Spencer Chamber of Commerce NEWSLETTER

October 2016

Bridging the Community

Spencer Chamber of Commerce Annual Celebration Thursday, October 13 at Regional Events Center The Spencer Chamber of Commerce Annual Celebration will be held on Thursday, October 13 from 11:30 am to 1 pm at the Clay County Regional Events Center. The keynote address will be given by internationally recognized speaker, trainer and author David K. Aaker. Sky Radio named Aaker “Among America’s Best Speakers.” He has authored two books including “Success Simplified,” which will be available for purchase at the celebration. The topic of David’s address will be “Leadership for Business Success,” focusing on the Value of a Leader, the Responsibility of being a leader and the impact of leadership on the continued growth of a company or business. In addition to our featured speaker, the 2016 Business of the Year award and the Jack Wedel Volunteer Service award will be presented. More details, available sponsorships and registration information is included on the following pages of this months newsletter.

Annual Celebration Sponsorships Available

The Final “Chill” Friday, October 7

As a way to assist with the costs associated with the Spencer Chamber Annual Celebration, sponsorships for the event are again being offered. Beginning with the Premiere sponsorship, your business or organization would be the overall event sponsor with name mentions and logo placement on all printed, online and media materials, along with recognition at the event. This level of sponsorship also gives you a reserved front table with seating for 6. Supporting sponsorships come with several benefits including verbal recognition at the celebration, a reserved table and name and logo placement on select promotional materials including the celebration program. Also, businesses wishing to be a Table sponsor will receive recognition at the event and name and logo placement on select materials including the event program. More detailed information on benefits of each sponsorship category can be found on page three of this newsletter. If you’d like more information please contact the Spencer Chamber Office at 712-262-5680 or email us at: [email protected]. We look forward to your support and participation.

The season is quickly winding down for the “Chill” community social events for 2016. Friday, October 7 marks the sixth and final gathering for the year and will be highlighted by the very popular regional entertainers “The Polka Police.” This duo will have you laughing, clapping and stomping your feet as you enjoy a special blend of music and humor. The final “Chill” of the year is sponsored by the Farmers Bank and will be held on the outdoor patio at The Bear located at 24 West Park Street from 5 to 7:30 pm. As always, there will be light refreshments along with your favorite beverage and drink specials. The “Chill” is organized and hosted by Spencer U.S.A., the Young Professionals of the Spencer Chamber of Commerce with an opportunity for the entire community to come together, socialize with one another and celebrate the good life we experience by living, playing and working in Spencer. In addition, a silent auction will be held to benefit the Clay County Heritage Center. Bidding is now open with items available for viewing during regular business hours at the Heritage Center. We’ll see you on Friday, October 7th!

Page 2

“Bridging the Community”

Annual Celebration

Celebration

“Bridging the Community”

Page 3

Help Support our Accomplishments - Celebration Sponsorships Now Available

Page 4

Chamber Updates

“Bridging the Community”

Chamber Member Milestones for October Congratulations to the following Spencer Chamber of Commerce businesses on their Anniversaries of membership during the month of October. ADA Spencer Task Force - 18 years Congressman Steve King - 9 years Arby’s of Spencer - 16 years Arts on Grand - 27 years B.V. Custom Floors - 1 year Casey’s General Store West - 3 years Casey’s General Store - 805 South Grand - 28 years Christ the King Lutheran - 20 years Clay County Extension - 13 years Clay County Pheasants Forever - 6 years Community Insurance - 12 years

Converged Technologies, LLC - 12 years Curves Spencer - 2 years Days Inn - 9 years Del’s Garden Center - 31 years Derm Us Skin Care - 17 years Eyecare Centre - 56 years F8 Creative - 5 years Faith Lutheran Church - 4 years Gary’s on the River - 3 years Grab & Go Salvage - 9 years Hemphill Law - 30 years The Highlands - 20 years Hope Haven - 4 years Hy-Vee - 36 years Info Dog Security - 5 years Insurance Associates - 32 years Iowa Cable Advertising Network - 6 years Laser Car Wash - 14 years

Leading Edge Aviation - 15 years Matt Furniture - 34 years Miller & Sons Golf Cars - 4 years No Limits Outdoors - 6 years Pro-Crop, LLC - 25 years Robert Fagen - 9 years Senator David Johnson - 15 years Spencer School Foundation - 4 years Spencer Office Supplies - 21 years Spencer Police Dept. - 17 years Spencer Trophy & Awards - 20 years St. Croix Hospice - 2 years Vytech Signs & Designs - 14 years Walmart - 17 years

