See ya later, 2015! - Greater Ishpeming

JANUARY 2016 | VOLUME 6, ISSUE 1
The Greater Ishpeming-Negaunee Area Chamber of
Commerce assisted the Teal Lake Senior Living Community
with a Grand Opening event on September 2nd. Teal
Lake Senior Living Community is a brand new facility in
Negaunee, overlooking Teal Lake.
See ya later, 2015!
As we say goodbye to 2015, we
feel good about putting another
accomplished year in the books.
2015 was filled with ribbon cuttings, new businesses opening,
events, business after hours, and
the Chamber’s fifth birthday.
Now that we’re halfway up the
ten year mountain, it’s time to
look upward and onward. With
year six ready to unfold, we are
excited to continue growing and
evolving while also being involved
in the community.
The Gossard Building in downtown Ishpeming celebrated a
Grand Opening and Business After Hours on
September 24th. The event marked the official name
change to the Gossard Building and showcased
exterior renovations.
We hope you’ll join us in welcoming 2016 and look forward to
meeting you along our journey.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
-Chamber Staff
The Iron Ore Heritage Trail Recreation
Authority (IOHTRA), in conjunction with
the Chamber, hosted a ribbon cutting
with Republic Township members on
September 26th at the Western
Terminus of the trail in downtown
Republic.
October 29th was a fun evening on
Main Street in Ishpeming as three
businesses hosted a Triple Header
Business After Hours. Main Street
School of Cosmetology, Native Nails,
and Natural Escapes joined together and
offered a fun evening of food,
refreshments, and prizes.
The Chamber assisted the Iron Ore
Heritage Trail Recreation Authority on
December 4th with a ribbon cutting
ceremony at Winthrop Junction in Ishpeming. This section now extends another 2.5 miles and was updated with
crushed aggregate, guard rails, tree
plantings, and a viewing platform overlooking the Carp River.
Main Street Antique Mall and Midtown
Bakery and Café co-hosted a Business After
Hours on December 10th. Everyone had a
great time and got to browse antiques and
enjoy delicious food.
OVER $39,000 SPENT IN WEST END OVER
HOLIDAY SEASON
The Greater Ishpeming-Negaunee Area Chamber of Commerce (GINCC)
recently completed the fourth consecutive Holiday Punch Card Campaign and
was able to track more than $39,000 ($39,497.16 to be exact) spent with
Chamber Member Businesses during the time period of November 1, 2015 to
December 22, 2015.
SCHEDULE YOUR
BUSINESS AFTER
HOURS
It’s hard to believe, but
2016 is here, and what
better way to start the
new year than with a
Business After Hours?
Do you have a new
business, new product,
business anniversary,
business expansion, or
just plain want to have
a reason to celebrate
or host an event? Then
a Business After Hours
event is for you.
We are now accepting
dates for 2016 Business
After Hours. They are
FREE of charge and we
will work with you to
tailor the event to your
needs and liking.
Please give us at least
three weeks notice to
plan and market the
event.
Get in touch with us at
(906) 486-1111 to
start planning your
event today.
The Holiday Punch Card Campaign, which initially began in 2012, is a fun way
the Chamber is able to promote shopping locally, while rewarding community
members for doing so. Beginning on November 1st each year, community
members are asked to start saving their receipts from Chamber Member
Businesses and bring them in to the Chamber Office. Chamber Staff totals up
receipt amounts, and for every $50 a person spends at a Chamber Members
Business, they are entered in to a prize drawing, with prizes donated by local
businesses; the higher the receipts total, the more prize drawing slips someone gets.
Receipts can include anything from regular grocery trips and gas fill ups to
Christmas gift shopping to a new snow blower; the key is that the purchases
must have been made at a Chamber Member Business. Certain things, such as
rent, utilities, and personal finance transactions are unable to be counted, and
there is a $500 maximum limit on one single purchase (I.E. a new car, a kitchen remodel, etc.)
Last year, the Chamber tracked $29,693.57 in receipt totals, which means this
year nearly surpassed last by $10,000. The GINCC would like to thank everyone who participated in the 2015 Holiday Punch Card Campaign, and we
hope more people will continue to participate annually; we would like to be
able to reach $50,000 next year. We encourage people to shop locally at all
times of the year, not just at Christmastime, and remind everyone that shopping locally not only stimulates the local economy and promotes growth, but
it helps small business owners provide for their families.
Thank you to the businesses and/or business people who donated over
$1,000 worth of prizes to this year’s prize drawing: HONOR Credit Union,
Hanna's Tea Times, Holiday Stationstores, Jackson's Do It Best Hardware, Jasper Ridge Brewery, Kimme Peterson, Midtown Bakery and Café, Paw-Rific Pet
Grooming, Signs Now U.P., Wattsson & Wattsson Jewelers, Wautier Wellness, and Woodworks Chainsaw Carving.
Congratulations to the 2015 Holiday Punch Card Campaign winners: Agnes
Foster, Cis Dompierre, Cookie Holmgren, Deb Skytta, Diane Murray, Eva
Bayles, Evelyn Valente, Joanna Carne, Jody Forrester, Jolie Chapman, Julie Solka, Kimme Peterson, Kris Bjorne, Laura Woolard, Marilyn Meyer, and Shannon Edmark.
