November 2014

chamber waukon

A Monthly Waukon Chamber of Commerce Newsletter

Working Together Is

Winning Together !

The Waukon Chamber Holiday Merchant Madness Punch Card Begins November 1 and runs through January 5th.

The Waukon Chamber of Commerce is promoting the 3nd

Annual Holiday Merchant Madness Punch Card Promotion.

Everyone is invited to play the rules are simple

customers are asked to fill a card with purchases

from at least three different participating

merchants. Merchants will validate the card for the

amount purchased in $5 increments. There is a

limit of $90 that may be punched by one merchant for

a purchase. Sign your name on the finished card and drop

them off at any participating business. There is no limit on how many

cards you can fill, but you can only win one prize.

Prizewinners of Waukon Chamber bucks will be drawn at the

Waukon Chamber Office Tuesday, January 6, 2014. Winners will be

contacted by the Waukon Chamber. The more a customer shops locally,

the more times they can be entered in the drawing.

Participating merchants include: Clark Tire Center Inc.,

Cunningham Hardware & Rental, Dave, Gus & Tony’s Pizza & Steak

House, Elliott Jewelers, Empty Nest Winery, Epic Wear, Floors Plus LLC,

Hardees (Waukon), Hartig Drug (Waukon), Howards Home Furnishings,

JaDecc’S, Jim’s Appliance/JW Kitchens, Kwik Star, Main Feature Theatre

& Pizza Pub, Queen Jean Quilting, Shawver Well Company, ShopKo, Steel

Cow, Stranded Memories, Vet’s Club, Westside Café, Village Farm &

Home, Waukon City Club, Waukon Fareway, Waukon Greenhouse

Flowers & Gifts, Waukon Harley-Davidson, Waukon Power Sports,

Waukon Tire Center Inc., Waukon Wellness Center, West Side Waukon

Lumber Inc. and WW Homestead Dairy.

For additional information, call Stephanie Dugan at 563-568-4110.

Upcoming Events Nov 3-15 Coat, Hat & Mitten Drive (Allamakee County Farm Bureau, Waukon) Nov 3- Dec 8 Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (Veterans Memorial Hospital, Waukon) Nov 3- Jan 6 Holiday Merchant Madness Punch Card Promotion (Waukon) Tue Nov 4, 11, 18, 25 Tuesday Story Time (Robey Memorial Library) Tater Tuesday (Dave's Gus & Tony's Pizza & Steakhouse, Waukon) Thu Nov 6 Blood Drive (Farm Bureau Building, Waukon) Thu Nov 6-8 Waukon High School Presets Anything Goes (Waukon High School Auditorium) Fri Nov 7 Midwest Dueling Pianos (Waukon Banquet Center) Tue Nov 11 Waukon Chamber Noon Meeting (City Club) Veterans Day (Waukon) Thu Nov 13 Ladies Night Out (Waukon) Fri Nov 14 Wine Tasting (Waukon Greenhouse) Nov 14-16 Christmas Tree Fantasy (Allamakee County Fairgrounds) Mon Nov 24 Free Waukon Community Meal (First Presbyterian Church) Holiday Parade (Waukon) Holiday Window Decorating Contest (Waukon) Thu Nov 27 Thanksgiving (Waukon)

Testimonial

"Thanks for all the efforts you guys are putting forth to

help promote our down town businesses.

It is much appreciated!!!"

Janine Wirth

Wall to Wall CUSTOM

Iowa Food Hub Benefits from USDA Grant for Local Food Promotion By UERPC

The United States of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced the awards for the Local Food Promotion Program

(LFPP). One of the grants was awarded to Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission in partnership

with the Iowa Food Hub.

Iowa Food Hub (IFH) will receive $88,000 to implement a regional branding campaign to further increase local food recognition on rural grocery store

shelves within its service area. IFH is an outgrowth of the Northeast Iowa Food & Fitness Initiative and its partners.

