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Meeting Notices Meetings Notices Monthly Business Luncheon September 7, 2011, noon Up The Creek 313 Water Street Apalachicola Business After Hours September 15, 2011 5:30-7:00 pm Apalachicola Maritime Museum 103 Water Street Apalachicola Monthly Business Luncheon October 5th, 2011 noon TBA Visitor Statistics July 2001 1,394 July 2002 1,185 July 2003 1,196 July 2004 1,245 July 2005 1,198 July 2006 1,913 July 2007 2,814 July 2008 2,690 July 2009 2,923 July 2010 1,292 July 2011 3,055 Website stats June 22,692 Unique Visitors 28,491 People Visited Site 122,533 Pageviews 4.30 Pages/Visit 3:59 Avg. Time on Site 31.62% Bounce Rate 72.88% % New Visits Chamber Board of DirectorsPRESIDENT Mark Friedman 670-1253 VICE-PRESIDENT Ginny Griner 653-8853 TREASURER Jerry Hall 653-9510 SECRETARY Kristin Anderson 653-2249 BOARD MEMBERS Brenda Ash 653-8805 Kristy Branch Banks 670-1255 Donna Duncan 653-8976 Bonnie Gomes 670-8450 Bud Hayes 927-3305 Beverly Hewitt 653-9510 Mike Koun 653-2191 Michael Shuler 653-1757 Candy Varnes 927-2322 Kevin Ward 899-0669 | Spring Break 2012 We just posted the 2012 Spring break dates for the regional k-12 schools and a link to the Panama City Chamber college spring break date schedule. Business After Hours September 15th, come network with other chamber members at the Apalachicola Maritime Museum from 5:30-7:00 pm, then enjoy a complimentary waterfront cruise from 7:00-8:00 p.m. To reserve a seat call (850) 653-2500. Golf Tournament Tee up with business members from around the Franklin, Leon, and Wakulla County areas at the 8th annual Apalachicola Bay Chamber Of Commerce Golf Tournament on Wednesday, October 5th. Tee-time is 1:00 pm on the beautiful St. James Golf Course, just east of Carrabelle. The tournament will be a four man scramble, low score wins, with prizes for the top three teams. Scores will be totaled and prizes awarded at a reception following the tournament. Cost per team is $400. Fees include range balls, and golf carts equipped with the latest color GPS system. For more info, contact us at (850) 653-9419 or anita@apalachicolabay.org. New Members Apalachicola Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary Welcome the Apalachicola Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary, a new nonprofit group formed to provide fundraising support for the Apalachicola Fire Department. The president is Karla Ambos, vice president is Marissa Getter Itzkovitz, Palmer Philyaw is the treasure and Charma Burkhalter is the secretary. The main event for the group is the annual Oyster Cookoff in January. Last year’s inaugural event was an incredible success! The 2012 event will be on January 13-14th. Friday evening there will be a silent auction preview. The auction will have of oyster-related items to be bid on along with a sampling of the Apalachicola Bay's tasty bivalves. The actual cook-off on Saturday will start at 10:00 am and everyone is encouraged to enter with their favorite recipe. All forms of oysters will be available to taste: raw, steamed, and fried. Other food items and refreshments will be available for purchase. The day's activities will include live music and dance performances. Last year Pam Nobles taught the firefighters a special dance. More information will be posted soon at www.oystercookoff.com, and the event can be followed on Facebook. Last year there were twenty five contestants. They prepared their dish onsite for all to taste. Verizon Wireless Zone Welcome Steve Gillum the new owner of the Verizon Wireless store in Apalachicola. Steve purchased the Apalachicola store and the Panama City store located in Calloway next to Walmart August 1. Steve was stationed at Tyndall from 1980-1992. He moved to Columbus, Georgia, but never quite got the gulf coast off his mind. He and his wife came down every chance they could and hated to make the long drive home on Sunday. Finally, this summer he purchased the stores and relocated to the area. His wife is the executive secretary at the Columbus Chamber and she will be communting for a while longer. They have revamped the store and the staff. Steve has hired Brandon Tracy and Megan Noblit is back. Corporate trainers were down last week and the staff is ready to serve with all the latest Verizon has to offer. More information call (850) 653-1234. Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association Welcome Ray Greene, Northwest Florida Regional Director with Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association. The FRLA’s mission is to protect, educate and promote Florida hospitality and tourism. They are a membership organization which connects local lodging and restaurants to the largest and most powerful industry group in Florida. Led by CEO Carol Dover and an active Board of Directors, FRLA has been effective in influencing legislation that has saved the industry $1.2 billion in taxes and fees over the past 10 years. Florida’s hospitality industry represents a 57 billion dollar industry that generates 20% of Florida’s economy, 3.4 billion dollars in sales tax revenue and employs more than 900,000 people. With numerous local chapters and dual membership in the National Restaurant Association and American Hotel & Lodging Association FRLA members are offered unlimited opportunity for involvement. At the local level chapters meet to discuss local issues that impact the restaurant and lodging industry.Association members enjoy a variety of benefits including discounts on products, services and training; free tickets to the annual trade show; accessible insurance; state, local and federal government representation; networking opportunities, special events including seminars, golf and fishing tournaments, parties and much more. To learn more about FRLA, call 888-372-9119 to find out how you can get involved. For more information on the Northwest Florida Chapter of the FRLA please contact Ray Green at 850-545-5901 or rgeen@frla.org. Senator Bill Montford Senator Bill Montford joined the chamber this month and is opening a local office at 48 Market Street next to the Natural Medicine Store. Senator Montford was born in Marianna and raised in Blountstown, and has worked in education all of his career. Currently he is the CEO of the Florida Association of District School Superintendents and has chosen a life-long career as an educator because of his deep desire to truly make a difference in people’s lives. He is opening an office in Franklin County to better serve the coastal counties in the eleven county are that he represents - Bay, Gulf, Franklin, and Wakulla. His Legislative Assistants are Melissa Durham, Berta Kemp and Marcia Mathis and can be reached by calling (850) 653-2656 or (850) 487-5004 email montford.bill.web@flsenate.gov or go to his website www.flsenate.gov/senators/s6 Legislative Delegation Hearings State Representative Leonard Bembry is will be chairing a legislative delegation hearing for Franklin County on September 29th. Delegation hearings are an opportunity for general public and local government leadership to express their needs so that legislators better understand our local problems and concerns. The hearing will take place from 4:00– 6:00 pm at Franklin County Courthouse Annex Building in Apalachicola. The 2012 Legislative Session will start early next year, beginning January 10th and ending March 9th, and committee meetings begin mid-September through early December. If you would like to address the delegation, please contact Teresa Watson in Representative Bembry’s office at (352) 493-6848 or teresa.watson@myfloridahouse. available at the hearing for anyone who wishes to be heard. | Directors Column Members News Congratulations to Josh Hodson the new manager for SGI state Park and the Orman House and Gorrie Museum in Apalachicola!!! Congratulations to the Coombs House Inn which was honored with two recognitions. Florida Monthly magazine selected the Coombs as a Fabulous Florida Bed & Breakfast Inns. The American Registry honor the Coombs House Inn to the "Registry of Business Excellence. Got Ideas? Suggestions? How can the Apalachicola Bay Chamber better serve you? Is there something that we can do better to help your business? Is there something you would like to see us add or change on the website, at the visitor’s center or in the visitors’ guide? Ideas are always welcome. Feel free to call or email us with your ideas at info@apalachicolabay.org.      Press Coverage -Joshua Lawrence Kinser Moon Handbooks Florida Gulf Coast in-depth information on the Forgotten Coast covering things to do, places to stay, events and dining. -Ryan Krogh’s story on Apalachicola Bay oysters appears in the September 2011 Outside magazine, Best Road Trips of 2011 http://www.outsideonline.com/ -Frances Putman with the Birmingham News was sent photographs and information for the annual fall Forgotten Coast guide. -Francesca Hester with Tripsmarter was sent information on the Florida Seafood Festival and the Downtown Oyster Roast. -Robin Draper author of Authentic Florida.com wrote a great piece on Apalachicola http://www.authenticflorida. -Sarah Gabriele was given info for Apalachicola’s listing on Gozaic, the National Trust for Historic Preservation's website. Apalachicola was blog posts are showcased on the , as well on the Gozaic Facebook and via Twitter. -Eric Dusenbery was given information on local families associated with the oyster and honey industries. He is writing a book on Florida food ways call Florida Soup: Putting History on the Table. -DVM 360 lists St George Island as # 8 on the Top 10 dog-friendly beaches in the United States Hobson Fulmer called to tell us the news. DVM360 is a professional veterinary journal. Volunteers Needed The Apalachicola Bay Chamber Visitor Center seeks volunteers to help at the visitors center and with special projects. Duties include giving our visitor information, answering questions about places to stay, restaurants and things to do. If you would like to help, we’d love to have you. It can be a fun and rewarding. Contact us for details (850) 653-9419 or email us at info@apalachicolabay.org | ||
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