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WLRCC Breakfast Meeting Presents Dennis Price of Capital City Improv May 7th
Improv training is a growing business trend -- worldwide, companies feature workshops to improve managers' and employees' communication and presentation skills.
Capitol City Improv founder Dennis Price will show you how this funny business can help your business seriously succeed.
$7 payable at the door. A light breakfast will be provided beginning at 7:15am. The meeting will start at 7:30am and end promptly at 8:30am. Public welcome; RSVPs not necessary. Please enter through the rear of the building. Sponsored by Brian S. Berry and Associates, CPAs.
winthropchamber.org
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WLRCC April 2nd Breakfast Meeting Recap: Social Media Tips
Social media and marketing consultant Alicia Barnes spoke at our last Winthrop Lakes Region Chamber breakfast. Alicia specializes in building brand trust and promoting businesses through social media engagement and data analysis. Her clients include the Red Barn Restaurant and the Red Barn Cares Foundation. She has also consulted for the Friends of Lithgow Library, Veterans for Michaud, and Unite Blue. Alicia began her social media career as a volunteer for Glenn Close’s foundation BringChange2Mind. A graduate of Purdue University, Alicia also served in the Navy.
Here are some of her tips for using Facebook to promote your business:
1. Post often. The more you post, the more you increase your reach or interaction with your Facebook fans. Post at least once a day, even on “off” days. Users who seek information about a business want to see frequent and varied postings on your page.
2. Content is King. Know your audience -- it’s a key part of deciding what to post.
3. Engage your audience. Ask your fans questions related to your product or service to engage them and get feedback.
4. Use contests. One of the ways Alicia keeps Red Barn’s Facebook fans engaged is with contests. If you offer a product or service, you can post a picture and ask fans to “like” or answer a question to enter the contest. Woobox.com lets you pick winners from posts for free when you sign up for an account. If you don’t have something tangible from your business to offer to reward your fans, purchase a $25 gift card from a popular local restaurant or small business. A gift card will create more engagement and goodwill than a Facebook ad.
5. Post pictures or videos. Whenever possible, post a photo with text. Upload videos directly to Facebook. They create more reach than a link shared from a YouTube video.
6. “Like” other businesses in your community. Share posts to help other businesses, and hopefully, they will share your content, too.
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WLRCC May Business After Hours
hosted by
Peppers Garden & Grill
Tuesday, May 19, 5:00pm to 7:00pm (or later!)
101 Main Street, Winthrop
We invite Chamber members and their guests to welcome a long-awaited spring, try Pepper's new menu, and meet our new Executive Director, Barbara Walsh.
Please join us -- bring your good cheer, business cards, appetite, and ideas about what you want the Chamber to do.
See you there!
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Support Maine Special Olympics Locally
Maine Special Olympics (MSO) provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community.
You can support their efforts through this great local event:
 The 26th Annual Special Olympics Maine Open presented by Classic Bass Masters and hosted by Andy and Sheree Wess at Lakeside Motel and Cabins on Sunday, May 3rd. This is our region’s premiere bass tournament, with contestants coming from all over New England and beyond to fish the waters of beautiful Cobbossee Lake. Whether you want to participate in the tournament or just show your support for the cause and Lakeside’s tremendous efforts to make this event happen every year, donations in any amount go directly to MSO. Make checks out to Maine Special Olympics, and contact Andy and Sheree Wess at info@lakesidelodging.com or 207.395.6741 for details.
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Mark your Calendars! June Breakfast Meeting
Thursday, June 4: Chris Fogg, Director of the Maine Tourism Association: Promoting Maine and our Tourism Economy.
If you have requests/ideas for future breakfast meetings, please let us know! After June, we'll adjourn until September.
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TAM Receives New England Partnership Grant
 Theater at Monmouth (TAM) was recently awarded a $1,000 grant through the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston (FHLBB) Grants for New England Partnership (GNP) program. Kennebec Savings Bank was pleased to nominate the theater based on its contribution to community through live theatrical performance, arts programming for local schools, and building restoration. All of these efforts further the overall economic development, revitalization, and pride in the town of Monmouth and surrounding communities.
Kennebec Savings Bank has long been a strong supporter of Theater at Monmouth, most recently as a major contributor in 2014 toward renovation of Toad Hall, its artist housing facility. “Theater at Monmouth could not survive on ticket revenue alone. We are reliant on the community support generously donated from corporate sponsors and individual donors,” said Dawn McAndrews, TAM Producing Artistic Director.
“KSB is a long-time supporter of the arts and believes in anchor community organizations, like Theater at Monmouth, that inspire imagination and enhance the quality of life for people of all ages in Kennebec Valley,” said KSB President and CEO Andrew Silsby.
For more than 45 years, Theater at Monmouth has presented interpretations of the classics and has been designated the Shakespearean Theater of Maine. It is housed in Cumston Hall, an ornate Victorian era opera house, which has belonged to the town of Monmouth since 1899 and has been on the National Register of Historic Buildings since 1976. More than 15,000 students statewide participate in TAM's education programs and community partnership efforts each year.
Kennebec Savings Bank is an $805 million state-chartered community bank with a team of 118 employees, and offices in Augusta, Waterville, Winthrop, and Farmingdale and “KSB Anytime” 24-hour electronic banking centers in Manchester, Augusta, and Farmingdale. Customers and employees alike are proud to say, “That’s My Bank.” Member FDIC; Equal Housing Lender.
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Promote Your Event August 15th
The annual Winthrop Sidewalk Art Show will be on Saturday, August 15th. If you will represent an organization hosting a community activity that day, please email Sarah Fuller at sarahpos@hotmail.com -- we are organizing a group to coordinate and collectively promote the day's events.
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Want to Host a Business-After-Hours?
Interested in raising your profile among local business leaders? Consider hosting a Business-After-Hours event. It's great for networking and educating the local business community about your services. If you might be interested in hosting an event in the coming months, email us today: info@winthropchamber.org.
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Kennebec Land Trust May Events
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Basic Chainsaw Safety
Saturday, May 9, 2015
9:00am to 4:00pm
Peter Miller Woodland, Vienna
Instructor John Cullen will spend the day teaching techniques for operating a chainsaw safely.
Gott Pasture Preserve Hike
Sunday, May 10, 2015
2:00pm to 4:00pm
Hardscrabble Road, Wayne
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Sexual Assault Crisis & Support Center Raffle
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Sweet Westlake Maple Syrup Sugar Shack Breakfast
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On April 4th, Mert and Dede Dearnley, owners of Westlake Maple Syrup, located at their homestead on Route 135 in Monmouth, held a Sugar Shack breakfast for family, friends, and patrons.
Packed with nutrients and minerals, maple syrup is among the lowest calorie sweeteners. Why not treat yourself today? To buy Westlake's locally-tapped and produced syrup, call Mert or Dede: 207.933.8808.
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What Happened to the GED?
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For many years, the State of Maine has used the General Educational Development test to administer and issue the state equivalency diploma, also known as the "GED." As of January 2015, Maine no longer offers the GED test. You can still earn your Maine State Equivalency Diploma through the HiSET® exam.
The HiSET® exam stands for High School Equivalency Test and is produced by ETS (Educational Testing Service). The new test still allows for a rigorous process to document a person's academic skill level, but it will also ensure responsible spending of taxpayers' dollars.
So what does this mean for someone who has started the GED or needs to earn a diploma?
Unfortunately, the GED test will no longer transfer to earning your equivalency diploma, however, the testing and test preparation at Monmouth/Winthrop Adult Ed are FREE!
FMI: winthrop-monmouth.maineadulted.org or call 207.377.2265.
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