Chamber Chats

A Year In Review

Greetings from the Lewis County Chamber of Commerce. Hope the New Year finds you and your business healthy and prosperous. 2007 was a very eventful year for the Chamber and we anticipate the energy level to rise in 2008 with many exciting plans already being made. The Year in Review „X April- We held the Administrative Professional Day under the direction of Yonnie Southhall at Cindy¡¦s Banquet Hall. „X May- LEB¡¦s BBQ was kind enough to assist us with a very successful fund-raiser; the Chamber hired a new director, Terri Burhans. „X June- National Oil Well Varco Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and a Chamber After Hours at Lamberts Winery with 75 members in attendance „X July- The Antique Market Fair was a huge success bringing over 2000 attendees to downtown Weston „X August- Assisted in the Pre-Bid conference for the Weston State Hospital Auction; the Weston State Hospital was sold on August 29th; held a Ribbon Cutting for Friend to Friend Hearing Center in Garton Plaza. „X September- We received our designation as the Mountain Lakes Designated Retirement Community; held a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Dynamic Physical Therapy in Jane Lew. „X October- We held the 72nd Annual Chamber Dinner with 280 tickets sold with Paul Koonce, CEO of Dominion Energy. We honored Magistrate Dan Moody as the Lewis Countian of the Year, Kim Harrison as the Chamber Member of the Year, and Dave Weese from Shop-N-Save Express received the President¡¦s Award. „X November- the Annual Christmas Parade was a huge success with over 50 entries including the lighting of the Dancing Snowflakes; we had the honor of a Ribbon Cutting for Superior Well Services. „X December- Santa¡¦s House, thanks to the Downtown Merchants and WHAW, had another successful year with over 100 kids visiting Santa; the Governor¡¦s Business After Hours and the Dominion Ribbon Cutting was very successful with approximately 100 people in attendance; the year came to a close with the Chamber Holiday Open House. „X We ended the year with 105 paid members. A very strong showing of support from our local business community. In addition to these events, we have been active as a representative for your Chamber at the Weston Rotary Club, the County Commission Meetings, the Region VII Planning and Development Council, City of Weston Municipal Appeals Board, the Mountain Lakes CVB, and the State Mountain Lakes Designated Retirement Community activities and meetings. All of this along with the correspondence and services to our members, people and businesses relocating to Lewis County, new businesses, and the citizens of Lewis County has made for a very eventful and exciting year. So many exciting things happened in 2007 that I¡¦m sure I missed a few, but all in all, it was a great year for the Lewis County Chamber of Commerce and we expect 2008 to be even better. Thank you to all of our members who helped to make it all possible through your investments of time, money, services and confidence. We strive very hard to make your Chamber an organization that you can be proud to be part of. Plans for the Coming Year „X The Chamber has formed a Strategic Planning Committee to have intensive planning meetings to determine the goals and objectives for the Lewis County Chamber. The next meeting will be held on February 5th at 6:00pm at the Chamber Office. If you are interested in serving on this committee, please contact Terri Burhans at the Chamber Office 269-2608. „X The Mountain Lakes Designated Retirement Community Committee will be hard at work to put together a marketing plan for this designation including inquiry response packets, media coverage, and on-site ambassadors for the program. The next meeting will be held on Thursday, February 7th at Noon at the Chamber Office. If you are interested in serving on this committee, please contact Terri Burhans at the Chamber Office 269-2608. „X We are embarking on a collaborative effort with the Mountain Lakes CVB to compile, publish and advertise a Lewis County Community Calendar of Events. „X We are planning the next Administrative Professionals Day; the event will be called Right Hands Day. This event will honor all those in our personal and professional lives and who serve to improve our ease of doing business. Please mark your calendars. This event will be held on Wednesday, April 23rd. We will be in touch as the details for this event are finalized. We will he handing out favor bags at this event, so if you wish to put an item in the bag (pencils, pens, letter openers, memo pads, etc.) please bring them to the Chamber office no later than Friday, April 18th. We will also accepting door prizes for this event. This is a great way to support the Chamber¡¦s efforts while promoting your business. „X We will plan the 73rd Annual Chamber of Commerce Dinner. The goal is to top the ticket sells from last year. We are very excited about selecting a speaker for this year¡¦s dinner. „X We plan to focus on increasing our membership. We are getting a great response when asking businesses to join the Chamber and we plan compile a list of prospective members and get out and visit these businesses. „X The Chamber will sponsor a Meet Your Candidates Night on Thursday, April 17th at 7p.m. at the Lewis County Senior Center. „X Monthly Membership and Board Meetings are held on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at the Lewis County Senior Center. All Chamber Members are invited and encouraged to attend.

