act.” This 

legislation will give President Obama 

the power to close the SBA. Because 

the SBA is the only federal agency 

protecting America’s 27 million small 

businesses, we want to make sure this 

legislation does not pass. 

Small businesses are vital to the U.S. 

economy. There are 27 million small 

businesses nationwide, making up 

more than 99 percent of U.S. 

companies. According to the U.S. 

Census Bureau, small businesses 

create more than 90 percent of net new 

jobs. Small businesses also employ 

half the private sector workforce and 

generate more than half the gross 

domestic product (GDP). Clearly, 

small businesses are the engine of 

economic growth. 

We believe the passage of this 

legislation will severely damage or 

dismantle several longstanding federal 

programs aimed at helping small 

businesses, including minority-owned, 

women-owned and service-disabled 

veteran-owned small businesses. 

The American Small Business League 

(ASBL) is hoping you will contact 

your senators and ask them not to 

support the “Reforming and 

Consolidating Government Act.” 

For your convenience, we have 

included a link to contact information 

for your senators and a couple 

relevant news stories. If you have any 

questions or concerns, please don’t 

hesitate to contact me. 

Thank you for your time and 

consideration. 

(continued) 

Best regards, 

Erin Newton 

Outreach Assistant 

American Small Business League 

707.789.9575w | 707.789.9580f 

erin@asbl.com | www.asbl.com 

S. 2129: Reforming and Consolidation 

Government Act of 2012 

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/ 

bills/112/s2129 

Senate Contact Portal: 

http://www.senate.gov/general/ 

contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm 

Obama calls for a ‘Secretary of 

Business’ 

By Peter Schroeder, The Hill 

October 29, 2012 

http://thehill.com/video/ 

campaign/264589-obama-calls-for-asecretary-of-business 

Obama adds cabinet seat for SBA 

administrator, proposes merging 

commerce agencies 

J.D. Harrison, The Washington Post 

January 13, 2012 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ 

on-small-business/post/obama-addscabinet-seat-for-sba-administratorproposes-merging-commerceagencies/2012/01/13/ 

gIQAd00KwP_blog.html 

Caro Post Cards are Available 

in the Chamber Office! 

The Chamber is not working 

with anyone for maps or 

t-shirts at this time! 

Chamber Member Opportunities 

Congratulations to Marty & Kris 

(McArdle) Reinelt who were married at 

Timberlee Hills in Traverse City on Oct. 

13, 2012. Kris is the President/Project 

Specialist of Infinite Creative Services, 

Inc. They are now living in Bridgman, 

MI, but Kris is still available to all her 

customers in Caro and the surrounding 

areas. You can reach Kris at 810-569- 

6856 or infinitecs@earthlink.net. 

Shop Locally 

With People you Know 

And 

Businesses You Trust 

Anyone Interested 

► in having an After Hours Event? - Now scheduling for 2014 

► in putting an insert in our newsletter? - $10 cost 

► in buying Chamber Bucks? - Purchase at banks or the Chamber office at face 

value. Promote shopping in Caro! 

► in providing coupons/fliers at Farmers Market? - Market begins in May 

and the Chamber will have a table each Saturday morning. We don’t want the 

Market to compete with your business but to enhance it by bringing people to 

Caro. We encourage you to provide coupons or sale fliers to us, and we will 

display them on the table each Saturday free of charge for you. 

► in getting information regarding events to other Chamber members? - E-mail 

us your prepared information and once a week we will send it on to members. 

If you are able to be a part of any of the opportunities above, please contact us at 989- 

673-5211 or e-mail us at executivedirector@carochamber.org.

WELCOME TO CARO’S 

GINGERBREAD VILLAGE!!! 

Thanks to the continued support of the 

community, our generous contributors, and the 

Caro Chamber of Commerce, our magical 

holiday recipe continues for the seventh year. 

Many of the traditional ingredients you’ve come 

to know over the years return for the holiday 

celebration. 

This year’s Gingerbread Village runs from 

Nov. 30 - Dec. 5, 2012, and features the original 

ingredients of Taste of Caro (Nov. 29), 

downtown open house, Gingerbread Dough, and 

shopping specials, Artist & Musician Walk, 

Community Christmas Concert, holiday tea, and 

plenty of community-wide entertainment, 

specials, and events. 

Be sure to invite the children in your life to join 

you for Lunch with Santa & Friends at TACA 

followed by the fun of a FREE children’s matinee 

at the Strand Theatre afterward. 

Also consider getting into the holiday fun with 

our gingerbread house competition and make-ntake 

activities going on throughout the event. 

