2016 April Newsletter - Edgebrook Chamber of Commerce

6440 N. Central Avenue
Chicago, IL 60646
Phone: 773.775.0378
Fax: 773.775.0371
Email:
edgebrookchamber
@sbcglobal.net
www.edgebrookchamber.com
Chamber of Commerce
Newsletter • April, 2016
Sponsored in part by the City of Chicago, Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection
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April, 2016 - General Membership Meeting
The chamber’s April, 2016 general membership meeting will be held on Thursday, April 7th at 8:00 a.m. at North
Shore Community Bank & Trust (434 W. Peterson Avenue). The Chamber would like to thank President Dennis
Hammer and Daniel J. Carini from North Shore Community Bank & Trust for hosting this meeting. The Chamber
would also like to thank Bob & Rick Colletti from Colletti’s Dining & Banquets (5707 N. Central Avenue) for hosting
our March, 2016 general membership meeting.
Board of Directors’ Meeting
Upcoming Events
THURSDAY
April 7th 8:00 AM)
General Membership Meeting
North Shore Community Bank
& Trust
4343 W. Peterson Avenue
ALL MONTH LONG
Mother’s Day Month
Enjoy a meal at our local
participating restaurants
May 1st through May 31st
THURSDAY
May 3rd (8:00 AM)
General Membership Meeting
East of Edens
6350 N. Cicero Avenue
THURSDAY
May 19th (8:00 AM)
Board of Directors’ Meeting
North Shore Community Bank
& Trust
4343 W. Peterson Avenue
THURSDAY
June 2nd (8:00 AM)
General Membership Meeting
Colletti’s Dining & Banquets
5707 N. Cicero Avenue
THURSDAY
June 23rd (5:30 – 7:30 PM)
Outdoor Networking Event
Colletti’s Dining & Banquets
5707 N. Central Avenue
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The next Board of Directors’ meeting will be held Thursday, May 19, 2016 at 8:00 AM at North Shore Community
Bank & Trust (4343 W. Peterson Avenue). Thanks go out to thank President Dennis Hammer and Daniel J. Carini
for providing the chamber with its meeting room.
2016 – April Guest Speaker
Our guest speaker will be Ms. Elizabeth De Boni, from North Shore Community Bank & Trust’s community
lending division who will speaking about small business lending. Learn about their new initiatives and how your
business can benefit.
2016 – 2017 Membership and Directory Drive
It is important to renew your membership! Benefits include: inclusion in the 2016-2017 membership directory;
receiving the chamber newsletter by email; linkage to your website; and inclusion in our Member-to-Member
Discount and Welcome Bag programs. Dues are the life blood of ANY chamber. The chamber thanks the following
for renewing their membership for 2016:
Freddy Allan – Habano Cigars Lounge
Dee Busch & Marla Cohen – Greenlawn landscaping, Inc.
Ed Coren – Edgebrook ACE Hardware
Colleen Egan & Frank Vance – Egan/Vance Insurance Agency, Inc.
Ellie and Mark Freedman – Wildwood Tavern
Peter Lekas – Law Offices of Peter Lekas
Mary Lipinski – Securities America
Mr. Mondel –The Chocolate Shoppe
Thomas J. Moran – Law Offices of Thomas J. Moran
Rita Quinn – BQS Realty, Inc.
Charlie Shepard – American Mattress
After decades, 5418–5420 W. Devon Avenue, Is Ready For Lease!
As you know, the above properties have sat fallow for many years, in fact decades. Previously, nothing could be
done governmentally or legally to promote the rehabilitation and leasing of these poorly maintained storefronts.
Georgia Talaganis and her husband purchased these properties and have recently completed a gut rehabilitation
and city approval process and they are now ready for lease. Welcome Georgia, may you prosper!
Colletti’s Dining & Banquets Outdoor “After-Hours” Networking Event:
The Edgebrook, Edison Park, Gladstone Park, Jefferson Park, Norwood Park, Sauganash and Lincolnwood Chambers and
the Pulaski Elston Business Association will co-host a major outdoor patio “after-hours” business networking event at
Colletti’s Dining & Banquets (5707 N. Central Avenue) on Thursday, June 23, 2016 (5:30 pm – 7:30 pm) Come join us!
North Branch Arts Networking Reception
Edgebrook and Sauganash and several other chambers of commerce are sponsoring a “Multi-Chamber Networking
Reception” at North Arts Center Arts (5421 W. Devon Ave.) on Wednesday, July 13th (5:30 – 7:30 pm). There will
be complimentary drinks and appetizers and a suggested donation of $10 for members and $15 for non-members.
Your donations will be for the exclusive benefit of North Branch Arts, a certified 501c (3) non-profit group.
