CHAMPIONS CUP
Champions Cup was created to recognize and honor businesses and organizations that have championed exemplary best practices, and have had a positive influence on the economic well being of the area's business environment. Congratulations to the 2015 Champions Cup Winners! Here they are:

SBDC Is Available At
The Chamber On
November 12th
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 November 12, 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.

The next Committee of 100 meeting is set for Friday, November 13, 2015, at 8:00 a.m. Committee of 100 meetings are held at the Health and Life Center (old hospital), 1239 E. Main Street. If you are interested in becoming a member of this prestigious grouip, contact Chairman Brian Hinton at 863-533-4196.

Click here for a complete listing of Committee of 100 members.

Gift Boutique
The Krazy Kricket
Ms. Lee Putnam & Ms. Susan Blenk
115 E. Main St.
Bartow, FL 33830
(863) 533-3141
www.krazykricket.com
 Join date: 10/06/2015
Ribbon-cutting: Nov. 10, 9:30 a.m.

Churches
Redeemer Lutheran Church
Pastor Jonathan Horsman
390 E. Parker St.
Bartow, FL 33830
(863) 512-3652
Join date: 10/06/2015
 
Apparel
LegaCy Unique Designz
Sylvia W, Mildrena D, Jennifer C
195 S. Central Ave.
Bartow, FL 33830
(863) 537-7422
Join date: 10/08/2015

Restaurants
Mosaics Community Café
Ms. Elizabeth Combee
315 E. Main St.
Bartow, FL 33830
(863) 534-3000
Join date: 10/21/2015
 
Car Wash/Express Tunnel
Super Suds Car Wash of Bartow
Mr. Brian Briggs
1025 N. Broadway Ave.
Bartow, FL 33830
(863) 533-7628
Join date: 10/21/2015

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.

Click here to read the Summer Business Quarterly Magazine!
















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

     Today I would like to talk about the Alafia River Rendezvous that is held every January. I have been many times, but didn't know how or when it started, so I did a little research.
      The Alafia River Rendezvous is a pre-1840 living history encampment where participants and re-enactors live in camps. They portray and demonstrate life skills of that era. The Florida Frontiersmen began a shooting club in March of 1972 in Pinellas County. The Frontiersmen sponsored the very first Rendezvous in 1985 and had 172 camps. As the event grew, they needed more land. After years of searching for the perfect property of their own, luckily for us they found that land right here in Polk County. On January 19, 2001, the Board purchased 322.9 acres on Highway 17 in Homeland.
      What they have accomplished on that land is incredible. When you arrive you will feel as if you have stepped back in time. You will see the camps and teepees dotted across the property. It appears as if they have been there forever.
      The Florida Frontiersmen hosts the largest living history event in the Southeast. There is  food, music and period artisans. You will see demonstrations of soap making, weaving, blacksmithing and many other demonstrations of historic skills and portrayals of life prior to 1840.
      I admire the folks who take the time every year to host this Rendezvous. It takes a lot of work and dedication. The next Alafia River Rendezvous will be open to the public on January 22 and 23, 2016. The cost is very minimal and the experience that you will have, unforgettable.
      I look forward to seeing you all there!

Until next week,
Sharon Casey
Chamber President, 2015  

Left to Right: Cristian Bruno, Dana Mooers, owner Mike Patel, Elsa Reyes, all of The UPS Store; and Barbara Adamson, Bartow Chamber membership director.Call or email today for online printing, and check out the website for all products and services offered. https://bartow-fl-3115.theupsstorelocal.com/

Business of the Month for November is . . .
The UPS Store
115 E. Van Fleet Drive, Bartow
Phone: 863-519-0800
store3115@theupsstore.com
Call Mike today! He's offering a great special throughout the month of November for Chamber members: 29 cents only for color copies, 8-1/2 x 11 throughout November, 2015.

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.

FORTRESS FITNESS IS SECOND SATURDAY

     The Greater Bartow Chamber of Commerce presents “FORTRESS Fitness,” a program to promote family fitness began in September at 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, instructor of Pilates, kickboxing, Zumba and other cardio-fitness programs Please mark your calendars for these second Saturdays:

• November 14^th – Sol Torres (Zumba)
• December 12^th – Olly and Anitra Goddard
• January 9^th – Greg, Rick & Krissy
• February 13^th – Darwin Manzueta
• March 12^th – Marie Wilmot
• April 9^th – John Abad
• May 14^th – Jude Dauphin

     “Whether it’s just you, grandparents and grandkids, or your whole family, you are welcome to join us,” Wilmot said. For more information, contact: Virginia Condello at the Chamber, (863) 533-7125 or email virginia@bartowchamber.com. 
 