So be sure to run as fast as you can to Caro’s 

old-fashioned holiday ... it’s where true 

happiness is homemade. Check the calendar 

for specific event times and locations. 

Fred, Ginger, Cookie & Snap 

Event Locations 

Gingerbread Central 

C o m p l i m e n t s o f t h e T u s c o l a C o u n t y D e m o c r a t i c P a r t y 

260 N. State Street 

( b e t w e e n P J O ’ B r i e n ’ s C a t e r i n g & C h e m i c a l B a n k ) 

Gingerbread Central Hours 

Friday 11/30: 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. 

Saturday 12/1: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. 

Sunday 12/2: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Mon. 12/3 - Wed. 12/5: 8:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. 

Arrowhead Golf Club 

1201 Gun Club Road 



Brentwood 

178 Park Drive 

Caro Roadhouse Museum 

235 S. Almer Street 

Chemical Bank 


First Presbyterian Church 

203 N. Almer Street 

Strand Theatre 

101 S. State Street 

Thumb Area Center for the Arts (TACA) 

102 Joy Street 

A community event brought to you by: 


and 

Friends of the Gingerbread Village 

429 N. State Street, Suite 101 


(989) 673-5211 

www.carochamber.org 

© 2012 Gingerbread Village • Caro Chamber of Commerce 

All rights reserved. Material accurate at time of publication. 

Produced by: Infinite Creative Services, Inc. • Bridgman, MI 

Taste of Caro 

Downtown Open House 

Carriage Rides 

Shopping Specials 

Gingerbread Dough 

Artist & Musician Walk 

FREE Children’s Matinee 

Make-n-Take Activities 

Gingerbread Jam 

Lunch with Santa & Friends 

Community Christmas Concert 

Victorian Tea & Fashion Show 

Gingerbread House Competition 

AND MUCH MORE!!!

BE A PART OF THE GINGERBREAD VILLAGE RECIPE ... 

ADD YOU & YOUR FAMILY TO ONE OR MORE OF THE ACTIVITIES!!! 

Thursday, Nov. 29 

5 - 8 p.m. Taste of Caro ($) - Brentwood 

Friday, Nov. 30 

5 p.m. Gingerbread House Penny Vote 

Competition Kicks off (concludes 

at noon on Wed. Dec. 5) 

5 - 9 p.m. Gingerbread Central Open 

6 p.m. Gingerbread Village Mascots and 

Santa & Mrs. Claus Arrive for 

Lighting of the Christmas Tree 

6 - 9 p.m. ~ Downtown Shops Open Late 

~ Shopping Specials 

~ Downtown Gingerbread Dough 

(Drawing 8:45 p.m. at 

Gingerbread Central - MUST 

BE PRESENT TO WIN) 

~ Artist & Musician Walk 

~ 98 FM KCQ Live Remote 

~ Gift Wrapping (Blessing Center) 

6:30 - 8 p.m. Pictures with Santa - Gingerbread 

Central (courtesy of Northstar 

Bank) 

6:30 - 9 p.m. Downtown Carriage Rides - Bullet 

Auto (weather permitting) 

Saturday, Dec. 1 

9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Fun Day - Shopping Time 

9:45 a.m. - 1 p.m. Lunch with Santa & Friends - 

TACA ($) 

12 - 4 p.m. Caro Roadhouse Museum Open 

House & Antique Toy Display 

1:30 p.m. FREE Matinee featuring Arthur’s 

Christmas - Strand Theatre 

(doors open at 1 p.m.) 

2:30 - 4:30 p.m. Santa, Mrs. Claus, and the Bread 

Family (Fred, Ginger, Cookie & 

Snap) visit Gingerbread 

Central 

4 or 7 p.m. Kiwanis Candy Cane Bowling 

Tournament (9 pin, no tap) - 

Brentwood ($) 

6 p.m. Bake Sale, Wreath Sales & 

High School Youth Spaghetti 

Supper - Sacred Heart Catholic 

Church, Parish Center ($) 

7 p.m. Caro Community Hospital 

Endowment Foundation Ball ($) 

8 p.m. Gingerbread Jam with Live Band - 

Arrowhead Golf Club ($) - 

Proceeds go to Good Samaritan 

Food Bank 

Sunday, Dec. 2 

10 a.m. Bake Sale, Wreath Sales & 

High School Youth Breakfast - 

Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 

Parish Center ($) 

