Welcome to our newest members: Brides & Belles and Integrated Elements Wellness Clinic.
Exciting to see our gala 20th Annual Business Excellence Awards evening on March 14 shaping up to be another special evening for everyone. Nominations are starting to come in with the deadline to nominate Feb. 6. Our theme is “Licence to Thrill.” Thank you to all sponsors and contributors for supporting our main fundraiser for the year.
Nomination forms are online at www.williamslakechamber.com; Community Futures Development Corporation, and the Chamber office.
We have a number of benefits that will help you daily in your business as well as your bottom line. Here is some of what we offer; fuel discount programs, training for your staff; meetings providing you with the opportunity to profile your company, interesting and well informed guest speakers, support and contacts for your business whether it be in the start-up or otherwise, advocacy and support from our volunteers and staff.
Our year end was November 2014 and membership fees are now due. We sincerely thank those that have renewed for the coming year. All member information will be updated on our websites and our e-mail database will be adjusted accordingly. If members have not received an invitation by e-mail for our luncheon, please let us know so we can check our databases and make any changes necessary.
Our 16-member volunteer board recently reviewed, updated and approved our strategic plan for the next three years. We are satisfied with the plan and are currently working on our priorities as identified.
Chamber of Commerce Week in the province starts on February 16. This is an opportunity for Chambers of Commerces across the province to demonstrate the outstanding value we provide to our communities. This value comes in the form of benefits and services to stimulate local economies, direct community promotion and support, and engaging in an important multi-level advocacy role which benefits the entire province.
Chambers of Commerces are community leaders in action. Chamber of Commerce Week recognizes and applauds this important contribution, and brings further awareness about the Chamber Network’s influence and importance to members of the public and Chamber members alike.
We invite members and guests to attend our General Meeting luncheon Thursday, Jan. 29, at 11:45 a.m. — 1 p.m. at Signal Point Restaurant. Chamber meetings offer businesses the opportunity to meet other businesses. Please RSVP to 250-392-5025 or e-mail visitors@telus.net. Our guest speakers this month are: Cariboo Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett and Anne Murray, vice-president, marketing and communications with a presentation from the Vancouver Airport Authority.
Members can enter the Chamber Chatter draw sponsored by the Efteen and Cariboo Country and the Goat and you could win the business profiles for the next Chamber Chatter.
Business card draw winner
Williams Lake Employment Services, a subsidiary of Horton Ventures Inc. and owned by Gord and Anny Horton, is locally managed by Nancy Thompson.
They offer assistance to individuals, who are unemployed, to prepare for, find and maintain employment in the workforce.
Williams Lake Employment Services is a WorkBC Employment Services Centre, where they offer the full scope of services through the Employment Program of BC, with assistance of a number of partnering agencies in the area. In Williams Lake, these partners include, Canadian Mental Health Association, Community Futures Cariboo Chilcotin, Cariboo Chilcotin Aboriginal Training and Employment Centre and Williams Lake Women’s Contact Society.
Our roots stem from 1992, when Anny Horton opened her first employment services agency. Horton Ventures Inc. opened the doors to Williams Lake Employment Services in 2008.
Here, support is offered to individuals to write resumes, obtain skills relevant to the demand in the labour market, teach them how to market themselves to potential employers and even help them investigate opportunities that may exist for them as an entrepreneur.
You can always find one or two of our staff members at the monthly chamber meetings, where they get a chance to be updated on local chamber activities, initiatives in the business community and network with other business people.
