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VOLUME 5, ISSUE 6, DEC 17, 2012

THE CHAMBER NEWS

IN THIS ISSUE

PAGE 1:

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

PAGE 2:

OUR 2012 BOARD &

AMBASSADORS

MY CHRISTMAS WISH

PAGE 3:

POVERTY IN PIKE CO.

PAGE 4:

OUR MEMBERS

PAGE 5:

LUNCH & LEARN PAGE 6 & 7

Y P IKE!

PAGE 8 ILLINOIS CHAMBER

PAGE 9 PIKE COUNTY

ENDOWMENT FUND

PAGE 10 MOVE IN THE R IGHT

DIRECTION!

PAGE 11 SHOP P IKE F IRST

PAGE 12 SPONSORS, INFO

EMAIL REQUEST

NATIONAL IMPAIRED

DRIVING

PREVENTION MONTH

Merry Christmas!

Twas the night before

Christmas

and all through the county,

The kids were all dreaming of presents and bounty.

The stores were all stocked with their holiday wares,

Excited for shoppers who soon would be there.

From our house in Pittsfield the Iftners came here

To wish all of you lots of Holiday Cheer.

We’re grateful to God for all of our blessings,

And for family and friends, it’s thanks we’re expressing.

So quoting a fellow who said it so right,

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Kaye Iftner, Executive Director of the Chamber and Editor of The Chamber News

See you out and about

in Pike County in the

New Year!

Follow us on Twitter

PAGE 2

Kent Hawley, President, JWCC Jill Bigelow, Vice Presi-dent Illini Community Hospital Peter Wright, Treasurer, Wright Place Auto Body David Fuhler, Immediate Past President, WBBA Carolyn Casteel, Casteel’s Bob Evans, Realty 1 Nancy Kurpaitis, Old Flor-ence Guest House Brenda Middendorf, Two Rivers RC&D/Access Illinois Lois Pennock, Fall Color Drive Board Lead Mina Robertson, at large retiree Farmers National Bank Mike Spann, COUNTRY Financial Andy Sprague, Sprague’s Kinderhook Lodge Robert Wood, City of Pittsfield Kaye Iftner, Executive Director

2012 Chamber Board

2012 Ambassadors Kim Ator, Farmers State Bank

Sheila Davidsmeyer, North-

western Mutual Financial Services

Tammy Harshman, Illini

Health Services Jenna Hubbard, United Community Bank

Jayne Pieper, KHQA

Jennifer Ross/Bob Dieker J.D. Ross & Associates, Inc

Daman Emrick, Farmers Na-

tional Bank of Griggsville– Pittsfield branch

Noelle Flesner, CNB Bank &

Trust

Lindsey Rennecker, Western

Collision Center

Shelly Martin, Area Disposal

Last week Debbie Husar from the Quincy Herald-Whig invited me to participate in a col-

umn she was writing by providing a Christmas wish for Pike County. The article is enti-

tled “Christmas wishes for the community focus on giving”. The column also contained

a wish from Gina Sheurman, Pike County Economic Development.

I’d like to share my wish with you:

“My wish for Pike County is that now, more than ever, it continues to be the safe, caring

community that rallies around those in need. My hope is that we always: help those who

live in poverty, keep our kids safe, curb the rising impact of drugs in our communities,

bring jobs to our area, and help our citizens and businesses prosper. We are fortunate to

have many dedicated people and organizations who share these goals and my prayer is

that we can continue to work together efficiently so that Pike County continues to be a

wonderful place to live, raise a family, start or grow a business and visit.”

All of these hopes for the county are part of our mission. We hope you know how hard

we work to for the good of Pike County and you, our member companies. Thank you for

supporting the Pike County Chamber of Commerce’s mission and vision. And thank you

for all of the great service you provide your customers and all of the charitable work you

do in your personal or professional life. We all benefit from your efforts.

The Chamber has a lot we want to do next year, and we can't wait to share our ideas and

successes with you in future newsletters. If you would like to support our work and are

not currently a member, we welcome you! Those of you who are members, please watch

for your dues invoice in the coming weeks.

