
April 27, 2018
April New Members Wild Trillium Sharon Kay Corn Join Date: 04/03/2018 Terminix Eric Haney Website Join Date: 04/17/2018 Benton First United Methodist Church Join Date: 04/20/2018 Member Updates Pate Funeral Home now offers pet cremation services. Call 618-438-8711 for additional information. Member Updates The Extreme Exigency Foundation Shooting Park would like to offer to chamber members the opportunity to sponsor shooting baffles. Funds will help support shooting sports and the mission of the Extreme Exigency Foundation. Baffles will come in sizes ranging from 4’ x 5’ and 4’ x 8’ for the Range Area. More Information... April is Prevent Child Abuse Month Think about the children in your life. Whether you’re thinking of your child, grandchild, niece, nephew, or friend’s child, you want them to always feel safe and secure. Help kids feel safe by teaching them that the choices they make about their bodies deserve to be respected. Healthy Communications with Kids Flyer Opioid Epidemic & Your Business The United States is in the midst of an opioid overdose epidemic. Opioids (including prescription and illicit opioids) killed more than 33,000 Americans in 2015—which is nearly quadruple the number from 2000. Learn how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is working to protect individuals and families—including your employees and your business—from this dangerous problem. FOUR CRITICAL CHALLENGES FACING EMPLOYERS Southern Illinois Made Expo this July! Are you a business who would like to spotlight your locally made items? Register now! Chamber members enjoy a booth discount - prices start at $50!! Call 618-438-2121 for more details or register online! The Psychology of Successfully Marketing to Millennials Want to know more about Millennials and how to market to them? Here's a look at vital stats about this demographic—and info about how best to reach it. Day Camp @ Camp Manitowa ChamberNation Tutorials Are you interested in making the most of your ChamberNation membership portal? Contact the chamber office for an on-=site tutorial or check out the HelpDesk portal for step-by-step instructions. New Opportunities! Are you looking for new employment or volunteer opportunities? Check out the Chamber Opportunity Board! Start a new chapter in your community! Generation Books Generations of Memories Books are available for purchase at the Chamber Office, Flowers by Dave, Heartland Office Supply, and the Buzz. Pick up yours today! Contact Us! Benton/West City Area Chamber of Commerce 211 N. Main St. Benton, IL 62812 P.O. Box 574 Benton, IL 62812 618-438-2121 info@bentonwestcitychamber.com www.BentonWestCityChamber.com	2018 Rend Lake Water Festival: May 2 - 5 The Rend Lake Water Festival will be here in less than TWO weeks. The banners are our in our community and flyers are starting to go around. Don't miss out on the fun activities we have planned for this year's event! Register for the Business Scavenger Hunt, be part of the parade, or set up a booth in Capitol Park on Saturday! Event Information Food, Great Finds, and Trivia Fun for a Great Cause! Many of our local religious organizations are having events this weekend. Check out the fun and support a great cause! Spring Fling at the United Methodist Church: 4/27 at 11am Flea Market & Craft Show at St. Joseph's Catholic Church: 4/28 at 8am Trivia Night at the First Christian Church: 4/28 at 5pm Tax Reform Business Impact Survey Provided by the US Chamber With tax day upon us, we are already seeing a significant boost in our economy as a result of the tax reform package signed into law in December. As you know, the legislation passed in December: 1. Lowers tax rates for all Americans 2. Nearly doubles the standard deduction 3. Doubles the Child Tax Credit to $2,000 4. Provides more fairness and simplicity 5. Provides relief from Obamacare These important changes have led many employers to provide pay increases for their employees, and others to reinvest in their operations. The U.S. Chamber is tracking these investments on ourTax Relief Across America Map, which was also highlighted in a tax reform