More than 190 people attended the dinner meeting which celebrated outstanding member achievements, elected members to the Board of Directors, highlighted Chamber activities of the past year, and previewed the year ahead.

During the event, four Chamber Member Awards were presented for their significant contributions to the business community.  The Small Business of the Year Award, sponsored by First Columbia Bank & Trust, was presented to Walker’s Jewelers of Berwick.  The Large Business of the Year Award, sponsored by the Columbia Alliance for Economic Growth, was presented to Kawneer Inc. / Alcoa Foundation.  The Community Progress Award, sponsored by Berwick Hospital Center, was awarded to Service 1st Federal Credit Union of Danville.  And the Outstanding Citizen Award, sponsored by the Berwick Industrial Development Association, was presented to Eileen Chapman.

Featured from left to right: Joe Scopelitti of PPL (Chamber Board Chair) , Axel Heinrich of Kawneer/Alcoa Foundation, Jeff Cerminaro of Walker’s Jewelers, Karen Wood, Tom Rambo, & Linda Brown of Service 1st Federal Credit Union, Eileen Chapman of AGAPE, and Fred Gaffney (Chamber President)

Nominations of members and their businesses have been accepted for the following awards:

• Community Progress – Brady Insurance, Bloomsburg Hospital,  Service 1st Federal Credit Union, Danville Child Development Center, Dunham’s Sports, Kawneer Company Inc. /Alcoa Foundation, Bloomsburg Fair Association, and Berwick Historical Society
• Small Business of the Year (one to 30 employees) – Allstate Insurance- Maureen Kocher, Walkers Jewelers, Westminster Place, and InnoTek Computer Consulting
• Large Business of the Year (31+ employees) – Press Enterprise Inc. and  Kawneer Company Inc. /Alcoa Foundation
• Outstanding Citizen  – Tim Wagner, Bob Kline, and Eileen Chapman

The impacts of the flooding in our area will be felt for weeks, months, and, likely, years. Thousands of people were displaced from their homes, with many wondering where their next home will be. Roads, bridges, and other infrastructure is being repaired. Businesses, parks, and other public places have been decimated. One has to wonder when life might feel “normal” again.

There is at least one silver lining in this tragedy, the community spirit which has helped carry us through. There cannot be enough praise for the emergency responders and officials who were engaged from the earliest hours of the emergency until all were out of harm’s way. Human service providers including the Red Cross, Salvation Army, AGAPE, and other groups worked tirelessly to provide essential services to those directly affected. And the response by thousands of friends and neighbors who have stepped up to volunteer and make donations has been remarkable.

While the toil in the early days was exhausting, the work, as well as the need for assistance, is far from over. Homes, businesses, and properties are still rebuilding. Human service agencies need financial support to pay for the food, lodging, cleanup supplies, medicine, and many other ongoing needs. Everyone in the area can help in some way.

In addition to the thousands of homes that were damaged, dozens of businesses, including our area’s largest manufacturers, small retail and service businesses, and non-profits agencies, were also flooded. The loss of power and running water forced the shut down of many more for days. The subsequent cancellation of the Bloomsburg Fair dealt another blow to hundreds of local businesses that rely on the event. While the total economic loss as a result of the flooding cannot be fully calculated, it is staggering just to consider. Among the many ways to help rebuild our communities is to support the local businesses that provide our economic base in the form of jobs, taxes, and other resources. Eat at local restaurants, shop for goods and holiday gifts, and utilize them for services. We can all play a role.

Our ability to fully recover relies on an ongoing spirit of community. Your friends, family and neighbors are also people who work at or own these local businesses. Remember them as well, and utilize them whenever possible.

“We’ve extended the registration deadline because the number of new registrations remains high and we want to ensure that everyone who needs to register and has not yet done so has the opportunity to register for assistance,” said FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Thomas J. McCool. “Our goal is to ensure that all eligible Irene and Lee survivors have ample time to seek disaster aid.”

Disaster assistance to individuals could include grants to help pay for temporary housing needs, essential home repairs and other serious disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance or other sources. Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are also available for homeowners, renters and business owners to repair or replace real or personal property.

Four ways to register with FEMA are:

1. Call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Operators assist callers seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Help is available in most languages. If you have a speech disability or hearing loss and use a TTY, call 1-800-462-7585.
2. Register online at http://www.disasterassistance.gov/.
Register using a tablet or smartphone by visiting m.fema.gov.
3. If you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362.
4. If you have a disability and need help registering, contact FEMA at 1-800-621-3362 and ask for assistance.

Information to have ready when registering with FEMA includes the address of the damaged property, names of members of the household, a general description of the damage, the Social Security number of any family member living in the home, the extent of insurance coverage and certain other information needed to expedite the process.

If you operate a small business in a county that is currently listed by FEMA in the most recent disaster declaration (Adams, Bradford, Bucks, Chester, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, Montgomery, Monroe, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Philadelphia, Schuylkill, Snyder, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Union, Wyoming, or York counties), and sustained damage from either Hurricane Irene or Tropical Storm Lee, you may be eligible to receive financial assistance from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

DEP’s Small Business Ombudsman Office is providing a special “STORM RELIEF ADVANTAGE GRANT PROGRAM.” An eligible applicant must be a for-profit small business owner whose business suffered damage in either Hurricane Irene or Tropical Storm Lee, and is located in one of the counties included in the Federal Declaration of Disaster.  Affected small businesses may apply for 50-percent matching grants up to $9,500. Eligible projects include: damaged HVAC, high-efficiency lighting, solvent recovery systems, waste recycling systems, and auxiliary power units deployed as anti-idling technology.

To view the application and guidelines click here.  Assistance with the application process may be obtained by contacting the Pennsylvania Small Business Development Center’s (SBDC) Environmental Management Assistance Program (EMAP). To seek assistance or to find an SBDC near you, visit their website at www.askemap.org. Their services are both free and confidential.

