February update

We have had a tremendous start to the New Year, with members submitting their dues for the 2011 year and another eight new members joining in the past few weeks.  Welcome to:  Darrel Warman, Realtor; Bank of Montreal; Kayanara Guest Ranch; South Cariboo Meat Co-op; Words & More; South Cariboo Sustainability Committee; Horse Lake Garden Centre; Your Style Interior Design.

In today's update:

• 2011 Membership Survey;
  
• Business Excellence Awards: call for nominations;
  
• follow up from the Business After Hours at Parkside Art Gallery;
  
• invitation from the Business Development Bank (BDC);
• Youth Skills BC Workplace Pilot Program;
• upcoming Chamber Events.

2011 Membership Survey
The Chamber is member-driven and I invite you to participate in our first membership survey, which involves 10 quick questions designed to assist the Chamber in ensuring that we are meeting our members' expectations.  Please complete the survey by Friday February 25 by following this link, http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LZDH7BC.  Summary results from this confidential survey will be communicated to the membership early in March.

Business Excellence Awards
Please contact me for a nomination form  for the 17th Annual Business Excellence Awards (previously known as the Academy Awards of Business).  Nominations in any of the 10 categories will be accepted until March 4th.  We encourage all of our members, as well as members of the public, to nominate in as many categories as they wish.  The Business Excellence Awards, together with Citizen of the Year, will be handed out at our gala event on Saturday April 9th. 

Business After Hours
Sincere appreciation goes to the South Cariboo Arts & Culture Society for hosting our Business After Hours event on January 26th at Parkside Art Gallery.  If you would like to receive their regular newsletters to keep up to date on upcoming shows and events of the Society, please email parksidecentre@shaw.ca.

Business Development Bank (BDC) President's Roundtable
During our lunch meeting on January 19th, Michael Eibl, Senior Manager with BDC Consulting presented the concept of a President's Roundtable at which an experienced BDC consultant would facilitate three sessions with business leaders from the South Cariboo.  The sessions would be held once a month, starting in March, here at the Chamber.  Please note that there is a cost associated with this forum.  Please contact me for the invitation and fax registration form.

Youth Skills BC Workplace Pilot Program
An new program funded under the Canada/British Columbia Labour Market Agreement was launched last week by the Ministry of Regional Economic and Skills Development. The Youth Skills BC Workplace Pilot Program (YSBC-WPP), delivered throughout British Columbia by Bowman Employment Services, is designed to assist approximately 650 unemployed youth in BC, who are between 15 and 29 years old and who are not Employment Insurance clients, to attain employment and to build workplace skills. This unique program will also assist the employers who hire these youth.  For more information, visit Bowman Employment Services  or call toll-free 1 877 866-3100 or 1-888-466-1375.

Upcoming Chamber Events
On our February Chamber lunch on Wednesday February 16th, organizers from the 2011 BCSA (B) Cup Provincial Soccer Tournament will speak to members.  The tournament will take place July 7-9 and presents a great opportunity for us to showcase our area to the 800+ people coming into the South Cariboo from around the province.  Hugh Gage, our Chamber Group Insurance Plan broker will also be at the lunch to speak briefly about one of the most effective and popular benefits available to Chamber members.

Looking ahead to March, the South Cariboo Chamber Annual General Meeting will be held over lunch on Wednesday March 23.  Details to follow.


Finally, if you have not yet renewed your membership for 2011, please do so within the next week.