HOSPICE
Vitas Healthcare
Ms. Dora Viltre
6850 New Tampa Hwy., Suite 600
Lakeland, FL 33815
(863) 583-7100
www.vitas.com
Join date: 08/13/2015

SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCES
Blackmon Roberts Group, Inc.
Ms. Sylvia Blackmon-Roberts
902 S. Florida Ave., Suite 205
Lakeland, FL 33803
www.blackmonroberts.com
Join date: 08/21/2015
 
INDIVIDUAL MEMBER
Chamber Diplomat
Ms. Diane Oesterreicher
Join date: 08/20/2015

FINANCIAL PLANNING,
PERSONAL & CORPORATE
DEVELOPMENT TRAiNING
The Lem Group, LLC
Mr. Bernardo Rossello
Davenport, FL 33896
(561) 308-3460
www.thelemgroup.com
Join date: 08/21/2015

INSURANCE AGENCIES
HealthMarkets
Ms. Janice Basham Wright
2298 Lakeland Hills Blvd.
Lakeland, FL 33805
(863) 853-8000
www.healthmarkets.com/jbasham
Join date: 08/25/2015

ASSOCIATIONS, CLUBS
& ORGANIZATIONS
Polk Arts Alliance
Ms. Meri Mass
Bartow, FL 33830
(863) 804-0494
www.polkarts.org
Join date: 08/25/2015

FINANCIAL SERVICES
Burks Financial Group
Ms. Noreen Talbott
5143 S. Lakeland Dr., Suite 4
Lakeland, FL 33813
(863) 940-4755
Join date: 08/28/2015

LANDSCAPING & LAWN CARE
Garrison Land Management, Inc.
Mr. Joe Garrison
28609 Hwy. 27, N.
Dundee, FL 33838
(863) 439-6550
www.garrisonpropertyservices.com
Join date: 09/08/2015

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
Garrison Property Services, LLC
Ms. Dollie Boyd
28609 Hwy. 27, N.
Dundee, FL 33838
(863) 439-6550
www.garrisonpropertyservices.com
Join date: 09/08/2015

INSURANCE AGENCIES
LegalShield
Mrs. Kimberly Hooten
189 James Circle
Lake Alfred, FL 33850
(863) 287-6697
www.paulhooten.legalshieldassociate.com
Join date: 09/13/2015
 
EVENT VENUES
The Williams Centre
Ms. Geri Williams
1150 Martin Luther King Blvd.
Bartow, FL 33830
(863) 558-0635
Join date: 09/13/2015
 

SBDC Is Available At
The Chamber On
October 15th
The Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at University of South Florida, assists existing and emerging businesses in Polk County, through no-cost confidential business consulting, and low-cost training. Consultants can assist entrepreneurs in a variety of business topics, including: marketing, business certification, capital access, market diversification, developing strategic business plans, export services, and web optimization. A consultant will be at the Chamber on October 15, 2015 and available to Chamber Businesses. To schedule an appointment, visit www.bartowchamber.com and follow the links on the home page, or call (863) 678.4182, ext. 227.

Looking for a commercially zoned lot, building for rent or to buy for your business? Please check out this site :

You'll get to create an account for free and check out MLS commercial listings for Bartow.
For a downloadable CRA District map, click here, scroll down and look under IMPORTANT LINKS in the right hand column of the Chamber's website.

$25 per run (up to 35 words), call 533-7125 or email Virginia.

COMMERCIAL RENTAL SPACE perfect for small business client consultation and/or satellite office space in Polk County's county seat. Minutes from the courthouse and county administration buildings. The 40-600 square foot move in ready space is located at 1480 N. Broadway Ave., Suite C in Bartow. Rental rates $450-$650 per month. Interested parties should call (863) 559-3180 or (863) 559-0101.

The 6th Annual Champions Cup Business and Industry Awards event is almost upon us! October 15, 2015, 6:00 p.m. at Bartow Civic Center, tickets on sale at the Chamber.
You may go online and nominate a business or organization here.
You may also reserve your table, or tickets by calling Barbara Adamson or Jeff Clark at the Chamber, 863-533-7125.

