The Village of Ellsworth is rolling out the huge Welcome Mat and inviting everyone to the Ellsworth Pig Roast this weekend, Friday and Saturday, June 19-20. Congratulations to Lynn Spearing and her entire committee on putting together a wonderful schedule of events celebrating Ellsworth’s roots, history and the present! The events kick off Friday night at 5:00 PM with the 50’s Drive-In, Plain Air Painting Demo and the popular Family Water Slide. Saturday events include a 5K Run, Pancake Breakfast, Historic Trolley Tour, the Famous Pig Roast Parade at 11:00 AM with Alana Haley as Grand Marshall, the opening of Hastings Harmony House, Kids Games and Teen Events, 3 Point Shoot Out, The delicious Roast Pork Lunch, Archery Demonstrations, Motorcycle Tour, the popular Horse Pull and in the evening the Ellsworth High School Reunion welcomes all Ellsworth graduates. Enjoy the weekend in Ellsworth!
Congratulations to Shirley Tornga -Banks Township
Citizen of the Year!

This Friday, June 12, we are so fortunate to kick off the 2015 Music in the Park Concert Series at 7:00 PM with the award winning “The Accidentals” on the Memorial Park Band Shell stage. Please be sure to share this great concert news and invite your family, friends, co-workers, etc. I encourage everyone to “share” this on your Facebook and other social media venues, as well as on the “old-fashioned” word of mouth! Let’s pack the park with people on Friday evening. Be sure to enjoy dinner at one of our local restaurants prior to the concert. (In case of rain – concert will be held at the Community Auditorium)
The Music in the Park Concert Series continues throughout the summer with a fantastic line-up of performers. Next week, June 19, Jon Archambault, Blues performer will be on the stage at 7:00 PM. (For complete schedule, check our Calendar of Events)
Thanks to the generosity of donors, all of these concerts are offered at no charge. We are so fortunate to be able to enjoy such fine performances throughout the summer.
Also in July…July 4th from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM the Epsilon Celebration Band will be in concert. Enjoy a fabulous concert and then head to a nearby town for fireworks.

The Jordan Valley Community Band Concerts will be held Thursday evenings in July in the Memorial Park Band Shell at 7:30 PM (July 2,9,16,23,30)

Be sure to include these great musical events on your summer schedule!

The Merry Month of May is getting away from us very quickly! We are almost halfway through and Memorial Day Weekend is now only a week away! If you haven’t registered your garage sale, business promotion or organizations event for the “Garage Sales Across the Breezeway” do so today! The Chamber needs to have all information no later than Tuesday, May 19th to be included on the flyer and on the website. Don’t miss out on a GREAT OPPORTUNITY to make money!!

Hope you are reaching out to your co-workers and team members to invite them to the 18th Annual County-Wide Business After Hours scheduled for Wednesday, May 27th 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM at the Mallard Golf Club in East Jordan. Proceeds will benefit Leadership Charlevoix County. (see flyer for more information)

Golf Outing Teams still Needed – get your team of four signed up today and get ready to play on Friday, June 5th. Lunch at noon with a 1:00 PM Start. Excellent networking event and a fun venue.

Poverty In Paradise: Join The Center for Michigan and local leaders to discuss Bridge Magazine’s “Poverty in Paradise” report.

Attend one of two community meetings about improving the economy and overcoming poverty in your region. Come and share your ideas, opinions, and priorities. Your voice matters!

• Meeting 1: Thursday, May 21st, 6:30 – 8:30 PM, Emmet County Community Building,1129 Charlevoix Ave. (US 31 S), Petoskey, MI 49770

• Meeting 2: Tuesday, May 26th, 6:30 – 8:30 PM, East Jordan Civic Center, 101 Civic Center lane, East Jordan, MI 49727

Please RSVP to info@thecenterformichigan.net
Questions? Call 734-769-4625 or info@thecenterformichigan.net

It’s All About The Golf!!

