Special Welcome to guests and new members. Thank you to Satay for hosting!

Chamber Updates:

• Auction at Meridian School on March 24th. Details on the Chamber website – still time to donate!
• Art Walk on April 4th. Please do attend our events so they will be as successful as we can make them! (Presentation by Art Walk Committee – Tara, Victoria & Kathy)
• Membership Committee and Cheers to Wallingford on May 16th at Wine World. Register on Chamber website. We need a sound system for this event. (Presentation by Membership Committee – Debbi)
• The Chamber’s 3rd Annual “Operation Beautification Wallingford – an Earth Day Celebration” is set for April 21st from 11AM -2PM at the Wallingford Center. Please plan to attend! 5 major local organizations will be represented: FamilyWorks, Wallingford Chamber, Sustainable Wallingford, WCSC, WNA, Emergency Preparedness and our Wallingford neighbors! Spring Clean, music, bake sale, food drive and more! We need volunteers to help this event run smoothly. Please contact Colleen or sign up to volunteer via our website.
• Tool Library to open in Wallingford; details to come.
• Colleen will be attending the Women on a Mission all-day conference, representing the Chamber on Tuesday, 3/20.
• Your Chamber Board members attend not only the monthly Chamber Board meetings, but also meetings with other organizations: LUDC, WCC, WCSC, SW, WNA. Thanks to them for taking their time to keep us connected and informed.
• Colleen recently had a potential member ask: “Why should I join the Chamber and what will I get from being a member?” She replied: “You get out what you put into it!” One of the visions the Chamber President has is to bridge the gaps between the many organizations in Wallingford and educate the business community on what they represent and do for our community.
• Presentation by Joe Hurley of the Wallingford Neighborhood Association.
• Presentation by Nicholas Utke, MBA student on the Benefits of Social Media

Wallingford Chamber of Commerce

Monthly Meeting

February 16, 2012

12-1:30PM at Blue Star Cafe & Pub

The goal of the Chamber in 2012 is to build a strong and sustainable business community while bridging relationships with other Wallingford organizations.

To that end, the Chamber now has an Advisory Board:

• Kathy Boran representing the Chamber Kathleen Cromp of the Wallingford Community Senior Center
• Janet Stillman of the Wallingford Neighborhood Office
• Cathy Tuttle of Sustainable Wallingford
• Jake Weber of Family Works

Ambassadors from our Chamber Board are attending other organizations’ meetings to build relationships:

• Colleen Kurke is attending Sustainable Wallingford meetings
• Kathy Boran is attending WCSC meetings
• Debbi Larson and Stephen Fickensher are attending the Lake Union District Council meetings
• Stephen Fickensher is attending Fremont Chamber meetings
• Marjorie Goldfarb is attending meetings at the Wallingford Community Council.

A new Wallingford Directory is in the works; contact Judy Ayers if you want to be involved with this project.

The Chamber’s website is available for you to promote your business. Please contact Victoria if you have any promotions or any questions/suggestions for the website.

Upcoming Chamber Events in Spring of 2012:

• Wallingford Art Walk – in it’s 4th year! First Wednesdays, April, June, Aug & Oct.
• Operation Beautification Wallingford Spring Clean & Earth Day Celebration, Saturday, April 21st
• 2nd Annual Cheers To Wallingford Business Expo, Weds, May 16th

Special guest speakers today:

Rebecca Osman of Your Stage Coach and Mike Tully of Wallingford Emergency Preparedness