Columbia County Chamber of Commerce
Forward to a Friend Unsubscribe Contact Us
Columbia County Chamber of Commerce

June e-newsletter

Chamber News

Chamber Announces Nominees for Excellence in Business Awards
Join us to celebrate business excellence in Columbia County at the Excellence in Business Awards and Showcase on Thursday, June 12 at Columbia-Greene Community College. The event will feature awards given to local businesses for five different areas of achievement.  The 2008 ceremony will include awards for Community Service, Most Promising New Business, Business Person of the Year, Small Company of the Year and Large Company of the Year.  The Business Showcase will be held from 5:00 to 6:30 pm and the awards ceremony from 6:30 to 7:00 pm.  Event sponsors will be able to showcase their business with a table top exhibit from 5:00 to 6:30 pm in the Professional Academic Building on the college's campus.  Attendees will also enjoy wonderful hors d'oeuvres and beverages during the business showcase.  Please click here to view the nominees for the 2008 Awards.
Leadership Columbia County Now Accepting Applications for 2008-09 Class
Leadership Columbia County is looking for candidates for the Class of 2008-09.  The Chamber Board feels Leadership Columbia County is vital to building strong future leaders that will work in the best interest of the community.  This newly enhanced program includes some of the most popular historical components, but also features new cutting edge speakers, topics and host locations. The program brings together a diverse group of professionals from financial services, education, healthcare, the arts, community organizations, government and other sectors.  We encourage all Columbia County businesses to consider sending an applicant to the program for the 2008-09 class.   Please click here for an application.
Best in Show Public Art Project Kicks Off on July 4, 2008
Dog lovers, artists and the general public will have the opportunity to get a glimpse of what's to come for Best in Show 2008.  A sampling of the fiberglass handpainted dogs will be on display during the Hudson Flag Day Parade on Saturday, June 14.  Come and catch a view of them before they are officially installed on the streets of Hudson for July 4th weekend.  The official opening ceremony will take place on Thursday, July 3 in front of City Hall at 11:00 am.  The public art project, the first of its kind in Columbia County will feature over 60 handpainted dogs on Warren Street, Hudson's Main Business District.  Best in Show is being organized by the Columbia County Chamber and the Columbia County Council on the Arts and is supported by over 60 businesses in the County.  Please click here for more information.
9th Annual Agricultural Awareness Tour - June 21, 2008
We invite you to join us to explore agriculture in Columbia County on the 9th annual Agricultural Awareness Tour on Saturday, June 21.  The tour will depart at 10:00 am from the Columbia County Fairgrounds and return at 1:00 pm for lunch.  The tour is open to Chamber members and the public.  In addition to a back roads tour of the county, participants will get an in-depth look into Roxbury Farm, Gumaer Farms and Golden Harvest Farm.  The cost is $15 and includes coach bus tour transportation and a "box lunch" of local products .   Please click here for more information.
Chamber Night Out at the Mac-Haydn Theatre - June 20, 2008
Join us as the Mac-Haydn Theatre hosts the first Chamber Member Night Out on Friday, June 20.  The Mac-Haydn Theatre is pleased to welcome Chamber members to their Ruby Jubilee 40th Anniversary Season.  Mac-Haydn is the cornerstone of culture in Columbia County, and this is the 40th summer since the exciting venture of a musical theatre in Chatham first began.  You are invited to share the celebration at a performance of Chorus Line, one of the most requested shows in the season's schedule.  A private reception with the stars is available for Chamber members at 7:00 pm and the show begins at 8:00 pm.  Tickets will be discounted to $15, so be sure to mention you're a Chamber member!  Please click here for more information.
Tri-City Valley Cats Chamber Night - July 10, 2008
The Tri-City Valley Cats are back for the summer and we want you to join us for Chamber Night on Thursday, July 10 at Joe Bruno Stadium.  Enjoy an action packed evening, along with a picnic dinner and fireworks after the game! Tickets are only $18 for adults and $15 for children 12 and under.  This is a great way to reward your employees and network with other businesses in a fun and relaxed atmosphere.  Please click here for more information.
Martin Van Buren Business After Hours - July 23, 2008
Martin Van Buren National Historic Site and the Friends of Lindenwald will host a Business After Hours on Wednesday, July 23 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm.  The mission of Martin Van Buren National Historic Site is to preserve Lindenwald, the home and farm of the nation's eighth president.  Lindenwald appears as it did when Martin Van Buren lived; it provides an aesthetically pleasing resource which is intimately and tangibly related to his life.  Views of the interior of Lindenwald will be provided during the After Hours.  Business After Hours' offer excellent networking opportunities for area business people. All members of the business community are invited to attend this business event. Martin Van Buren is located on Route 9H in Kinderhook.  Please click here for more information.
B.E.S.T. Education Program Graduates Local Students