Applications will be accepted until December 31, 2011, or until funds are exhausted.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact the Small Business Ombudsman Office at 717.772.8909.

Financial Assistance 
The Chamber is also making bridge loans available to members impacted by the flooding OR the Rt. 11 infrastructure/resurfacing project in Berwick. $5,000 loans are available with a 30-month term, interest only (at 3%) for the first 12 months. Click herefor guidelines and an application. Contact Fred Gaffney at the Chamber at 784-2522 for further information.

From PA Chamber of Business & Industry

Last week, the National Labor Relations Board issued its final rule requiring most private-sector employers to notify employees of their rights to form, join or assist a union and engage in collective bargaining. The rule takes effect on Nov. 14, 2011.

The notice of rights will be provided at no charge by NLRB regional offices or can be downloaded from the board website and printed in color or black and white. Translated versions will be available, and must be posted at workplaces where at least 20 percent of employees are not proficient in English.

More information about the new requirements is available here.

In February, the PA Chamber sent a letter to the NLRB expressing opposition to the rule, which the business community views as biased, in conflict with the National Labor Relations Act, and as presenting numerous practical problems.

Specifically, the PA Chamber voiced concern that the rule failed to describe any of the consequences of exercising the rights to unionize, such as giving up the right to deal directly with the employer. It also does not mention the important right to object and refuse to pay union dues or fees for political purposes, nor does it describe the right to decertify or leave a union.

There are also questions as to whether NLRB has the statutory authority to adopt such a rule, which is yet another example of the agency’s over-reaching agenda that favors the interests of big labor over private-sector employers.

 
Committed to quality service with attention to details for more than 25 years, CENTURY 21 is a leader in the real estate industry throughout the world markets. CENTURY 21 Killian Real Estate in Berwick offers a full range of real estate services reaching Columbia, Montour and Luzerne counties.

Services available to the consumer: marketing of your property when selling, buyers are able to use a buyer’s agent to purchase property, CENTURY 21 Home Warranty, CENTURY 21 Mortgage services, property valuation, referral service and the agent’s personal involvement in your entire transaction.

Technology has provided numerous aids in the marketing process and for buyers to become educated in house hunting through the use of the Internet. The MLS, CENTURY21.com, Realtor.com, and www.ourhomesite.com/csvc21killn offer all properties listed for sale in the marketplace. Enhancements used in marketing properties allow the buyer to see both the interior and the exterior of many of the properties offered for sale. Virtual tours provide a visual to aid in the consumer’s decision to look at a property. CENTURY 21 utilizes many Internet sites for dissemination of residential property listings worldwide.

In addition to the more than two million unique visitors utilizing www.CENTURY21.com every month, there are millions more visiting other real estate-related Web sites to view listings.

CENTURY 21 Killian Real Estate’s dedication to quality service in the marketplace has earned the company the Quality Service Pinnacle award in 2009 and 2010. It is presented in recognition of exceptional commitment to quality service and consistent dedication to customer satisfaction. It is a CENTURY 21 corporate award.

Realtors know the process of buying or selling a home is filled with apprehension. For most people, a home is the most significant financial undertaking of their lives. For buyers, housing inventories remain adequate, with very reasonable interest rates.

Now, more than ever, consumers need Realtors. The CENTURY 21 Killian Real Estate staff embraces technology and change in the marketplace. The ownership/management team has been active in the local real estate market since 1973. Buying or selling, the professionals at CENTURY 21 Killian Real Estate will assist you with every step.

Headley K. Killian is the Owner/Broker and Certified Appraiser of the real estate agency, which was founded in June, 1986.

Similar to the popular website Angie’s List, Business Connect provides consumers with the ability to contact multiple businesses with one message. After filling out a simple request form, the site uses an advanced content management database to relay the consumer’s message to every Chamber member in the business category specified by the user.  This new service streamlines the process of ‘shopping’ for products and services by linking consumers with the local businesses offering the services they are seeking. The advantage of Business Connect is that, unlike Angie’s List, it is a free service that only uses local companies and no registration is required.

“Our goal is to make it as simple as possible for people to request information from our local businesses,” says Fred Gaffney, President of The Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce. “Establishing this connection not only provides consumers with easier access to our members, but it also encourages local spending.”

“The consumer – business relationship is changing, particularly with younger generations,” explains Gaffney.  “Business Connect brings businesses to the customer, instead of the other way around.”

Business Connect is located in the Business Directory section of the Chamber’s website, www.columbiamontourchamber.com.  For more information, call 784-2522.

Members of the Columbia Montour Chamber qualify for a special discount from Constant Contact:  prepay for six months of service and receive a 20% discount, or prepay for a year and receive 25% off.

Constant Contact can help members grow their businesses with great-looking email newsletters, promotions and announcements.  Constant Contact also makes it easy to manage multiple email databases and track who is opening emails.

If you already have a Constant Contact account and would like your discount, please send an email to chamberprogram@constantcontact.com with your user name telling them you are a member of The Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce.

If you haven’t opened an account yet, you can start with a 60-day free trial. To begin your trial click here.

Last year The Chamber joined with ChamberChoice and OnDemand Energy Solutions to provide members with a variety of energy programs to meet the needs and comfort level of any business.  The managed pool options allow small to medium sized members to purchase energy just like larger users.

For more information on the ChamberChoice OnDemand energy program offered through The Chamber, please contact John McDonough at 784-2522, or jmcdonough@columbiamontourchamber.com.

Interested in a free, no-obligation quote on commercial energy through the Chamber?

Simply fax this Letter of Authorization and your last two month’s energy bills to OnDemand, and someone will contact you within two weeks…it’s that simple!