The Hoyle Brothers played a free concert all afternoon and then helped orchestrate the Costume Contest at 3:30 p.m. in the plaza at 444 W. Fullerton. Special thanks to our costume judges Pat Dearing of the Park West Community Association and Jim Kroeger of Lincoln Park Fitness.
Also included in the celebration was the first annual “Scarecrows on Clark” competition, in which 23 Clark Street merchants displayed a unique scarecrow in their store to be voted on by the public.
Congratulations to all our winners!
Thank you to our event sponsors:
• 7-Eleven (2619 & 2264 N. Clark)
• Argo Tea Café
• Austrian Bakery & Delicatessen
• Bank Financial
• Christian Science Reading Room
• Deli Boutique
• Dunlays on Clark
• For Eyes Optical
• Frankie’s on the Park
• Health Emporium
• Huntington Learning Center
• Jump Ahead Academy
• Lincoln Park Market
• The Body Shop
• The Galway Arms
A very special thanks to the Park West Community Association and the Mid-North Association for helping out in Halloween Headquarters for the day.
For more information on the Clark Street SSA, please visit them online at www.clarkstreetssa.org.
]]>November 13, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Tech 101 for Small Business: How to Take Advantage of Technology and Web 2.0 at a Low Cost
City Hall
Room 805
121 N. LaSalle St.
November 18
How to Get Certified, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Doing Business with the City, 3:15 to 4:30 p.m.
City Hall
Room 805
121 N. LaSalle St.
November 19, 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Business Works Seminar
If you are thinking about starting or growing your business, this is the place to be! At this seminar for entrepreneurs, you can visit with nearly 30 government agencies providing business resources, networking with government and business leaders and attend free workshops.
Richard J. Daley College
7500 S. Pulaski
For more information, please contact the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection at (312) 744-5344 or online at www.cityofchicago.org/bacp
]]>Q&A
What do you value most about your membership with the LPCC?
“Being a part of a great community”
What one thing do you want everyone to know about Art + Science?
“Everyone is an individual that we respect and want to take care of”
What is your favorite thing about Lincoln Park?
“Our neighbor, Marquee Lounge”
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CHICAGO (November 6, 2009) – The Illinois Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (IACCE) announced on Thursday, November 5 that the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce (LPCC) was honored with first place in two categories at the first annual IACCE Communications Awards program. The LPCC’s website – www.lincolnparkchamber.com – and quarterly newsletter, The Source, were presented first place awards for their content and layout in the 501+ member category.
The IACCE created the Communications Awards to provide Illinois chambers of commerce access to statewide recognition for their materials as well as offering another way for chambers to learn from each other. The Communications Awards were presented on Thursday, November 5, 2009 at the annual IACCE Fall Conference held in Lisle, Illinois. More than 100 chamber executives from across the state were present at the three-day event highlighting the successes and challenges chambers are facing today.
“We are truly honored to have been selected for first place in these two categories among all of the entries across the state,” said LPCC President and CEO Kim Schilf. “With chambers across the state working diligently for their members, and producing high-quality materials to promote these efforts, we are humbled by this selection.”
The LPCC’s website was recently overhauled and has worked to bring information that is valuable to both its members and the residents of the popular North Side shopping, dining and cultural neighborhood. Information on neighborhood landmarks including the Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago History Museum, DePaul University and several theatres is included on the site alongside business resources, tips and more. The site’s news blog is updated daily with city budget information, community meeting dates and LPCC event recaps.
Also recently-overhauled, The Source is a 12-page quarterly publication distributed to members of the LPCC and key points in the community. The LPCC works to feature key news from the community, information on upcoming networking opportunities, photos from past events and other benefits of membership with the chamber. Each quarter, the LPCC features two members selected at random to provide further publicity for their products and services and each edition of The Source lists new members and their contact information.
“The IACCE Communications Awards have given Illinois’ chambers access to more best practices to further our collective cause of promoting local businesses,” Schilf continued. “During difficult economic times it is important that chambers of commerce, in addition to the small businesses they serve, band together and share their series of best practices for success. We look forward to future interaction with chambers from across Illinois and across the country.”
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]]>Other Potential Changes:
Questions?
If you have any questions regarding this change, please call Comcast at (866) 594-1234.
One Warm Coat is dedicated to distributing reusable coats, free of charge, directly to local children and adults. The program is an easy way for you and your family to pass along coats and jackets that you no longer need.