But for now, please hug your kids, enjoy your families, remember the true meaning of

Christmas and have a safe and blessed Christmas. Happy New Year too!

Kaye

Thanks to our

VIP Sponsor,

Neal Tire!

Mission Statement of the Pike County Chamber :

The purpose of our organization is to advocate for our members, promote

tourism and a positive business climate, and enhance the overall quality of

life in the County. Our mission is summed up in our slogan

"Making Pike County a great place to live, work, and visit”.

Our Vision :

We are the front door to Pike County for people and businesses, and a

trusted source of information, resources, and advocacy.

Listen to our Spotlight show on WBBA (97.5 FM) in

January and tune in daily from 11:16 AM until noon as

Martha Sue Smith & Kaye Iftner promote our area on the Twin Pikes

Report!

Our Christmas wish for you

Poverty in Pike County 3

Recently I had the opportunity to participate in two meetings focused on poverty in Pike County. The Pike

County Community Health Partnership’s annual meeting on November 8th featured a presentation by Mary

English, a retired administrator from the Jacksonville School District 117 whose presentation called

“Understanding the Challenges of Poverty” was a real eye opener for me. Then, on November 16th, a Poverty

Simulation offered by the University of Illinois Extension using a module from the Community Action Partner-

ship allowed participants to feel firsthand what it’s like to live a month in poverty. The role play situations

were enlightening and frustrating at the same time.

Poverty is everywhere, including right here in our communities. As you can see in the above chart, Pike

County is below the median household income compared with the rest of Illinois, and above average in terms of

the percentage of persons living below poverty level.

As we make our New Year’s Resolutions, let’s all resolve to do whatever we can to reduce or eliminate the

causes of poverty. More to follow in January’s newsletter. Kaye

Thanks to our First Class Sponsors

PAGE 4

Abe Lincoln Project

Access Illinois Outdoors

Administrative Services, Inc.

Adventures Unlimited

Airsman-Hires Funeral Home

Allen Tire Service

Ameren CIPS

American Red Cross—

Pike County Chapter

Area Disposal Service, Inc.

Armistead Backhoe & Septic

Ayerco Convenience Center

B&B Printing

Bank of Kampsville/

Pleasant Hill Facility

Bainter Enterprises LLC

Barber Agency

Barry Community Care Center

Barton & Associates

Baughman, Wayne

Beard Design and Graphics

Beautiful Creations for

Special Occasions

Bee Creek Quarter Horses

& Cattle

Benton & Associates, Inc.

Birch, John & Cheryl

Blue River Outdoors, Inc.

Bow Lake Golf Course LLC

Bowler’s Universe

Boy Scouts of America,

Mississippi Valley

Brookside Marketing

Buckeye Creek Outfitters

Butler Farms Outdoor

Adventures

Calvary Baptist Church

Carnes Communication/

US Cellular

Carnes, Inc.

Casey's General Store

CASSCOMM

Casteel ‘s Color Wheel

Catering & More

Center for Effective Nonprofits

Central State Bank

Cherry's Guest House

Church of the Nazarene

City of Barry

City of Griggsville

City of Pittsfield

CNB Bank & Trust

Collver Family Winery

COUNTRY Financial

Country Fixins Primitive Craft and

Antique Mall

County Market

Courtyard Café and Bakery

Dave Dieker Transport Inc

DCEO

Dolbeare Farms

Dugan Designs

Eagle One Investments LLC

Eastside Health &

Rehabilitation Center

Ed & Woodie's S & S Inc.

Edward Jones

Entrup Drywall & Painting

Evergreen Lawn & Pest Control

Farmers Bank of Liberty-Barry

Farmers National Bank

of Griggsville

Farmers State Bank

Fashion Flowers

First Baptist Church of Pittsfield

First National Bank of Barry

Florence Guest House

Flowers N More

Fosco Farmhouse

Frontier

Gates Repair and Machine

Geared Up!

GFC/ Bale Bandit

Gray House Bed & Breakfast

Green Acres Motel by Ionson

Griggsville Christian Church

Griggsville Estates

H & R Block

Harpole's Heartland Lodge

Harrison Business Services

Health & Wellness Foundation

of Pike County

Heaton Chevrolet-Olds-Geo

Heimer & Associates, Inc.

