I hope everyone had an enjoyable and safe holiday season. I know the members of the Chamber that attended the Chamber’s annual Christmas luncheon enjoyed not only the food and fellowship but also the music by Michele. A special thanks to Cassell and Hendricks for the decorations. They really helped put all of us in the Christmas mood.
With the start of a New Year, it is usually the time most of us make New Year’s resolutions: resolutions to improve our lives in some way, but sadly, most of our good intentions usually fall by the wayside by March or April. It appears old habits are difficult to break, but I hope that at least one of your resolutions will stick with you this coming year.
Looking forward to 2010, the Chamber starts this year with a commitment to work to enhance not only the economic environment of Pickens but for better service to its membership. As we start this New Year, the new Chamber website is up and going at www.pickenschamber.net. The site has various listings such as; membership, tourism, calendar of events, member of the month and Chamber news. The web site is also an opportunity for Chamber members to advertise their business by simply furnishing the Chamber your business card. The card will be placed on the website for a year at a cost of $50.00. The website is just one of the ways the Chamber is serving its members.
The 26th annual Azalea Festival is just around the corner. You can get an arts and crafts booth application for the April event online at www.pickensazaleafestival.org. This year’s festival is scheduled for April 17 and will feature several more arts and craft items this year.
On the Oconee and Pickens Chamber Coalition legislative agenda is Energy and the Environment. Believing that South Carolina has a responsibility to promote the use of its natural resources and the environment in a manner that will sustain them for use by future generations, the Coalition supports:
- The proposed Offshore Energy Exploration Study and maintain that this must be done in an objective and non-political manner.
- Developing a statewide energy policy to ensure that we have adequate supplies for the future that are reasonably priced and generated in an environmentally responsible manner including Nuclear power.
- Developing a Statewide water plan to protect the future of the Upstate’s water resources.
Events Calendar
The annual Chamber banquet is scheduled for Thursday, February 11 at Pickens First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall. A social hour will start in 6:00 pm and dinner will be served in 7:00 pm. Entertainment this year is by “Heart Song”, a female barbershop quartet. Chamber members will receive their invitations in the next few days.
The World of Energy at Oconee Nuclear Station invites all Chamber members to a special business after-hours event. Please join Chamber members from Oconee and Pickens Counties on Thursday, February 25, 2010, from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Food and beverages will be provided by Duke Energy Corporation.
