iNFORMER News Aug '09

Welcome to iNFORMER! Our Trinidad Chamber Blogletter

What's a blogletter? showMore

(x) hideMe It's our monthly iNFORMER Newsletter content published online and merged with online commenting capabilities. Here, you'll collect Chamber news and information, as well as updates on upcoming events in-and-around Trinidad. On page 2 there's a letter from your Chamber President and Business Reports. On page 3 there are business specials for Chamber Members and Member announcements. Of course, feel free to leave a comment or start a conversation with your Chamber and Members.

Monthly Chamber "Dinner" Meeting Tuesday, September 15 - Taste of Trinidad Special Event - Open to Everyone!

Support our local State Parks while enjoying our Member's company and tasting several Business Member's food and wine offerings.

Looks like we scored a home run with last month's sell-out event at Moonstone Crossing Winery. This will be another one! Greater Trinidad Chamber of Commerce Members will head out to Patrick's Point State Park for a special night of fun in the trees under the stars. Please remember we are in the middle of our 2010 Membership Drive. Guests who may be interested in joining us in supporting our community are encouraged to attend.

Hosted by the Chamber and the North Coast Redwood Interpretive Association, proceeds will support programs at our local State parks. Thanks for supporting the Greater Trinidad Chamber, our Members, and our State Parks! Tuesday, September 15th at 6:00. Admission is $15. Attendance is limited.

Don't miss out! Make your reservations as soon as possible, SVP. Call 677-1610

Calendar Of Up-Coming Events

• Chamber Events
• Tue.Aug.25 - Chamber Board of Directors Meeting - 6:30p
• Tue.Sep.15 - Taste of Trinidad in Patricks' Point State Park
• Tue.Sep.22 - Chamber Board of Directors Meeting - 6:30p

• Member/Friend Events
• Sun.Aug.9 - Rolling Song Circle. Bill & Mike will pull, meet at east 101 Park&Ride

Hint: hover over or click for more details and links to more info.

If you or your Member Business or Organization would like to advertise a special event, we're glad to add it to our Calendar of Up-coming Events. Contact us with your requests by the 25th of each month. For more information, Call 677-1610

Simple & Effective Ways to Promote

We can help! Use our Chamber Blogletter & Newsletter. We will post your event in our iNFORMER Blog, and we can include your flyer in our monthly newsletter. Our blog and newsletter are sent to all of our Chamber members as well as other Chambers in the Northern California area. We'll even "tweet" for you! Many people and organizations follow us on Twitter @TrinidadTweets to receive up-to-the-minute Chamber News and Member Promotions.

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iNFORMER News - Page 2

Another Great Chamber Event!

Our July, Member only event at Moonstone Crossing Winery was a big success! We enjoyed great company, wine, cheese, and delectables. All thanks to Chamber Members, and Member Businesses Moonstone Crossing Winery, Loleta Cheese and Beachcomber Cafe.

The weather was wonderful! There were special wine barrel tastings from our generous hosts, and even though they trusted us to pour-our-own, we only broke one glass! We ate lots of cheese from Loleta Cheese Factory and yummy creative snacks from Trinidad's Beachcomber Cafe. About a dozen free prizes were won. One of our Academic Scholarship winners, Ross Ward, brought his mother and father as our guests. Thanks to Cher-Ae Heights for getting us there and back safely. Can't wait for the next one!

President's Comments

Purposeful Membership

None of us needs a lecture on how important local organization memberships are to our little community. May of us have volunteered countless hours and provided substantial financial support here all of our lives. We know first hand how every dollar committed to Trinidad Organizations does the work of two or three or even more because our volunteer's stretch it's value.

July was a busy month for all of us - thankfully. As you know, summer is especially important financially to our local businesses. Many of us make the bulk of our year's income during summer and fall. Summer also kicks off our yearly Trinidad Chamber fundraising events with the Fish Festival and our Membership Drive.

This year, Business Members who join or renew early, will be receiving a special benefit. We will be pooling them in a radio advertising campaign, thanks to our Fish Festival donation from Chamber Member All Hits Radio 95.5 FM. Individual Members who join or renew soon will receive a free tasting at the new Moonstone Crossing Wine Tasting Room.