Hollahan Law Office

Hooper-Niebur Insurance

Hopewell Winery

Hull Community Center

Iftner, David & Kaye

Illini Community Hospital

Illini Fitness

Illini Health Services Inc.

Illinois Department of

Employment Security

Illinois Rural Electric Coop

Illinois Small Business

Development Center at WIU

Illinois Valley Paving Company

Illinois Xtreme Whitetail Lodge

In Motion Fitness & Wellness

Ingersoll, Charles and Marsha

Ingersoll, Katherine

Innoventor Engineering Inc

International Eye Care

Investment Centers of America

J.D. Ross & Associates, Inc.

J. Roberts Jewelers

Jacksonville Journal Courier

JBS United

State Rep. Jim Watson

John Wood Community College

Jones Poultry

KHQA TV

Kidd’s Shirt Shack

Kinderhook State Bank

KJFM Radio– Eagle 102

Law Office of Carrie Boyd

Law Office of E. John Clark

Liberty Tax Service

Liberty Village of Pittsfield

Little Johnny’s

Logan Agri-Service Inc.

Lowry Music Company

MATAM, Inc

Maya Authentic Mexican Cuisine

McCartney Real Estate

McDonald's

MECO Engineering Company

Mefford Chiropractic Center

Melanie Ann’s Hair Salon

Memory Lane Awards

Midstate Insurance Agency Inc.

Miller & Moss Construction

Milton’s Big Buck Inn &

Outfitters

Mississippi Valley Lodging LLP

Monroe Street Suites

Moss Family Farms, Inc.

Motel Pike

Mountain’s Mountain

Nancy Ross Chapter of NSDAR

Nature Society

Neal Tire & Auto Service

New Way Signs

Niebur Funeral Home

Northwestern Mutual

Financial Network

Oitker Ford Sales

Old Orchard Country Club

Peter's Heating &

Air Conditioning

Pike Bucks Unlimited

Pike County Chapter of the

American Red Cross

Pike County Government

Pike County Collectibles

Pike County Concrete

Pike County Contractors LLC

Pike County Community

Health Partnership

Pike County Economic

Development Corporation

Pike County Express

Pike County Farm Bureau

Pike County Glass Inc.

Pike County Health Department

Pike County Historical Society

Pike County Housing Authority

Pike County Lumber Company

Pike County Real Estate, Inc.

Pike Press

Pikeland Outfitters

Pioneer Express Gas & Grill

Pittsfield Main Street

Pittsfield Community Center

Pittsfield Public Library

Production Press

Quanada

Quick Shot Photography

Quincy Area Convention

& Visitors Bureau

Quincy Herald Whig

Quincy Medical Group

Reach Out Center

Refreshment Services Pepsi

Rhoads, Patty and Robert

Rotary Club of Pittsfield

Rueb, Tara

S&S School of Dance

Sassy Stitches

Schulman, Violet

Schutte, Douglas

Scranton Appraisal Services

Servpro of Quincy

Sheppard, John

Sprague's Kinderhook Lodge

Stage Coach Inn

State Farm Insurance

Stilwell, Johnson

Stroemer Foods Catering

Studio on the Square

Summer Hill Antique Mall

Tee Pee Mini Mart/Subway

The Maschhoffs

The Masters Touch

The Picket Fence

Tim’s PC Music Machine

Trinity Rentals/ D-C Elec.

Twin Pike Family YMCA

Two Rivers FS

Two Rivers Jeep Club

Two Rivers Regional Council

Of Public Officials

United Community Bank

Village of Pleasant Hill

Wade Real Estate

Walmart

Watts, Sean and Tara

Waycool Customs & Collision

WBBA - DJ Two Rivers, Inc.

