March 2008.pmd - Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce and

The official publication of the Lompoc Valley
Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau
Vol. 20, No. 9
March, 2008
P LEASE R EAD, I NITIAL,
AND ROUTE
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New Programs Set to Begin
Chamber Members Celebrate
Two new Chamber programs will be launched in March to emphasize shopping in Lompoc - the Member to Member Discount
program, to encourage shopping in Lompoc and the Pride of the
Lompoc Valley program, which rewards employees of member businesses for providing outstanding customer service.
T-Starr Construction
Member-to-Member Discount Program
T-Starr Construction was welcomed to the Chamber of Commerce membership with a ribbon cutting ceremony on January
25. T-Starr Construction Company has established itself as a company capable of providing HVAC Installation, Drywall, Painting,
Underground Utilities, Electrical Installation, Roofing, Framing,
Paving, Fire Alarm Systems, Renovations and Remodels, as well
as any other type of general construction required. T-Starr Construction was founded in May 2003 by Eric and Veda Ornelas
The member-to-member discount program is designed to encourage Chamber members and their employees to do business with
other Chamber members.
Included in this newsletter is a listing of over 40 participating
Chamber members and the variety of discounts they are offering.
All members and their employees will receive discount cards, along
with a copy of the list of participating Chamber members. Participating members will also receive signage identifying them as a business offering member-to-member discounts. Over 1100 discount
cards have been requested to date. If you have not yet requested
your discount cards, please call the Chamber and provide the
number needed for your employees. Even if a business is not a
discount participant, they and their employees are eligible to take
advantage of the discounts at the other participating businesses.
Member businesses who are not currently offering discounts may
still join the program by contacting the Chamber at 736-4567.
Good Samaritan Center
Pride of the Lompoc Valley
In March, the Chamber’s “Pride of the Lompoc Valley” program
will begin to recognize excellent customer service. When customers experience good customer service at a Chamber member business, they will be encouraged to fill out and submit a postpaid nomination card with the name of the business and sales associate from
whom the service was received. Each month, nominees will be
entered into a drawing for prizes. At the end of the year, those
monthly winners will be entered into a drawing for a grand prize.
For more information regarding the Lompoc Valley Pride program,
or if you’d like to participate by providing the reply cards at your
business, call Denny Anderson at 736-4567.
The Good Samaritan Detox Center held a ribbon cutting and
open house on February 11 to mark the opening of their facility at
113 South M St. Executive Director, Sylvia Barnard handled the
ribbon cutting scissors. Tours of the new facility were provided to
attendees.
Moose Lodge to Host
March Mixer
The Lompoc Moose Lodge will host the March
Chamber mixer on March 13 from 5-7 p.m.
The Moose Lodge is located at 124 North I Street
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MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD CHAIR
L OMPOC VALLEY C HAMBER
OF COMMERCE AND
VISITORS B UREAU
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Jaime Marks, Chair
Kipp Thonack, Chair-Elect
Sachi Yenokida, Immediate Past Chairman
Eva Griffin, Vice-Chair
John Free, Vice-Chair
Bill Reardon, CFO
Bill Hughen, Jr., At Large
Gary Williams, At Large
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Pat Brady, Good Samaritan
Bruce Coggin, Celite
Lori Cordova, Catering by Lori Cordova
John Free, Civic Member
Marno Goetsch, Village Oaks Investments
Eva Griffin, CoastHills Federal Credit Union
Frank Hain, La Purisima Catholic Church
Richard Harrison, R. Lompoc Ace Hardware
Dr. Frank Lynch, Lompoc Unified School Dist.
Bob Manning, Sue’s Place
Jaime Marks, Rabobank
Ana Maya, Servicios Maya
Bill Reardon, LOVARC
Ann Ruhge, Civic Member
Kipp Thonack, Pound Financial
Dr. Roger Welt, Allan Hancock College
Carlos Yanez, Coastal Vision
Sachi Yenokida, Union Bank of California
EX-OFFICIO BOARD MEMBERS
Mayor Dick DeWees
Susan Warnstrom, 4th District County
Supervisor’s Office
Courtney Kienow,
Assemblyman Blakeslee’s Office
STAFF
C. Dennis Anderson, President/CEO
Dennis Headrick,
Executive Assistant/Newsletter
Eva Ocasio, Receptionist/Secretary
Aimee Neff, Bookkeeper/Secretary
Gene Stevens, Marketing/Advertising
AND
Matilda, Andrew, Billy and Madeline, the
Chamber's ghosts
by Jaime O’Marks
Greetings!