Gratitude

Chamber Chat By: Terri Burhans, Director “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.” –Cicero Gratitude: The dictionary defines the word gratitude as the state of being appreciative of benefits received. What does this have to do with business you might say? Well, if more business owners and ambassadors, as I like to call employees, would have an “attitude of gratitude” I believe you would see a marked improvement in customer service and ultimately a rise in sales and profits. If you count your assets everyday, you’ll always show a profit. In our “me, myself, and I” society we tend to forget that there are people who do nice things for us. It could be that someone held a door open for you, an employee stayed an hour later to get the job done, or someone sent you a new customer, only to name a few. How did you express your gratitude? Did you let them know that you appreciated what they did for you? There are many ways to show gratitude to a fellow man, it could be through a wave, a smile, an e-mail, a card, a letter, a referral, the list is endless. So here’s what I’m suggesting. Let’s try a little experiment. Schedule an hour each week to let people in your life know that you appreciate them. Either start your day or end your day by showing gratitude to people who do nice things for you. See if it makes a difference in your day. You’ll see that a little gratitude goes a long way in brightening someone’s day. I’m suggesting that little acts of gratitude do matter. They speak volumes about you and your business. People don’t forget your appreciation and they will tell others. The reason I mention gratitude in this week’s Chamber Chat, is because with the Annual Dinner quickly approaching in the fall, it is time to make nominations for Lewis Countian of the Year, and Lewis County Chamber Member of the Year. This is a terrific way to show your gratitude to a Lewis County citizen that has gone above and beyond for the good of the county. Someone who has left a positive footprint on our community. You may submit your nominations to Terri Burhans at 115 East Second Street, Weston, WV 26452. Also in line with the topic of gratitude, the Weston Garden Club has extended an invitation to all Chamber members to attend a dedication ceremony at the Lewis County Park on Sunday, September 15th at 2p.m. as they show their gratitude to veterans, “those who have served and those who will serve”, though the dedication of a Blue Star Monument. Thank you for your support for the Lewis Chamber of Commerce. Continued success until we chat again.

Wine By Fireside in Lewis County

Nestled in the foothills of North Central West Virginia stands “a diminutive, Gothic-looking structure on a hillside surrounded by a vineyard” where wine, great conversation and memories are made. Ben Franklin best described Lambert’s Winery when he said “Wine makes daily living easier, less hurried, with fewer tensions and more tolerance.” That is exactly the atmosphere you will find from the moment you reach this destination. If wine is “poetry in a bottle”, than Jim and Debbie Lambert are Lewis County’s poets. The Lamberts opened the winery in 1992. It all started with 7-acres of grapes and a single stone crock in the Lambert’s kitchen. It seems that Mrs. Lambert had never really tasted a wine that was pleasing to her pallet, but when she did, Mr. Lambert decided to try making it in the kitchen of their Weston, WV home. Mrs. Lambert decided she liked the wine that came from the experiment and Lambert’s Winery was born. That original stone crock still sits in the tasting room. Today, this family owned and operated business sells over 75,000 bottles of wine a year. They feature 23 varieties of wine and most recently a sherry. Lambert’s Winery will also be featured in a spring issue of Southern Living. Lambert’s Winery also hold an open house, which will held be on November 23-25. This event includes a free wine tasting and an opportunity to sample an array of foods prepared in Lambert’s wines and sherry. It is also a great opportunity to attend to your Christmas gift list and stock up on wine for upcoming holiday parties. The vineyards, planted in 1989, surround the winery. After the grapes are ready, they are put in large steel vats until the wine is suitable for bottling. From start to finish it takes over a year. Constant attention is needed to meet the standards that the Lamberts have set for their wines. The spotless racking rooms, storing rooms and cooling rooms are always a hub of activity as the Lamberts, assisted by their son JB, meet the high demands for the great wines that they produce. Lambert’s Winery is a museum of times past and a salute to how successful businesses can be in the great state of West Virginia. As you arrive, you are welcomed by a hand-cut stone sign, constructed of stones from the former Lewis County High School that Jim Lambert, owner, once attended. This is a teaser for the beauty you will behold as arrive at this unique and wonderful structure surrounded by lush landscaping and babbling brooks. The winery is constructed from hand-cut stones gathered from various parts of West Virginia, each with a story to tell. Some weigh as much as 3,000 pounds. The doors are designed of solid, rustic two by fours on edge, with a rounded top. Words can not describe the beauty that surrounds you as you venture in to this fairytale setting. A comfortably furnished tasting room welcomes visitors as they enter. A 3-inch thick bar top, cut in the 1950’s in Canada, is set up in one corner. Behind the bar, a vintage mantle and mirror tops the sink. A fireplace surrounded by three rocking chairs beckons you to sit for a while, taste the wine, and enjoy the gallery of wares crafted by local artists. This gallery is a unique, locally influenced gift shop that is not to be missed. A beautifully furnished, Tuscan-like, breeze-way offers an indoor-outdoor space with two fireplaces where you can enjoy the sights and sounds of this rural setting. This area is an ideal location for special events including private parties, weddings, reunions, and business socials. “From wine what sudden friendship springs” – John Gay Jim and Debbie extend an open invitation to come and tour the winery and see for yourself why they and Lewis County are so proud of their work, both at the winery and in the community. You will find Jim and Debbie to be friendly and personable. The hospitality that they show to all of their guests is unparalleled and you will leave feeling like you have made new friends. The most difficult part about meeting this delightful couple is saying “goodbye” until you return again. The Lambert’s are constantly expanding the masterpiece that they have created in beautiful Lewis County. Each visit brings something new and interesting to see and they are always willing to tell their story, which is both entertaining and educational. Whether it is wine tasting, Lewis County history, or breathtaking surroundings you will not be disappointed by a visit to this unexpected destination. Lambert’s Winery is conveniently located just 5 miles off of I-79 in Weston, WV. The winery is open seven days a week. For more information call Jim and Debbie at 304-269-3973 or visit their website at lambertsvintagewine.com.

