Insider Newsletter
Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce
KennebecValleyChamber.com
April 2020
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Stay Informed on COVID-19 & Our Community
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Resources & Updates
Beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, April 2, people living in Maine are required to stay at home at all times unless for an essential job or an essential personal reason, such as obtaining food, medicine, health care, or other necessary purposes.
Read the full Stay at Home Order.
For a full list of essential vs non essential business operations list,
click here
.
The KV Chamber has created a
webpage
to keep our community up-to date on the situation regarding the spread of coronavirus and additional resources.
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Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Governor's Office
Maine Department of Labor
Maine Department of Economic & Community Development
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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U.S. Chamber of Commerce
U.S. Small Business Administration
Finance Authority of Maine
Maine Association of Nonprofits
NAMI Maine
Better Business Bureau
World Health Organization
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SBA’s (COVID-19) Disaster Relief Lending
The SBA will provide disaster assistance loans for small businesses impacted by Coronavirus. SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans offer up to $2 million in assistance for a small business. These loans can provide vital economic support to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing.️ Learn how the process for accessing the lending will work:
Learn More
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Payroll Protection with the CARES Act
The Payroll Protection Program prioritizes millions of Americans employed by small businesses by authorizing up to $349 billion toward job retention and certain other expenses.
Read Payroll Protection Program FAQs for Small Businesses
here
.
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Now more than ever, we need to support our local businesses and organizations. The Kennebec Valley Chamber has created a
Facebook Group
for restaurants, businesses, and nonprofits to post updates on their organizations including new hours, menu options, service offerings, and more.
Please join the group and share it with others in the community! If you are a business owner, we encourage you to share your information in this group!
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Kennebec Valley Chamber's Gift Card Giveaway
As we continue to endure this unprecedented pandemic, the Kennebec Valley Chamber asks our community to show support for local businesses and their employees. This is a time for us to come together and support each other, and what better way to do so than with fun giveaways!
To thank you for your continued support of local businesses, the Kennebec Valley Chamber is giving away gift cards from Kennebec Valley Chamber Members daily, Monday through Friday!
For your chance to win a gift card, you must:
- Support a local business by making a purchase or support a local nonprofit by making a donation.
- Take a picture of your purchase and/or receipt.
- Check-in to the Kennebec Valley Chamber on Facebook and post the photo. Don't forget to tag the business or nonprofit!
- Set your post’s privacy settings to public so we can see it!
We will draw a winner each day at 5:00 p.m. EST. Keep an eye on your Facebook Messenger! After the winner is announced, we will contact the winner via Messenger for more details.
Didn't win? Keep posting! If your name is not drawn, you will continue to have a chance to win until the giveaway ends. End date is to be determined.
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The
#PayItForwardMaine
challenge asks individuals, businesses and organizations to continue supporting local businesses and their employees in our new world of closed storefronts and social distancing.
Help us make this into a statewide movement by sharing your posts, photos, and actions with the hashtag
#PayItForwardMaine
. Tag your family, friends, and followers and challenge them to do the same. Let’s pay it forward, for Maine!
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Kennebec Valley Chamber Member Support
With the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, we understand your business may be struggling. Through this trying time, you can count on the Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce to be there to help
you
with what you need, provide you with additional resources for assistance, and promote your business to help get you back to business as usual when this situation defuses.
During this time, if you find yourself in a hardship, please don’t hesitate to reach out and let us know. We are happy to take partial payments as well as offer payment plans or extensions for your invoices. We are here to support you through this trying time. This is a difficult time for our community, businesses, and organizations, but we will be able to get through it together with the support of each other.
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Happy Census Day!
April 1st is Census Day. If you haven't already, join us in responding to the 2020 Census! Your response helps to direct billions of dollars in federal funds to local communities for schools, roads, and other public services.Results from the 2020 Census will be used to determine the number of seats each state has in Congress and your political representation at all levels of government.