toolkit released last week by House Republicans. If you or your chamber members have a story to tell, please click here toshare. We want to hear from employers of all sizes, whether it be the two-person start-up that is now hiring a third employee, the manufacturer that is buying new equipment, or the service provider that’s expanding. For more information on how tax reform is positively impacting small businesses around the country,please click here. Open House at Blue Ridge Tractor Blue Ridge Tractor is hosting an Open House, on Saturday April 28, 2018, near the Benton Airport in the I/57 Airport Business Park, in Benton, IL. The Benton-West City EDC invites everyone to come to the Open House and there will be a media event featuring local leaders will be at noon. Chamber / Rotary Golf Scramble:June 15 The 2018 Chamber / Rotary Golf Scramble is a great day out on the links with friends to kick off the Father's Day weekend. Be part of the event through sponsorship, goodies in the registration bags, or play in the scramble!! Learn more here! Golf Scramble Event Information Half of the teams are reserved, don't miss out to join in the fun! Team Registration Childcare Assistance Resources Too many low- to moderate-income, working parents are going without the child care help for which they qualify. Many might not know of its availability. Others might be aware of it, but wary after two years of turmoil related to the state’s budget impasse and sharp cuts in eligibility – cuts that ReadyNation and a bipartisan group of legislators and allies helped to reverse last August. So, to help increase working parents’ awareness of the child care program, we’ve developed a one-page flyer you can find at this link. It briefly describes the services available, and notes where parents can call or check online to see if they are eligible to participate. If you are an employer or manager, please consider: Posting this flyer in break rooms Including it with “onboarding” materials for new hires Sharing it with human resources execs Publicizing it in employee newsletters Member Events Rend Lake College Culinary Arts Showcase 04/26/2018- 04/27/2018 RLC Student Center, Ina Campus 468 N. Ken Gray Parkway Ina, IL 62846 Stun Gun Personal Protection Class 04/26/2018 Extreme Exigency Shooting Park 9911 River Bend Road Benton, IL 62812 It's a Colorful Life: Live Music 04/26/2018 Live Well Be Well: 6 Week Chronic Disease Workshop 04/27/2018 Franklin Hospital 201 Bailey Lane Benton, IL 62812 It's a Colorful Life: Tree & Flower Planting 04/27/2018 Health Trivia 04/27/2018 Heritage Woods of Benton 1305 Bailey Lane Benton , IL 62898 First United Methodist Church Spring Fling 04/27/2018 First United Methodist Church 203 W Church St Benton, IL 62812 'Bye Bye Birdie' - BCHS Spring Musical 04/27/2018 Benton Civic Center 414 W Hudelson St Benton, IL 62812 The Hamilton Homicide 04/28/2018 Pheasant Hollow Winery 14931 IL-37 Whittington, IL 62897 Blue Ridge Tractor Open House 04/28/2018 Blue Ridge Tractors 12150 Blue Ridge Drive Benton, IL 62812 'Bye Bye Birdie' - BCHS Spring Musical 04/28/2018 Benton Civic Center 414 W Hudelson St Benton, IL 62812 'Bye Bye Birdie' - BCHS Spring Musical 04/29/2018 Hands Around the Courthouse 04/30/2018 Benton Public Square Benton, IL 62812 Knit and Crochet @ the Library 05/01/2018 Benton Public Library 502 South Main Benton, IL 62812 Biscuits & Gravy Breakfast 05/02/2018 Helia Healthcare of Benton 1310 Mark Franklin Dr. Benton, IL 62812 Story Time at the Library 05/02/2018 Benton Public Library 502 S Main St. Benton, IL 62812 Rend Lake College Culinary Arts Showcase 05/03/2018- 05/04/2018 RLC Student Center, Ina Campus 468 N. Ken Gray Parkway Ina, IL 62846 Live Well Be Well: 6 Week Chronic Disease Workshop 05/04/2018 Franklin Hospital 201 Bailey Lane Benton, IL 62812 Events in the Community Check out other community activities and submit events here! Share Your News! Do you have a special announcement or product you would like to showcase? Let us know so we can share it with everyone! Email the chamber office information and a picture!
Chamber E-Newsletter - April 27, 2018