Chamber Dates to Remember Wednesday, October 5 - Business Before Hours - 7:30-8:30 am at Spencer Municipal Utilities Hosted by Iowa Cable Advertising Network (ICAN) and Spencer Municipal Utilities Friday, October 7 - “The Chill” Oktoberfest - 5 to 7:30 pm The Bear - 24 West Park Street - sponsored by Farmers Bank Thursday, October 13 - Spencer Chamber Annual Celebration - 11:30 am to 1 pm Clay County Regional Events Center - $30 per person Tuesday, October 18 - Business After Hours - 5 - 7pm at The Highlands Hosted by: St Luke Homes and Services

Spencer Chamber Officers & Directors 2016-2017 Cindy Tigges, Chair Northwest Bank Nate Newhouse, Past Chair Community Bank & Insurance Jeremy Parsons, Secretary Clay County Fair Assn.

Kevin Brown Solutions

Mary Faber Iowa Lakes Community College

Nate Schmidt Schmidt Pediatric Dentistry

Mike Carlson Spencer Municipal Utilities

Kari Roskens Kari’s

Eric Stuckey Graham Tire

Chamber Ambassadors

“Bridging the Community”

Page 5

Chamber Ambassadors - September Visits September 1 - Dream Center Caribou Coffee The Terrazzo Coffeehouse at the Spencer Dream Center in downtown Spencer recently received a new updated - customer friendly facelift. The ground floor interior received many new furnishings along with brighter wall coverings and décor. Dream Center Director Nick Hanges, along with volunteers and staff, gave the Chamber Ambassadors a tour of the refreshed facility while introducing Caribou Coffee to the product lineup. Hours at Terrazzo are 6 am to 8 pm Monday thru Friday and 7 am to 7 pm on Saturday. Lunch is served daily from 11am to 2 pm with breakfast items available each morning. September 20 - Community Bank V.P. The Spencer Chamber Ambassadors paid a visit to Community Bank and Insurance in Spencer to welcome its new vice president of commercial and agriculture lending. Seth McCaulley, a native of Lake City, Iowa, joined the bank earlier this summer and has been spending time getting to know the community with his wife and two children. Seth attended Iowa State University for Ag Business before getting involved in banking while working on the farm. Community Bank is open from 7:30 am to 5 pm with extended hours at the drive-thru. September 27 - New Spencer Fire Chief The men and women in the red plaid coats officially welcomed Spencer’s new Fire Chief John Conyn in late September. Conyn took over the position from longtime Fire Chief Doug Duncan on July 29th of this year. Previously Conyn was with the Webster City Fire Department as well as a trainer and spokesperson for the Iowa Pipeline Association. Chief Conyn relayed to the Ambassadors his enthusiasm in getting to know the community as well as working positively with the city, his fellow firefighters and the public.

Member Spotlight

“Bridging the Community”

Page 6

Page 7

“Bridging the Community”

Clay County Fair

99 Years, but who’s counting 325,011 attend 2016 Clay County Fair

Women of Vision

“Bridging the Community”

Page 8

Spencer Chamber of Commerce Presentation by Brenda Clark Hamilton

Page 9

“Bridging the Community”

Fair Advance Tickets

Chamber Updates

At the Chamber

“Bridging the Community”

Page 10

by Bill Campbell, Executive Director

The month of October is always a time of reflection at your Spencer Chamber. As we begin a new fiscal year we step back and take note of the accomplishments of the past 12 months and steps we can take to improve or add to our successes. Two new initiatives were added this past year and both were extremely well received. In the fall of 2015 we reformatted our popular Leadership Spencer course to take it into the Spencer School system and offer a version to high school juniors. The intent of the junior program is to showcase what Spencer has to offer, in quality of life, in career opportunities and of life’s future choices. We intend to show that those who seek a career path in other areas of the country can find many of the same opportunities close to home. It’s important for all of us to do what we can to keep our young

people in the community while they make plans for the future and ultimately raising of a family. Fourteen high school juniors graduated from the very first class in May of this year with another fourteen signed up to take the class for the 2016-2017 school year. The second program introduced this year was “Women of Vision.” When I brought the idea to the office from a meeting of counterparts in central Iowa, the concept was to showcase the extraordinary careers of women in our community. There are so many stories of success to share right here in our area that the program could go on forever. Becky and a committee of volunteers did an outstanding job of organizing the very first - sold outprogram given to an enthusiastic audience in September. The program featured a motivated presentation from local resident Brenda

Clark Hamilton. The group plans on offering this new program, for women only, on a quarterly basis. Finally, I want to give thanks to several individuals who will be leaving our Chamber Board as the new year begins. All have served us well and have guided us to new heights. Thank You to Jarrett Smith of Channel Bio, Melissa Cunningham of Spencer Hospital, Rod Meendering of Winther, Stave & Company and Tony Niese of Eaton Corporation. At the same time we welcome four new additions to our board from the recent board election. Joining us in 2016 are Mary Faber of Iowa Lakes Community College, Mike Carlson of Spencer Municipal Utilities, Nate Schmidt representing Schmidt Pediatric Dentistry and Kevin Brown of Solutions. We look forward to our future together representing the Chamber!

