Thanks to Sponsors and All Who Made the Annual Meeting a Great Success!

   At this year's Annual Meeting, Clint Edwards accepted the ceremonial gavel of the Chamber's presidency from Jennifer Hall of SEMCO Construction. The theme, chosen by Edwards, was The Silver Screen.

At the Annual Meeting the presidential gavel was passed to Edwards, and new board members Chandra Frederick, Richard Dreyer and Dr. Orathai Northern, were announced.

 The Chamber thanks retiring Board Members, Sharon Casey, Lea Ann Thomas and Shannon Medley.

The George W. Harris Leadership Bartow Award is given each year to a member of the Leadership Bartow Alumni or the Steering Committee, who has provided consistent leadership in enhancing Bartow’s quality of life. It is the Greater Bartow Chamber of Commerce’s most prestigious award. The winner of the George W. Harris Bartow Leadership Award for 2016 was Howe Wallace of PalletOne, Inc.

Sponsors this year included the prepromotion sponsors, plus these event sponsors: PRESENTING SPONSOR: THUNDER Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram; GOLD SPONSORS: A-C-T Environmental and Infrastructure, Boswell & Dunlap, Central Florida Truss, Mosaic and Watson Clinic; SILVER SPONSORS: Kelley Buick GMC, Lennys Grill & Subs, Polk County Public Schools, SEMCO Construction; BRONZE SPONSORS: Bank of Central Florida, BayCare Bartow Regional Medical Center, City of Bartow, Bartow Ford, Bartow Community Healthcare Foundation, Bartow High School, CenterState Bank, Citizens Bank & Trust, PalletOne, Polk County News & Democrat, Polk State College, SunBelt Forest Products and Whidden-McLean Funeral Home.

Thanks also to our many companies and organizations that provided auction items / cash for the event - too many to list here.

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.

Congratulations to the 2016 Champions Cup Winners! Here they are:

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

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Clint Edwards, President
Emily Spath Clark, Incoming President
   Spath Jewelers
Jennifer Hall, Immediate Past President
    SEMCO Construction

Left to right: Bartow Perkins Team Members Stephanie Dufuria; Mike Stearns, Manager; and David Juarez with Chamber Membership Services Director Barbara Adamson

January Business of the Month
________________________________________

Perkins Restaurant & Bakery
150 E. Van Fleet Dr., Bartow, FL 33830
(863) 533-9688  www.perkinsrestaurants.com

The Bartow Perkins Restaurant is a local destination. Perkins offers all your favorites from breakfast to dinner, and everything in between. And, don't forget about their fresh bakery goods! Bring your appetite, they'll do the rest!
Open 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m., seven days a week.


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

osaThe Greater Bartow Chamber of Commerce would like to thank our many sponsors and Ticket and Auction Prize sponsors, that helped make THE SILVER SCREEN Annual Meeting a great success. They are:

PRESENTING SPONSOR: THUNDER Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram

GOLD SPONSORS: A-C-T Environmental and Infrastructure, Boswell & Dunlap, Central Florida Truss, Mosaic and Watson Clinic

SILVER SPONSORS: Kelley Buick GMC, Lennys Grill & Subs, Polk County Public Schools, SEMCO Construction

BRONZE SPONSORS: Bank of Central Florida, BayCare Bartow Regional Medical Center, City of Bartow, Bartow Ford, Bartow Community Healthcare Foundation, Bartow High School, CenterState Bank, Citizens Bank & Trust, PalletOne, Polk County News & Democrat, Polk State College, SunBelt Forest Products and Whidden-McLean Funeral Home.

ALL OF OUR PREPROMOTION SPONSORS: A-C-T Environmental and Infrastructure; BayCare Bartow Regional Medical Center; CenterState Bank; Crosswired Electric; Bartow Ford; Evolve Contracting, Inc.; Carla Meeks WebPro; SEMCO Construction; Spath Jewelers; Spherion Staffing, Terrie Lobb Catering; and Thunder Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram.

ALL OF OUR PRIZE SPONSORS:
SILENT AUCTIONS:
Sheriff Grady Judd and Polk County Sheriffs Office
Barbara and Gary Newell
All Racked Up Barbecue / Tracy Kimbrough
Baylis & Company
Mosaic