In exchange for your good will Uncle Dan’s will extend 20% off retail price on the purchase of a new coat.
Uncle Dan’s has made donating a coat simple:
Just bring your clean, gently used coats and jackets to any Uncle Dan’s Store between November 5 – 22, 2009 and let Uncle Dan take care of the rest!
All donated coats will be given to the one of our three local charities for distribution to people in need.
“More people than ever need help these days. I am proud of the thousands of coats collected at Uncle Dan’s over the past 6 years. It’s our customers and staff whose inspiration and generosity of spirit are making a real difference in our communities,” commented Brent Weiss, owner of Uncle Dan’s.
One Warm Coat is national non-for-profit organization that supports and encourages coat drives. It helps individuals, groups, companies and organizations across the country collect coats and deliver them to local agencies that distribute the coats free to people in need. More than one million coats have been provided to those in need at no cost since the programs inception in 1992.
Uncle Dan's – 2440 N Lincoln Ave – (773) 477-1918
Uncle Dan's – 3551 N Southport Ave – (773) 348-5800
Tuesday, November 10, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Thursday, November 12, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 14, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Tuesday, November 17, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Thursday, November 19, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Information for all available classes:
Location: Lake Shore Branding, 1023 W. Fulton Market Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 229-0038
As you may know, every year Rep. Fritchey works in collaboration with community groups, libraries, local businesses, and chambers of commerce to collect new or lightly used goods for those who are in need through our Helping Hands Campaign (see campaign flyer). In addition to maintaining several drop locations, he will once again be collecting goods in his district office.
To kick-off this campaign, please join Rep. Fritchey and his staff on Wednesday, November 18th at John Barleycorn’s on Belden and Lincoln Ave from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. for beer and wine. The entrance fee for this event is $30 and the majority of the proceeds from this event will go towards the Helping Hands Campaign.
Most importantly, you can also help the campaign by placing a Helping Hands collection box at a holiday party, winter meeting, or placing it in your office to collect NEW hats, gloves, scarves and other clothing, as well as hygiene products and household items for those who are in need this holiday season. We’ll provide the boxes, and schedule a date and time to pick up the donated items. In the least, if you would be so kind to put up a flyer to announce Helping Hands, it would be greatly appreciated.
Here is how it works:
You:
-Advertise the opportunities to your membership (via e-mail, a meeting notice, event invitation, etc.)
-make the collection box available at your office/holiday event/meeting
The Helping Hands Campaign:
-Provide flyers and signs
-Drop off a decorated holiday collection box for you
-Pick up the box of items at a designated date and time
-Bring the goods to local service organizations, who will then distribute items directly to those who need it most in our community
Please let Rep. Fritchey's office know if you would like to participate, and they will take it from there. You can contact Dave Kornecki - Rep. Fritchey's Chief of Staff - at the district office 773-871-4000, or simply respond to this e-mail, so that we may prepare your collection box and begin helping those who are in need.
]]>CHICAGO (October 29, 2009) – Throughout the global recession of the past two plus years, businesses from Wall Street to Main Street have been forced to close their doors. Throughout this difficult economic stretch, the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce (LPCC) has recognized the problems affecting businesses both large and small and continues to work to provide businesses the tools, resources and connections necessary to remain profitable, no matter what the economy is doing.
“With boutique shops and restaurants representing a key component of our chamber and neighborhood’s fabric, watching a business be forced to close their doors is of course the last thing we ever want to see,” said Kim Schilf, LPCC President and CEO. “At a time when budgets are increasingly tight for families, businesses and governments, I encourage everyone to remember to shop local and contribute to the vitality of your neighborhood’s business community and reputation.
“We lead numerous initiatives in support of our mission – helping businesses in Lincoln Park succeed and grow,” Schilf continued. “We have negotiated discounted advertising rates at key Chicago media outlets and have offered sponsorships that provide brand awareness and marketing opportunities to help businesses keep their products and services in front of consumer’s attention.”
As a membership organization dedicated to supporting the needs of businesses and the surrounding community, it is the responsibility of the LPCC to keep the best interests of its members in mind when supporting key issues and developing new programming that will affect the way they do business now and in the future.
