CHAMBER MEMBER NEWS
Member News is a monthly newsletter that provides news about Chamber members.
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DANVILLE COMMUNITY COLLEGE |
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DCC Launches Truck Driver CDL Training Program
In response to regional needs and the national shortage of CDL-licensed truck drivers, Danville Community College (DCC), in partnership with Ancora Education, is officially launching a CDL Training Program on March 6.
After completing the CDL Training Program, students can earn their commercial driving license and the qualifications for an in-demand career. In Virginia, the average starting salary for a licensed CDL driver is more than $63,000 annually.
Tuition for the CDL Training Program is $4,500; however, this cost may be significantly reduced for Virginia residents through the FastForward program. Income-eligible students can see this cost reduced even further, with qualifying students attending training for no out-of-pocket cost.
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THE LAUNCH PLACE ANNOUNCES SPEED NET EVENT |
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Whether you have a great idea to launch into action or you already have an existing business, SpeedNet is your opportunity to ask three burning questions about business ownership and learn best practices from seasoned entrepreneurs in the Dan River Region. This supercharged, high-speed format gives you five minutes of one-on-one access to business leaders from various industries who have taken their venture to the next level. From sales and marketing, to making the leap from a side hustle to full time, our panel has you covered. Brainstorm your three questions and reserve your seat now! This event has limited spaces, but is open to the community and free of charge.
Register today and secure your spot!
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IdeaFest Business Pitch Competition - Apply Now!
The 8th IdeaFest Business Pitch Competition will take place on Thursday, April 20, 2023 starting at 1:00pm. IdeaFest is a pitch competition where 20 finalists will pitch their startup business idea to a panel of judges and a live audience. A total of $10,000 will be awarded to the top 3 competitors.
Winners of the competition will also be eligible to receive twenty-five hours of free business consulting from The Launch Place.
Deadline to apply is March 31.
The Launch Place is a lead venture development organization in Southern Virginia and in the Research Triangle, North Carolina. The company's mission is to retain, recruit and develop emerging and serial entrepreneurs in the region. The Launch Place provides pre-seed and seed stage equity investments, business consulting, mentoring/training/coaching services, and office space to its portfolio companies. The Launch Place helps businesses with their business planning, funding, launching and growing needs. The Launch Place Pre-Seed and Seed Fund invest in innovative start-up opportunities.
IdeaFest is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to attend any part of the day’s activities. Community members of all ages and professions are invited to attend to learn about the region's startup development resources, to network with a wide range of business professionals and to explore entrepreneurship as a career option.
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A Special Thanks to Our IdeaFest Sponsors: |
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O.T. BONNER MIDDLE SCHOOL CAREER DAY |
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FARM CREDIT OF VIRGINIAS : BUSINESS AFTER HOURS |
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You're invited to Farm Credit of Virginias upcoming Business After Hours. This event will be held on Thursday, March 16 at 5:30pm. Food and beverages will be provided, and registration is required.
Business After Hours are designed to provide a networking opportunity for members to make new business contacts in a relaxed social setting. There is no cost for Chamber members – It’s included in your membership. For future chamber members the fee is $5.
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INTERNATIONAL TRIP TO CROATIA |
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If you are interested in traveling internationally, join us in October for a trip to Croatia. Croatia is located in southeast Europe and is geographically diverse. The crescent-shaped country features low mountains and highlands near the Adriatic coastline, flat plains that hug the Hungarian border, and a multitude of islands.
Contact Christy Harper for more information or to register at chamber@dpchamber.org or call 434.836.6990.
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FRENCH RIVIERA DOCUMENT PARTY |
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The Chamber also announced plans for our next international trip to Croatia departing in October 2023. We are thrilled to offer these international travel opportunities to our community.
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IN THE KNOW: MEMBER TO MEMBER WEBINAR - SOUTHSIDE VA SHRM |
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The Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce invites you to join our first In the Know: Member to Member Webinar of 2023. This Member to Member event is presented by Southside Virginia SHRM [Society of HR Management].
Date: March 14, 2023
Time: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Event Location: Online via Zoom
Admission Info:
Chamber Members may attend free of charge and registration is required.
In the Know: Member to Member Webinars are designed for members to communicate their business’s message and provide educational opportunities to other chamber members free of charge.
SHRM, the Society for Human Resource Management, creates better workplaces where employers and employees thrive together. As the voice of all things work, workers and the workplace, SHRM is the foremost expert, convener and thought leader on issues impacting today’s evolving workplaces. With 300,000+ HR and business executive members in 165 countries, SHRM impacts the lives of more than 115 million workers and families globally.