Launched in 2012, IFH is sponsored by the 501c3 nonprofit, Allamakee New Beginnings. What started as several small pilot projects renting cooler

space at a grocery store in Decorah, has grown into a food distribution business helping over 50 northeast Iowa farms connect to markets and buyers

within a 150 mile radius. IFH currently has over $30,000 of sales a month.

"We connect farmers to markets," said Nick Mabe, IFH Coordinator. "The food hub is not a retail business. Rather, we provide the infrastructure to

connect public and private schools, hospitals, universities, grocery stores and workplaces to good food grown by our region’s farmers.”

IFH recently announced plans to relocate to West Union to accommodate their growth and expansion. Some of the grant funds will be used to install

cold storage at their new location and to hire additional staff.

The food hub focuses on small and medium-sized farm viability, food access and equality, local economic development, job creation and retention,

beginning and established farmers, food system research and education.

USDA's Ag Marketing Service awarded over $27 million in competitive grants to expand marketing through the new Local Food Marketing Promotion

Program (LFPP) and the Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP). LFPP will invest millions annually in marketing and promotion activities for local

food enterprises including food hubs, aggregation businesses, local food processors, farm to institution activities and other similar efforts. The LFPP is

authorized through the Agricultural Act of 2014 (the 2014 Farm Bill).

Learn more about Iowa Food Hub and its services at www.iowafoodhub.com

HOLIDAY WINDOW DECORATING CONTEST

This year the Waukon Chamber of Commerce will host the ‘Second

Annual Window Decorating Contest’ for the businesses of Waukon. We

ask that businesses stay in the context of a holiday theme and this year’s

parade theme “Let it be Christmas.”

Businesses who want to participate and

have their window(s) “judged” in the

contest are asked to notify The Waukon

Chamber of Commerce at 563-568-4110 or

waukoncc@mchsi.com by 12pm on

November 21st.

The windows will be judged Monday,

November 24, 2014 following the Holiday

Parade. The judging parameters included

scoring points for Creativity, Originality, and Appearance. There be a

prize awarded again to this year’s winner.

This approach engages families in our downtown business district,

generates positive publicity for the town, and promotes a festive holiday

spirit while promoting art and community participation. It also fosters

the small-town feeling we strive for.

Eighth Annual Lighted Holiday Parade Plans are being made for the eighth annual Lighted Holiday Parade in downtown Waukon

Plans are being made for the eighth annual Lighted Holiday Parade in downtown Waukon,

scheduled for Monday, November 24, beginning at 6 p.m. The event coincides with

extended Monday night business hours of Waukon

retailers.

The theme for this year’s parade, “Let It Be Christmas”

complements the traditional Christmas Fantasy hosted by

Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation each year in

Waukon, and will be featured throughout the parade. All

entries must be lighted and cannot involve a live version of Santa Claus.

The parade will begin at the East Elementary School playground and travel Fifth Street NW

to West Main Street. Turning left onto West Main, the parade entries will venture to the

stoplight intersection, where they will then turn south on to Spring Avenue for one block

before turning right on to First Avenue SW and heading up to Sixth Street SW. The entries

will then turn right and head north back to the East Elementary playground.

ENTRIES WANTED

Float entries are currently being accepted for the event. It is asked that parking for parade

entrants be limited to the immediate area around East Elementary and that those involved

in the parade have a pre-determined meeting site to avoid confusion and congestion at the

initial parade gathering site.

FOOD COLLECTION

Parade entrants and viewers are asked to bring a non-perishable food item to the parade

for donation to the Allamakee County Food Shelf and Allamakee County Food Closet. The

food items will be picked up along the parade route by volunteers from the Waukon High

School Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapter.

PARADE PARTICIPANTS

Hot chocolate will be for sale downtown, and the S & D Café will provide complimentary hot

chocolate and bars for parade participants near the kitchen entrance to East Elementary to

honor the memory of Billy Roe.

HOLIDAY WINDOW DECORATING CONTEST

This year the Waukon Chamber of Commerce will host its ‘Second Annual Window

Decorating Contest’ for the businesses of Waukon. We ask that businesses stay in the

context of a holiday theme and this year’s parade theme “Let It Be Christmas.”