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Camden National Bank gave nearly $7,500 in donations to ten Maine high school teams in the communities where it has banking centers for the 2020 Boys and Girls Basketball State Championships. The support made it possible for more than 1,500 students to attend this year’s games in Portland, Bangor, and Augusta and cheer on their friends and classmates. Camden National Bank has now carried on this community tradition for 11 years, donating nearly $60,000 total to Maine high schools and enabling more than 12,000 students to attend Championship Games for free.
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The Harlow invites artists to submit artwork to Art2020, the 25th annual juried show. Art2020 is open to all Maine artists and to any artist with a strong connection to Maine. The deadline for submissions has been extended to 11:59pm on April 8, 2020. Original fine art in any media may be submitted, including but not limited to painting, sculpture, digital, printmaking, fiber, photography, mixed media, ceramics, installation and more. Each artist may submit up to three works of art, which must be the artist’s own original work created within the last three years. The Harlow is currently closed due to COVID-19 and plans to present the exhibition as scheduled, from May 15-June 20. Please check www.harlowgallery.org or www.facebook.com/harlowgallery for further updates.
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The Maine People's Alliance has decided to dedicate organizing resources to supporting community-based efforts to respond to the community distress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and protect our most vulnerable friends and neighbors. Volunteers assist those in high-risk groups and also help connect Mainers in need to resources throughout the region and the state. If you are interested in various volunteer efforts, want to help raise funds, or are in need of assistance, please visit MainersTogether.com for more information.
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Mill Park Petanque invites KV Chamber Members to sponsor a team to take part in a Celebrity Petanque Tournament to be held at the Mill Petanque Courts, 1 Water Street in Augusta on Sunday, July 19, 2020. The tournament will have approximately 20 teams consisting of 2 players. There is a $50.00 entry fee per team, which will be donated to the Family Violence Project. Some players from Mill Park Petanque have volunteered to serve as coaches and will be offering training sessions from May 25th to July 8th by appointment. For more information, contact Ray at ray7275@gmail.com
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Because
New Dimensions FCU cares about its community and wanted to do something to help, they have donated over $11,000 to seven local food banks and food pantries.
Ryan Poulin, CEO, states, “We all must play a role in keeping our community healthy and safe, so we quickly rallied to donate the funds to the quickly dwindling food banks and food pantries that needed it most. Everyone needs to eat, and we are doing our best to help as many people as possible, get through this pandemic.”
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Spectrum Reach is offering any small businesses the opportunity to build a FREE commercial. In addition, Spectrum Reach will offer 20% off to any businesses that uses their new commercial to buy their first TV campaign with them. Spectrum Reach knows how critical the right message is for your business, especially in today's environment. The ability to get your message out with video, on any screen, could be the difference. You may not have the resources to produce video messaging, and Spectrum Reach wants to help. If you are interested, please contact Lynne Spugnardi at 207-650-2006 or lynne.spugnardi@charter.com.
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CreateWellness KV ME
Shalimar Chasse, (207) 837-5158
Goodwill Northern New England
Kathy Despres, (207) 629-8540
Lakehome Group
Merline Douglas, (207) 495-2500
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Pro Body Works
Todd Farrin, (207) 882-5279
Puppies Pause Training
Jacqueline LaRochelle,
(207) 212-5042
Whittier Insurance
Crystal Whittier, (207) 446-9475
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40+ Years
KeyBank, N.A.