Click here to read the Summer Business Quarterly Magazine!
















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

     I have always been curious about how the CRA in a community operated so I decided to find out how it works in our great city.
      A Community Redevelopment Agency is created by the local government. It is responsible for developing and implementing the Community Redevelopment Plan that addresses the needs of a targeted area, including residential and commercial properties.
     The original Bartow CRA which was established in April, 1990, was a 30-year plan. Since then, there have been three changes for the expansion of the CRA District. Each time that the district was expanded, time was added to the plan.
     The CRA Mission Statement is as follows; The mission of the Bartow CRA is to improve the vitality of the community by eliminating blight through public and private investment.
     When you talk to Stephen Cox, Executive Director of the City of Bartow's CRA, you know that you are talking to a man who has vision and knows what he's doing. As Stephen sees it, the job of the CRA is to change the dynamic of the city. By focusing on areas that need improvement and making those improvements, it increases the property values for the whole community. He wants to see our city grow and prosper but not in a "cookie cutter" kind of way. He doesn't want to chase what other towns are doing, and wants to focus on keeping the quaintness and charm of our beautiful city. He would like to help create an environment where investors and developers will want to come into Bartow.
     Stephen's vision includes a Bartow that is so desirable that young people will want to stay here and or come here to live after college. He and the CRA Board of Directors want to help Bartow become a city of long-term opportunity and a high standard of living with more shops and restaurants downtown.
     There are many people who come to work in Bartow every day. To quote Stephen, "You're already working here, why not live here?"
     Why not, indeed?

Until next week,
Sharon Casey
Chamber President, 2015

Left to right, Joey Foley, Erica Drop, Barbara Adamson (Chamber) and Kathryn Bevilacqua-Ely.

Business of the Month for September is . . .
The Villages at Laurel Meadows
Here we grow again! 18 more units currently under construction to be available at the end of the year! Stop by today to see our beautiful, newly constructed townhome community and receive a free gift with any showing through September 30th. The Villages at Laurel Meadows is located at 100 Laurel Circle, Bartow, FL 33830. For more information, call 863-533-7414.

Diversity Luncheon
To Promote Equality
 
To reaffirm its commitment to racial and ethnic equality, the City of Bartow’s Community Relations Committee (CRC) will hold a Diversity Luncheon on September 16, 2015, at noon, at the Bartow Civic Center in conjunction with Bartow’s Multicultural Awareness Month in September.
 
The month is set aside by Bartow’s City Commission to spotlight racial and ethnic equality and justice issues that confront people every day.
 

FIRST FORTRESS FITNESS LOTS OF FUN!

The Greater Bartow Chamber of Commerce presents “FORTRESS Fitness,” a new program to promote family fitness began September 12 t Fort Blount Park.
 
“FORTRESS Fitness is a community-wide outdoor workout program for all fitness levels, all ages, and it’s absolutely free,” said Marie Wilmot, organizer of the new program. Wilmot is a wellness and fitness enthusiast and instructor of Pilates, kickboxing, Zumba and other cardio-fitness programs.
 
“We hope whole families will join us for a variety of unique group workouts led by professional wellness instructors,” Wilmot added. “FORTRESS Fitness is free and open to all ages, instruction is for all levels.”

Fifteen people attended the first class, representing all ages and fitness levels. Wilmot demonstrated light aerobic exercises to music supplied by Sean Serdynski of SLS Entertainment.

We really enjoyed the Bartow Ford Business After Hours event, a tailgate party! Attendees were asked to wear the jerseys of favorite sports teams and the room was fans supporting their teams. Here's some photos to enjoy.

We have two very exciting Chamber trips coming up:
WANT TO FIND OUT MORE?
Call Barbara Adamson, 533-7125, for more information and to secure your seat.