Mountain Lakes Designated Retirement Community

Chamber Chat By: Terri Burhans, Director Don't simply retire from something; have something to retire to. ~Harry Emerson Fosdick On September 4, 2007 Lewis County was recognized by Retire WV and the State of West Virginia as a designated retirement community. For the purposes of this designation Lewis County will officially be known as the Mountain Lakes Designated Retirement Community. Governor Joe Manchin III presented our county with a plaque to commemorate this historic event. We are only one of six counties in the state to receive this honor. The Lewis County Senior Center, and specifically Kim Harrison and Katherine Trefz, worked very hard to make this happen. I am very grateful for their dedication to this project and their commitment to it’s success. The Chamber of Commerce is proud to be the sponsoring agency for this designation. This is another opportunity to be very proud of Lewis County and what we have to offer to people relocating and visiting West Virginia. The Lewis County Senior Center is a great example of success in our community. On Wednesday, September 26, 2007 from 1p.m. to 3p.m. the Senior Center will be having a “Celebration of Success”. All Chamber members are invited and encouraged to attend. The 72nd Chamber Annual Dinner will be held at the Mount Vernon Dining Hall at Jackson’s Mill on Tuesday, October 30th. We are honored to have Paul Koonce, the CEO of Dominion as the speaker for this event. Dominion is 140 on the Fortune 500 list. We are very excited to hear a Fortune 500 CEO share his insight and words of encouragement with our community. Tickets for this event are $35.00 and can be purchased at the Chamber of Commerce office at 115 E. Second Street in Weston. This is also an excellent opportunity to show your support for your Chamber through a sponsorship. We are looking forward to a very successful event. Thank you for the nominations that you have made for Chamber Member of the Year and Lewis Countian of the Year. Nominations will be accepted until October 15th. We will be taking part in an open house at Dynamic Physical Therapy at 174 Industrial Park Road in Jane Lew on Sunday, September 30th from Noon to 3p.m. The Ribbon Cutting Ceremony will be at 1p.m. Please come out and get to know your business neighbor. Ribbon Cutting Ceremonies are available to any Lewis County business who is celebrating a grand opening, an expansion, or a significant milestone. You can schedule a ribbon cutting by contacting the Lewis County Chamber of Commerce at 304-269-2608 or e-mail us at lcinfo@lcchamber.org. We have set the date for the Annual Christmas Parade on Main Street in Weston. The date will be Friday, November 23rd at 6p.m. This year’s theme will be “Rudolph’s Red Nose Express”. If you are interested in participating in the parade please contact the Chamber Office and we will be happy to send you a registration form. Once again, I am so impressed with the support that I have seen for your Chamber. I am very excited about all of our upcoming projects and I look forward to working with you. There are always opportunities to get involved as volunteers. If you are interested, we would love to hear from you. Continued success until we chat again.