The Columbia and Greene County Chambers of Commerce are pleased to announce that 54 students from Columbia and Greene Counties received the B.E.S.T. Program Certificate of Employability for completing the program based upon the guidelines provided to each school. Twenty-seven students from Questar, thirteen students from Catskill and fourteen students from Taconic Hills received the certificate. The students were honored in a ceremony on May 28 at Columbia-Greene Community College.  The Columbia-Greene B.E.S.T., Business Employment Standards Transition Program certifies the work readiness of students so that when they apply for local employment or admission to college they can easily demonstrate that they have the skills, behaviors and knowledge necessary in the workplace and/or college.  The B.E.S.T. Certificate is based on standards set by local area businesses.  Please click for more information.

2008 Sponsorship Opportunities
The Chamber is pleased to announce creative ways to promote your business in 2008.  Don't miss this opportunity to promote your company to the Columbia County business community.  Event sponsorship enables us to provide high quality programming for our members and promotion for your business. Click here for a 2008 Sponsorship Form.
Promote Your Business in the July 2008 Chamber Connection Mailing
Are you looking for new connections?  The Chamber Connection is a great way to promote your business to over 1,000 Chamber members for only a $150.  Promote your business this spring and get a great return of your investment.  The next mailing will go out in July 2008.  The deadline for materials is June 15. Please contact the Chamber if you are interested in promoting your business.
Chamber Stats
During the month of May the Chamber answered 550 phone calls, sent out 10 relocation guides and welcomed over 200 members to events.  The Chamber website was visited over 16,634 times or an average of 536 times daily. For more information about your Chamber of Commerce contact the staff at mail@columbiachamber-ny.com.

Ribbon Cuttings

Sunday, June 8 at 12:00 pm
Round Top Animal Hospital
168 Round Top Road
Germantown, NY 12526

Friday, June 13, 2008 at 11:00 am

Omnia Nouveaux

238 Warren Street
Hudson, NY 12534

Friday, June 20 at 4:30 pm
AT&T (formerly CellularOne)
160 Fairview Avenue
Hudson, NY 12534

 

Member News

Rapp Construction Management and Claverack Housing Venture, owned by Joseph Rapp recently announced that they have registered with the United States Green Building Council and have been accepted into the LEED for Homes program for their new sustainable residential community in Claverack.  They are pursuing LEED certification for all built at the region's first-ever green community, The Stewardship at Millbrook Road, a 235-acre residential community.  LEED for Homes is a rating system to ensure that homes are designed and built to be energy and resource efficient and healthy for occupants.   For more about Rapp Construction Management call (518) 828-2269 or visit their website at www.rappcm.com.

The Hudson Opera House will feature Uncle Rock (aka Robert Burke Warren) on Saturday, June 7 at 11:00 am. Uncle Rock uses music as a means of bringing folks young and old together.  His interactive performances will have everyone dancing.  He delivers plenty of celebratory, goofy singalongs, but the material doesn't shy away from shadowy elements of life, often showing how music can help one to face the dragon in the closet.  Admission is free.  For more information about the Hudson Opera House call (518) 822-1438 or visit their website at www.hudsonoperahouse.org.

Hudson Chiropractic will feature the next mini-series of wellness seminars on Wednesday, June 11 from 6:30 to 8:00 pm. This month - Dr. Rick Madden returns to help us all "Sleep Better!"  He will be discussing INSOMNIA.  If you are having trouble sleeping, can't stay asleep at night, wake up frequently, are stressed before you go to sleep, then this information is important for you.  Dr. Madden has proven techniques from Harvard Medical School and will be presenting techniques you can take home with you that night and put to work.  For reservations or more information about Hudson Chiropractic call (518) 828-2133 or by email at hudsonchiro@yahoo.com .

Kinderhook Bank is pleased to announce the appointment of Joseph T. Mahon to the position of Assistant Vice President of Commercial Loans.  Mahon brings nearly 20 years of banking experience to the Columbia County headquartered bank.  Kinderhook Bank has four full-service offices in Columbia County and a full-service office in East Greenbush.  For more information about Kinderhook Bank call (518) 758-7101 or visit their website at www.nubk.com.

The Columbia-Greene Diabetes Coalition a program of the Healthcare Consortium will host the third in the four part series of Live cooking demonstrations on Friday, June 6 session at the Greene County Office Building in Catskill from 3:00 to 4:00 pm.  There is no charge to attend the demonstrations and refreshments will be served.  Guy Loughran from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Greene County will prepare the nutritional foods that are recommended healthy eating for individuals with diabetes.  For more information about the Healthcare Consortium. call (518) 822-9600 or visit their website at www.columbiahealthnet.org.