30+ Years
Kennebec Valley YMCA | Smart Eye Care | University of Maine at Augusta
20+ Years
Discover Maine Magazine | Kennebec Valley Council of Governments | Sam's Club | Transco Business Technologies
10+ Years
Capital Area Staffing Solutions, Inc. | Kozak & Gayer, P.A. | Marshall Communications, Inc. | O'Connor Volkswagen
5+ Years
Blane Casey Building Contractor, Inc. | Hampton Inn | JPMA - Staff Development Solutions, LLC | J/R Metal Frames | New England Music Camp
Also Renewing
August Kiwanis Club | Farmer Kev's Organic, LLC | Stevens & Day, LLP | The Liberal Cup
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Member Spotlight: Puppies Pause Training
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Jacqueline LaRochelle started Puppies Pause Training three years ago. She turned her love of dogs into a career. She returned to college to become a certified dog trainer. Jacqueline uses positive reinforcement training only. It’s a reward base training. People work for money, dogs work for food. Puppies Pause Training does group training for basic manners and therapy dog. Private training in your home for behavior issues or simply can’t get to classes. She became a member of Association of Professional Dog Trainers, attending conferences to further her education and training. She joined IAABC to study dog behavior, how they think, why the do what they do. This year she became an AKC certified Good Canine Citizen and STAR puppy evaluator it is a joy to see people work with their pets to become good family members. It’s wonderful to see dogs go on to become therapy dogs, to give back to the community. She became a C.L.A.S.S. evaluator 2 years ago. If you want your dog to have a PHD in behavior, go see her.
Jacqueline currently sets on the Board of Directors at the Humane Society of Greater Waterville Area (HSWA). She is giving back to the community in her own way too. Being at the shelter in rewarding and heart breaking at the same time. They always need money and help, but seeing a dog get a new life with a loving family is worth it.
You can contact Jacqueline at 207-212-5042 or puppiespausetraining@gmail.com
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Update Your Membership Information
Help us ensure your contact information and address are up to date for your Membership Listing on our website. Please click the button below to submit your business' information!
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Monday, July 13, 2020
The Meadows Golf Club
10:00 AM SHOTGUN START
Team "Scramble"
Registration is $130 per golfer or $520 per foursome
Register as an individual or as a team!
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Registration includes:
- The Meadows swag and snacks
- Greens fees
- Cart rental
- Lunch on the turn
- Entry for closest-to-the-pin
- Entry for hole-in-one
- Entry for longest drive
- Appetizers during the reception
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Saturday, August 1, 2020
1:00 - 6:00 PM | Mill Park, Augusta
Join us on Saturday, August 1, 2020 from 1:00 to 6:00 PM for the 3rd Annual Kennebec River Brewfest presented by Highbrow! Explore Maine-made craft beer, cider, spirits, and wine! Food trucks, live music, and lawn games add to the festival atmosphere to create an afternoon of fun and sun.
Purchase your tickets NOW for a special Early Bird rate!
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THANK YOU TO OUR 2020 KENNEBEC RIVER BREWFEST SPONSORS!
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Alec Rogers, Chair*
Quality Inn & Suites Maine Evergreen Hotel
Leon Emery, Chair Elect*
Emery’s Meats & Produce
Earl Kingsbury, Vice Chair*
Augusta Civic Center
Matthew Tardiff, Treasurer*
J.S. McCarthy Printers
Nathan Cotnoir, Past Chair*
Camden National Bank
Chuck Hays, Past Treasurer*
MaineGeneral Health
Cathy DeMerchant, Human Resources*
Capital Area Staffing Solutions, Inc.
Katie Doherty, President & CEO*^
Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce
* Executive Committee ^ Full -Time Executive
Karen Boston
Lipman & Katz, P.A.
Lori Dube
Sprague & Curtis Real Estate
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Elisa Ellis, Special Counsel
Ellis Law, LLC
Sue Grenier
G&E Roofing Co., Inc.
Eric Jermyn
Cross Insurance Agency
Steven Marson
Central Maine Pyrotechnics
Stacey Morrison
Ganneston Construction Corp.
Richard Parkhurst
Stained Glass Express
Michele Pelletier
Performance Foodservice - NorthCenter
Lynn Quirion
Macomber, Farr & Whitten
Andrew Silsby
Kennebec Savings Bank
Eric Stinneford
Central Maine Power Company
Tim Walton
Walton External Affairs
Rebecca Wyke
University of Maine at Augusta
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