The 18th Annual East Jordan Area Chamber of Commerce Spring Golf Outing is all set for Friday, June 5th at the Mallard Golf Club. This event is a major “Social Networking” event for our Chamber Members and their guests. We would love to have you join us for a great day of fun. Not only will you get to golf The Mallard’s great 9 hole course, but you will be treated to a wonderful lunch, a fabulous golfer gift, door prizes, a team photo, soft drinks (there is a cash bar of course) and a great day with some great people. We are still looking for some teams of 4 to fill out the scramble. If you would like to play, but don’t have a team, just let us know and we can put together a team for you. The Chamber Golf Outing is a great way to promote your business product or name to many golfers from throughout the area. We have Hole Sponsorship’s available to give your business exposure on the day of the event $150/hole, $75/half hole, as well as recognition in a thank you ad printed in our local newspaper & the Chamber e-capsule after the event. Please contact me at the Chamber Office if you would be interested in sponsoring the Spring Golf Outing. We are also accepting items for our golfer door prize drawings. If you would like to donate please mail your donation to the Chamber at P.O. Box 137, East Jordan, MI 49727 or they can be dropped off at the Chamber Office, 100 Main Street, by Friday, May 29th.

Thank you for supporting one of the Chamber’s major fund-raising events that helps our organization continue to maintain a full-time office, market the area and our business memberships.

May is only a day away! Friday is already May first and wow what a packed calendar of events is before us! I encourage all of you to sit down and take the time with your own personal calendars to choose and organize your May schedule! So many great opportunities to network, promote your business and be involved within your community! From the May 7th Business After Hours at Sommerset Pointe to the Breezeway Garage Sales May 22-23 to the 18th Annual County-Wide Business After Hours, May 27, 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM at the Mallard Golf Club, it’s going to be a FUN month! The 2015-16 Visitor Guide/Membership Directory will be available for distribution prior to Memorial Day weekend.

As all of you are getting your businesses and homes/cottages ready for summer, please remember to support your fellow Chamber members. Let’s support our members by checking with them first for products or services. When planning your special summer gatherings, parties, etc. lets be sure to check with our Chamber members for catering, rentals, etc. When guests are in town, let’s be sure to showcase our many unique attractions, galleries, businesses.

LET’S MAKE SPRING/SUMMER 2015 THE BEST EVER FOR OUR EAST JORDAN AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEMBER BUSINESSES!
**Business Owners/Managers – Have you scheduled your “New Employee” orientations yet? Let’s make sure our “Customer Service” is spectacular!

Waking up this morning to a white blanket of snow on the ground did not excite many of us in Northern Michigan. Yet, we know within a few days, we will be back to spring temperatures and sunshine. Many of you business owners, managers and team members are very busy getting your buildings, lawns, inventory, etc. all ready for the upcoming summer tourist season. In the midst of all of the preparations, please save some time on your calendar for some important Chamber events.

May 7 – Business After Hours – 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM  at Sommerset Pointe Yacht Club

May 27 – 18th Annual County-Wide Business After Hours – 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM at The Mallard Golf Club proudly sponsored by Charlevoix State Bank, Jordan Valley Rental, Fox Charlevoix, Charlevoix County News and The Mallard Golf Club. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Contact Mary at the Chamber 231-536-7351 or info@ejchamber.org. Proceeds to benefit Leadership Charlevoix County. $10.00 Chamber Members, $15.00 Not-Yet-Members

June 5 – 18th Annual Chamber Spring Golf Outing – Noon at the Mallard Golf Club. Applications are now available at the Chamber Office. Price for teams of 4 golfers – Early Registration $200.00 includes golf, lunch, golfer gift, door prize and a day of great networking on a beautiful golf course! After May 8th registration fee is $225 per team.

Thank you to EJ- Lunch Sponsor, Fox Charlevoix – Hole-In-One Sponsor, Charlevoix State Bank – Golfer Gift Sponsor, H & R Block – Team Photos.
Hole sponsors are needed – $150.00 – to sponsor a hole, excellent opportunity to promote your business before 80 golfers and several volunteers.

Our 6th annual Garage Sales Across C-48 The Breezeway list is starting to grow. Be sure to get your sale, open house or event listed on our flyer and Breezeway Website – Sales are scheduled for Friday & Saturday, May 22 – 23, Spring Sidewalk Sales will also be held in East Jordan as part of this weekend.

With Spring Break 2015 behind us, everyone is now on the fast track to all of the many year-end school activities, events, graduation, Memorial Day Weekend, Chamber Spring Golf Outing, plus so much more!