TICKET AUCTIONS:
SEMCO Construction (Fire Pit)
The Villages At Laurel Meadows (Date Night Basket)
Kathryn Bevilacqua-Ely & Madden Brand Agency (GoPro Hero)
Bonefish Grill (Bonefish Dinner Excursion For 8)
Spherion Staffing Services (Tampa Bay Lightning Tickets)
Moody Law (Fantasy of Flight For 2)
Core Wealth Advisors (Echo Dot)
Spath Jewelers (Costa Sunglass & Clock)
Baylis & Company (Photo Art, Brunch at Boskos for 4)
Baylis & Company (Lakeland Flying Tigers Tickets for 4)
Baylis & Company (4 Imperial Symphony Orchestra Tickets)
Baylis & Company (Lone Palm Brunch for 4)
Baylis & Company (Detroit Tigers Spring Training Tickets)
Bank of Central Florida (Wireless Headphones & Gift Card)
Beef O'Brady's (Gift Cards)
A-C-T Environmental & Infrastructure (Lenovo Tablet)
Potthast Studios (Photo Restoration)
Linkster's Tap Room (Basket of Spirits)
Lourdes Vazquez (Dior J'Adore)
Gene & Sharon Casey (Bicycle)
Citizens Bank & Trust (2 Fitbits)
Lennys Grill & Subs ($100 gift card)
Polk County Sports Marketing & Tourism (Legoland, Bok Tower Tickets)
Mosaic (Quadcopter Drone)
Tracy Kimbrough (Tampa Bay Discovery Flight)
Ginger Whittington (Mary Kay)
Lakeland Piano & Piano Alley (Piano lessons)
Florida Air Museum (tickets)
The Krazy Kricket (Gift Cards)
Sweet Magnolias (Good Times Basket)
The Wine Stable (Wine Basket)
Main Street Bartow, Inc. (Lottery Tree)
Tracy Kimbrough (VR Headset and wireless ear buds)
Florida Southern College (All Sports Passes)
Baylis & Company (Leadercast Tickets)
Esthetics by Tanya Tucker (Facial)
Watson Clinic (Bella Vista Spa Basket)
Polk Museum of Art (Puzzle, Art, Membership)
Michell Githens State Farm Insurance (Jar of Cash)
Mosaic (55" Big Screen Television)

 

Thursday, January 26
LEADERSHIP COUNTY GOV. DAY

Thursday, January 26, 5:00 P.M.
SACKETT MOTORSPORTS FUN THURSDAY
350 W. Brannen Rd., Lakeland 33813

FEBRUARY

Thursday, February 2, 5:00 p.m.
CHOCOLATE CHARMS & CHAMBER FUN THURSDAY
AT SPATH JEWELERS

Wednesday, February 8, noon
AMBASSADORS AND DELEGATES LUNCHEON
Perkins Restaurant
(Note: Date change from regular first Wednesday)

Friday, February 17, 6:00 p.m.
JEEPIN' WITH JUDD DOWNTOWN EVENT

Saturday, February 18, 10:00 a.m.
SYFY BARTOW
Downtown

Thursday, February 23, 5:30 p.m.
BARN BOOGIE sponsored by SEMCO
Leland Young's Barn

Employment/Staffing Services
CertiTemp, Inc.
Mrs. Lynee Tice
3009 Hwy 92 E
Winter Haven, FL 33881
(863) 965-7744
Visit Website here.

Community Action &  Human Services
Sunrise Community of Central Florida, Inc.
Ms. Rebecca McGuire
807 North Lake Parker Ave.
Lakeland, FL 33801
(863) 680-2817
Visit Website here.

Insurance
Mulling Insurance Agency
Mr. Dennis Hollingsworth
230 Old Bartow Eagle Lake Rd
Bartow, FL 33830

Associations/Clubs/Organizations
Bartow High School Yellow Jackets Athletic Booster Club Inc.
Ms. Angela Ruiz
P.O. Box 994
Bartow, FL 33831
(863) 326-8177

Warehousing-Mini/Self-Service
Affordable Storage of Bartow
Ms. Lori Raymond
1515 Centennial Blvd.
Bartow, FL 33830
(863) 533-5597
 

Polk County Clerk of Courts & Comptroller
To Host 4th Valentine's Day Wedding
     Less than one month to go for courting couples to sign up to tie the knot on the most romantic day of the year!
      Beginning at noon on Valentine’s Day, Clerk of Courts & Comptroller Stacy M. Butterfield will be performing the 4^th annual group marriage ceremony on the picturesque steps of the Polk County History Center.
     “This is one of my favorite days of the year,” Stated Clerk Butterfield, “Here in the Clerk’s office we tend to do a lot of business that isn’t exactly uplifting. Most people don’t look forward to coming into my office, because it means they need to pay a traffic ticket, go to court, or they’re showing up for jury duty. The Valentine’s Day Group Wedding stands out as a very special event for me, for my staff, and for everyone involved. It’s a day filled with joy as 30 couples begin a new and exciting journey together.”
     Couples and their guests will then be treated to a reception with light refreshments provided by local sponsors in the vintage 1926 courtroom.
     The ceremony is limited to 30 couples, and registration is first come, first serve. Couples may register when applying for a marriage license by visiting any of the three Clerk’s office locations—the Bartow Courthouse, or the Lakeland or Winter Haven Branches—and requesting to get married at the Valentine’s Day ceremony. All couples must have a marriage license by Friday, February 10^th in order to participate in the Valentine’s Day wedding.
     Couples must both be present to apply for their license, and both must have a valid form of photo ID. Couples must also make sure they know their Social Security Number. The Clerk is waiving the $30 ceremony fee; however standard marriage license fees do apply.
For more information, call the Official Records department at 863-534-4516.