GBACC NEWSLETTER JANUARY 2007

A person is only as big as the dream they dare to live. --- Unknown

The next monthly membership meeting of the Greater Brunswick Area Chamber of Commerce will be held on Wednesday, January 3rd, 7:30 AM, at the Brunswick Library, 915 Maple Avenue. The speaker at this meeting will be Susan Grey of the Frederick County Library Business Department. She will speak on “Free Business Resources from the Library”. The "“spotlight”" speaker will be Traci Giganti of Book Crossing. All new and prospective members are encouraged to attend.

There will be no Business Card Exchange in January… rather plan to attend the GBACC Awards Dinner on January 25th at the Hollow Creek Country Club. Invitations are in the mail. See GBACC News below for more information.

Monthly membership meetings will be held on the first Wednesday of the month at the Green Country Inn, 620 Souder Road, unless otherwise designated. Please note: January meeting is at the Brunswick Library. The meeting will alternate between morning meetings and evening meetings. See the home page for the schedule

GBACC Membership dues are due for 2007. If you have not yet paid yours, please mail to: GBACC, P.O. Box 192, Brunswick, MD 21716. Please make out your $85.00 check for regular membership, or $35.00 for non-profit to GBACC. If you cannot attend a meeting soon then request your GBACC window decal be sent to you.

All minutes to all meetings in December are posted on the GBACC web site under Meeting Minutes. www.gbacc.net

GBACC NEWS:

Exciting news was announced at the General Business Meeting on Wednesday, December 6th. David Smith, GBACC Vice-President for 2007, told the members present that plans are made to have a Gala Dinner at Hollow Creek Country Club 6:00 pm on January 25th. Delegate Rick Weldon will be a speaker, along with Rick Adams, President and CEO of the Frederick Chamber of Commerce. Join us for an elegant buffet dinner, cash bar, awards, dancing and guest speakers. GBACC Members, guests and special invitees $30.00 per person or you can reserve an entire table of 8 people for $240.00. Invitations have been sent to the GBACC Membership; if you have not received an invitation please contact Jerry Knight at 301-834-5774,

We will be alternating the meeting times beginning in January 2007. Odd month meetings will begin at 7:30 am and even months will start at 7:00 pm. January meeting will be 7:30 am and February meeting will be 7:00 pm, and this schedule will continue until the end of 2007. We also wish to have speakers at all of the meetings, so if you know of someone interesting to invite, contact Jerry Knight. A" “Spotlight”" speaker (always a GBACC business person) will be featured at each meeting and be given 3-5 minutes for their presentation.

On December 8th Mary McCormack of Sage Small Business in Jefferson hosted the GBACC Business Card Exchange. She was also having a holiday open house for her regular clients and clients from a new business she is acquiring. Mary went all out for this event…everyone enjoyed the lavish food and drinks. We had more than the usual number of drawings for door prizes. Catherine Breeden of Brunswick Wellness Center had just walked in the door, dropped her card in the basket as the drawing began and “bingo” instant winner. She won a DVD of “The Christmas Story” donated by Sage Small Business. (Cathy with that kind of luck I hope you play the lottery often!) Jeremy Biser of Altitude Home Inspections won a Subway Gift Card and Diane Ellis of Sundance Art and Frame was very happy to receive a $25.00 gift certificate from Trailside Outfitters. Jerry Knight of Cripple Creek Antiques won (second time in two months, what’s happening?) a $25.00 gift certificate to Green Country Inn. I will see you the next time you have Slippery Chicken. Theresa Dodd of Bill’s Auto and Tire won a gift certificate for Outback Steak House and a guest of Mary’s won the gift certificate from Bill’s for an oil change. The drawing continued with Ellis Burruss of Bellwether Printing Ltd winning a gift card from B&B Bagel and Breads, Bill Sims of Antiques N’ Ole Stuff getting a centerpiece from CM Bloomers and Lee Ware, a guest of Mary’s, won a tote bag donated by Gail Pearrell of F&M Bank. Other drawings were held with gifts donated by other business not in GBACC, and were won by guests of Mary’s. It certainly was a night to win door prizes and we certainly thank Mary and all the others involved in putting on this great holiday event!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:

January is the only month we do not have a GBACC member on file for a birthday. If yours is this month, let me know soon. If your name is not mentioned in this column during your birth month please let me know so I can add it to our GBACC Birthday list.

NEWS AROUND TOWN:

Vegas Radio 1520 AM – WTRI. Listen to the “Buddy Rizer Morning Show”. Buddy hosts a show based on great music and shares important information for the local listening area. Buddy will make you feel good about starting your day.

NEWS FROM THE MEMBERSHIP:

January 5th is First Friday in downtown Brunswick. Many stores have extended hours until 9:00 pm. Sundance Art & Frame will have a 20% off sale on all wall art and prints. Stop by the shop at 18 W. Potomac Street for a fun, relaxing evening.Whether you’re shopping or not, stroll down Potomac Street and see the colorful and fun holiday window displays at Sundance and other downtown shops. Owner Diane Ellis wishes every Chamber member and their families a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year!

Per Ellis Burruss of Bellwether Printing:

“The new 44 page Brunswick Area Business Directory is available, so pick up your copy at local businesses. If you are having guests from out of town the Visitors Map of Brunswick and A Walking Tour of Historic Brunswick are also available at local merchants. Old copies of A Driving Tour of Historic Brunswick are still available at Cripple Creek Antiques. There is a $1 donation to the Brunswick Railroad Museum charged for the Driving Tour pamphlet.

Have a safe and Happy New Year!