Wells Fargo Advisors

West Central Electric, Heating

and Air

West Central Mass Transit. Dba

Pike County Transit

Western Collision Center

WGEM TV and Radio

William Watson Hotel

Wright Place Auto Body

Wright, Harry & Helen

Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park

at Pine Lakes

Support our Pike County Chamber Members

Thanks to our Business Class Sponsors

Another Lunch & Learn on December 11

Thanks to all of you who joined the Chamber and Farmers State Bank on Tuesday, December 11th at the

Pike County Senior Center in Pittsfield for another great teleseminar/ Lunch & Learn. This session’s

speaker was Les McKeown, the author of the book Predictable Success. Lunch was compliments of

Farmers State Bank and prepared by Catering & More.

Mr. McKeown, a leading advisor

on accelerated business growth,

walked the approximately 20

participants through the seven

stages of an organization’s rise and

fall– and focused on how to get

and keep an organization at the

peak stage - Predictable

Success. McKeown identified 3

key roles within an organization–

Visionaries, Operators and Proc-

essors. He also left the group with

several practical points.

Participants were asked to evaluate

the program. The overall rating

was 3.93 on a scale of 1-5, with 5

being the highest rating. Everyone

said lunch was a good time for the

teleseminar. The speaker was

rated 4.08 (some commented his

accent was difficult to understand).

Both the location and the food

were rated 4.75.

Other topics people wanted to hear

about included: overcoming pro-

crastination, personal productivity,

marketing, handling accounts re-

ceivable, fund raising and 2013

Economic Conditions.

From the Chamber’s perspective,

we’d like to make these Lunch &

Learns more interactive– and will

focus on doing just that with future

sessions. Be watching for details!

Farmers State Bank gave several copies of Predictable Success to

participants as door prizes. Call if you’d like to borrow one!

YPike! met again on Tuesday, December 18th– this time at The William

Watson Hotel in Pittsfield. Suggestions from this month’s meeting focused

on developing a yearly, or at least quarterly calendar of events and locations

to help members plan. YPike will also revisit the committees formed at one of

the very early meetings.

The committees previously discussed were:

Business/Fundraising, Social Events, Outreach/School , Agriculture, Treas-

urer/Financial, and Facebook. It was suggested that Facebook, while it is a

great tool, may not provide enough reach to attract new members. Other

advertising methods will be explored.

Right after New Year’s the group will begin to develop a 2013 Plan of Work. YPike! will meet again on Tues-

day, January 15th at 6:30 PM at a location yet to be determined. We encourage you to visit YPike! on Face-

book at:https://www.facebook.com/#!/YPIKEIL and "Like” the page. YPike! will be communicating news and

events and posting their progress. Those not on FB can follow progress on the Chamber’s web site. YPike wishes

to thank the four local businesses that have come on board as Corporate Sponsors: Illinois Rural Electric Coopera-

tive, CASSCOMM (Cass Cable), Investment Centers of America, and CNB Bank & Trust. A combination Mem-

bership/Corporate Sponsorship form is included on the next page, but can also be obtained by contacting the Pike

County Chamber of Commerce.

Why Pike?

YPike!

Why Pike? YPike!

7

A Guest Editorial from Doug Whitley, President & CEO of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce

Significant Public Policy Issues Facing Illinois in 2013

Just like the federal government, the biggest issues confronting the returning and newly elected members of Illinois’

General Assembly are fiscal matters. Previous General Assemblies have, for years, defied the Illinois Constitutional

mandate that requires the legislature to adopt a balanced budget. So, the top priority remains that of restoring fiscal

integrity to state finances.

The legislature must develop budgets where spending matches or is less than the amount of revenue state government

collects each year. It must eliminate the backlog of payments to vendors, local governments and agencies. State gov-

ernment balance sheets must achieve equilibrium where fiscal obligations are paid in a timely manner.

Most importantly, legislators must acknowledge that the current public employee pension programs are unsustainable

and must be restructured to curb the excessive long-term costs to taxpayers. They must stop stalling and remove the

uncertainty that influences business and personal decisions. The fiscal health of the pension funds must be fixed so

retirees will receive retirement benefits, even if they are less generous.

Governor Quinn is right to keep reminding members of the General Assembly and the public that rapidly rising pen-

sion costs are effectively squeezing out funds that would otherwise go towards financing education, public safety,

health care for indigent and other public services.

