Upcoming Ribbon Cuttings:

Riverview Taxi Inc.

Thursday September 9th at 9:30am

427 Fairview Ave in Greenport 

Riverview Taxi has been selected as the taxi cab service provider for the Hudson Amtrak Station, commencing in September, and they are kicking it off with a Ribbon Cutting celebration and giving away 3 free prizes:  1st prize is a $100 Walmart gift card,   2nd is $50 in free rides and 3rd is free Movie tickets.

They will also be providing free local taxi rides from 8am till 2pm.  

Verizon Wireless

Friday, September 17th at 11:00am

Greenport Commons 

462 Fairview Ave in Greenport

This is to kick off the Grand Opening weekend of the new Verizon Wireless location.  The new store has many unique features and they are anxious to have you see and experience them. 

Community Events

Get ready to BE A KID AGAIN, this year at the 2010 Columbia County Fair! Jam-packed with entertainment and non-stop action. Everyone’s favorite end-of-summer pastime for six sensational days of excitement. Special guests this year include country singer Craig Morgan and 1964 the Tribute (a tribute to The Beatles). The fair runs everyday September 1-6 from 3:00pm to 11:00pm on Wednesday and from 10:00am to 11:00pm on Thursday to Monday. Admission includes parking and ranges from $10 to $12, children 12 and under are admitted free.  Columbia County Fairgrounds, 182 Hudson Avenue, Chatham. For more information call (518) 392-2121 or visit www.columbiafair.com

The Theater Barn in New Lebanon will be hosting their most requested show called The Full Monty from September 1st to 5th. This musical smash hit finds six unemployed steelworkers in Buffalo who devise a bold way to make some cash. They find renewed self esteem, the importance of friendship and the ability to have fun. A real crowd pleaser! The Theater Barn will also be hosting a show called It Had to Be You from September 10th to 26th. In this delightful comedy, a kooky failed actress, health food nut and would-be playwright holds a successful commercial director hostage in her apartment on a snowy Christmas Eve while she pitches both her play and herself. Shows start at 8:00pm and general admission is $24. For more information please call (518) 794-8989 or visit www.theaterbarn.com

Join the BeLo 3rd group for the 2nd Annual Taste of Hudson food festival with over 20 City of Hudson restaurants, caterers, and retail food purveyors. This year’s participants will offer “tastings” of select menu items that highlight the diverse cuisine and dining opportunities in Hudson.  Food lovers can graze their way through appetizers, entrees, gourmet coffee, teas, cheeses and desserts. Tickets are purchased on site the day of the event.  Rain or shine, the event will be held on September 11th under the big tent in the 200 block of Warren Street.  The festival runs from 11:00am until 2:00pm. For more information visit www.belo3rd.com

The Martin Van Buren National Historic Site will be hosting Harvest Day on September 18th from 1:00pm until 5:00pm. Celebrate the importance of agriculture to our eighth president, Martin Van Buren, and its continued importance to Columbia County, New York. Among this year’s events will be milking, butter making, tinsmithing, broom making, wool dying, sheep shearing, horse shoeing, live music, farm animals, story telling, and free horse drawn wagon rides. For more information please call (518) 758-9689 or visit www.nps.gov/mava

Enjoy the final weekend of Taconic Stage's acclaimed production of Noel Coward's timeless English comedy, "Private Lives".  It is light and witty and answers the question, "What could possibly go wrong on our honeymoom?!" The setting of the Lighthouse Marina and restaurant - directly on the lake - is in itself worth the price of admission.  TSC Artistic Director, Carl Ritchie stars - along with an international cast. Dinner begins at 7:00 and the show at 8:00. Friday and Saturday, September 3rd and 4th.  Dinner & Show $40.  Full cash bar.  For reservations call (518) 325-1234.  Or go to www.taconicstage.com.  (AND it is also the final weekend of our production of Alan Bennett's "A Lady of Letters" starring Leda Hodgson at St. John in the Wilderness church in Copake Falls, Saturday & Sunday at 4:00 pm on September 4th and 5th.

Hudson’s Space 360 is Venue for Worldwide Film Festival.  For the fourth year in a row, Space 360, an event and meeting venue in the heart of Hudson will host the prestigious Manhattan Short Film Festival.  Viewers at Space 360 will be in good company, and over 100,000 people on six continents are expected to participate.  Space 360 is just one of three venues in all of  New York State.  Over the course of a week from September 26 through October 2 movie lovers can come in and participate in this 2 hour-long worldwide event voting on their favorite film.  They will watch 10 finalist films, each between five and seven minutes long, and then  vote on their choices for the best. All votes from all over the world are sent in to the Manhattan Short Film Festival headquarters at the end of the week. Winners are announced on Sunday, October 3. In the past quite a few of the choices of the Manhattan Short voters have been films which later appeared in the running for Oscars.   Ticket price is $8 for general admission, $5 for students. For times of the showings or for more information contact Space 360 at (518) 697-3360. 