BE LOCAL, BUY LOCAL!
WE TURNED FIVE!
The Greater Ishpeming-Negaunee Area Chamber of Commerce celebrated its 5th Annual Dinner on Thursday, October 22nd at Red Rock
Lanes and Banquet Center in Ishpeming.
This year’s Annual Dinner marked a significant milestone of turning five
years old. In those five years, the Chamber has gone from start-up to
sustainable and now has a membership base of 250, two full-time staff
members, and a 14-person Board of Directors.
However, none of this would have been possible without the support of
the community and local businesses, and for that, the Chamber extends a
huge thank you to everyone who has helped and been a part of our
organization along the way.
THANK YOU TO OUR
SPONOSRS:
Holiday Stationstores
Steward and Sheridan
The Mining Journal
Moose Country/Magic 97
Active Physical Therapy
Grandchamp, McBride, and Prophet
UPPCO
A. Lindberg and Sons
Mather Nursing Center
TV6
Northern Michigan Bank and Trust
Elder Agency
Travel Marquette
WJMN Local 3
Eagle Radio
Eagle Mine
U.P. Home Health and Hospice
UP Health System—Bell
Iron Range Agency
During the dinner, the Chamber handed out five annual awards. The
2015 recipients of these awards are:
- Business of the Year: Red Rock Lanes and Banquet Center
- Business Person(s) of the Year: Paul and Sandy Arsenault of the
Gossard Building
- Organization of the Year: Bell Auxiliary
- Volunteer of the Year: Ray Leverton
- Chamber Member of the Year: Ishpeming 4th of July Committee
Thank you to everyone who attended the dinner this year. We hope you
had a great time and look forward to seeing you again next year!
In 2015, the Chamber implemented a new level of sponsorship called the Chamber Rock Star. Instead
of going to businesses several times throughout the year for sponsorship asks, the Chamber Rock Star
sponsorship allows a business to sponsor every Chamber event throughout the year with maximum
marketing.
Benefits of becoming a Chamber Rock Star include: billing as a sponsor for all Chamber events, yearround recognition on Chamber Rock Star banner, your business logo on all event specific materials (I.E.
t-shirts, banners, programs, etc.), complimentary tickets to certain Chamber events, such as the Annual
Dinner, Vegas Comes to Ishpeming, etc., complimentary ad in the Power Book — our resident resource guide — and year round acknowledgement for your sponsorship, including media mentions
when we thank sponsors.
We hope you will consider this great opportunity for 2016 as you think about sponsorship for Chamber events.
A big thank-you goes out to our 2015 Chamber Rock Stars, who are our Chamber Rock Star pioneers:
Eagle Mine, UPPCO, Moose Country 102.5/Magic 97FM, The Mining Journal, TV6, Eagle Radio, and
WJMN Local 3.
CHAMBER LUNCHEONS—SUGGESTIONS?
The Chamber would like to host more luncheons this year based on topics that are relevant to and requested
by our members. What would you like to learn about, or what would you like more information about? Your
input will help us put together a schedule of events for the year. The more we hear from our members, the
more we can plan accordingly.
Have suggestions? E-mail ginccdirector@gmail.com or ginccmarketing@gmail.com and let us know
what topics you feel would be beneficial.
THANK YOU TO
OUR
MEMBERS
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Buck’s Restaurant
Greater Ishpeming Commission on
Aging
Hilltop RV
Holli Forest Products
Iron Range Agency
Jubilee Foods
OK Industrial
Red Rock Lanes
Stone Reflections
WELCOME, NEW
MEMBERS!
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Black Diamond Car Wash
Cognition Brewing Company
Huron Mountain Bakery of
Ishpeming
Northstar Employee Assistance
Program (EAP)
Republic Township
Teal Lake Senior Living Community
WHAT’S UP?
Check out our online event calendar at
GINCC.ORG to stay up-to-date with everything
happening on the West End of Marquette County .
Don’t see your event listed? Tell us about it! E-mail
ginccmarketing@gmail.com with information
about your event and we will get it included.
THANK YOU TO OUR
RENEWALS
A. Lindberg & Sons
All Season’s Floral
Bjork & Zhulkie Funeral Home
Border Grill
Canda Manor
Clancey Electric
Country Village
Elaine’s Place
Ishpeming Area Historical Society
Ishpeming Ski Club
MEA Region 17 A
Mama Mia’s Inc.
McDonald’s of Ishpeming
Meyer Family Vision
Niemi Excavating
Northern Veterinary Associates
Radio Shack
Radio Results Network
ReMax 1st Realty
Smokehouse Glenn, Northern Meats
Superior Auto Parts
Turino Chiropractic
U.P. Catholic Credit Union
GET IN TOUCH
GINCC
U.S. Highway 41 West
Ishpeming, MI 49849
(906) 486-1111 | www.gincc.org
ginccdirector@gmail.com
ginccmarketing@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/GINCC
Instagram: DiscovertheWestEnd