FROM THE PRESIDENT:
JENNIFER HALL, SEMCO Construction 
Thanksgiving
Bartow has officially kicked off the Holiday Season! This past Friday was our annual Magic on Main event, and the Christmas lights are on! I will write about the wonderful other events Bartow hosts for the holidays, but today I want to focus on Thanksgiving.
Most of us know at least a little about the first Thanksgiving, held in November, 1621, between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Indians, after the Pilgrims survived a brutal winter and had a successful corn harvest.
It wasn’t until 1863, at the height of the Civil War, however, that President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation scheduling Thanksgiving for the final Thursday in November. It was celebrated on that day every year until 1939, when President Franklin Roosevelt moved the holiday up one week to spur retail sales during the Great Depression.
Congress passed a bill officially making Thanksgiving the 4th Thursday in November, finally, in 1941. (source: history.com)
Today, our Thanksgiving traditions include eating a meal with family and friends, volunteering in our communities, parades, and football.
I want to wish you, your businesses, and your families a Happy Thanksgiving this week. However you celebrate – whether you cook the meal, clean up the meal, volunteer to serve others a meal, or simply enjoy the company of family and friends while eating the meal – I hope you take the time to be truly thankful for the freedoms we Americans have because of the sacrifices of others before us.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Until next week,
Jennifer Hall
Your Chamber President, 2016
HELLO BARTOW! MEMBERS PARTICIPATE FOR FREE
ROI ALERT TO ALL MEMBERS!
We've established a new perk to your membership. Now, as a member of the Greater Bartow Chamber of Commerce, you may include a promotional item for your business in the HELLO BARTOW! welcome baskets for new residents. PARTICIPATION IS FREE OF CHARGE! If you are interested, contact Barbara Adamson, Membership Director, (863) 533-7125, or reply to this email.
CHAMPIONS CUP
Congratulations to the 2016 Champions Cup Winners! Here they are:
MEMBERSHIP MILESTONES
30 YEARS
Spath Jewelers
25 YEARS
First Baptist Church
20 YEARS
Glenn Broom Insurance Agency, Inc.
5 YEARS
Tammy Albritton
National Write Your Congressman
COMMITTEE OF 100 IS DEC. 9
The next Committee of 100 meeting is set for Friday, December 9, 2016, 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 group, contact Chairman Brian Hinton at 863-533-4196.
Click here for a complete listing of Committee of 100 members.
NEW MEMBERS
Caterers
All Racked Up BBQ
David & Stephanie Kimbrough
3420 Stoneway Dr.
Lakeland, FL 33812
(863) 670-5325
Advertising Agency
Lakeland Outdoor Advertising
Ms. Kathy Oertel
General Manager
215 E. Bay Street, Suite 7
Lakeland, FL 33813
(863) 603-0373
lakelandoutdoor.com
Motorcycles/ATVs/Side by Sides
Sackett Motorsports, Inc.
Mr. Ryan Sackett
350 W. Brannen Rd.
Lakeland, FL 33813
(863) 397-5562
Individual Member
Ms. Diane Ward
DIPLOMAT
SUPPORT OUR NEWSLETTER SPONSORS!
CHAMBER QUARTERLY HAS 40K READERSHIP
 Reserve your space now in the Spring Chamber Quarterly Magazine and hand your business card out to more than 40,000 readers for only $85 per issue. Call Barbara Adamson at 863-533-7125 for more information.
JOIN ENGAGE & GET A COOL CUP!
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GIVEWELL COMMMUNITY FOUNDATION GIVE CARD
NOVEMBER BUSINESS: GIVEWELL FOUNDATION
Left to right: Lori Martini (Chief Philanthropic Officer), Christy Vreeland (Executive Assistant), Terry W. Simmers (President, CEO), Barbara Adamson (Bartow Chamber), Dave Walter (Communications Specialist), Amy Royal (Chief Financial Officer), Rhonda Todd (Community Engagement Specialist)
November Business of the Month
________________________________________
GiveWELL Community Foundation
Lakeland Office: 1501 South Florida Ave., Lakeland 33803
(863) 683-3131
WH Office: 20 3rd Street SW, Suite 307, Winter Haven 33880
(863) 683-3131
info@GiveCF.org
GiveWell Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving Polk, Highlands, and Hardee counties by connecting donors to the needs of the community. We offer individu  als, families, businesses, and nonprofits an efficient place to invest dollars that grow to do tremendous good.
