News

Election Day is less than a week away – Tuesday, November 4, 2014. Please be sure to educate yourself on the candidates and ballot proposals prior to exercising your right to vote on Election Day 2014. There are several local, county and state proposals that need to be read up on by voters. Be sure to check out the Northwest MI Chamber Alliance Virtual Candidate Format http://nmichiganbusiness.com/2014/10/21/2014-virtual-candidate-forum.. East Jordan State of the Community is only thirteen days away. Please be sure to get your reservations into the Chamber Office for the Tuesday, November 11, noon to 1:30 PM forum at the Harvest Barn Church. Speakers include Tom Cannon – East Jordan Acting City Administrator and Parks/Recreation Director, Tom Teske – Downtown Development Authority Chairman, Matt Stevenson – East Jordan Public Schools Superintendent, Tom Erhart – Northern Lakes Economic Alliance Entrepreneurship Director and Mary H. Faculak – East Jordan Area Chamber of Commerce. Lunch will be served and the cost is $15 per person for East Jordan Area Chamber Members, $20 per person for Not-Yet-Members. RSVP to the Chamber by November 5th at 231-536-7351 or info@ejchamber.org.

Beginning Tuesday, November 11 thru Thursday, November 13, East Jordan Community members are strongly encouraged to participate in this three-day community planning event at the Community Auditorium (EJHS). SEE ATTACHED ARTICLE

Pumpkin Pie Contest Winners:

1st Place – Joan Cooper

2nd Place – Shannon Crawford

3rd Place – Laurene Kooyer

Scarecrows Across the Breezeway Winners:

Business Division –

1st Place – Penzien’s Funeral Home – East Jordan

2nd Place – The Front Porch Café – Ellsworth

3rd Place – The Insurance Shop – East Jordan

Non-Profit / Residential Division –

1st Place – Brownie Troop #4312

2nd Place – High School Girl Scouts

3rd Place – David Schweer Residence

Looks like our fall season is coming closer to peaking in the next few days- get out and enjoy these last few days of beautiful Northern Michigan colors.

Another spectacular Breezeway Color Tour weekend last Saturday. Thank you to Donna Heeres and Marilyn (Heeres) Venkeart for helping at Royal Farms to pass out the “goodie bags”. We were busy the entire morning despite the rain. One more weekend left of this great promotion!

We are so excited about the 5th Annual Pumpkin Festival & Leaf Peeker Craft Show- only 10 days away – Saturday, October 18th in downtown East Jordan. A huge thank you to all the sponsors of the event. Be sure to get your pumpkin pie recipes out and get those pies baked and ready for entry into the Pumpkin Pie Contest. If the kids don’t have their Halloween costumes ready be sure to get them together this weekend so they are prepared for the early Trick-or-Treat held at downtown businesses during Pumpkin Festival from 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM. Look for signs in participating business windows.

Thank you to all of the businesses, groups and individuals who are creating Scarecrows Across the Breezeway! This is our biggest year for Scarecrows. Be sure to get out and see them all, there are some great photo opportunities with some of the Scarecrows. Great Fall Spirit! Click here to download a list of scarecrow locations.

SAVE THE DATE – We will be having a Ribbon Cutting for the new website on Wednesday, October 15th from 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM at the EJ Visitor Center  (211 Main Street) allowing us to show everyone the new website on the big screens. Please join us to learn more about the website and get information on how you can update your membership listing. I hope to see everyone this Thursday, October 9th from 5:00 – 7:00 PM for our Fall Business After Hours. It’s sure to be a great time as we gather at the Jordan Valley Barn (4542 S. M-66, East Jordan) for networking, hors d’ oeuvres prepared by A Matter of Taste, Cash Bar, Drawings, music and more. This great event is proudly sponsored by Bay Winds Federal Credit Union.

Weekend two of the C-48 Breezeway Fall Color Tour Cruises is coming up this Saturday, October 4. Last weekend’s cruise saw a record turn-out of people picking up their “goodie bags” of coupons, maps, “trip-tip sheets” and other tokens to cruise the scenic rural route from Atwood to Ellsworth to East Jordan and onto Boyne Falls. Thank you to Lynn Spearing of Ellsworth and the Breezeway Task Force for assisting me at Royal Farms last Saturday.

5th Annual Pumpkin Festival, October 18th welcomes “The Sleeping Gypsies” to the Memorial Park Bandshell from 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM. ” The Sleeping Gypsies” are a musical outfit consisting of four young men from Northern Michigan who deliver a rollicking yet classy live performance. They assault unsuspecting listeners with an infectious blend of rock, swing, soul and blues that is both interesting and accessible, recalling classic acts such as T. Rex, Van Morrison, Talking Heads and the Rolling Stones. While also showing similarities to contemporary artists like the Black Keys, Allen Stone and Mayer Hawthorne. Employing a wide variety of sounds and styles, the Gypsies create a show that is never dull. This band has performed at the Charlevoix Venetian Festival’s Aquapalooza Party, various summer concert venues and most recently at Short’s  Brewing Company. Be sure to bring and tell your family and friends about this free concert and Pumpkin Festival. “The Sleeping Gypsies” performance is proudly sponsored by E.J. Plastics, Inc.

It’s Homecoming Week in East Jordan! Time to don your red and black and support the East Jordan Red Devils and celebrate the week long schedule of activities. Friday is packed with a full-day of events including an all school assembly and high school assembly. From 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM the Sports Boosters Chicken Barbecue will be held at Boswell Stadium. 5:00 PM Homecoming parade, game time is 7:00 PM against Suttons Bay.