Spring isn’t in bloom quite yet but the America in
Bloom project was getting a head start on February 16, when volunteers came down to clean up.
A very special thank you to all those who lent a
hand or a shovel…
Good things are also in bloom on the links at the
Village Country Club, but it’s not flowers, it’s community spirit. The Country Club played host for
the Catholic Charities Mission Classic Golf Tournament. A big thank you goes out to the local donors who open their hearts
and pocketbooks. And thank you also to Jean Thysse and crew at the Country
Club for hosting this event, as well as the Young Professionals Network (YPN)
mixer and February’s Chamber Mixer. Let’s show them a little love back!
Also in the midst of pulling on our heartstrings is the Lompoc Valley YMCA.
This great organization lead by Dan Powell and his terrific staff is a Lompoc
treasure, and treasured it is by our youth. Their annual giving campaign is
now underway and this is one cause that shouldn’t be overlooked. So when
you’re asked to give please give generously!
All of these causes help strengthen our valley and that is also the goal of
Leadership Lompoc Valley. This program is the training ground to encourage
and develop outstanding leaders in our community. Applications are currently being accepted for next year’s class. If you’re interested or know someone who is please contact the Chamber.
Are you feeling taxed? I thought I’d mention Chamber members Ballard,
Robinson and Walker, Servicios Maya, and John A. Rodenhi CPA. All are
eager to help sort through the maze of tax time.
And when tax time has passed and we need to relax with a friendly face, join
me at La Botte. Authentic Italian food, wonderful service and the sound of
Mama singing complete the perfect dining experience. Always a hometown
favorite!
Until next time…
“Tschüß bis bald - das ist alles!”
(Bye, Bye, that’s all she wrote)
~ Jaime
THE CHAMBER, the official publication of
the Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce, is
published monthly for a $15 yearly membership subscription. Postage paid at Lompoc,
CA, Postmaster. Send address changes to P.O.
Box 626, Lompoc, CA 93438-0626.
Chamber email addresses:
Denny Anderson: cda@lompoc.com
Dennis Headrick: deh@lompoc.com
Aimee Neff: accounting @lompoc.com
Eva Ocasio: chamber@lompoc.com
Gene Stevens: gene@lompoc.com
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LCT Announces 2008 Season
Chamber
Luncheon
Lompoc Civic Theatre announces upcoming shows for their 2008
season.
Separate Beds (dinner theatre): March 15 & 29, April 12 & 26 &
May 10.
March 15, April 12 & 26 shows will be held at the Presbyterian
Church.
March 29 and May 10 shows will be at the Village Country Club.
Tickets: $35 Advance reservations are required, please call 735ACT1 for reservations
Once Upon A Fairy Tale: May
10 & 11 1 p.m. & 3 p.m.
Ruthless - the Musical: Aug 8,
9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, & 24
Lompoc Civic Theatre has been
keeping theatre LIVE in Lompoc
since 1973.
For more information regarding
LCT, call 735-ACT1
THURSDAY, MARCH 20
E MBASSY SUITES
1117 NORTH H ST .
11:30 A.M.
Program: To Be Announced
Cost: $15
Reservation deadline March 17
Call the Chamber for reservations
736-4567
Mission Possible:
Save La Purisima
Supporters of La Purisima Mission are asking local residents
to turn out for a Mission Possible Rally on Saturday, March 29, to
let lawmakers know the mission is too valuable to close.
The event, sponsored by the mission’s Prelado de los Tesoros
volunteer docents and CoastHills Federal Credit Union, will begin at 10 a.m. with a “walk a mile for the mission” march from
River Park in Lompoc to La Purisima Mission. The rally at the
mission begins at 11 a.m. State and local lawmakers, including
the governor, Assembly Member Sam Blakeslee, State Senator
Abel Maldonado and others, have been invited.
“We want to let them know how important La Purisima is, not
only to our local community, but the entire state,” said CoastHills
representative Scott Coe, one of the rally’s organizers. “Thousands of schoolchildren studying the state’s history get a firsthand look at early California life from field trips to La Purisima
Mission every year. It is a valuable educational resource that draws
many visitors to our area.”
Volunteer docents will have postcards to the governor available
at the rally for supporters to write messages and sign. The postcards are also available at CoastHills branches in Santa Barbara
and southern San Luis Obispo counties. The docents plan to handdeliver stacks of the signed postcards and letters to lawmakers in
Sacramento on April 7 during the sixth annual Park Advocacy
Day.
For more information about the Mission Possible Campaign,
contact Coe at (805) 733-7600.
Welcome New Chamber Members
as of January, 2008
Catholic Charities
REC Solar
Small Business Development Center
Urban Planning Concepts, Inc.
Newsletter Cost Cutter
Many of our member businesses receive multiple copies of the
Chamber newsletter. Over the years, those businesses have requested that several of their employees receive a copy each month.
As postage rates and paper prices continue to increase, we must
look at ways of cutting production costs. If your business is receiving more than one newsletter copy, consider honing the number down to one and then route it to your interested employees. In
some cases, this may not be possible, due to different departments
being located in various facilities. If, however, all your employees are located under one roof, consider sharing your newsletter
copy with them. Then, notify us at the Chamber (736-4567, or
accounting@lompoc.com) that you only require one newsletter
copy, and to whom it should be directed.
Soon, the Chamber newsletter will be available for viewing and/
or download from www.lompoc.com in a special “members only”
section. This will not replace the print version, but will enable
members to access both current and past issues for informational
purposes.
City General Plan Workshop
Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 6:30 p.m.
Joint Council/Commission Meeting — to review the draft vision
document and General Plan Phase 1 element goals to inform residents and solicit feedback and comments. Issues associated with
the current General Plan will be reviewed.
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JOIN THE
110%
Chamber Member Renewals
for January, 2007
CLUB!
Your Chamber has taken on many projects and encourages
you to join our 110% Club. The VOLUNTARY 110% is used
to support ongoing Chamber programs, such as, Olde Towne
Market, Brushes and Blues, etc. When you receive your
membership investment renewal notice, consider becoming
a 110% Club member. You will be recognized in the Chamber newsletter. Following are the 110%ers for the month of
January:
Air Force Association - Goddard Chapter
American Cancer Society
Amy’s Village Frame Shop
Angelina Thonack
Benjamin Hernandez
Certain Sparks
Graphic Systems
John Bazan
Lompoc Civic Theatre
Lompoc Concert Association
Mel Gatson
Metcalf & Eddy
NSB Special Olympics - Lompoc Branch
Patrick & Frankie Coxsey
Prelado de los Tesoros
Round Table Pizza
Steven Sweetwood
Sunset Auto Center
Tower Financial Services
Valerie George - Century 21 Realty
Air Force Association - Goddard Chapter
American Cancer Society
Amy’s Village Frame Shop
Angelina Thonack
Automobile Club of Southern CA
Benjamin Hernandez
Carlson Wagonlit Travel
Certain Sparks
Graphic Systems
Habitat for Humanity
IMPO International, Inc.
John Bazan
La Purisima Mission State Historic Park
Lis Woodward
Lompoc Civic Theatre
Lompoc Concert Association
Martin Real Estate Investments
Mel Gatson
Metcalf & Eddy
NSB Special Olympics - Lompoc Branch
Patrick Coxsey & Frankie Stevens
Prelado de los Tesoros
Robert & Eileen Wyckoff
Rose’s Embroidery
Round Table Pizza
Steven Sweetwood
Sunbelt Rentals
Sunset Auto Center
T.L. Brooks Personnel Services
Tower Financial Services
Valerie George - Century 21 Realty
Wellness by Design Global Enterprises
Some time ago, we received
this photo via e-mail, from
an unidentified source.
Note the Lompoc Pinquito
T-shirt on the happy youngster in front.
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Excel: We're Still Here!
AIB Volunteers Clean Up Lompoc
In a recent newspaper editorial, it was reported that Excel Personnel Services had gone out of business and had disappeared completely from the local business scene. Michelle Hodapp of Excel
wants everyone to know that her business is alive and well and
thriving in Lompoc as well as Santa Maria!
Excel specializes in temporary personnel solutions as well as
those temp-to-hire positions you may have. They handle all the
paperwork and the payment of wages of each temp while they are
an active Excel client. If you're in need of some temp help, call
Michelle, or one of her staff at 735-6723 -- Or pay them a visit -They are STILL located at 111-1/2 North H Street in the Lilley
Building.
Become a CASA Volunteer
The mission of Court Appointed Special Advocates of Santa
Barbara County (CASA) is to assure a safe, permanent, nurturing home for every abused and/or neglected child by providing a
highly trained volunteer to advocate for them in the court system.
CASA programs provide the only volunteer opportunity that
empowers everyday citizens as appointed officers of the court.
In an overburdened social welfare system, abused and neglected
children often slip through the cracks as one of hundreds of cases.
CASA volunteers can change that. Trained by CASA and appointed by judges, volunteers handle just one case at a time. While
others may come and go, CASA volunteers provide that one constant that children need to thrive. A CASA volunteer is that
child’s’ voice in the legal system.