2016-2017 Chamber Membership Enhancements Chamber Website Logos

Chamber Website Videos

There are several ways to bring increased awareness to your business or organization listing on the Spencer Chamber of Commerce website. The most popular option is placing your business logo associated with your member directory listing. For just $50 per year we will add your logo to your online listing which will also will allow your businesses to be featured on the front page of the Chamber website as a “Featured Business.” Only businesses taking advantage of the logo option get placement in the Featured Business section. To take advantage, simply send us your current logo in one of the popular formats and we’ll take care of the rest. You can change it at any time. Call the office at 712-262-5680 for more Information.

Another new option to draw attention to your business listing is the addition of a promotional video. The Chamber website has the capability of placing a video, of any length, alongside your membership directory listing. The only requirement is that your video has a current online presence such as “You Tube.” For just $100 per year we will capture the video and place it on your online listing. This is perfect for hotel/motels, real estate agencies, restaurants and any business or organization that is looking at added exposure. These videos can be changed as often as you wish. Again, for more information please contact the Chamber Office and we’ll get you set up for this great marketing option.

Chamber Updates

“Bridging the Community”

Page 11

Meet the Spencer Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors 2016-2017 Cindy Tigges - Board Chair Northwest Bank Nate Newhouse - Past Chair Community Bank & Insurance Jeremy Parsons - Secretary Clay County Fair Association Kevin Brown - Solutions Mike Carlson - Spencer Municipal Utilities Mary Faber - Iowa Lakes Community College Kari Roskens - Kari’s Nate Schmidt - Schmidt Pediatric Dentistry Eric Stuckey - Graham Tire Rod Meendering - Treasurer, appointed (non-board position)

Junior Leadership Spencer - Class of 2016-2017 Now entering its second year, Fourteen Spencer High School Juniors have been accepted into the Junior Leadership Spencer program developed by the Spencer Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Iowa Lakes Community College and the cooperation of Spencer Community Schools. The class will gather monthly, during Wednesday early outs, to learn more about their community and the opportunities and careers available to them close to home. Each year students entering their junior year of high school submit an application, along with references, requesting to be a part of the program. A committee of the Chamber then review the applications and select those who will make up the class. Congratulations to the Junior Leadership Class of 2016-17.

Page 12

“Bridging the Community”

October Lunch Gig

Thirsty Thursday

“Bridging the Community”

Page 13

Page 10

“Bridging the Community”

Business Before Hours

Business After Hours

“Bridging the Community”

Page 15

Election Day 2016

“Bridging the Community”

Page 16

Spencer Chamber Member Events October 1, 2016 First Christian Church Fall Breakfast and Bake Sale— Location: 701 East 18th—7am to 11am Enjoy an omelet, homemade roll, juice, coffee, And tea. Free will offering. This event is sponsored by the Disciples Women Fellowship Riverfront Farmers Market Location: Gary’s on the River Greenspace. 8am to noon. Today is Oktoberfest! Child Safety Seat Check-up Location: Spencer Fire Department –9am to noon. Come and have your child’s car seat checked by certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians. This is free to attend. Vinestock Wine and Arts Festival Location: Kirchner Historical Park in Peterson, Iowa-10am to 4pm. This is more than a wine Festival, you will find beer, handcrafted items, Food vendors, museum visits & live entertainment. This event is sponsored by: Big Country CD 107.7, MORE 104.9 & KICD AM1240 & FM 98.3 People for Pets: “PetOberfest” Location: Spencer Community Theatre— 5:30pm to 8pm. This October event will have German Style Food, beer by West O, photo booth, auction & door prizes. Tickets are $40.00 and can be purchased online at: Www.petoberfest.brownpapertickets.com

$89.00. Call 1-800-252-5664 to register. October 7, 2016 The Chill Location: The Bear Outdoor Patio-5pm-7:30pm The final Chill of the season will be an Oktoberfest themed evening featuring the musical/comedy duo ”The Polka Police” Admission is free and open to everyone in the community. For more information, visit the Spencer USA Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/spencerusa. Sponsor: Farmers Bank October 10, 2016 “Gitchie Girl” Author Talk & Book Signing Location: Spencer Public Library-6:30 to 8pm. Authors, Phil & Sandy Hamman will present the inside story of the book “Gitchie Girl” and the events surrounding the Gitchie Manitou mass murders. Books will be available on site for purchase. For more information, call 5807290.