12 - 4 p.m. Caro Roadhouse Museum Open 

House & Antique Toy Display 

2 - 4 p.m. Children Activities and Make-n- 

Take - Gingerbread Central 

(courtesy of Caro Area Kiwanis) 

Monday, Dec. 3 

8:30 a.m. - Noon Children’s Field Trips - 

Gingerbread Central 

7 p.m. TACA Community Christmas 

Concert - First Presbyterian 

Church (donations welcomed) 

Tuesday, Dec. 4 

8:30 a.m. - 2:20 p.m. Children’s Field Trips & 

Storytelling - Gingerbread 

Central 

Wednesday, Dec. 5 

8:30 a.m. - 2:20 p.m. Children’s Field Trips & 

Storytelling - Gingerbread 

Central 

2 - 4 p.m. Victorian Tea & Fashion Show - 

TACA ($) 

5 p.m. Gingerbread House Penny Vote 

Competition Winners and Store 

Front Facade Winners 

Announced at Gingerbread 

Central 

5 p.m. Holiday Coloring Contest Winners 

Selected - Chemical Bank 

6 p.m. Closing of Gingerbread Central 

www.carochamber.org/gingerbread.php 

A HEARTFELT THANKS TO THOSE WHO 

HAVE INVESTED IN THE 

GINGERBREAD VILLAGE RECIPE! 

Dough Maker - $1,000 & More! 

Pat Curtis Chevrolet Cadillac 

Cookie Cutter - $500 to $999 

Caro Community Hospital 

Community First Title Agency, LLC 

Moore Motor Sales 

Tuscola County Democratic Party 

Baker - $250 to $499 

Bell-Wasik Buick GMC 

Gambles Hardware 

Infinite Creative Services, Inc. 

Michigan Sugar Company 

PJ O’Brien’s Catering & Party Rental 

Strand Theatre 

Team One Credit Union 

Thumb Area Center for the Arts (TACA) 

Tri County Equipment 

Tuscola County Medical Care Facility 

Decorator - $100 to $249 

A Cut Above 

Anderson, Tuckey, Bernhardt & Doran P.C. 

Brentwood 

Caro Big Boy Restaurant 

Caro Centre 

Caro McDonald’s Restaurant 

Chemical Bank 

Continental Home Centers 

Greenstone Farm Credit Services 

Heritage Hill Assisted Living 

Majestic Sky Link, LLC 

Signature Bank 

State Farm Insurance - Chris Barrios Agency 

Stephens & Moore, PLLC - Attorneys at Law 

Sugarcreek Plaza 

Other Recipe Ingredients 

Arrowhead Golf Club 


Caro Roadhouse Museum 

City of Caro 

First Presbyterian Church 

Goodwill Industries of Mid-Michigan - Caro Store 

Members of Caro Chamber of Commerce 

Placemats 4 You 

Tuscola Technology Center 

Women’s Life Chapter #879 

New ingredients are added daily! 

For a complete list, please visit Gingerbread Central.

The Chris Barrios Agency opened its doors on September 

1 st of this year. Chris and his licensed insurance 

professionals, Silena Rogers, Amanda Light and David 

Barrios were recognized by the Saginaw and Bay City 

Area Field Office region as September Agency of the 

Month. 

Chris’ office is in the former Team One Credit Union building located at 1230 Cleaver Road 

here in Caro. His office location allows him to provide convenient, hassle free customer 

parking, and his extended office hours meet the needs of many working people in our 

community. His office hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 

Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

Chris is a graduate of North Branch Area Schools and participated in the Thumb Meet of 

Champions and MHSAA track and field state competitions. He received a BS in Kinesiology, 

and minor in coaching from Saginaw Valley State University, where he was a four year 

letterman and received GLIAC “All Conference” track and field recognition. Chris has one son, 

Rodney Christopher, and he currently resides in Cass City. 

Chris worked for State Farm for two years prior to opening his own agency. He was a licensed 

sales representative for the Rollie Stephens Agency in Flushing, which was one of the top 

producing State Farm offices in the state, and completed his State Farm internship at the Andy 

Wilder Agency in Yale, MI. 

In addition to offering basic Auto, Home, Life and Health insurance coverage, Chris is licensed 

to offer a variety of banking services, auto loans, credit cards, IRA’s and mutual funds. Stop by 

our office, or give us a call to set up a free Discount Double Check appointment. Our office 

phone is 989-672-FARM (3276). 

We look forward to meeting the insurance and financial needs of the citizens of Caro and 

surrounding communities. 

Chris, Silena, Amanda, Dave and Nancy

part of the gingerbread village recipe - Caro Chamber of Commerce

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