Weekly Village Update 9.25.20

 

Chamber News Coming Soon - Chamber Membership Renewal! The Chamber sends out our annual membership investment dues on October 1st. The invoice you receive will be for your 2021 membership. If you have any questions, please call the Chamber at 828.295.7851 or email Regina. Happy Small Business Week! It is National #SmallBusinessWeek. Learn more about what the Small Business Administration is doing for their virtual conference here. Blowing Rock Farmers Market The Blowing Rock Farmers Market has been extend to Thursday, October 15th! Enjoy a few more weeks of fresh flowers, bread, local meat, goat cheese, eggs, and more! Blowing Rock Young Professionals POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER Interested in learning more about the Young Professional? Email Suzy@BlowingRock.com Are you a Blowing Rock Young Professional (ages 21-40) or do you know a young professional who is looking to get more involved? A few members of the BRYP will be at the Blowing Rock Farmers Market on Oct. 1st to meet new members & share more information on the group. Have you taken the Census? Deadline quickly approaching! CENSUS DEADLINE SEPT 30th. There are only a few weeks left to take the Census! The results of the 2020 Census will help determine how hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funding flow into communities every year for the next decade. Learn how to count yourself here. Rapid Recovery Loan The NC COVID-19 Rapid Recovery Loan Program now allows businesses to borrow up to $250,000 with no payments and 0.25 percent interest for the first 18 months, and includes a 102-month repayment term. Start your application now! Mortgage, Utility and Rent Relief (MURR) Program to help museums, amusement parks and others Some North Carolina small businesses that have experienced extraordinary disruption to their operations due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic may benefit from a $40 million relief program to help offset fixed costs like rent, mortgage interests and utility bills, Governor Roy Cooper announced Tuesday (yesterday).   The N.C. Mortgage, Utility and Rent Relief (MURR), administered by the N.C. Department of Commerce, can provide up to $20,000 in relief funds per qualifying business location. Business applicants from certain industry sectors that have not been able to operate during the COVID period may apply for up to two of their business locations.   Eligible applicants are amusement parks, museums, bars, banquet halls (with catering staff), bowling alleys, indoor fitness and recreation centers, movie theaters (except drive-ins), dance halls, and bingo parlors.   Applicants can apply for up to four months of mortgage interest or rent expenses, and utility expenses. Applications to the program should open next week and will be handled on a first-come, first-served basis. Applicants must certify that they were closed during the period April 1 through July 31, 2020; they expect to be able to operate after the COVID crisis has passed; and they have not been reimbursed by any other federal source for the expenses for which they seek reimbursement through this program.   Commerce will begin accepting applications soon. Business leaders can learn about the MURR program by registering for one of the free educational webinars offered by Commerce during the next two weeks. To find out more, click here. To submit your news to our weekly newsletter, email Suzy@BlowingRock.com by Wednesday. Our newsletter reaches over 1,000 member contacts each Thursday! Upcoming Activities & Meetings Blowing Rock Farmers Market - Weekly on Thursday from 3-6pm Tanger Concert Series - September 26th & October 10th Candidates Forum - October 1st Ribbon Cutting at Twin Creeks - October 2nd Art in the Park - October 3rd Concerts in the Park - October 4th Member News HCBCF Blood Drive Saturday, October 3rd Tanger Outlets 11am- 4pm All donors will recive a $10 gift card and a $10 charitable donation will be made for every blood donor! thebloodconnection.org/hcbcf Seasonal Jobs at Samaritan's Purse It’s that time of the year again! Samaritan’s Purse - Operation Christmas Child has seasonal, paid employment opportunities available and would like to share them with the local community.   They have need for over 700 people and there are many jobs available for team coaches, warehouse workers, certified forklift operators, Class A drivers, and mail processing staff. The processing season begins mid-November and runs through mid-December. These positions are temporary, full-time opportunities, Monday through Saturday, and require a solid commitment for the duration of the project.   Applications are open now through October. Instructions for applying online can be found on the Samaritan's Purse website under “Get Involved” - “Employment” - “Operation Christmas Child Processing Center Seasonal" The Schaefer Center Presents..! The 2020-21 season of “The Schaefer Center Presents…” performing arts series, presented by Appalachian State University’s Office of Arts and Cultural Programs, announces its fall series, which will be presented in an all-virtual format Oct 9-Dec. 4. The series traditionally offers students, faculty, staff and the community a diverse array of music, theatre and dance designed to enrich the cultural landscape of the campus and surrounding area, showcasing some of the finest artists around the globe, the nation, and the region. The virtual experience will be no exception, featuring a varied lineup that includes livestreamed and pre-recorded theatre, music, and other events — from American Shakespeare Center and Watkins Family Hour to the university’s own Hayes School of Music and a special event with world-renowned primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall. Fill Out Survey Here The Children's Council is asking for your input! The Children's Council of Watauga County, Inc. is seeking input from our community for our strategic planning process. Please complete this quick survey so they can access what our community already knows about their work, what they doing well, and/or what they need to be doing to better serve young children in Watauga County. Even if you don't know much about them, your input will be helpful. Please respond by September 30, 2020. Sporting Clay Tournament The Hunger & Health Coaliton is hosting a Sproting Clay Tournament at the Chetola Sporting Reserve October 10th & 11th. All of their fundraising goes straight back into making these programs stay open, and continually able to help anyone in need. Give them a call at 828-262-1628 if you'd like to donate or join the team of amazing volunteers. Register online here. We'd love to see you! The Chamber Team is glad to see our businesses re-opening! Email Regina to let us know you're open and we will stop by for a socially distance visit. More events and updates can be found on our online calendar. To submit your news to our weekly newsletter, email Suzy@BlowingRock.com by Wednesday. Our newsletter reaches over 1,000 member contacts each Thursday! Thank you to our 2020 Chamber Partners!

