Thanks to our Sponsors who made Hometown Heroes possible:
Presenting and
Commander-in-Chief Sponsor:
A-C-T Environmental and Infrastructure
30 Years of Service!

General & Admiral Sponsor:
BayCare Bartow Regional Medical Center
PalletOne, Inc.
Thunder Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram
Colonel & Captain Sponsors:
American Legion Post #3
Mosaic
Lieutenant Colonel & Commander Sponsors:
Representative Ben Albritton
ASHLAND
Bartow Community Healthcare Foundation, Inc.
Citizens Bank & Trust
City of Bartow
D-TECH Business Solutions
Kelley Buick GMC
Lieutenant Sponsors:
Center State Bank
Marco’s Pizza
MidFlorida Credit Union
Operation Outdoor Freedom
Tindale Oliver
Contributors:
American Legion Auxilliary
WBF / FM102.9
and thanks to the Summerlin Academy Cadets - our official servers for the event.

Free TEXT ME!

Chamber Members:
We are offering a new feature of your membership, absolutely free to you! If you would like to get a text message about upcoming events, call or email Barbara Adamson, Chamber Membership Services Director, today! barbara@bartowchamber.com or 863-533-7125.

Mark Your Calendars!
Diversity Luncheon has been moved to Tuesday, December 5, 2017, doors open at Bartow Civic Center at 11:30 a.m. Hope to see you there!

ROI ALERT TO ALL MEMBERS!
We've established a new perk to your membership. Now, as a member of the Greater Bartow Chamber of Commerce, you may include a promotional item for your business in the HELLO BARTOW! welcome baskets for new residents. PARTICIPATION IS FREE OF CHARGE! If you are interested, contact Barbara Adamson, Membership Director, (863) 533-7125, or reply to this email.

YOU MUST PRE-REGISTER TO ATTEND! SEATING IS LIMITED.
MEMBER PERK FOR YOU OR YOUR EMPLOYEES:
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY
 

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Clint Edwards, President
Emily Spath Clark, Incoming President
   Spath Jewelers
Jennifer Hall, Immediate Past President
    SEMCO Construction

Want to find a retail or service business? Click here.

Left to right: Evolve Office Manager Jillian Pittman Bustos with Owners Joe F Bustos and Chase-Robin Stevens; and Chamber Membership Services Director Barbara Adamson.

NOVEMBER Chamber Business of the Month:

Evolve Professional Landscape Management

Commercial & Residential Landscaping, Lawn Care, Sod, Irrigation, Tree Services, Concrete
897 E. Lemon Street, Bartow, FL
Phone: (877) 585-1007
www.evolveyourlawn.com

Evolve Professional Landscape Management is Central Florida’s premier landscape design and maintenance company.
Evolve owners / staff realize that the way the landscaping surrounding your home or business looks, is the first impression many visitors and clients get when they come to visit you. Because of this, they are able to design, install and maintain your grounds for long-term success.
 

WANT TO FIND OUT HOW TO BECOME
THE BUSINESS OF THE MONTH?
Contact Barbara Adamson, Membership Services,
863-533-7125 or email
barbara@bartowchamber.com

BARTOW CHURCH SERVICE CENTER'S
HOLIDAY FOOD DRIVE ONGOING
495 East Summerlin Street
Bartow, FL 33830
863-533-5822

The Church Service Center provides emergency services year-round for the needy in Bartow and Bartow school district, in addition to furnishing Holiday food baskets to families.

Due to the major impact to our area from Hurricane Irma, we anticipate the need to be greater this year than ever before.

Please consider conducting a Holiday food drive at your place of business - non perishable food items and canned goods are typically collected through the holiday season and used for filling the holiday baskets or stocking the shelves for future aid.

We will also accept monetary donations. Monetary donations may be matched dollar for dollar if checks are made payable to Bartow Community Healthcare Foundation, Inc. Make sure you put "Church Service Center match" in the memo line. The collections can begin now for the holiday season.
 
Call for more information, or for pickup of donations, if needed: Rusty Music, (863) 533-5822, Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

Thank you for your consideration! Registration #SC-00167

Board of County Commissioners Chair Melony Bell visits with 102-year-old Armand Meade, a World War II Veteran, during the Hometown Heroes event at the Bartow Civic Center last Friday. The event was presented by A-C-T Environmental and Infrastructure.

VETERANS AND THEIR GUESTS were invited to a community event honoring them on Friday, November 10, 2017!
By Steve Steiner

     As time progresses, the ranks of those who served during World War II, the Korean Conflict (also termed the Korean War), and Vietnam grow smaller.

     Nevertheless, turnout for this year's annual Hometown Heroes Appreciation Luncheon was such that nearly every table set up for the event was filled with those who served, along with spouses, family members and those in the community who wished to honor those who put love and dedication of country before anything else.

     Once more, S.L. Frisbie served as emcee and shepharded the event in the crisp, no-nonsenses manner for which the U.S. Military is renown.

    This year's invocation, given by CSM (Ret.) Harvey J. Lester, was particularly poignant, asking for God's love and protection, given today's state of affairs, nationwide and across the globe where U.S. Soldiers risk their lives every day.

     Prior to lunch presentations on the significance of the POW table, as well as the history of the Purple Heart, also signified by a table, were explained by Lt. Col. James R. Jones and SFC. (Ret.) Lloyd Harris, respectively.

     Following the serving of lunch, Frisbie introduced this year's keynote speaker, the Hon. Judge (Ret.) Oliver L. Green Jr., who held forth on his experiences serving in Korea at the height of the Korean Conflict.

     In his delivery he spoke of his regard for the enemy, the Chinese Army. It was with begrudging respect, but with no personal animus toward the enemy. At a later point in his presentation he expressed how he wish there was a way for him to get in touch with the families of the enemy soldiers he had killed in combat and let them know their sons and brothers died gallantly.

     Green himself was seriously injured in combat and over the next several years underwent 11 major surgeries.

     He later introduced Dr. Shin, of Lakeland, a native of North Korea who, at age 13, was evacuated to South Korea, along with a brother and his father. In doing so, Shin was separated from the female members of the family and it would be decades before he finally obtained a visa from the People's Republic of North Korea and was able to see his aged mother.

     Shin spoke how, while he worked on a U.S. Military base in South Korea that he impressed an officer. That officer put him in touch with a businessman in Indiana. Eventually, Shin was able to enter the U.S., and attended Illinois University. Eventually he earned bachelor, masters and Ph.D degrees in economics.

     Shin was grateful for the privilege being allowed to emigrate to the U.S., where today he is the owner of one of the top golf and country clubs in Polk Count.

     He closed his presentation by thanking Green for their friendship, which resulted from a time when Shin's golf and country club hosted a Veteran's Day reception.

     Following a closing benediction by Lester, taps was performed by Michael Blauvelt.

Plumbing
TRUE BUILDERS/TRUE PLUMBERS
Cassandra Fridovich
4000 N. Frontage Rd.
Plant City, FL 33565
(863) 647-1800

Computer Services
AFFORDABLE COMPUTER GEEKS
Mark Stone
410 Cypress Gardens Blvd.
Winter Haven, FL 33880
(863) 294-4335
website here

Dance Studios
LEGACY DANCE STUDIO LLC
Amanda Cabanas
325 N. Fleetwood Ave.
Bartow, FL 33830
(863) 698-1440

Retail - Natural Wood Creations
MAJOR WOOD ART PRODUCTIONS
Major P. Gladden
University Park, FL 34201
(941) 360-9324

Employment/Staffing
EXPRESS EMPLOYMENT PROFESSIONALS
Mike Carew
1805 US Hwy 98 S.
Lakeland, FL 33801
(863) 860-8200
website here
 

Howe Wallace On 'Servant Leadership'

Engage/Bartow Chamber Young Professionals presents an up-close and personal chat with one of the area’s most accomplished community leaders. Howe Wallace is the CEO of PalletOne, one of America’s largest  pallet manufacturers. This session will give participants a chance to reflect on new and creative ways to achieve professional leadership goals based on the best practices from one of the area’s most respected business professionals. After a short presentation, participants will have the opportunity to ask questions in a round-table format. Don’t miss this great opportunity for professional growth!  

Location:
Florida Industrial and Phosphate Research Institute Community Room
1855 West Main Street, Bartow

Date, Time
Friday, November 17, 2017, 11:45 a.m.- 1:00 p.m.

Cost: Free, Including Lunch!
Pre-registration is required! Register Online here.

(All meetings are in the Chamber Boardroom unless otherwise noted.)

Thursday, November 16
Health and Human Services Day
Leadership Bartow XVII

Thursday, November 16, 5:00 p.m.
BayCare Bartow Regional Medical Center
Fun Thursday

Friday, November 17, 11:30 a.m.
Lunch and Learn with Howe Wallace
"Servant Leadership"
FIPR Community Room

Friday, November 17, 6:00 p.m.
FRIDAY FEST: Magic on Main
Downtown Bartow

Tuesday, November 21, 3:45 / 4:00 p.m.
Executive Committee / Board of Directors

UNITY DAY FESTIVAL on December 9, will celebrate our diversity at Mosaic Park Bandshell from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Food vendors, music and community fun will be featured. FREE to attend. Hope to see you there!   VENDORS WELCOME, APPLICATION HERE!

If you'd like to join the COMMUNITY CHOIR, contact Jenny Heidtman at the number below:

Jenny Heidtman
Artistic Director
The Orpheum Theatre
335 East Main Street 
Bartow, FL 33830
863-533-6774