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Enjoy "The Taste of West Orange" at Best Fest 

By Keith Bradford, WOCC Chairman

Keith Bradford, WOCC ChairmanAny West Orange resident knows of the incredible culinary experiences offered throughout the area. It can seem impossible to keep up with all these amazing and unique food creations, but luckily, they’re all in one place on Thursday, March 30 at the 15th annual Best Fest – “The Taste of West Orange.” This event will take place on the shore of Starke Lake in beautiful, historic Ocoee.

Best Fest provides fantastic promotional opportunities for your business. Last year, over 60 restaurants & businesses provided delectable samples and sips to over 1,000 event attendees. Register now for your food/beverage or business booth to maximize your exposure and have your business included on all upcoming promotional materials.

If you’re not working at your business booth, then bring your friends and enjoy the best of West Orange! One price gets you unlimited tastes from the area’s best restaurants, bakeries, hangouts, coffee shops and delis.

Last year’s award winners were: Table Top Catering – BEST FOOD, Pilars Martini – BEST BEVERAGE, Jeremiah’s Italian Ice – BEST DESSERT and Observer Media Group – BEST BUSINESS BOOTH. This year, in support of the Healthy West Orange initiative, we are adding a fifth category – BEST HEALTHY FOOD.

 Visit wochamber.com for more information and to purchase your all-access wristbands in advance of this phenomenal event. If you are a local food or beverage vendor that hasn’t yet registered, we highly suggest you contact the Chamber at 407-656-1304 to secure your free booth space. Spaces are limited, so register at wochamber.com or call in today! 

Sincerely,

Keith Bradford, WOCC Chairman

Keith Bradford

 

West Orange Chamber45 Pillars of the West Orange Chamber

#3: Best Fest - "The Taste of West Orange"


Now entering its 15th year, Best Fest - "The Taste of West Orange" is one of the West Orange Chamber's premier annual events. This event offers Chamber restaurants and businesses to show off their culinary skills, providing guests with an unlimited array of incredible food and beverage samples.

Over the past fourteen years, the annual Best Fest has wowed thousands of guests from around Central Florida as they enjoyed the best West Orange has to offer in food, wine, spirits, and local products. On March 30, the City of Ocoee will once again host this magnificent event on the shore of beautiful Starke Lake.
Click here to see this month's new and renewed members!

Members in the News

Through the Orlando Magic Youth Fund $1 Million Distributed to 17 Central Florida Organizations
"In our 27 years, we’ve impacted more than two million children with the work that these organizations are doing with the different programs that they have conducted or enacted through OMYF funding," Magic CEO Alex Martins said. "There are so many great organizations that are doing such great work and over the course of 27 years we’ve contributed, through the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation, to more than 500 local organizations. We need them to prepare our youth for a better future." Learn more

Universal Orlando receives Travel Philanthropy Award
Universal Orlando Resort was chosen as the recipient of the 2016 Legacy in Travel Philanthropy Award, which honors long term impact in corporate philanthropy. Tourism Cares, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, is the charitable community of the travel and tourism industry. Read more

Goodwill celebrates record year serving Central Floridians
Goodwill Industries of Central Florida marked a record year in 2016, providing 49,670 individuals with resources and training to help them find meaningful work – a 16 percent increase from 2015. Additionally, the nonprofit placed more than 8,500 Central Floridians into jobs with local employers. Learn more

Five Questions with Ray Tomlinson of The Crowne Group, Inc.
As the landscape of health care insurance is once again experiencing some dramatic changes with the possible repeal and retooling of the Affordable Health Act, the urgency for businesses and individuals to find good health care coverage they can afford is top of mind these days. Read more

New poll says Publix has the third best reputation among U.S. companies
A well-known Florida company has climbed to having the third best reputation among the most visible companies in the United States. Publix Super Markets for the third year in a row has risen in the rankings in the annual Harris Poll reputation quotient survey, jumping from No. 9 in 2015 to No. 6 in 2016 and now No. 3. Full story

R.C. Stevens nominated for OBJ's coolest office space
Whether it’s in a traditional high-rise building, part of a business park or an airplane hangar, there are plenty of cool offices throughout Central Florida. And Orlando Business Journal this year has chosen 18 of the area’s most innovative, high-tech, modern, sustainable and just plain impressive company spaces to honor in our 2017 Coolest Office Spaces. Click to vote
Get HUGE savings at Office Depot/Office Max just for being a West Orange Chamber Member. Email us to get your loyalty card.
Ambassadors in Action
The Chamber Team is always Out & About! Visit our Facebook page to see which members we've visited lately!

West Orange Chamber45 Pillars of the West Orange Chamber

#4: Walt Disney World


Walt Disney World shares a storied history with the West Orange Chamber. The organization is a Community Trustee, and has been a Chamber member dating all the way back to the WOCC's inaugural year in 1972. Disney has sponsored and/or played host to numerous Chamber events over the years, including the Big Orange Awards.

This year is special for both Disney and the WOCC, as both organizations are celebrating a 45th anniversary. In a remarkable coincidence, this year Keith Bradford, VP of Disney Springs, became the WOCC's first chairman from Disney during this landmark year.
Like discounts? So do we. See what your fellow Chamber members are offering just for you. MEMBER DEALS

WOCC adds Executive Assistant/Office Manager

The West Orange Chamber of Commerce announced the hire of Susan Steeves as its new Executive Assistant and Office Manager. Susan recently relocated with her husband and three children to Winter Garden from Connecticut. There she had worked as the Executive Assistant to the CEO, President and Vice President of Basement Systems, Inc. She also helped organize the training events for the company’s more than 345 dealers from six different countries, as well as local events for the 320+ employees ranging from holiday parties to community events.
 
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