Christy Oakes is the president for Southside Virginia SHRM & the Senior Business Development Officer at Workforce Unlimited, LLC. Her goal is to help businesses build a strong team! She works with companies throughout Virginia and North Carolina.
Interested in hosting a member to member webinar? Contact Christy Harper at chamber@dpchamber.org or 434.836.6990.
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INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED LEARNING & RESEARCH |
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The Institute for Advanced Learning & Research is currently seeking volunteers for several of their programs, with ApsHIRE Mock Interview Day coming up shortly at the end of March and throughout the month of April.
AspHIRE Mock Interview Day provides high school juniors and seniors an opportunity to hone their interview skills with a local professional. In addition to their interview, students take part in a formal business lunch and six work-readiness sessions.
Minimum volunteer commitment is 1.5 hours.
For questions, contact Jessie Vernon, Program Manager, Advanced Learning via email at Jessie.Vernon@ialr.org.
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UNITED WAY OF DANVILLE & PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY |
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Proceeds from this event will support the amazing work of our local United Way. A four person team is $400 (includes meal).
Sponsorships are still available:
$500- Sponsors logo on marketing materials and at event
$1000- Sponsors logo on marketing materials and at event, and one 4-person team
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This event will be held March 9 & 10 from 2pm-8pm. They currently have positions in Finance, Table Games, Slot Operations, Surveillance, Security, IT, Warehouse, Facilities, and Cage Operations. Save time by applying in advance. #WeAreCaesars
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DANVILE CONCERT ASSOCIATION |
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Rhythm India: Bollywood and Beyond
Friday, March 24, 2023 7:30 p.m.
GWHS Auditorium, 701 Broad Street
age to screen worldwide.
Experience the vibrant costumes, dynamic music, and soulful rhythms of the ghungroo dancing bells from the echoing heartbeats of royal palaces and sacred temples to the swaying voices of desert villages and modern stages. Created by World Choreography Award Nominee and Telly Award Winning Director and Choreographer Joya Kazi, the performance features the Joya Kazi Unlimited dancers as seen on screens from Bollywood to Hollywood.
Originally scheduled on this date was Taj Express, Bollywood Jukebox from Mumbai, India. The DCA was notified in December that Taj Express was canceling because performers could not obtain visas in time to travel to the United States. Your Taj Express ticket will be valid and provide entry on March 24.
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THE BIG SORT BY PARTNERSHIP FOR REGIONAL PROSPERITY |
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BERRY HILL RESORT: CASINO NIGHT |
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Are you feeling lucky?
Join us for a night of games, food, fun, and drinks! Test your luck as we transform our Grand Ballroom and conference Center into a Vegas style casino with tables, casino chips, and attendants. Games will include Blackjack, Roulette, Craps, Texas Hold Em’, Beat the Dealer, Red Dog, A Night at the Races, and more!
This 21 and over event is black tie optional, with a cash bar and heavy hors d’oeuvres. At the end of the evening, enter your winnings into prize drawings and win great prizes!
Deluxe queen accommodations are included in the package price.
To purchase tickets, contact Berry Hill Resort at 434-517-7000 or visit the hotel front desk.
We’re betting you’ll have a great time!
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GRETNA STRAWBERRY & WINE FESTIVAL |
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SAVE THE DATE! The Merchant's Association of Gretna is excited to announce the eighth annual Strawberry & Wine Festival at the Old Dominion Ag Complex on May 6th, 2023.
From 12 to 6 pm, business, community, and town leaders will come together to bring our community a high-quality, high-profile event dedicated to showcasing all of the wonderful things Gretna has to offer.
In the past seven years, the Gretna Strawberry & Wine Festival has attracted a large and affluent audience from Pittsylvania County and surrounding areas. This year, thousands will come to enjoy strawberries from Motley’s Strawberry Farm and wine from our region’s best wineries along with food and live music.
Organizers are seeking sponsors and vendors for this event.
As a sponsor, your company will be showcased in pre-show marketing and throughout the event. The festival offers many levels of opportunities for sponsorship that will provide you with a customized environment to entertain clients, employees, prospects, and friends! Most important, this event will raise money to benefit our community.
If you are interested in being a sponsor, or a vendor for this event, please contact Dianna Burkholder at dianna912@gmail.com.
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SOUTHSIDE ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY |
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SEC offers scholarships for graduating seniors!
Southside Electric Cooperative wants to help graduating high school seniors with the costs of higher education.
The Cooperative’s Southside Opportunity Fund is accepting scholarship applications through March 27.
High school and home-school seniors who receive electricity at their homes from SEC and are heading to a college or trade/technical school for the first time this fall are eligible to apply for the scholarships.
