Chamber E-News
October 11, 2007

WOODSTOCK AREA CHAMBER NEWS

ONLINE AUCTIONS FOR WEEKEND GETAWAYS TO WOODSTOCK ABOUT TO BEGIN—the first of many! If you have friends, family or faraway acquaintances who might like to win a free weekend getaway to Woodstock's Wassail Weekend, the Woodstock Area Chamber of Commerce is adding a new opportunity on this website. In the next few days, a button will appear to connect our site to www.woodstockvtgetaway.com which we are launching to enable you to buy tickets for a chance to win a Wassail Weekend Getaway valued at over $1200 for two to December 7-9, 2007. Stay two nights at the Woodstock Inn & Resort, dine at the Lauren and Mangowood Restaurants, enjoy a horse-drawn private sleigh or wagon ride at the Billings Farm and savor a special Vermont products gift basket from Sugarbush Farm. The site will prompt you to buy $5.00 tickets or six for $25 for a chance to win this fabulous package. Let your clients and friends know about this opportunity which will begin in the next few days. Enter before November 11, 2007 at midnight. The drawing will take place at our Mixer on November 13, 2007 at the Pleasant Street Bistro in Woodstock.

WELCOME CENTER TRACKS RECORD CROWDS!
Discover's Day (Columbus Day to most of us...) heralded record crowds. Last year on the same weekend, our maximum was 479 visitors. This year we tracked 665 people for Sunday, October 7! We continue to average 300-400 people per day. Our Information Booth on the Green will close for the season Monday, October 15th, however thanks to the grant from the Village of Woodstock, the Welcome Center will continue to be staffed seven days a week throughout the year. We still have one shift available for someone if you would like to join our staff of greeters. Remember to call (802) 432-1100 or email infobooth@woodstockvt.com if you have last minute cancellations at your lodging properties. This weekend and next still prove to be strong for bookings. It looks to be the best foliage season in three years for many of our properties. And the color is beautiful! Don't forget to take some time to get out and enjoy it!

WEBSITE SPONSORSHIP NOW AVAILABLE
There are still great opportunities to get your message out and track people to your business' website through www.woodstockvt.com. Buy a Banner ad for as little as $150 or a full Flagship Sponsorship and have your name and a clickable banner on every page of Woodstock's prime marketing tool. Contact the chamber office for details or email us directly at the above address.

MEMBERS ARE INVITED TO CONSIDER JOINING OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
At the end of each year, five of our 15 Board positions become available. We would like to have any interested members put their name forward to our President, Paul Ramsey at the Woodstock Inn & Resort or our Vice President, Susan Plump at the Billings Farm & Museum to help the Chamber move forward into the future. There are monthly board meetings not to exceed two hours and committee work to keep the events the Chamber sponsors going. It's a great group of people and a rewarding way to contribute to the community! Contact Paul at (802) 457-6612 if you are interested or Susan at (802) 457-2355.

WOODSTOCK AREA CHAMBER MEMBER NEWS

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WOOD PRODUCTS COUNCIL!
The Vermont State Chamber of Commerce has selected the Fine Furniture & Woodworking Festival has been selected as Top 10 Fall Event for the fall of 2008. Other winners include:

• South End Art Hop, Burlington,
• Fairbanks Festival of Traditional Crafts, St. Johnsbury,
• Weston Craft Show, Weston,
• Art in the Park Fall Foliage Festival, Rutland.
• Haunted Forest, Williston,
• Plymouth Cheese & Harvest Festival, Plymouth Notch,
• Dummerston Apple Pie Festival, Dummerston,
• 3rd Annual Great Pumpkin Challenge, Bennington,
• Tunbridge World's Fair, Tunbridge.

VISITING NURSES HOLD SEMINAR ON "Caring for Mom & Dad"
October 18, Wellness Center, 442 Woodstock Road, Woodstock, VT, 5:30 registration and light supper, 6:00pm to 8:00pm program The Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice of Vermont and New Hampshire presents Dennis McCullough M.D., noted geriatrician. Dr. McCullough will speak on how families can work together to help aging parents live well in late life. Small group discussion will follow. Free and open to the public. Call 888-832-6504, ext 1070 for further information and to register.

CONGRATULATIONS TO UNION ARENA—An opportunity for our lodging community next May
The Northeast Regional National Youth Hockey Tournament will be held at Union Arena on May 16, 17 and 18 of 2008. It will host 20-40 teams who will bring 15 people each for the weekend to Woodstock and all will need local lodging. This is a minimum of 300 people and at the high end up to 450 people. Vic Cox is interested in following up with community leaders, including the WACC, to coordinate the presentation of the event and its hosting in the town. If Woodstock can sparkle this weekend there's a chance the tournament will return annually for a long time. Vic Cox will be in touch shortly with more details.

DINING REMINDER THAT EAST ENDER IS OPEN FOR FOLIAGE BUSINESS THIS SUNDAY EVENING

FROM OUR FRIENDS AT THE SPRINGFIELD, VT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Patty Chaffee writes, "On Saturday, October 13 the Manchester Monarchs will pay tribute to the residents of Springfield, VT by celebrating the winning entry for the Official Springfield of the Simpsons Movie. For this game the first 1,000 fans will receive a special pink donut from Dunkin Donuts and the first 5,000 fans will receive a Monarchs magnetic schedule. The Monarchs will also be paying tribute by incorporating the Simpons into the game presentation of the night including selections from the winning video submitted by Springfield, VT. Don't miss the Simpson's life size couch, which will be available for photo opportunities throughout the game as well. Come celebrate and see an exciting game, as the Monarchs take on the Springfield Falcons. Tickets are available on line, here. Call for more details. 802-885-2779

TOWN HALL BATHROOMS ARE BEING RENOVATED!
The Town Hall Theater bathrooms are being re-done starting some time this week. Please let everyone know that the Welcome Center is the ONLY public restroom in town for this two-three week period of renovation. The Town Hall Bathrooms will be available during movie nights and there are restrooms upstairs to send people to, but they are NOT handicapped accessible. Sabrina Brown of Pentangle writes, "This is such a joyous occasion for Pentangle and we will do all we can to ease any negativity or trouble for folks during this time."