Weekly Village Update 9.17.20

 

Chamber News Grow With Google Fall Webinar Series - STARTS TUESDAY Grow with Google Webinar Series Schedule All events will be held from 1-2PM on the date listed   September 22nd - Reach Customers Online with Google October 6th - Get Your Business Found on Google Search and Maps October 27th – Using YouTube to Grow Your Business November 4th - Make Your Website Work for You November 10th - Using Data to Drive Growth Coming Soon - Chamber Membership Renewal! The Chamber sends out our annual membership investment dues on October 1st. The invoice you receive will be for your 2021 membership. If you have any questions, please call the Chamber at 828.295.7851 or email Regina. Blowing Rock Young Professionals Are you a Blowing Rock Young Professional (ages 21-40) or do you know a young professional who is looking to get more involved? On Thursday, September 24th from 4-6pm a few members of the BRYP will be at the Blowing Rock Farmers Market to meet new members & share more information on the group. Get connected with BRYP, buy some local products, listen to live music and hang out! Tips & Tricks Tips & Tricks is a new segment to the Chamber's Weekly Village Update! This segment will feature Tips & Tricks from member businesses. Interested in submitting a tip or trick to share? Contact Regina at regina@blowingrock.com. Thor is Matt Vincent's of VPC Builders furry friend! Thor's Thoughts On September 21st, we officially welcome in the fall season. Fall is one of my favorite times of the year because the holidays are just around the corner. For me, this means I get more belly rubs from family members and lots of playtime in the leaves. One observation I have around this time of year is that my human friends can be so excited to celebrate the seasons that they forget to prepare their home for the upcoming weather. Below, I have provided a list of helpful ways to get ready for the cooler temperatures ahead. Hopefully, these reminders will allow you to focus more on spending times with your loved ones (and pets) and ease the transition from summer to fall. Check the status of your gutters, they work hard to drain water from your roof yearly. Check for drafts as heat loss contributes to 25-30% of heating energy used. Fix cracks in your driveway because water can freeze and expand existing cracks. Change your filters as clogged ones make it harder to regulate the temperature inside.  Drain your outdoor faucets since the water can freeze and burst piping. To help assist with future home projects, VPC Builders offers a home-watch service. If you are interested, please feel free to contact us at our office at 828-295-0707. Have you taken the Census? Deadline quickly approaching! There are only a few weeks left to take the Census! The results of the 2020 Census will help determine how hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funding flow into communities every year for the next decade. Learn how to count yourself here. PPP Loan Guide The US Chamber of Commerce has prepared a Guide to PPP Loan Forgiveness. View the the guide here. To submit your news to our weekly newsletter, email Suzy@BlowingRock.com by Wednesday. Our newsletter reaches over 1,000 member contacts each Thursday! Upcoming Activities & Meetings Blowing Rock Farmers Market - Weekly on Thursday from 3-6pm Grow With Google Seminar - September 22nd Candidates Forum - October 1st Ribbon Cutting at Twin Creeks - October 2nd Art in the Park - October 3rd Concerts in the Park - October 4th Member News Shred Day Mark your calendar for Thursday, October 29th from 9am-1pm at First Citizens Bank! -Bring your old ATM receipts, checks, tax information, credit card statements, copies of bills and any other papers that contain sensitive information. -You do not have to remove paper clips, staples or other bindings. -No need to sort papers by color. -Only dry paper will be accepted. Do not bring plastics, media tapes or cardboard. August Real Estate Report Record surge in home sales continues  July was by far the busiest month for local homes sales in more than 15 years. August almost surpassed it. REALTORS® continued to sell homes at a record pace last month as demand for homes in the region remained strong and interest rates stayed near record lows. That’s according to the latest real estate report by the High Country Association of REALTORS®. There were 365 residential listings sold by REALTORS® in August, just three fewer than they sold in July. The combined sales value was $139 million, as recorded by the High Country Multiple Listing Service (MLS). The median sold price was $319,900, the first time that metric has exceeded $300,000 in a month since at least 2011. Forty-two of the homes sold in August were for more than $700,000. Of those, 14 sold for more than $1 million. The average sale price for August was $381,299, the fourth straight month the metric has exceeded $300,000. Sporting Clay Tournament The Hunger & Health Coaliton is hosting a Sproting Clay Tournament at the Chetola Sporting Reserve October 10th & 11th. All of their fundraising goes straight back into making these programs stay open, and continually able to help anyone in need. Give them a call at 828-262-1628 if you'd like to donate or join the team of amazing volunteers. Register online here. VPC Builders Top 500 Remodeler List 2020  VPC Builders is a full-service construction firm specializing in residential and commercial construction, remodeling and additions, and home projects, that was awarded a spot on the Top 500 Remodeler’s List for 2020. This award showcases the nation’s most successful re-modelers and home improvement firm. The companies selected are ranked based on their remodeling successes and industry metrics. VPC Builders has been honored on the list since 2015. Read the full press release here! Carolina West Wireless -#Win4Schools It has never been a better time to #Win4Schools! We are excited to announce the annual #Win4Schools giveaway! This year we will be selecting TWO (2) random winners to receive an iPad 7 and a $2,000 donation to a school of their choice.* For valid entry all must be completed: 1. Like the Carolina West Wireless Facebook page. 2. Share this post. 3. Complete the entry form: https://bit.ly/2QZ7HqY  *School must be located in one of the following counties: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Rutherford, Surry, Watauga, or Wilkes. Contest is only valid for K-12. Intermediate, Colleges, or Pre-Schools are not eligible. We'd love to see you! The Chamber Team is glad to see our businesses re-opening! Email Regina to let us know you're open and we will stop by for a socially distance visit. More events and updates can be found on our online calendar. To submit your news to our weekly newsletter, email Suzy@BlowingRock.com by Wednesday. Our newsletter reaches over 1,000 member contacts each Thursday! Thank you to our 2020 Chamber Partners!