We are considering offering a new level of membership and convenience — Lighthouse Membership If approved by the Board, Lighthouse Members would enjoy the upcoming membership year with complimentary attendance at Chamber Dinners, Mixers, and our Holiday Party while contributing $25 directly to our Academic Scholarship Fund. Lighthouse Membership benefits could save you $70! If you plan on attending the Holiday party and more than 5 dinners next year, you could start saving with a Lighthouse Membership addition to your regular Individual or Business Membership. Lighthouse Members would be appreciatively acknowledged as direct contributors to our Academic Scholarships, and also when they sponsor our events. Would you like to save on dinners prices, and forget about making reservations, writing checks, and waiting in line? Hopefully, we'll be able to offer you a Lighthouse Membership addition to your Individual or Business Membership this year.

Though we too are feeling these tough economic times, we've kept our dues at previous year's levels. We will be working harder than ever promoting Trinidad and our Member Businesses and we need your financial support to do it. We are also looking forward to several Trinidad Grads qualifying for our Academic Scholarships next year. With your help, we will be rewarding each of them for their scholastic achievements.

Business Membership $65 Individual Membership $30 Lighthouse Membership (options and price to be announced)

We are mailing new membership kits this month, but you'll be able to join online early - site links will be announced and "live" in a few days. 2009 Members will be receiving invoices for 2010 soon. We will offer new online payment options this year and a brief questionnaire. Your feedback will help us help you and our local businesses, as well as our Trinidad Area visitors.

Please be thinking of individuals and businesses you'd like to see join our Chamber. We will send them a kit on your behalf, or you'll be able to pick them up from our office. We will need your help and new member's financial assistance to continue our Chamber Mission:

Promoting the Economic, Civic and Social Welfare of the People of Greater Trinidad

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer!

Mike Morgan 677-1610 Chamber Office

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iNFORMER News - Page 3

Now Open! Trinidad (Twinidad?) Twisitor Center

Follow us @TrinidadTweets and receive up-to-the-minute Chamber News, remindMe Event Notification, and Chamber Member Promotions.

What's all this Twitter stuff you say? showMore

(x) hideMe

If you are asking that, tweeting is probably not for you. Well not yet anyway. Meanwhile, we're on the map at Twisitorcenter.com (first on the North Coast!).

Trinidad has joined the ranks of savvy cities around the world that tweet!

Twisitors (Trinidad visitors who tweet with twitter.com) can now "ask the locals" by tweeting travel questions directly to us.

Giving more personal suggestions on things-to-do, as well as unique personal perspectives of Trinidad is not only helpful, it's fun! If we're unavailable, fielding questions like "Where's Strawberry Rock in Trinidad?" can be done by our "followers" (friends who subscribe to our tweets) and the twitter community at large. Someone in London who likes Trinidad may get the tweet, and be excited to answer it. Twitter-ers are generally enthusiastic, helpful people. If we can get Ned tweeting, imagine having him available to answer your tweets.

I like getting tweets like "Hey everyone, there are 3 whales whooping it up in the Bay." You can follow your favorite local businesses as well as international news. Emergency notifications over Twitter have even helped alert residents in their cities. Curious? Check out our Trinidad Twisitor Center and the Web for more information. Get tweeting!

Mike Morgan, GTCC Global Public Relations & Marketing Chair

Notary Services Now Available in Trinidad

Now there's no need to leave Trinidad if you need the services of a Notary. Robin Frazer, Trinidad's Assistant City Clerk, wants to remind everyone that she is now a certified California Notary Public. Robin is available at the City Office on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9 AM to 2 PM, or by appointment. Thanks Robin for this needed service, and your Fire service, and your help with the Chamber. Please note: services offered are provided by a private citizen and not connected with the City of Trinidad). Call 677-0223 or 599-8537

George Herd Named Chamber's 2009 Citizen of the Year!

Congratulations to George and thank you for your service to our community.

Get Linked Up!

If you haven't already been linked from our Chamber's Web site to your own Member Web or Blog site, now is the time to do it. Linking will help both of our search rankings! We have thousands of visitors looking at our site every month.

With advertising costs increasing, getting maximum benefit from Web based advertising and exposure is critical. Or, if you sponsor or support a nonbusiness or non-profit organization that would benefit from linking the Chamber Web site and yours, let us know!