The scholarship board uses a combination of weighted criteria in the selection process: 45% financial need, 45% academic achievement and 10% personal statement. Scholarships of either $1,000 or $2,000 will be paid to the students’ schools for tuition, student fees, lodging or textbooks. Proof of admission will be required if selected for a scholarship, which will be awarded this spring.
The Southside Opportunity Fund is part of SEC’s longtime commitment to educating today’s students for tomorrow’s jobs and reflects the Cooperative’s desire to enhance the communities it serves. Since 2016, the scholarship fund has awarded 141 grants totaling $163,000. Additional dollars have been provided for students attending the Power Line Worker Training School in Blackstone.
More information, an application and list of the documents that must be submitted can be found at sof.coop.
Founded by local communities in 1937, Southside Electric Cooperative is a not-for-profit, member-owned electric distribution company with more than 58,400 active services across 18 counties in central and southern Virginia. Headquartered in Crewe, SEC has district offices in Altavista, Crewe, Dinwiddie and Powhatan. This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
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BASSETT OFFICE SUPPLY SERVING DANVILLE & PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY |
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In 1971 John and Nancy Parcell had a vision to create a state of the art office supply business in Bassett, Virginia. With John’s previous office machine experience and the support of Nancy and several local businessmen, Bassett office Supply (BOS) open for business on July 1, 1971. Since that time, BOS has become a supplier to schools, universities, businesses and government entities for their office supply, machine and furniture needs.
As the business has grown, Bassett Office Supply has become a SWaM and eVA Vendor and has earned dealerships from HON, ALLsteel, Global, MAYLINE, SAFCO, KONICA MINOLTA, Lexmark, HP and Brother.
BOS is also committed to the community by donating, volunteering and sponsoring local charitable events.
Even though 50 years has past since the business was opened, BOS has remained a dedicated leader in office equipment and service as they have expanded throughout Virginia and the surrounding states.
The leadership team at BOS would like to invite you to stop by their newly remodeled showroom at 2266 Fairystone Park Highway Bassett, Va or go online at www.bassettofficesupply.com to checkout their inventory and monthly specials for your home, office and business needs.
Give them a call today!
Phone: 276.629.5341
Fax: 276.629.3030
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RIPPE'S APPAREL REQUESTS YOUR VOTE: READERS' CHOICE AWARDS |
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VOTING COMING SOON!
Voting Begins March 28
2023 READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS
Help celebrate the best our community has to offer!
Voting begins on MARCH 28.
You will be able to share to your social media pages to support your
favorites!
See who has been nominated in each category and get ready to vote via the online contest page or the new Text to Vote.
For more information on the READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS 2023 contact:
wcraig@martinsvillebulletin.com
Contest Timeline 2023:
Voting: MARCH 28 – APRIL 13
Winners Announced: MAY 28, 2023
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CORA Physical Therapy in Danville will now be offering hand therapy services!
Jackie M. Sides OTR/L, CHT, Occupational Therapist at Cora Physical Therapy in Danville, VA is ready to assist you.
Cora Physical Therapy is committed to providing patients with the most up-to-date treatment techniques to help them return to a healthy productive life as soon as possible – while providing them with the best in-clinic treatment and plan of care specific to their injury.
Their hand therapy services specialize in the treatment of complex traumatic injuries, post-surgical procedures, splinting as well as more common problems involving the upper extremity - such as overuse syndrome, fractures, nerve injuries, and more!
Jackie is an OTR/L, CHT with over 19 years’ experience treating upper extremities. She relocated 17 years ago from Virginia Beach to South Boston VA. As of January 2023, she is excited to announce the relocation of her CHT therapy practice from South Boston, VA to the beautiful CORA Physical Therapy in Danville, VA!
CORA Physical Therapy has multiple clinics spread across VA and the East Coast. They are largely known for Treating Everyone Right, and proudly offer PT/OT/Speech to all ages.
CORA Physical Therapy accepts ALL insurances including Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, and self-pay options.
They hope you find their services accessible and efficacious for your patients. They welcome any comments/questions you have and look forward to developing and continuing the relationship with you and your patients.
If you have any questions about their services, please call their clinic at 434-688-0163.
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MOTLEY'S MILL HISTORIC WATERFALL ESTATE BUSINESS AFTER HOURS |
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Event attendees raved about the spectacular event venue and it’s uniqueness. This space includes breathtaking waterfalls, fire pits, and handcrafted wood beams and fireplaces throughout the property.
Thank you to Motley’s Mill Waterfall Estate for being a member of the Danville Pittsylvania Chamber of Commerce and for hosting this amazing event.
Contact Motley’s Mill for your next event 434-202-5350, check out their website at www.motleysmill.com.
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(T) 434.836.6990 | (F) 434.836.6955
150 Slayton Avenue | Danville, VA 24540
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