Legislators must be reminded that our state’s failure to successfully resolve the public pension debt obligations has

made Illinois a national disgrace. Illinois’ unfunded public employee pension debt is the largest in the nation and our

bond ratings are keeping company with the most financially distress nations in the world. Until our elected officials

accept the tough decisions and cast responsible votes to put these funds on a path towards solvency business owners,

investors and bond holders can have no trust or confidence in Illinois government. The continued failure to act has

placed the economy, livelihood and quality of life for future generations at risk.

The newly elected General Assembly confronts other daunting public policy issues that require their attention. The

capital funding program that was adopted in 2009 will be exhausted during the next legislative term. Legislators must

act to reauthorize and fund a capital program if infrastructure investments are to be maintained in a state of good re-

pair. Safe and reliable transportation networks are critical to Illinois’ economy. Legislators should establish an annual

capital spending program that provides predictable, consistent and stable funding for infrastructure investments.

Other important business climate issues pending before the General Assembly include the elimination or extension of

the temporary corporate and individual income tax rate increases that were imposed in January of 2011. The 2011 law

incorporated a sunset provision triggered for January 2015. The General Assembly members taking office in January

must determine the fate of the tax rate increases that generate approximately $7 billion to the treasury.

The workers’ compensation law adopted in 2011 must be revisited in order to improve the state’s cost of doing busi-

ness competitiveness relative to other states.

The pending General Assembly action most threatening the viability of many small businesses is the threat of another

mandate to increase the state’s minimum wage.

During the next two years, the critical assessment of Governor Quinn and the Democrat-controlled legislature will

best be measured by the agenda they fulfill. Will they demonstrate fiscal discipline, promote expansive investment

from existing businesses, generate population growth from job seekers migrating to Illinois because of a vibrant econ-

omy, promote new business opportunities, and substantially reduce unemployment? If there is limited or no progress

on these fundamentals, it is likely they will become the election themes for 2014.

Attending the presentation were (left to right ) Gina Sheurman, Pike County Economic Development (guest), Andy

Borrowman, Pike County Board (guest), Fred Bradshaw, Pike County Board (guest), Don Kirk, Jennifer Mowen,

(members of the Fund Council), Rachel Baker and Kent Hawley, Doug Smith, Brian Nation and Kaye Iftner, (all

members of the Fund Council). The Pike County Endowment Fund connects people who care about Pike County

with causes that matter in Pike County

The Community Foundation announced at the Friends of Philanthropy Celebration on November 15th in Quincy

that it is extending a gift opportunity to promote community-based philanthropy and ensure permanent resources

exist throughout the region. Each of the 13 counties in the organization’s service area that builds its own

endowment, as Pike County has, can get up to $15,000 in matching funds from the Community Foundation. The

Pike County Endowment Fund’s next $15,000 qualifies for this match also.

The Pike County Endowment Fund is a way to keep local money working for local causes. Anyone can make a gift

of any amount to help the fund grow, and now those gifts will be matched by the Community Foundation (up to

$15,000).

Recently, Don Kirk wrote a Letter to the Editor which included the following information:

“Many times when individuals pass way, the business or farm is sold, the bank accounts are closed, and all the funds

are sent to descendants who live in another part of the country. Thus all the wealth leaves Pike County; a place the

deceased loved and where they lived most of their life.

Donations can be made by beneficiary designation on a life insurance policy or retirement accounts and also by

making a provision in your will for a portion of your assets to go to the Fund thus providing funds for the betterment

of Pike County residents for generations to come.

We, the citizens and businesses of Pike County have the opportunity to positively impact our county for genera-

tions to come. Call the Foundation office in Quincy at 217-222-1237 or the Pike County Chamber office or anyone

of our committee members for more details on how you can make a difference.”

Gifts to the Pike County Endowment Fund are tax-deductible as allowed by law. The Pike County Endowment Fund

is administered through the Community Foundation of the Quincy Area, a not-for-profit organization with 501(c)(3)

status. To make gifts or learn more about the fund, contact Kaye Iftner at the Chamber office.

Pike County Endowment Fund makes its first grant!