The Hudson Area Association Library is hosting its second "Let's Talk About It - Jewish Literature" scholar-led reading discussion series on Tuesday evenings at 5:00 pm starting on June 17.  The series is titled, "Neighbors -The World Next Door".  Dr Peter Heinegg, professor of English at Union College will lead five lively discussions. Books are available at the Hudson Library for check out.  For more information about Hudson Area Association Library call (518) 828-1792 or visit their website at www.hudson.lib.ny.us.

Walking the dog Theater will present the modern comedy "The Owl and The Pussycat", June 26 through July 20 at Walking the dog Theater/Basilica Industria in Hudson.  The story follows the unusual relationship of a prostitute/aspiring actress and an uptight wannabe writer as they, against their better judgment, fall in love.  For more information about Walking the dog Theater call (518) 610-0909 or visit their website at www.wtdtheater.org.

Bezalel Gables Fine Catering and Events invites gourmands, would-be chefs or anyone interested in learning a few kitchen secrets from the experts to spend a day cooking with their chefs for a fundraising event to benefit Habitat for Humanity's Women Build project.  The July 12 fundraiser is limited to 10 participants and runs from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.  For a donation of $150, participants will spend the day with Chef David Robinson and his sous chef, Kelly Silliman. The chefs will give a hands-on lesson in how to prepare a gourmet lunch.  After lunch they will present another hands-on lesson about dessert making.  For more information about this event contact Bezalel Gables at (518) 392-0474 or visit their website at www.bezalelgables.com.

Community Events

Clermont State Historic Site will feature the annual Hudson Bush Plant Sale & Exchange on Saturday, June 7 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.  The event attracts 30 vendors and 2,000 garden enthusiasts a year.  In keeping with the style of the Garden Sale Founders the vendors offer a wide selection of heritage and contemporary plant material, much of it locally grown.  For more information about Clermont State Historic Site call (518) 537-6622 or visit their website at www.friendsofclermont.org.

World of Dance located in Hudson is pleased to announce the 1st annual "Just Dance" production on Sunday, June 8 at Taconic Hills Performing Arts Center.  World of Dance offers hip-hop, jazz & tap all in one class session for ages 3 and up.  The show filled with tap, jazz, lyrical and hip-hop begins at 1:00 pm.  Suggested ticket donation is $5 and tickets are available at the door.  All proceeds of the production will be donated to the Taconic Hills School District.  For more information about World of Dance call (518) 822-1228 or visit their website at www.worldofdancestudios.com.

The popular Cabaret in the Country series returns to Spencertown Academy Arts Center this summer with an exciting line-up of European cabaret.  Spencertown Academy's Cabaret in the Country showcases the best in cabaret entertainment in a relaxed and intimate setting with cabaret-style seating and refreshments available.  The June 28 performance will feature Marni Rice.  Rice is a chanteuse, theater artist and accordionist whose repertoire includes vintage French Chansons, Euro Arts songs from the 1920's-40's music.  The doors open at 6:00 pm and the performance begins at 6:30 pm.  For more information about Spencertown Academy Arts Center call (518) 392-3693 or visit their website at www.spencertownacademy.org.

Check out the Chamber's Ten Things To Do This Month in Columbia County on the homepage at www.columbiachamber-ny.com.  If you would like to add an event to the July list, please contact Cheryl Meenagh at cmeenagh@columbiachamber-ny.com.

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

 
June and July Chamber Events

June Events
Excellence in Business Awards and Showcase
June 12

5:00 - 6:30 pm - Business Showcase
6:30 - 7:00 pm - Awards Ceremony

Columbia-Greene Community College
Professional Academic Building

4400 Route 23, Hudson
The cost is $10 in advance or $15 at the door.

9th Annual Agricultural Awareness Tour, June 21

Tour departs from Columbia County Fairgrounds at 10:00 am and returns at 1:00 pm
The cost is $15 and includes coach bus transportation and boxed lunch of local products.
Reservations are required by June 16.



Click here to view the 2008 Chamber Calendar.

July Events
Chamber Night at the Tri-City Valley Cats, July 10

Fireworks display after the game!

5:30 - Picnic area opens
7:00 pm - Game starts

Joe Bruno Stadium, Troy
Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for children.

Business After Hours, July 23

5:00 to 7:00 pm
Martin Van Buren National Historic Site
Route 9H, Kinderhook
Reservations are not required, but appreciated.



 

 
 ALL CONTENT HEREIN COPYRIGHT © 2005 COLUMBIA COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE