Chamber Weekly Newsletter


November 7, 2017
"Ask not what your community can do for you, but WHAT can you do for your community"

Sylvester-Worth County Chamber of Commerce

Friendly Reminder. . .

CLICK HERE to visit our new webpage!

Chamber Happenings

 Disaster News        
 Physical and Economic Injury Loans for Small
Businesses
       SBA Disaster Assistance - Field Operations Center East - 101 Marietta Street, NW, Suite 700, Atlanta, GA  30303

Release Date:  Nov. 01                                             
Contact:  Michael Lampton
Release Number: 18-081, GA 15338/15339
Email:  Michael.Lampton@sba.gov
Phone:  (404) 331-0333
                                                                                                                 
SBA Deadline for Georgia Private NonProfit Organizations
To Apply for Physical Damage Disaster Loans is Nov. 27
 
ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration is reminding eligible Private NonProfit (PNP) organizations in Georgia of the Nov. 27 deadline to submit disaster loan applications for physical damages caused by Hurricane Irma on Sept. 7-20, 2017. 
 
PNPs located in the following counties are eligible to apply: Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Baker, Baldwin, Banks, Barrow, Ben Hill, Berrien, Bibb, Brantley, Brooks, Bryan, Bulloch, Burke, Butts, Calhoun, Camden, Candler, Charlton, Chatham, Chattahoochee, Clarke, Clay, Clinch, Coffee, Colquitt, Cook, Coweta, Crawford, Crisp, Dawson, Decatur, DeKalb, Dodge, Dooly, Dougherty, Early, Echols, Effingham, Elbert, Emanuel, Evans, Fayette, Forsyth, Franklin, Gilmer, Glascock, Glynn, Grady, Greene, Gwinnett, Habersham, Hall, Hancock, Haralson, Harris, Hart, Heard, Henry, Houston, Irvin, Jackson, Jasper, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Jones, Lamar, Lanier, Laurens, Lee, Liberty, Lincoln, Long, Lowndes, Lumpkin, Macon, Madison, Marion, McDuffie, McIntosh, Meriwether, Miller, Mitchell, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Newton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Peach, Pickens, Pierce, Pike, Pulaski, Putnam, Quitman, Rabun, Randolph, Rockdale, Schley, Screven, Seminole, Spalding, Stephens, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taliaferro, Tattnall, Taylor, Telfair, Terrell, Thomas, Tift, Toombs, Towns, Treutlen, Troup, Turner, Twiggs, Union, Upson, Walton, Ware, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Webster, Wheeler, White, Wilcox, Wilkinson, Wilkes and Worth in Georgia are eligible to apply.
 
Certain Private NonProfit organizations (PNP) that do not provide critical services of a governmental nature may be eligible to apply for low-interest rate disaster loans.  Examples of eligible non-critical PNP organizations include, but are not limited to, food kitchens, homeless shelters, museums, libraries, community centers, schools and colleges.
 
PNP organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets.  The interest rate is
2.5 percent with terms up to 30 years. Applicants may be eligible for a loan amount increase up to 20 percent of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA for mitigation purposes.  Eligible mitigation improvements may now include a safe room or storm shelter to help protect property and occupants from future damage caused by a similar disaster.
 
The SBA also offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs, such as ongoing operating expenses to PNP organizations.  Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance is available regardless of whether the organization suffered any physical property damage.
 
PNP organizations are urged to contact their County’s Emergency Manager for information about their organization.  The information will be submitted to FEMA to determine eligibility for a Public Assistance grant or whether the PNP should be referred to SBA for disaster loan assistance.
 
 
Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.
 
Additional information on the SBA disaster loan program and application process can be obtained by calling SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) or by sending an email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.  Loan applications can be downloaded from www.sba.gov.  Completed applications should be returned to a recovery center or mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.  For more information about SBA recovery assistance, visit www.sba.gov/disaster.
 
The filing deadline to submit applications for physical property damage is Nov. 27, 2017The deadline to submit economic injury applications is June 28, 2018.
 
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For more information about the SBA’s Disaster Loan Program, visit our website at www.sba.gov/disaster.
 

Chamber Spotlight


The Chamber Education Committee, in conjunction with WCHS, puts grant received from the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education to work by encouraging 9th grade students to graduate. 

On Friday, September 8, 2017, Worth County High School 9th grade students participated in a special tradition.  The annual 9th Grade Pinning Ceremony is a time for students to hear words of encouragement from guest speakers and administration, and sign a solid white graduation gown with their class’s graduation year at the top to signify their commitment to staying the course to graduate and earn their high school diploma.  This year’s speaker was former JROTC lead instructor, LTC Brian Lassetter.  Students received a gold pin bearing the school crest and shared cake and punch with classmates after the ceremony.  This ceremony is made possible through the continued partnership between Worth County Schools, the Sylvester-Worth Chamber of Commerce and the Georgia Partnership in Education Grant that was received by the Chamber for the fall of 2017

Chamber Holiday

The Sylvester-Worth County Chamber of Commerce will be closed Friday, November 10th. We would like to wish you a Happy Veterans Day!
Regular business hours will resume Monday, Nov. 13th

Community Events

Bless Boutique Ribbon Cutting
Congratulations Morgan Smith and the staff of Bless Boutique on your recent ribbon cutting!
The Sylvester-Worth County Chamber of Commerce would like to encourage YOU to visit Morgan Smith and staff this holiday season for great clothes at affordable prices!



For more image CLICK HERE
Visit Bless Boutique on Facebook

Community Announcements

Congratulations to the WCHS Competition Cheerleaders for being named Region 1-AAA Champions!
Good Luck at State!


Upcoming Community Events


Photos with Santa at the Downtown Sylvester Christmas Open House
November 16, 17, & 18


Thursday, Nov. 16th 4:00 - 5:30 pm Jessie's & Salon
Friday, Nov. 17th 2:00 - 4:00 pm The French Market
5:00 - 6:30 pm Serenity
Saturday, Nov. 18th 10:00 - 12:00 pm Fletcher/Yearta Jewelers
1:00 - 3:00 pm The Vintage Nest

Santa is coming to town to help raise funds for the Best Friends Humane Society! There is no fee to take a photo, but we ask you to make a donation.





 
Chamber Weekly Newsletter - November 7, 2017