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3 Business Links · HALTON HILLS · Tuesday, January 17, 2012 Our Chamber: 100 Years and Counting! I t is so refreshing to turn to a pristine new calendar each January. The year seems full of opportunities and potential and often doesn't yet reflect our busy lives. By this time I am sure you have broken your personal resolutions so it is the perfect time to focus on your business - whether you are an employee, executive or owner. We have all heard the predictions for 2012 and it is not going to A Quarterly Official Publication of Halton Hills Chamber of Commerce 328 Guelph Street, Halton Hills, ON L7G 4B5 Tel 905.877.7119 Fax 905.877.5117 Email info@haltonhillschamber.on.ca www.haltonhillschamber.on.ca EDITORIAL COMMITTEE EDITOR: Cor Baarda, Knowledge Management 905.702.0926 Writers: Tracey Wellon TY Virtual Assistant 416.895.9949 Sue Walker, Halton Hills Chamber of Commerce 905.877.7119 Wendy Hue, Partners In Progress 905.877.2183 Andrea Lefebvre The Independent & Free Press 905.873.0301 Tiziana Manierka Studio Fourteen 905.877.9828 Book Review: Beverley King, Halton Hills Public Libraries 905.873.2681 PRODUCTION & PRINTING The Independent & Free Press Steve Foreman, General Manager Dolores Black, Production BusinessLink is the official publication of Halton Hills Chamber of Commerce. Unsolicited material is not eligible for payment. Opinions expressed are those of the author, not necessarily those of the Chamber, its Board of Directors or its membership. It is distributed free to all Chamber members and through The Independent & Free Press. be easy so let's work together to ensure our community stays strong. Spend your money in Halton Hills. Commit to shopping locally. Remember that this Kathleen will ensure local Dills employment and keep Chairman our community financially viable. The Halton Hills Chamber of Commerce will be celebrating 100 years in 2012. I was scanning the headlines in the Acton Free Press and the Georgetown Herald to gain some perspective as to how far we have come as a business community. Both papers have lots of ads for every kind of goods and services you can think of, from Diamond Rings from A. B. Wilson to Scranton Coal from John Ballantine, because the newspaper was the only way of communicating to prospective clients. Can you imagine what a business person from 1912 would think if they were blasted into our world of debit cards and advertising through Facebook and Twitter. 1912 - the year the Titanic sank, China became a republic, the first year of the Calgary Stampede. My grandfather was three years into his apprenticeship with the Acton Free Press making $2.50 per week. Part of his job was to "be there to light the fire not later than 6:30 a.m., so as to have steam up and the office warm by seven o'clock". His memorandum of apprenticeship also states that he promised and agreed to "not use Tobacco in any form, nor intoxicating liquor as a beverage, either in the office or out of it; that I will be honest, truthful and straightforward, and will endeavor to act the part of a gentleman, wherever I may be." As you reflect on the past 100 years and how business has changed take the time to recognize a business or individual who has made an impact on you by nominating them for the Halton Hills Business Achievement Awards. The categories are Business of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, Employee of the Year and Civic Pride/Green Business of the Year. It is a huge honour to be nominated and I am sure you know of many worthy candidates. See our website for details on how to do this. I look forward to seeing you at some of the upcoming events that the Chamber is hosting including the Taste of the Chamber on February 7 at the BLUE SPRINGS Golf Club. This is a great chance to enjoy the fare of our local businesses at a really fun event. For more information about this and other events check our website www.haltonhillschamber.on.ca. As the voice of business, the Halton Hills Chamber of Commerce would like to hear from you. Please send your comments to me via email at kathleen@haltonhillschamber.on.ca. "Taste of the Chamber" ooking for "Good Eats"? Your search must take you to BLUE SPRINGS Golf Course on February 7, 2012, for the second annual Taste of the Chamber. Building on the success of last year, local restaurants and food suppliers will tempt you with a wide variety of food and beverages. The show is for producers, distributors, retailers, restaurants and other local end-users to showcase new products to other local businesses and the general public. Guests are encouraged to taste and sample a large variety of products in a relaxed setting. L The event will start at 5:00 p.m. and run until 8:00 p.m. Admission is $10, and tickets may be purchased at Halton Hills Chamber of Commerce, 328 Guelph Street, Halton Hills (Georgetown). If you own or operate a food related business, this is a good opportunity to connect with your fellow businesses and the public. Space can be booked by calling Donna Becksted at 905-877-7119. Need to know more? See Upcoming Events at www.haltonhillschamber.on.ca to view a video of last year's show. Chamber volunteers Wendy Farrow-Reed and Cor Baarda accompany this little piggy to the Taste of the Chamber. Photo: In Focus Halton Hills Ashley Melchionna (left) dishes up some delicious lasagna for Chamber Chairman Kathleen Dills. Photo: In Focus Halton Hills Mike Parsons (left) and Tom Edwards from Hungry Hollow Smokehouse served pulled pork and brisket at last year's event. Photo: In Focus Halton Hills