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2012 Chamber Year in Review
2012 was a great year for the Chamber. We grew to over 430
members and continue to grow and support the business community
of the Waynesville-St. Robert area. Throughout the year the
Chamber hosted many events including ribbon cuttings, ground
breakings, luncheons, the Veterans' Day Parade, kicked off
the Leadership Pulaski County program and our major fundraisers
such as the Taste of Pulaski County and the Polar Meltdown
Chili Cook-off. Click here
to see pictures that highlight the Chamber events of 2012.
The Chamber looks forward to 2013 and wishes all of its members'
safe and happy holidays.
Mark Your Calendars! 2013 Chamber Calendar
of Events
For more information about any of the upcoming Chamber events
click on the name of the event or contact the Chamber office.
January 19th Polar
Meltdown Chili Cook-off (St. Robert Community Center)
from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
January 28th Community
Forum (High School Library) at 6:30 p.m.
February 15th
Community Leadership Awards Banquet (St. Robert Community
Center) at 5:30 p.m.
March 23rd Taste
of Pulaski County and Basket Auction (St. Robert Community
Center) from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
April 11th Tour
of Fort Leonard Wood from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
April 25th Golf Tournament (Fort Leonard Wood Piney
Valley) with a shotgun start at 10 a.m.
April date and time TBA Chamber University - How to
Supervise People & Lead a Team Glenn Shepard Seminar
May 10th
Chick-fil-A Leadercast (Hampton Inn) Time TBA
May 18th The Challenge (Waynesville City Park) Time
TBA
May 29th Eggs
& Issues Lunch (Hampton Inn) at 11:30 a.m.
July 25th Membership
Social (Hampton Inn) at 6 p.m.
August 8th Operation
Workforce Job Fair (St. Robert Community Center) from
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
August 19th to August 23rd Chamber Volunteer Week
August 23rd Chamber Volunteer Luncheon and Pictures
(Hampton Inn) Time TBA
September date TBA Community
Pride Night (Waynesville High School Homecoming Football
Game) 5 p.m.
October 5th Frog
Race (Frogtober Fest in Waynesville) 1 p.m.
November 11th Veterans'
Day Ceremony & Parade (St. Robert) 11 a.m.
November 30th Shop
Small Business Saturday
September to November CHOICES
Program Presentations
September to February Leadership
Pulaski County
2013 Sponsorship Opportunities
Click here
for information on 2013 Sponsorship Opportunities. For more
information on any Chamber event contact the Chamber office
at 573-336-5121 or email
chamber@wsrchamber.com.
2013 Chamber Luncheon Sponsors
The Chamber would like to thank all the businesses who took
part in the Luncheon Sponsorship Drawing. The following is
a list of the 2013 Luncheon Sponsors as drawn during the November
Chamber Luncheon.
January - Mercy Clinic
February - Jones Investment Group
March - Daily Guide
April - Mid Missouri Credit Union
May - Michels Frames and Things
June - Military Police Regimental Association
July - Phelps County Regional Medical Center
August - Waynesville R-VI School District
September - Cable America
October - Ireland Architects
November - Aaron's Sales and Lease
December - Pulaski County Sewer District
Shop Small Business Saturday
Thank you to all of the
local Chamber members that participated in Shop Small Business
Saturday on November 24th. Over 65 businesses in our community
participated! The next Shop Small Business Saturday will be
November 30th, 2013.
2012 "In Your Honor" Veterans' Day Ceremony
& Parade
 The
Chamber would like to thank all of the local organizations
that participated in the parade as well as the members of
the community who came out to celebrate and honor our veterans.
Click here
to see pictures from the Veterans' Day Ceremony and Parade.
The next Veterans' Day Ceremony and Parade will take place
in St. Robert on November 11th, 2013 at 11:00 a.m.