Members of the Pike County

Endowment Fund Council and

guests gathered on Tuesday,

November 26th at the Pike

County Courthouse as the Pike

County Endowment Fund made

its first grant.

Kent Hawley, current Fund

Council Chair, is shown present-

ing the check to Rachel Baker,

manager of the Two Rivers Food

Pantry and the Reach Out Cen-

ter. The grant was made to the

Two Rivers Foundation.

10 Start 2013 heading in the right direction

Are you heading in the right direction?

Article compliments of Katie May

The new year brings a wonderful “clean slate” feeling, making every worker feel that a

new start is not only possible but also required. As you turn the calendar page from one

year to the next, seize the opportunity to reassess your goals and adjust course to make

sure you are working toward the right ones.

To start, cast your mind back to January 2012. What were you working on then? How

much progress have you made on both your strategic initiatives and personal growth

goals? Note: First, assess your own goals, and then work with employees to evaluate their

progress too.

Avoid the natural tendency to berate yourself for those goals you’ve failed to meet. If em-

ployees fell short, don’t pass blame or punish them. Unmet goals provide an excellent op-

portunity to re-evaluate your position and reconsider your targets.

If you did not meet a goal, do not automatically write it on 2013’s to-do list. Changing

business conditions or other factors could mean that the goal is no longer relevant. In fact,

working to meet certain goals could actually be counterproductive if your situation has

changed.

Ask yourself questions like the following as you consider your—and your employees’—

goals for the year:

What goals will move you closer to where you want to be at the end of the year? If

a goal is not an integral part of your success plan, or of your organization’s strategic plan,

it is likely to distract you from your core responsibilities.

What goals will give you the most satisfaction as you complete them? If you can

complete a relatively small goal quickly, do so. You can gain a motivational boost that

will give you momentum to sustain yourself as you tackle larger and more challenging

goals.

How must you change your habits and routines to make consistent progress to-

ward your goals? Aiming high can become an exercise in frustration and futility if you

do not plan how you will reach those lofty goals.

Where are you meeting resistance? If you are having difficulty meeting certain

goals, identify the obstacles in your way. You might find systemic obstacles, such as cum-

bersome procedures or outdated equipment. You might find that you are creating obstacles

yourself, if you are allowing bad habits such as disorganization or procrastination to affect

your progress.

Before you end your goal review session, identify one small step you can take—today—to

make progress toward your No. 1 goal. Write that step on your to-do list or calendar, using

this action-oriented format: “By (date or time), I will (action) so that (result).”

Take these steps, and you’ll likely be moving in the right direction!

THANKS AGAIN TO OUR 2012 PIKE COUNTY CHAMBER SPONSORS

224 W Washington

PO Box 283

Pittsfield, IL 62363

217-285-2971

info@pikeil.org

www.pikeil.org

2012 VIP Sponsor :

Neal Tire & Auto

2012 First Class Sponsors:

Illini Community Hospital

Pike County Farm Bureau

2012 Business Class Sponsors:

The Wright Place Auto Body

Farmers National Bank of Griggsville

Illini Fitness

Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park at Pine Lakes

We appreciate your support!

Impaired driving claims thousands of lives every year, or ap-

proximately one death every 48 minutes.

Scheduled to coincide with the holiday season, December is

National Impaired Driving Prevention Month. If your gatherings

involve alcohol, make plans so that you don't have to drive after

drinking. For example:

Prior to any drinking, designate a non-drinking driver when

with a group.

Don't let your family or friends drive impaired. Take their

keys away if necessary.

If you have been drinking, get a ride home or call a taxi.

If you're hosting a party where alcohol will be served, remind

your guests to plan ahead and designate their sober driver; offer

alcohol-free beverages; and make sure all guests leave with a

sober driver.

We encourage you to stay safe as you gather with family and

friends this holiday season. You’re important to us!

If you are receiving this in hard copy, please send me your email address. You are missing valuable information! We promise not to share your email address

with anyone without your permission. Please make sure you identify your busi-ness in the email. Thanks!! Kaye

Help us get the

word out about

the Chamber.

“Like” us on

Facebook!

Business Class Sponsor

Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park

Remember to

shop locally,

not just for

the holidays

but all year

long!