Businesses who want to participate and have their window(s) “judged” in the contest are

asked to notify The Waukon Chamber of Commerce at 563-568-4110 or

waukoncc@mchsi.com by Monday, November 17, 2014. This will let us know to include your

business in the judging. The windows will be judged Monday, November 24, 2014 following

the Holiday Parade. The judging parameters included scoring points for Creativity,

Originality, and Appearance.

SANTA VISIT/A CHRISTMAS PRESENCE PERFORMANCE

Santa Claus will also be at Main Feature following the parade. Parents are welcome to take

their own photos of their children’s visit with Santa Claus. Iron Ridge Church will be

sponsoring their 5th Annual Christmas Presence Performance held at Main Feature right

after the Holiday Parade. This is a wonderful event for people of all ages!

For additional information, call 563-568-4110.

Imagine a Different Normal for

Business Celebrations

It’s time to celebrate! Whether it is your business anniversary or an employee

appreciation party, stop for one moment and think about how alcohol will change

the tone of your event. Will having alcohol available change who will attend the event? Will it determine the quality

of fun at the event? In the past, the “normal” would be YES to these

questions. It is woven into our culture to include alcohol at our celebrations in

order to get people to attend, to appease those that do drink, and to increase the enjoyment of the event. This practice,

along with many others, can contribute to alcohol access for youth, binge

drinking opportunities for adults, and demonstrating to our “future business

owners” that alcohol must be present at all events and celebrations. This tradition

keeps getting passed down from one generation to the next, weaving itself

tighter and tighter into our communities. 50% of 8th graders and 76% of 11th

graders in Allamakee County believe it would be easy or very easy to get alcohol

in their community (2012 Iowa Youth Survey).

Now...imagine people coming to your event because they simply want to help

you celebrate your achievements or years in business. In order to change the focus

around events that have included alcohol, we need to start holding

festivities where there isn’t alcohol present. If you include all the other great things that make up a good party, people

will still attend, they will still enjoy the food and other drinks available, and they

will still have a good time. Try it! The Allamakee Substance Abuse

Prevention (ASAP) coalition is open to hearing your thoughts, ideas, and possibilities for changing what is

considered “normal.” Change is hard. It can take a long time, but we challenge you to take one step in that direction.

Show the community that your business believes in ending our culture’s

acceptance of substance abuse. Youth, parents, schools, law enforcement, liquor license holders, and others are working together to create communities where families can live without the increased

risk of alcohol and other drug issues among us. We invite you and your

business to be part of this movement. Join us at the next ASAP meeting from 12

to 1 p.m. on November 12th at Gus & Tony’s. We welcome all!

For 40 years, Helping Services for Northeast Iowa has been promoting the

health and well-being of children and adults. We partner with community

coalitions to end domestic violence and child abuse; build healthy families, friendships, and relationships; and

reinforce positive decision-making about alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use.

Staff also provides presentations, research-based programs, trainings, and

advocacy to work with community members in creating safe, nurturing, and

healthy environments.

101 West Main Street

Waukon, IA 52172

COMMERCE

Waukon Chamber of

coming soon

Upcoming Chamber Events

Holiday Merchant Madness Punch Card

Lighted Holiday Parade

Holiday Window Decorating Contest

mission... our The Waukon Chamber of Commerce is a volunteer association of businesses, industries,

professionals and individuals working together to enhance the general business climate

of the Waukon area.

Contact us at 563-568-4110 www.waukon.org

Did You Know. . . By UERPC If you are a veteran, that Home Base Iowa has a website that can help veterans find jobs, explore career paths, and make a smooth transition to civilian life in Iowa? The Home Base Iowa site provides countless resources on opportunities in Iowa. It features job postings, links to job fairs, and up-to-date information about educational opportunities, National Guard recruiting, job training, and much more. If you are a veteran or know of someone who is a veteran, we encourage you to bookmark this site by clicking here. If you have questions, please call us at 855-9HB-IOWA (855-942-4692) or email us at homebase@iowa.gov.