 Leadership
Pulaski County
The first class of Leadership Pulaski County
attended its third session on November 8th. The focus on this
session was government and economic development. The class
toured the Pulaski County Courthouse as well as the city halls
of Waynesville and St. Robert. The afternoon was spent talking
with various representatives from state and federal level
government as well as speakers from economic and workforce
development groups. Click here
to see pictures from the third session. The class looks forward
to its December session which will focus on volunteerism and
community service.
Limited sponsorships are still available. If
you are interested in contributing to the building of community
leaders by becoming a 2012-2013 Leadership Pulaski County
sponsor or would like more information on the program contact
the Chamber office at 573-336-5121 or email info@wsrchamber.com
 2013
Polar Meltdown Chili Cook-off
The Chamber will kick off 2013 with the sixth annual Polar
Meltdown Chili Cook-Off to be held on January 19th at the
St. Robert Community Center from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. An event
the whole family can enjoy, the Polar Chili Cook-off let's
you come in from the cold and let your spirits melt into a
pot of delicious chili served up by one of our hometown chefs!
Admission for this event is $5 (10 and under are free). Tickets
may be purchased in advance through the Chamber office. Limited
tickets will be available at the door.
Chamber members are encouraged to get together a team, enter
the Cook-off, and take part in a spirited competition. Awards
will be presented to the top three teams in both the People's
Choice and Showmanship categories. People's Choice will be
decided by the largest amount of cash donations for their
booth/team. Showmanship will be chosen based on the judge's
impression of overall presentation of theme, demonstrations,
performances, etc. In addition the Judges' Choice Grand Champion
Chili Award will be presented to the judges' pick as best
chili. Finally the Best of Show winner will be determined
by a combination of the judges' votes and the People's Choice
votes. The Best of Show winner will receive a special recognition,
free booth and first choice of booth space for the 2014 cook-off.
All funds rasied from the People's Choice votes will be used
for the Right Choice Scholarship fund.
Teams will be made of no more than six members while individual
teams will be made of no more than three members. All competitors
will be expected to follow the rules and regulations set forth
by the Chamber of Commerce and Pulaski County Health Department.
The entry fee for this event is $75 per business team, $50
non-profit team, $25 per individual and the deadline to
enter is January 4th. A late entry fee of $100 per business
team, $75 non-profit team, and $50 per individual will apply
to all entrants after that date. For an additional $15 teams
that pre-register can take advantage of the Early Bird Selection
and pick their booth's location at the event. Booths are 8'x10',
include two 110 electric power receptacles (average 10 amps
per outlet) and will be decorated by each team.
If cooking isn't your cup of tea there are also event sponsorships
available beginning with the Spicy level that includes an
ad in the event's printed tab, your business or organization's
name listed on event flier and in all press releases, not
to mention a table at event for $500. The Hot level includes
an ad in the event's printed tab, your business or organization's
name listed on event flier and in all press releases for $250.
Finally there is the Mild level which gives your business
or organization an ad in the event's printed tab for $100.
The Polar Meltdown Chili Cook-off is sure to offer some great
food so come out and enjoy an afternoon of fun and excitement
at the fifth annual Polar Meltdown Chili Cook-off where the
only chill you'll feel is a spicy one!
If you are interested in sponsoring this event, registering
a team or more information contact the Chamber office at 573-336-5121.
For rules and entry form click here.
Character Word of the Month -
Beginning in November the Chamber is partnering with the
Waynesville School District in promoting their character word
of the month. Each month a character word is chosen to be
the focus of character development. The Chamber is encouraging
its members to apply this word within their business each
month. Businesses can put up a sign or put the word on their
marquis as well as encourage employees to focus on what the
character word means to them.
The character word for December is:
Love/Caring means to be concerned or solicitous; have thought
or regard; to be concerned or have a special preference; to
make provision or look out; to have an inclination, liking,
fondness, or affection; to feel concern about; or to wish,
desire, like.
What does love/caring mean to you,
your business, and the community?