2016 “Adopt a Planter Box” – Help Maintain and Beautify the Downtown
The chamber is asking businesses and residents to step forward and adopt one of our eleven raised planter boxes,
located throughout the downtown. Although these raised planter boxes are under the jurisdiction of the City of
Chicago, it is up to ALL of us to maintain them.
The costs to maintain them are currently being investigated and so are the sponsorship levels for each raised planter. If
you decide to participate, you will enter into a one-year, renewable agreement (starting most probably in May, 2016)
with the Chamber of Commerce. It is hoped that garden lovers will adopt one of the raised planter boxes as their own
and periodically weed, mulch and water them during the course of the year (typically May through October).
2016 Chamber
Sub-Committees
Banners
David Wians – Chair
It is possible, but still under discussion, that those who adopt the maintenance portion of this initiative will receive a
modest stipend to cover the cost of maintenance and planting of plant materials. In regards to sponsorship, those
businesses and/or individuals that sponsor these raised planter boxes will receive special signage for doing so. For those
businesses and/or individuals that sponsored these raised planter boxes last year, they will be given priority to sponsor
the same raised planter boxes they sponsored last year.
Beautification
TBD – Chair
In order to lead by example, the chamber will begin this initiative by adopting the same raised planter box it sponsored
last year. Who is with us in this initiative? It is up to us to maintain these raised planter boxes and retain and/or improve
the attractiveness of the downtown for our existing businesses and prospective tenants.
Board Nominations
Jillian Holly – Chair
2016 “Paper Shredding Day”
Budget / Grants
Daniel J. Carini – Chair
By Laws
Cindy Cannizzaro – Chair
Community Liaison
Jac Charlier – Chair
District Marketing
Helmuts Lackajs - Chair
Guest Speakers / Seminars
Jenise Celestin - Chair
Membership / Directory
Marti Corcoran - Chair
Social Events
Marti Corcoran - Chair
Web Site
Steve Zaransky - Chair
On Saturday, April 30th, a “Paper Shredding Day” will be hosted by Alderman Margaret Laurino and Representative John
D'Amico. Safely and securely shred and recycle your sensitive documents for FREE! PAPER ONLY! The event will be held
at Colletti's Dining & Banquets (5707 N. Central Avenue, Central & Elston) from 9:00 am-Noon. The following items will Not
be accepted: Materials from businesses / Phonebooks / Metal and plastic items / or Electronic items. No boxes can
be left at the event. Please remove all staples and paper clips from your items and thank you for pitching in!
2016 Celebrate “Spring and Green” Raffle Recap
Century 21 McMullen’s Marti Corcoran, Happy Foods and the Edgebrook Chamber of Commerce partnered on the
“Celebrate Spring and Green” raffle. Marti gave away thirty (30) $25.00 Happy Foods gift certificates (15 each at
Happy Foods’ Edgebrook and Edison Park locations) to the lucky winners. The raffle drawing took place on Monday,
March 21st. Local Edgebrook businesses who participated displayed big (24” x 24”) green shamrocks hung in their
storefront windows and handed out raffle chances so patrons could fill them out while shopping at these businesses.
2016 Welcome Bag Program – Changes Coming to Better Advertise you!
The Chamber is producing re-usable, sharp-looking welcome bags to better advertise your business and serve our new
residents as they shop the downtown. The bags will be hand-delivered to new residents and they will contain the
advertising items of our dues-paying member businesses so PLEASE send us 200 of your advertising items (pens,
calendars, mini-flash lights, etc.). The Chamber thanks the following businesses for sponsoring this initiative.
Nick Boudreau – Edward Jones Investments
Cindy Cannizzaro – Cannizzaro Law Offices, P.C.
Patty & Joe Cerny – Baird & Warner
Marti Corcoran – Century 21 – McMullen
Cathy Janus – Janus Premiums
Helmuts Lackajs – McCarthy & Associates
Harriet Luden – Donna’s Garden
Dr. Deanna Minkler – Sauganash Wellness Center
Glenn and Brian Nadig – Nadig Newspapers
Julie A. Schultz – Dreamtown.com
John Tunnell – Allstate Insurance
David Wians – State Farm insurance
2016 City of Chicago Litter Notice
Welcome Bags
Harriet Luden - Chair
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Each year, the City of Chicago must use millions of taxpayer dollars to clean-up litter. Refuse can cause neighborhoods
and business districts to look run down and deteriorated. The City has implemented an aggressive anti-littering
program to alert people so they can help eliminate this problem and allow these funds to be targeted to more
productive uses. Download the information at: www.cityofchicago.org/streetsandsanitation.