The need for volunteer advocates is urgent. In northern Santa
Barbara County we have 101 children on the waiting list for a
CASA. Twenty-eight of these children are in Lompoc. With
your help and commitment we can change that, and make sure
that every child that needs an advocate has someone looking out
for them.
We provide the state mandated training - In Lompoc, our next
class will begin May 13th, and continue each Tuesday through
June 10th. We are currently accepting volunteer applications to
fill this class. Last year, our Lompoc class brought us 6 new
advocates. This year, we hope to double that number. We do not
have enough Lompoc volunteers to advocate for the number of
Lompoc youths who need a CASA.
Call Kim Davis at 730-9102 x2 for more information and to
save a space for you in the Lompoc volunteer training class!
America In Bloom volunteers gathered on February 16 to sweep
down H Street from the Drive-In to Ocean Avenue, cleaning and
weeding tree wells and street side landscaping. America In Bloom
is a community wide clean-up and beautification program, which
is judged by professional judges, who rate the community and make
suggestions for further improvement. Lompoc will enter the competition in 2009. To get involved, call Denny Anderson at the
Chamber, at 736-4567.
Fashion Catastrophe III
The Chamber Foundation’s Fashion Catastrophe III played to a sellout crowd at the La Purisima Hall
on February 23. Women’s fashions, modeled by the opposite sex
were the highlight of the unusual
fundraiser, which benefitted the
Chamber’s building fund. Tips
raised by the models as they sauntered through the audience went to the Jonathan Wild Benefit Fund.
Wild is undergoing treatment for throat cancer, and was a supporter of the previous two Fashion events.
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Be In the Know - Subscribe to
Friday Focus
Not getting Friday Focus - the Chamber’s weekly enewsletter? Send an email to deh@lompoc.com and request to be included on the distribution list. Have you
stopped receiving Friday Focus? Some members may
have stopped receiving it, due to updated spam filters
on your systems or internet service provider. Since
the Friday Focus is bulk emailed, many filters consider it spam. Please check your filters and add
deh@lompoc.com, or the entire domain name
lompoc.com, to your “white list,” which will allow
emails from the Chamber to be delivered to your
inbox. Remember, we do not share your email addresses!
Concert Association
Presents Guitarist
Help Solicited for Kids Day
Paul Galbraith, classical guitarist, will perform at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 27,
presented by the Lompoc Concert Association.
His unique playing position was first revealed at the Edinburgh Festival in 1989. His
guitar is supported by a metal endpin, similar to that of a cello that rests on a wooden
resonance box. The instrument has two extra strings, in addition to those of a normal
six-string guitar, one high and one low.
The concert will be held at First United
Methodist Church at 925 North “F” Street in Lompoc. Season
memberships will be available at the door for the 2008-2009 Season. Single tickets for this concert will be $20.00 for adults and
$10.00 for students. For more information, contact Subscription
Chairman, Vivian Dew at 733-4006 or Co-chairman Jean Jacoby
at 736-8713. Santa Ynez Valley representative is Anabelle Dalberg
at 688-4687. Check the website: www.lompocconcert.org for more
information.
~ Mark Your Calendars ~
The Lompoc Valley Chamber
of Commerce Community Development Foundation announces that Maggie Worsdale
will return to Lompoc on Saturday, July 19 to perform numbers from her nationally renowned Cabaret show.
The evening will feature a
gourmet dinner, followed by the show, which also
includes performances by Lompoc’s own “BIL” (Born in Lompoc)
celebrities, Dennis Headrick and George Stillman.
A silent auction is also being planned for the evening.
All proceeds from the event will go to the
Jonathan Wild Benefit Fund.
Price and location will be announced later.
Wilkerson
Chiropractic
. . . the clinic of choice
North County Rape Crisis And Child Protection Center needs
your help and would like to extend an invitation to all businesses
to be a part of their 23rd Annual Kids Day In The Park on May
18, 2008 at Waller Park in Santa Maria. The event traditionally
attracts over 5,000 guests to enjoy a day filled with learning about
children’s health and safety, Native American, live entertainment,
carnival games, information booths, a law enforcement corner
that allows children to play on fire trucks and in police cars, and
great food.
Since fundraising is such a vital portion of their operating funds,
they hope to raise over $10,000.00 which will go directly towards
the ChildSAFE programs offered free of charge to all Northern
Santa Barbara County schools. Not only is this an event to raise
funds for our program, it is a great way of reaching out to the
community and touching lives. Without such events, many of our
community members would not be aware of the services that can
be provided to them in a time of need. It is a great day to celebrate
the hundreds of wonderful children in our lives and in our communities.
