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Shop Small. Shop Local. Small Business Saturday is Nov. 30!

Even in an era when the perception is that bigger is better, small businesses continue to outdo themselves in our county. We are so fortunate to have a wide variety of small, locally owned businesses, spread from Hanover to Findley Lake to Jamestown and all points in between. There are stores that sell clothing, books, furniture and home goods, pet items, specialty foods, locally produced goods, local wines, and so much more. All of these items can be great gifts for the holidays ahead.

For the fifth year in a row the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce signed on to be a Neighborhood Champion for Small Business Saturday on Nov. 30. Small Business Saturday was launched just a decade ago by American Express as a way to encourage holiday shoppers to support small, independent businesses. It has caught on in a big way and the Chamber is proud to be part of the movement.

This year, three of our Community Chambers have jumped in to participate in Dunkirk, Fredonia, and Jamestown. The Dunkirk Community Chamber of Commerce is partnering with the City of Dunkirk to host a Small Business Saturday pop-up market at the D&F Plaza. From noon to 5 p.m. on Nov. 30, more than 30 vendors will sell their wares in the former JC Penney location in Dunkirk, where kids can also visit Santa Claus, and families can enjoy entertainment and purchase Shoptauqua gift cards from the Chamber.

In Fredonia, Small Business Saturday on Nov. 30 kicks off a week-long Shop Local event promoted jointly by the Fredonia Community Chamber of Commerce and Festivals Fredonia. Shoppers can pick up a shopping passport, have it stamped at dozens of local merchants when they shop throughout the week, and then submit it for a prize drawing which will be held during Miracle on Main the following weekend.

In Jamestown, the Jamestown Community Chamber of Commerce will host a free visit with Santa from noon to 2 p.m. on Small Business Saturday at the Chamber office at 300 North Main St. There will be a coloring contest for kids, snacks, and an opportunity for shoppers to purchase Shoptauqua gift cards and to enter the Jamestown Up Close Shop Small Win Big drawing.

Recent studies by American Express note that for each dollar spent at a small, local business, 67 cents stays right here in our community. That means when you shop small, you make a big impact on your local community. Conversely, when you shop only online from far flung merchants, none of that purchase makes a difference for your friends and neighbors. Shopping small is shopping smart, and you’ll be surprised at the bargains and unique gifts you’ll find.

The true focus of the day is to encourage people to sample the fabulous array of small, local businesses here in Chautauqua County. Watch for our newspaper ads that list a variety of local gift shops, museum shops, and local restaurants participating. Shop small. Shop local. Shoptauqua! Our wish for everyone in Chautauqua County is a Happy Thanksgiving, and a holiday season ahead filled with joy, cheer, and thriving businesses in right here in our communities.

Chamber to recognize Betsy Wright

The Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce will present its annual Pam Lydic Coalition Builder Award this year to Betsy Wright, the former long-time President and CEO of UPMC, formerly WCA Hospital. Ms. Wright led the hospital in Jamestown through some challenging years, finding ways to partner with other organizations, and ultimately managing an integration with UPMC that provided improved facilities and services for Chautauqua County residents, while maintaining fiscal stability for this important local asset.

The Pam Lydic Coalition Builder Award is named in memory of the first Executive Director of the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce. This award recognizes an individual in the region who has worked hard to bring groups of people together around a common goal or objective. This award is presented to an individual that has helped move the region forward in a positive direction through collaboration and by building partnerships. The award is particularly focused on those who have done their work consistently and often times in the background.

The award will be presented during the Chamber’s Annual Meeting at 12:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 6 at the DoubleTree by Hilton, 150 West Fourth St., Jamestown. Our guest speaker will be Journey Gunderson, Executive Director of the National Comedy Center, with an update on how Chautauqua County’s newest attraction has been drawing visitors to our region and changing our community. Our guest speaker is sponsored by Media One Radio Group. The meeting will also include election of the Chamber board for 2020.

All are cordially invited to attend this event, which is sponsored by DFT Communications, E.E. Austin & Son, Inc., Law Offices of Sheila Starkey Hahn, M & T Bank, Northwest Arena, OBSERVER, The Post-Journal, and WellNow Urgent Care. To register visit www.chamberrsvp.org or call the Chamber at (716) 366-6200 or (716) 484-1101.

Updated HR Dashboard is now online

The Chamber and Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier have successfully provided access to online sexual harassment compliance training for more than 370 local businesses in recent months. Now, that system is changing just a bit. The former Training 360 dashboard that had been used for managing employee access to the training program has been migrated to a new Learning Management System Dashboard. This means that employers will require new login credentials for that system. Information will be distributed by email to all participating employers, so local businesses should be on the lookout for that. In the meantime, any member business that has questions can feel free to call Kevin Sixbey at the Chamber office at 366-6200 or 484-1101.

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