Member News

NYPA launches statewide advocacy campaign to promote Main Street businesses.  New York Press Association is partnering with the NYS Conference of Mayors and the NYS Economic Development Council to launch a comprehensive statewide advocacy campaign to urge New Yorkers to spend $25 this September 25th with a Main Street business.  Main Street businesses are the heart and soul of communities across New York. These are the businesses that help build strong neighborhoods by sustaining local residents, meeting needs, linking neighbors and supporting local causes. Citizens who support and sustain Main Street are supporting not only local commerce, but also local culture, the environment, and an essential part of the fabric of the community. Newspapers need to remind residents that supporting a community marketplace consisting of dozens of businesses is the best way to ensure diversity, a distinctive flavor, low prices, and prosperity.  Roger Coleman of Hudson Catskill Newspapers is the President of the New York Press Association.  For more information go to:

http://www.newyorkpressassociation.com/25onthe25th.aspx

IMPROVE YOUR BUSINESS WITH THIS FREE MONTHLY MARKETING ENEWSLETTER:  What questions should you ask your potential web designer? How can you improve the effectiveness of your advertising? How can you optimize your LinkedIn profile? These questions and many others can be answered by subscribing to the free enewsletter SHOUT! Tips and Ideas to Promote your Business produced by Trevellyan.biz. Subscribe now and receive suggestions for promoting and improving the image of your business, along with news about Trevellyan.biz, a design, marketing and computer services company located in Chatham.  Trevellyan.biz welcomes your feedback on each issue and looks forward to suggestions for topics to address. Privacy is important to them, so they will never sell, rent,or give your name or address to anyone. You can unsubscribe at any time.

The golf tournament held on August 9th to benefit the Victoria A. Simons Locavore Award raised $5,500 and proved to be a success with ninety nine golfers that played. The money cleared at the event adds to the Locavore Fund at Hudson River Bank & Trust Foundation. The Fund supports an annual prize of $1,000 recognizing outstanding achievement supporting local use of local agricultural products. The inaugural prize which honors 11 nominees for this year’s award will take place at 2pm on the North
Gate Stage at the Columbia County Fair on September 6th. The word Locavore is used to describe and promote the practice of eating a diet consisting of food harvested within a 100-mile area. The Locavore movement encourages people to grow their own food, buy from farmer’s markets, and patronize restaurants caterers and other food preparers that feature local products. Vicki Simons was a strong proponent of Locavore activities as part of her commitment to see greater use of locally produced food and to keep agriculture an integral part of the community experience. As a motive force of Columbia County Bounty she helped bring farmers together with food preparers to facilitate greater, more creative use of local food products. Simons passed away on March 1st following a brief battle with cancer.

Interim HealthCare is offering on-site flu clinics to help you reduce employee illness.  You can offer flu vaccinations right at your business.  Interim HealthCare has provided  flu clinics every year for the past 10 years for any business with  a minimum of 10 participants.  Clinics are scheduled at your  business anywhere in Columbia County.  For more information, please contact Sharon Bellack at  (518)452-3655 or visit our website at  www.Interimhealthcare.com

Join Mid-Hudson Cable in supporting our “Let’s Can Hunger!” FOOD DRIVE!  The problem of hunger in our counties has grown. During the month of September Mid-Hudson is conducting a FOOD DRIVE to benefit Greene & Columbia County food pantries. We’re spreading the word and hoping your business will support this FOOD DRIVE. Feeding the hungry can not be done without you!  We ask that you consider a CASH DONATION. Our neighbors are in need. You can send your donation to Mid-Hudson Cable – FOOD DRIVE, PO Box 399, Catskill, NY  12414.  Any questions please feel free to call 1-800-342-5400 ext. 8150.  Deadline for donations is Thursday, 9/30/2010. There is no substitute for compassion!  Join Mid-Hudson Cable and LET’S CAN HUNGER!

Judith Finley, President of Space 360 Consulting is a highly-experienced Human Resources executive who works with business owners and top-level executives on critical issues related to the recruitment, development, management and retention of an organization’s most valuable asset:  its people.  Judith has held corporate positions and owned and operated her own executive search and executive coaching business for many years prior to moving to Columbia County, NY and founding Space 360 Consulting.  Throughout her career, Judith has worked in partnership with her clients to develop a good understanding of an organization’s industry, history, and culture.  This approach allows her to move beyond transactional assignments and develop HR strategies and structures for an organization that have lasting and tangible value.  Judith’s consulting business is operated from Space 360 at 360 Warren Street in Hudson, NY, which is one of the most distinctive buildings in the historic seat of Columbia County. The classic red brick 1870’s arts and crafts building was rebuilt by Judith.  One of The Capital Region’s premier meeting, conference and training facilities.  The full-service facility houses business meetings, corporate and social events and development and training sessions for organizations throughout the region.  For more information contact Judith at (518) 697-3360.

If you would like to submit information for the member news section please email to akneller@columbiachamber-ny.com.

September Events
County Supervisor's Reception -

September 8
5:00 - 7:00 pm
Club Helsinki
405 Columbia Street, Hudson

Reservations are not required, but appreciated.

Regional Chamber Luncheon with Bruch Piasecki- September 21

Registration is from 11:00 - 11:30

Lunch is 11:30 - 12:00

Program is 12:00 - 1:00.

Cost of the event is $50

Contact the Chamber to Reserve

Business After Hours - September 22
5:00 - 7:00 pm
Kinderhook Bank, Greenport Branch
96 Union Turnpike, Hudson

Reservations are not required, but appreciated.

The State of Healthcare Reform - September 30

Registration 7:30 am

Panel Presentation 8:00 - 9:00 am

Space 360

360 Warren Street, Hudson

There is no cost to attend, but guests are encouraged to call the Chamber to make reservations.

October Events
Business After Hours - October 7
5:00 - 7:00 pm
Art Omi - Visitor's Center
1405 County Route 22, Ghent

Reservations are not required, but appreciated.

Buy Local Business Expo - October 21
4:00 - 7:00 pm
Columbia-Greene Community College
Contact the Chamber for a registration form

Please click here for our 2010 Chamber Calendar.