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

SEPTEMBER

Tuesday, Sept. 15, 3:30 p.m.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Tuesday, Sept. 15, 4:00 p.m.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Wednesday, Sept. 16, 11:45 a.m.
CRC DIVERSITY LUNCHEON
Bartow Civic Center
Tickets, $10, at the Chamber

Thursday, Friday, Sept. 17, 18
LEADERSHIP XVI SECOND YEAR RETREAT
Clearwater

Monday, Sept. 21, 4:00 p.m.
ANNUAL EVENT COMMITTEE

Wednesday, Sept. 23, 3:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
WATSON CLINIC HIGHLANDS OPEN HOUSE
& RIBBON-CUTTING
2300 E. County Road 540A, Lakeland Highlands

Thursday, Sept. 24, 4:30 p.m.
HAMILTON ENGINEERING & SURVEYING, INC. RIBBON-CUTTING
& Grand Opening - Barbecue
310 E. Main Street, Suite 4, Bartow

Saturday, Sept. 26, all day, 11:00 a.m. RC
NICKELODEAN DAY OF PLAY AT NYE JORDAN PARK
with Ribbon-cutting for new tennis courts

Monday, Sept. 28, 4:00 p.m.
BLOOMIN' ARTS EXEC COMMITTEE

Tuesday, Sept. 29, 4:00 p.m.
HOMETOWN HEROES COMMITTEE

OCTOBER

Tuesday, October 6, 11:30 a.m.
ALUMNI SOCIAL PLANNING MEETING

Thursday, October 8, 7:30 a.m.
SCORE ROUNDTABLE

Thursday, October 8
LEADERSHIP BARTOW XVI: ENVIRONMENTAL DAY

Thursday, October 8, 5:15 p.m.
BUSINESS AFTER HOURS AT
SWEET MAGNOLIAS CAFE & GIFT SHOP
125 & 139 S. Central Ave., Bartow

Tuesday, October 13, 4:00 p.m.
HOMETOWN HEROES COMMITTEE

Thursday, October 15, all day
FLORIDA SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER Representative Available to All Chamber Business Members. Call to schedule an appointment: (863) 678.4182, ext. 227.

Thursday, October 15, 6:00 p.m.
CHAMPIONS CUP EVENT

Friday, October 16, noon
LUNCH & LEARN: DAVID STEELE
“Embrace the Crazy: Leadership Lessons Learned From Trying the Dumb Stuff”
FPIR, 1855 W. Main St.

Tuesday, October 20, 3:30 p.m.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Tuesday, October 20, 4:00 p.m.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Wednesday, October 21, 1:00 p.m.
DIPLOMATS BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION: Ortelle, Carolyn, Tommie, Marietta, Sherry and Sally!

Thursday, October 22, 6:00 p.m.
BOOK DISCUSSION, "Letters Across the Divide"
Bartow Public Library

Thursday, October 29, 4:00 p.m.
CRICKETTE CLUB PARADE & CARNIVAL

Saturday, October 31
TRICK OR TREAT NIGHT IN BARTOW

MAIN STREET EVENTS COMING UP
Bartow’s next monthly Friday Fest will be held on Friday, September 18, from 6:00 - 9:00 P.M., along East Main Street and Central Avenue in downtown Bartow. Tom Edwards Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram will sponsor the event which will feature a DJ Dance Party with Clint Edwards. There will also be activities for the children, a variety of food from vendors on the street as well as the downtown restaurants, and an open car cruise-in. As an added treat, several of the Mr. Bartow participants will be on hand trying to win the public’s votes in a dunk tank and in a lip sync competition. Friday Fest is held on the third Friday of every month and is hosted by Main Street Bartow, Inc., Bartow’s Community Redevelopment Agency, the City of Bartow, the Polk County Democrat, and Kelley Buick GMC. For more information, call 863-519-0508.

COMMUNITY YARD SALE
Bartow’s monthly Uptown Yard Sale & Flea Market will be held on Saturday, September 19, along the 300 block of East Main Street in downtown Bartow.  Hours are from 8:00 AM until 1:00 PM, with set-up beginning at 7:00 AM. Vendors will be charged a $10.00 fee, and no preregistration is necessary. For further information call Irene at 863-646-0644 or the Main Street Bartow office at 863-519-0508.  The Uptown Yard Sale & Flea Market is held the third Saturday of each month, and is sponsored by Main Street Bartow, Inc., Bartow’s Community Redevelopment Agency, and the City of Bartow.