WANT TO FIND OUT HOW TO BECOME
THE BUSINESS OF THE MONTH?
Contact Barbara Adamson, Membership Services,
863-533-7125 or email
barbara@bartowchamber.com
FUN THURSDAY AT BOSWELL & DUNALP LLP
Join us for a wonderful Christmas celebration at Boswell & Dunlap on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016, 5:00 p.m. Mark your calendars today! See you there.
MEMBER MICRONEWS
SPATH JEWELERS OFFERS FREE CONCERT FOR CHRISTMAS
A free Christmas Concert is set for Saturday, December 10, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at Spath Jewelers, 1360 N. Broadway Ave., Bartow. Singing will be The Reflectsons, a nationally-known Gospel group. For more information, contact Spath Jewelers at 863-533-9569.
CHAMBER EVENTS
(All meetings are in the Chamber Boardroom unless otherwise noted.)
NOVEMBER
Thursday, Nov. 24-25
CHAMBER CLOSED FOR THANKSGIVING
Wednesday, Nov. 30, 7:30 a.m.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY
Clear Springs Polk State College Advanced Technology Center
Tuesday, Dec. 6, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
CHAMBER MIXER: ALL SAINTS ACADEMY
5001 SR 540W, Winter Haven
Wednesday, Dec. 7, noon
AMBASSADORS, DELEGATES CHRISTMAS PARTY
Thursday, Dec. 8, 5:00 p.m.
BOSWELL & DUNLAP FUN THURSDAY
245 S. Central Ave., Bartow
Friday, Dec. 9, 6:00 p.m.
DOWNTOWN CHRISTMAS PARADE
Thursday, Dec. 15, noon
DIPLOMAT CHRISTMAS PARTY
Tuesday, Dec. 13, 3:45 p.m., 4:00 p.m.
BOARD/EXEC COMMITTEE
Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2016, 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
WATSON CLINIC BARTOW GYNECOLOGY
RIBBON CUTTING - OPEN HOUSE
NEW OFFICE LOCATION AT THE
BAYCARE BARTOW REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
Dr. Tarek Garas & Nicole Rule, ARNP-C
2000 Osprey Blvd., Suite 100
Bartow, FL 33830
Friday, Dec. 23; Monday, Dec. 26
CHAMBER CLOSED FOR CHRISTMAS
FOR A LIST OF COMMUNITY EVENTS LISTED ON OUR WEBSITE, CLICK HERE AND THEN CHOOSE "EVENTS"!
B2B BUSINESS CARD EXCHANGE DEC. 14
Wednesday, December 14, 2016, 7:30 a.m., Chamber Boardroom
BUSINESS TO BUSINESS
MORNING BUSINESS CARD EXCHANGE
Plenty of coffee and fellowship with your fellow member business owners. Bring lots of business cards and give everyone two - one for them and one for a friend. Hope to see you there! NO REGISTRATION NECESSARY.
DON'T MISS FORTRESS FITNESS FOR NOVEMBER!
 This is a great time of exercise for the whole family! Marie Wilmot, local fitness guru, has designed a program for the Chamber to help the community get fit! Find out what types of exercise suit your needs by coming out to Fort Blount Park on the second Saturday of each month at 9:00 a.m. You can experience a different kind of exercise in each class. It's a blast!
RUDOLPH ROUNDUP
It's Rudolph Round-Up 2016!
We invite you to join Heartland for Children in our 12th Annual Rudolph Round-Up Holiday Toy Drive. With your help, our goal is to help make incredible holiday memories for 1,400 local children who have experienced abuse and/or neglect.
Whether you are a new donor or one who has supported children's holiday wishes previously through Rudolph Round-Up, we need your help to provide for all of the children in need.
Bring new, unwrapped toys to the Bartow Chamber for Polk County children today! Rudolph Roundup is a project of Leadership Bartow XVII.
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