October 12, 2016 Utilizing Special Populations for your Workforce Needs. Location: Spencer Municipal Utilities, Ste 1 From noon to 1:30pm. The Lakes Area ECI & Kossuth County ECI will host Toni Tewes of Employment Service Manager with Hope Haven & Beth Will, Service Coordinator for NW Iowa Care Connections. There is no cost to October 2, 2016 attend and lunch will be provided. Annual Breast Cancer Walk Location: Spencer Hospital Grand Ave. Park Reservations must be made by October 7. From 4pm to 5:30pm. Registration is at 3:45pm Please call 262-1971 ext. 42003. The 5K route runs through the highly visible Ready, Set, Retire downtown Spencer area. Location: Spencer Public Library—5:45 to 8pm With a repeat on October 13. Learn what you need to know about retirement. October 3, 2016 Thisis FREE and open to the public. Free HIV and/or Hepatitis C Testing Location: Medical Arts Building, Suite 206, Registration is appreciated and can be done by from 10:30am to 2:30pm. calling 1-800-243-0678 and asking forna Hegg. DIY Club “Halloween Food Art” Location: Spencer Public Library—6:30pm to October 13, 2016 8pm. Join the DIY Club and take common Spencer Chamber of Commerce Annual food and turn it into Halloween Art. Registration Celebration. Is required, please call 580-7290 to reserve Location: Clay County Regional Event Center your spot. From 11:30am to 1pm. All Chamber Members are invited to attend. Our guest speaker will be David Aaker: “Leadership for Business SucOctober 7, 2016 cess”. We will announce our Jack Wedel New Car Show Location: Southpark Mall—10am to 5pm Community Service Award Winner as well as Stop on out to the mall and check out the new Business of the Year. The cost is $30.00 per car show. All three new car dealers will have person. To make your reservation by October the latest models of cars, vans, crossovers & 10, please call 262-5680 or email: SUV’S. [email protected] Iowa Lakes Community College Leadership Location: Spencer Campus—1pm to 4pm. Spencer Mainstreet Wine Stroll Todays topic: The Mentally Strong Leader. Location: Downtown Spencer from 5 to 7pm. This session focuses on how leaders can beSample great wine, eat some tasty treats and come consistently mentally strong in order to enjoy a stroll through downtown Spencer. To face challenges with confidence. The cost is Participate you must purchase a glass for $10.

October 2016 You can pick up your glass at The Bear Coffeehouse and Winebar. To register go to: http://tinyurl.com/zdysbt7

October 14, 2016 The Addams Family (Musical Comedy) Location: Spencer Community Theatre. Performance dates and times: October 14-16 and October 20-23. Evening Performance at 7:30pm and Sunday Matinees at 2pm. October 15 & 16 2016 Fall Craft & Home Show Location: Southpark Mall during normal Mall hours. Get new ideas for fall decoration and new gift ideas for all occasions. October 17, 2016 Movie Night at the Library—Ghostbusters Location: Spencer Public Library 7pm. Reserve your spot by calling 580-7290 October 22, 2016 Spencer Mainstreet 2nd Annual Zombiewalk Location: Downtown Spencer from 7pm-10pm. Proceeds will benefit the Shayla Bee Fund. The 21plus Zombie Crawl will be hosted by Grand Avenue Bars. At 10pm Zombies will gather at Legends for live music, contest and prize giveaways. Follow this event on Facebook at spenceriazombiewalk or email [email protected] October 24, 2016 Book to Movie at the Library Location: Spencer Public Library at 6:30pm Tonight is “About Schmidt.” This is free to attend and you don’t need to read the book to see the movie. To reserve your spot, call 5807290. October 25, 2016 Spencer Strides Location: Spencer Family YMCA Noon to 1pm. Todays sponsor is Spencer Municipal Utilities. October 27, 2016 Spencer Mainstreet Moonlight Madness Location: Downtown Spencer from 4-8pm. Shop the Spooktacular specials from your local Merchants. October 29, 2016 Halloween Pet Show Location: Southpark Mall 1 to 3pm. Dress up your pet in its best Halloween attire. October 31, 2016 Trick or Treat Night at South Park Mall From 5pm to 7pm. Bring the kids out to trick or treat in climate controlled comfort.