 Chamber
Business Showcase
On the 30th of November the Chamber Surprise
Patrol visited two Chamber member businesses to recognize
them as the Chamber new Business Showcase member recognition
program recipients for December. The December Business Showcase
recipients are Beasley's Heating and Cooling and Cable America.
The Surprise Patrol visited both businesses and dropped off
a special sign that will be displayed throughout the month.
Business Showcase recipients are drawn each month. The Surprise
Patrol will be out again in January to recognize the next
recipients.
Meet Your Chamber Board
 Board
member, Carey Heitman has worked with State Farm Insurance
Companies since 1999 and has run his own State Farm office
since 2004. His favorite thing about the Chamber is the social
events and lunches. Carey thinks they are, "a great time
to meet with new and existing business associates. I find
it extremely beneficial to find out what is going on in their
world as well as how the local economy is influencing our
community." Something you might not know about Carey
is that along with his State Farm office, he also runs a farm
just east of town.
2012-2013 Chamber Board of Directors
 Chamber
Membership E-Plaque
The Chamber would like to introduce the new
E-plaque now available to members. This plaque may be placed
on your business web site or social media page to increase
your credibility through the recognition of Chamber membership.
E-mail info@wsrchamber.com
for the web site code and instructions to add the new Chamber
Membership E-plaque to your company web site.
 Bridging
Members Program
The Waynesville-St. Robert Chamber of Commerce
is excited to announce a new membership benefit aimed at bridging
our members and supporting our local community.
Beginning in April of 2011 Chamber members are encouraged
to report to us when they visit another member's establishment.
At the end of the month the member with the most visits will
have the opportunity to have a video posted to our web site...FREE!
This only works if you're honest about who you're doing business
with and remember EVERY VISIT COUNTS! Just follow this link,
bookmark the page, and remember to let us know about your
visits! For more information about this program call the Chamber
office at 573-336-5121.
Click here
to log in your visits now!
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Greetings
everybody! The end of the year is upon us and as we all
start getting ready for the Holidays and Christmas, let
us all be in the true meaning of Christmas. We are very
fortunate to live in a community with so many wonderful
people. The many expressions of kindness that are shown
throughout the year by so many, truly tells by our actions
of what a caring and giving community that we have. Please
remember our military serving away from home to protect
our freedoms. They are the very reason that when we go to
sleep at night, we do so worry free. 
The
community has many holiday events to put you in the spirit
and provide quality family time. As always we promote shopping
locally during the holiday season. The Shop Small Business
Saturday event was successful for our community and we look
forward to promoting our small businesses on a national
level again next year. 
The
end of 2012 is getting closer and everyone is interested if
we "fall off the cliff"! The political football
of raising taxes and raising revenues is being debated in
Washington DC. Municipalities fund their budgets through a
variety of revenue sources including sales tax, property tax,
local income tax, excise tax, fees, licenses and revenue from
providing services such as trash collection. No one wants
to raise taxes. Everyone wants job creation and job growth.
The shortest path to creating jobs in any community is by
helping local businesses and entrepreneurs. Every community
has entrepreneurs that have the motivation, potential, and
desire. The Pulaski County Growth has supported the Entrepreneurs
Club this past year and will continue to do so in 2013. Study
after study has shown the "multiplier effect" of
job creation on community revenue growth. Each new job has
a positive impact on the community's tax revenues, fees, and
service revenue. The State of Missouri has an "IDEA Program
". The State has funds that promote the formation and
growth of businesses that engage in the transfer of science
and technology. There are four funds that maybe utilized:
Tech Launch, Seed Capital Co-Investment, Venture Capital,
and High Tech Industrial Expansion. I am a board member of
the Meramec Regional Development Corporation. This board makes
decisions on SBA 504 Loans, and they have a revolving loan
fund that may provide gap financing. At our E-Club meetings
we have mentors that have experience and contacts and are
very willingly to help. I encourage anyone wanting to start
a new business or expand your business to attend an E-Club
meeting or contact me at 
NOTES
FROM THE ROUBIDOUX