HONEY BEE FESTIVAL AND CRAFT FAIR IS THIS SATURDAY!
    Plans are set for the Main Street Bartow Honey Bee Festival and Craft Fair on Saturday, November 14, 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M., along Main Street in downtown Bartow.  The event is sponsored by Main Street Bartow, Inc., Bartow’s Community Redevelopment Agency, and the City of Bartow.
     Although the Honey Bee Festival component is new, the Craft Fair is in its 24th year.  Nearly 100 vendors will be offering a wide variety of homemade crafts and locally produced honey.
     This year’s list of crafts includes such a wide array of options, from crafts personalized on the spot, home and holiday décor, hand crafted jewelry, jams and jellies, sand art, and so much more. 
      Along with the longtime featured craft vendors, the event will also welcome some new elements from local honey producers.  Bartow is home to the Ridge Beekeepers Association. In addition, Polk County is the second largest producer of honey in Florida and the third largest in the nation so it's only natural to celebrate bees during this Festival.  This year along with the arts and crafts, there will be honey featured treats, honey for cooking, honey wine tastings, supplies for starting a bee hive, a spelling bee contest for children ages 10 – 13 year olds facilitated by the Polk County School Board, active observation hives for attendees to see the inner workings of the bee hive, and the opportunity to visit with apiculture specialists/beekeepers who can help answer questions about the local industry.  
     The event will also be joined by ‘Queen WinDi’, Central Florida’s Honey Bee Queen, who will be sharing recipe cards and will be available for photos.
Other activities throughout downtown will include two Dodgeball2u areas (for various age groups), face painting and games from Main Street Baptist’s AWANA program, and The West Coast Square and Round Dancers Association will also be performing at noon.
      Food will be available for purchase from vendors on the street as well as Bartow’s downtown restaurants.  An open car show will also be a part of the event, as well as Bartow’s monthly Antique Fair.
      For further information, or to inquire about remaining vendor availability, call Main Street Bartow, Inc. at 863-519-0508, or email mainstreetbartow@verizon.net.

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

NOVEMBER

Wednesday, November 11, 11:30 a.m.
A SALUTE TO OUR HOMETOWN HEROES
Bartow Civic Center
2250 S. Floral Ave., Bartow

Thursday, November 12, All Day
HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES DAY, LEADERSHIP BARTOW XVI

Thursday, November 12, 5:15 p.m.
BARTOW REGIONAL FUN THURSDAY
(See Attached Flier)

Monday, November 16, 1:00 p.m.
CHAMBER DIPLOMATS BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION
November Birthday - Molly Egli!

Tuesday, November 17, 3:30 p.m.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Tuesday, November 17, 4:00 p.m.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Left to right, Leadership Bartow Class XVI members Kathryn Bevilacqua-Ely, Roxanna Tovrea, Sherrie McCullough and Barbara Adamson.

  This year's Rudolph Roundup is a project of Leadership Bartow XVI,  and the class has plans to make this year the best yet!
     Did you know that there are more than 3,200 children in Polk, Highlands and Hardee Counties that have experienced abuse and/or neglect? We need your help to provide holiday gifts for these children in foster and shelter care, or with relatives or non relatives, many times away from family and friends. Won’t you help the Bartow Chamber fill Santa’s sleigh?
How you can help
     Bring an unwrapped toy(s) to the Chamber at 510 North Broadway Avenue by noon on December 7th. Heartland for Children will pick up the toys from the Chamber office. For a PDF of the most needed items, click here.

Lyle Philipson, owner of Alphagraphics in Lakeland, cuts the ceremonial red ribbon on Nov. 5, 2015, as one of the newest members of the Greater Bartow Chamber of Commerce. Alphagraphics Lakeland is located at 4130 S. Florida Avenue, Lakeland. For more information, please contact the printing and business marketing consulting firm at 963-646-5699.




Mosaics Community Cafe celebrated a Chamber ribbon-cutting on November 3, 2016. Libby Combee cuts the ceremonial red ribbon with the assistance from her son, Chamber members and well wishers. The Cafe offers free meals to the needy and a chance for those who would like to pay to eat a chance to make a donation to the project. Mosaics Community Cafe is located at 315 E. Main Street in Bartow.

Beautiful (and hot) November day, but plenty of chili in all varieties were featured at the November 6, 6th Annual Chili Cookoff at A-C-T Environmental and Infrastructure. The cookoff benefited United Way of Central Florida. Thanks for inviting the Chamber to participate!

FREE CAREER EVENT - ARE YOU LOOKING FOR QUALITY EMPLOYEES? Your search could end here. The Greater Bartow Chamber of Commerce is holding a job fair, giving quality job seekers access to more than 30 employers throughout the Polk County area. Want to participate as an employer? Contact Barbara Adamson, 863-533-7125 or email: barbara@bartowchamber.com for more information. Presenting Sponsor: Spherion Staffing Services
BARTOW CHAMBER JOB FAIR
Friday, January 8, 2016, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Bartow Civic Center, 2250 South Floral Ave.