This year with cut backs and the loss of needed funds, their
ability to advertise in the local newspapers has been diminished.
WE are hoping that maybe local businesses can help with Kid’s
Day by being a sponsor for one of the following: food booths,
bounce houses, prizes table, fee for the park or just volunteer that
day. By participating you too take a stand against child abuse and
support your community in its efforts to help children. Thank you
for your consideration of this request. Please call if you have any
questions or would like to participate. Check out North County
Rape Crisis and Child Protection Center’s web page at
www.ncrccpcevents.info
Chamber Celebrates
its 105th Birthday!
The Chamber celebrates its 105th birthday in March. Following is
some historical trivia for 1903:
• In 1903, Lompoc’s population was 972, down from 1,015 ten
years earlier and up from 226 twenty years earlier!
• Lompoc retained its original boundaries, as set in 1874: O Street
to the West, A Street to the East, Willow Avenue to the South and
Pine Avenue to the North – a one square mile area.
• At the Chamber’s March 26, 1903 organizational meeting, dues
were fixed at 50 cents per month.
• W.H. Sudden was elected as the first Chamber President at that
March meeting. Other officers elected were: Henson Poland, VicePresident, J. Klein, Secretary and J.B. Dean, Treasurer.
• At the same meeting, a committee was appointed to arrange for
a special train to take residents to Surf to meet President Theodore
Roosevelt’s train, which was to make a whistle stop at the Surf
depot.
“The longest established chiropractic clinic serving Lompoc”
DR. MARC WILKERSON, D.C.
DISCOVERY PLAZA
415 E. Ocean Avenue
Lompoc, CA 93436
(805) 736-4537
www.wilkersonchiro.com
DR@wilkersonchiro.com
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March Cultural and
Community Events
March 1-30, “Visual Meditations.” Art show featuring the
works of Miki Alhart, Cypress Gallery, 119 E. Cypress Ave.
March 1, Chamber Orchestra Kremlin
Lompoc Concert Association,
7:30 p.m., Methodist Church
(805) 733 4006
All meetings are held at the Chamber
unless noted otherwise,
5 America In Bloom, Community Involvement, 4 p.m.
7 Farmers Market, 1:30-5:30 p.m., Ocean Ave. & I Street
13 Military Affairs Committee, 4 p.m
13 Mixer, Lompoc Moose Lodge, 5-7 p.m.
13 YLLV Board of Trustees, 5 p.m.
14 Farmers Market, 1:30-5:30 p.m., Ocean Ave. & I Street
15 Ribbon Cutting, 10:30 a.m. Christine Tykeson Massage,
701 E. North Ave., Suite F
17 VIPs, 11:30 a.m.
17 YLLV Topic Day
18 Ambassadors, 4 p.m.
18 America In Bloom, Tidiness, 5 p.m.
20 LUNCHEON, Embassy Suites, 11:30 a.m.
21 Farmers Market, 1:30-5:30 p.m., Ocean Ave. & I Street
21 LLV Topic Day
24 Executive/Finance Committee, 4 p.m.
25 LLV Board of Trustees, 12 noon
26 Board of Directors, 7:30 a.m.
26 America In Bloom, Floral Display, 5 p.m.
28 Farmers Market, 1:30-5:30 p.m., Ocean Ave. & I Street
March 1, Purisima’s People Day
11 a.m.-2 p.m.
La Purisima Mission, 805 733 3713
March 8, 26th annual Solvang Century (100 mile) and Half
Century (50 mile) SCOR Cardiac Cyclists Club Bike Ride
through Santa Ynez, Santa Maria and Lompoc Valleys. Go to
www.bikescor.com for info and to register.
March 15, Mission Life Day
11 am.-2 p.m.
La Purisima Mission
805 733 3713
March 22, Recognition Grove ceremony, 11 a.m.
Beattie Park
Info: 805 875 8100
March 22, monthly open house at the historic Fabing-McKaySpanne House, 207 North L St., 2-4 p.m. Blacksmith Shop,
Carriage House, Museum Room and Reference Room will also
be open. Admission is by voluntary donation
March 22, monthly open house at the Artesia School, Chestnut Ave. and H St., 2-4 p.m.
Re-live the days of the one room schoolhouse!
March 27, Paul Galbraith
Lompoc Concert Association,
7:30 p.m., Methodist Church
805 733 4006
March 28 & 29, Mountain Men visit
La Purisima Mission , 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
805 733 3713
The complete Community Events Calendar
can be downloaded at www.lompoc.com
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LOMPOC VALLEY CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE & VISITORS BUREAU
P.O. Box 626
Lompoc, CA 93438-0626
(805) 736-4567
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