The 3rd annual East Jordan Downtown Open House of available commercial properties for rent or sale will be held on Saturday, April 18th, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM. Please stop by the Chamber Office to pick up a list of the available properties or go on-line to the Chamber website ejchamber.org for the flyer. Building owners or realtors will be on hand to meet with potential entrepreneurs from 1:00 to 3:00 PM at their respective locations.

Hope to see you at the April Business After Hours, Thursday April 16th at The Zone. Proudly co-sponsored by Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realtors and The Zone. The event runs from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM, there is no charge to Chamber Members and a $10 charge to “not-yet- Chamber members”.

We are midway through Spring Break 2015 and it is pretty obvious a lot of our residents are taking advantage of the time off to escape to warmer temperatures and sunshine. The Chamber Office is busy working on the 2015-16 Visitors Guide/Membership Directory, letters for Music in the Park and finalizing details for the 18th Annual Chamber Spring Golf Outing on Friday, June 5th at the Mallard Golf Club. A lot of work happening at this office, along with a little spring cleaning.

Speaking of Music in the Park…the committee has lined up a fantastic venue for Summer 2015, starting with the very much in demand “The Accidentals” on Friday, June 12th. Get to the park early for this kick-off concert. This group is extremely popular and has a tremendous following around our state. The concert series will run from June 12th to August 7th. The line up includes:

Hope your are able to get out and enjoy the beginning of spring sometime this week! Keep trying to enjoy a bit of a “stay-cation” while working!  We all need to “re-charge” after our long, cold winter and be ready to launch into a busy tourist season!

If you are spring cleaning the this week, don’t forget about the “6th Annual Garage Sales Across the Breezeway”, Friday and Saturday May 22-23, Great way to earn some summer vacation money, great opportunity for clubs, churches or organizations to raise money with sales, events (car washes, etc). This annual event attracts people from throughout the region and state. Be creative! Think of how you can benefit from this fun Memorial Day weekend event!

  Have a wonderful rest of your week! Happy Easter and Happy Spring!

We are just hours away from “Spring Break 2015” here in Northern Michigan. After the winter’s harsh, cold temperatures I think we have record numbers of people heading for warm temperatures and sunshine in the south. For those heading out, safe travels and have fun! Be ready to come back to the “Spring Treadmill” as we then look forward to Memorial Day weekend and the beginning of our “summer season”. For those of us staying behind for the break time- there is plenty to do and explore in our area. Be a “tourist” in your own town – its surprising how much we have to offer. Since most of us are so busy with our daily schedules, we don’t have time to visit some of the wonderful attractions, businesses or even eat out at our restaurants and really relax with our family and friends at dinner. Take a “stay-cation” in your own town, post it on Facebook to your friends and connections – great way to help promote our area to others. So when they are up here visiting this tourist season, they can explore the places you posted.

I spoke at our East Jordan Rotary Club on Tuesday and enjoyed meeting with club members, hearing about upcoming Rotary projects, events, etc. Reminder to everyone before you leave town to please submit your “Father of the Year” nominations to the Rotary Club. There are many gentlemen in East Jordan that deserve this award. Look around our community, I am confident you will see one or more to nominate. It was a pleasure presenting to the Rotarians all the activities, programs and projects happening at the Chamber. I always enjoy being able to promote our organizations and members. If your club or organization would like me to present an update, please contact me at the Chamber Office (536-7351). Also, with the summer season approaching, please keep in mind that I am also very interested in working with our service industry businesses, municipalities, etc. on customer service training. Again, please contact me for more info.

Lastly, Leadership Charlevoix County is looking for a Program Coordinator. Please see article with job description and application details in this e-newsletter. Please feel free to contact me with any questions on this position.

Happy Spring Break to All!!

***Did you get your 2015-16 Visitor Guide/Membership Directory ad into us before you leave?

The Chamber Office has seen an increase in foot traffic, phone calls and inquires now that the harsh winter weather is leaving us. I am hearing from many different sources that this summer is looking to be extremely busy with first time and repeat visitors from all over the globe. Proof that our PURE Michigan program continues to be successful. I attended a meeting last week and had the opportunity to meet our new PURE Michigan director David West. David is extremely passionate about Michigan and has already implemented many new advertising and promotional ideas to the PURE Michigan department. His presentation was very inspiring and made you want to tell everyone you could about how great Michigan is to live, work and play in!

Another reminder…please make sure to send in your Visitor Guide/Membership Directory ad copy and update information. We are having fun already working with this years theme “Adventure”.