Business rebounding to continue at the Third Wednesday Coffee
June 8, 2020
Business rebounding to continue at the Third Wednesday Coffee
By TERI ASHLEY
Yes, I realize this is a week early, but the June 17 IN-PERSON Third Wednesday Coffee will be the business place to be. It is the chamber’s first non-virtual meeting and networking event since … you know. (BV) The Charlotte Harbor Event and Conference Center has been working with us on a safe, efficient, healthy plan. There will be differences, but you can’t keep a good Coffee down. (Wait. That doesn’t sound right, but you know what I mean.)
There will be networking, chit-chat, laughing, catching up, presentations, and more. How is this going to work, you ask? (And you have.) Please continue …
First and foremost, face masks are highly encouraged in order to prevent any possible spread of the … you know … to others. And since we will be masking up, we decided to give out a few prizes for creativity. The categories will be Most Flashy, Best Business Branded, Most Unique, Most Beautiful, and Best of Show. And, guess what else. Chamber staff IS also eligible to participate. (I added that because I’m making up the rules as I write this column.) The prizes haven’t been confirmed yet, but I’m sure they will be appropriately amazing given that this is THE Charlotte County Chamber of Commerce.
When entering the concourse at the Event Center, the registration tables will be horizontal at the far end, with stanchions designating six-foot intervals. This will allow for proper distancing by those waiting to sign-in, ask questions, pick up information, and drop their cards in the basket for the possibility of being a lucky infomercial presenter.
In the far left corner of the concourse is the concession window where individually wrapped breakfast items and fruit cups will be handed to you by Event Center staff. Your coffee will be poured for you as well.
See? We can do this!
Inside the meeting room, the tables will be placed with six-feet between chair-backs, with four chairs to a table. SO much more elbow room. When speaking, the microphone will be on a mic boom and will be held by staff or board members while others speak from the floor. Easy peasy.
Finally, the June 2020 Third Wednesday Coffee is being proudly sponsored by Gator Wilderness Camp School, and our featured guest speaker will be non-other than Dr. Joe Pepe, the Administrator of the Florida Department of Health in Charlotte County. Thank you Gator Wilderness Camp School and Dr. Joe Pepe.
New Teachers Breakfast Parade
In other continuing news, the annual New Teacher’s Breakfast on July 30 has officially been dubbed the New Teachers Breakfast Parade. But it will be a REVERSE parade full of fanfare! The new teachers will drive thru the Event Center parking lot to pick up their boxed breakfasts and goody bags. They will be celebrated with greetings, signs and balloons from their sponsoring businesses. If your business would like to sponsor one of the 90 new teachers for $35 and participate in the New Teachers Breakfast Parade, please contact the chamber as soon as possible. (Oh, and this will be excellent promotion and exposure for your business as well.)
Creative mask contest
To give you an idea of your creative face mask competition at the upcoming Third Wednesday Coffee, yours truly will be modeling a self-made mask using authentic Seminole patchwork material created back-in-the-day by Seminole seamstress Rosa Billie. This patchwork technique has been used for every day wear as Seminole fashion since the early 1900s. I have several pieces of Seminole clothing made by Rosa, and this child’s skirt, which needed repair, seemed like the perfect piece to again use as something productive. It’s a winner!
Teri Ashley is the executive director of the Charlotte County Chamber of Commerce, now in its 95th year, with offices in both Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte. She can be reached at 941-639-2222 or at tashley@charlottecountychamber.org.