“As the largest neighborhood chamber of commerce in Chicago, the LPCC works to use these membership numbers to the advantage of the entire business community. The reputation of Lincoln Park as the premier destination for shopping, eating and cultural activities is a key marketing tool we strive to maintain despite the economy,” Schilf said. “We offer dozens of affordable, engaging events from educational seminars to networking events – often totaling more than 150 participants – to help businesses promote their product, or make the necessary connections to keep the cost of doing business down.
“Although Lincoln Park benefits from neighborhood anchors like the Lincoln Park Zoo, DePaul University, Children’s Memorial Hospital, Chicago History Museum, the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum and more, we are certainly not immune to the global economic downturn,” Schilf concluded. “During these difficult times, I urge businesses to band together and create a unified voice and push for increased sales in Lincoln Park, and across the country.”
While many businesses are being forced to close their doors, the LPCC believes, others still are remaining steady or flourishing. It is unfortunate, however, that stories of a gloom and doom economy continue to cover headlines from coast to coast. LPCC members have shared both their stories of success and challenges throughout the past two years, and if positive messages were shared with the community, the LPCC contends future businesses can learn how to adapt to market conditions and keep their doors open.
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At the Awards Reception, emceed by ABC7 Chicago news anchor Linda Yu, Lakeside Bank and nearly 150 women guests honored two customers, Mary Bahr and Dorothy Flisk, who make a difference in their communities. Mary Bahr is President and Creative Director of MAB Advertising Inc., an award-winning, WBENC-certified enterprise whose mission is to nurture conversation and connections—to find customers, keep customers and build community. Mary is passionate about helping women succeed and thrive, and serves as a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs. Mary is also a devoted member of the WPO (Women Presidents’ Organization), National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) and Chicago Foundation for Women.
Dorothy Flisk, a business owner, and former Americorps VISTA, recently founded Reach Out Community Center—a place where youth of all walks of life around the Little Village neighborhood can enjoy free programming such as cooking, art, music, and dance. She is in the process of renovating a 17,000 square foot building to serve the youth in the community.
Mercy Hospital’s Comprehensive Women’s Health and Cancer Center was a partner of this event, since October is also National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Sister Sheila Lyne, President of Mercy, promoted the importance mammograms and the free programs Mercy has to offer to those women in need. Emily Barr, President and General Manager of ABC7 Chicago was the keynote speaker, highlighting how her station continues to give back to the community and leverages its power as a media outlet. Linda Yu, ABC7 News Anchor, served as emcee. Together, all these women inspired and encouraged the attendees to make a difference in their daily lives.
Make a Difference Day, founded by USA Weekend Magazine, is celebrated on the fourth Saturday of every October through a day of volunteerism. This year, a group of 15 Lakeside Bank employees, family and friends volunteered on October 24th at Reach Out Community Center, 2243 S. Troy, to help in building renovations and clean-up of this youth community center-to-be, in Little Village.
“Lakeside Bank reinvests 100% of our deposits and provides additional support into the communities we serve. We were thrilled to be part of a project and organization that is revitalizing a community and transforming lives,” said Raymond Spaeth, President of Lakeside Bank.
Visit www.makeadifferenceday.com for more information.
By Martha Randolph Carr
October 11, 2009
It’s unusual to hear about any new business owner who feels that giving back is an integral part of the business plan. Imagine how rare that trait is for a business that started the exact moment as the current recession. Chris Rutledge, the young owner of Red Line Painting had a plan when he started out and despite news reports that sent others to stockpile, he kept his hands open.
He stuck to his plan and faced down the economic tsunami that took out much older corporate giants and kept taking it one day at a time. It’s all working out, slowly but surely.
Rutledge has been making monthly donations to different Chicago area charities, where his business is based, from the inception of his business in January 2008. September’s recipient was Chicago’s All Saints Church Episcopal and Hunger Rocks 2009. The church office reported that the offer to have any room painted was a hot item at the silent auction, which raised $60,000 to feed the hungry in the Ravenswood neighborhood. More information on Red Line’s program can be found at www.redlinepainting.com.
It’s said that integrity is defined by what we do when no one else is around. To see such acts of generosity that weren’t timed to get the giver something in return, which is in reality barter and not a gift often ends up inspiring others or at least making a lot of people feel better about surviving this particularly hard time.
One of the first recipients of Red Line Painting’s mission to give back was to a public school classroom for children with special needs through Donors Choose.org. “I teach kids with behavior disorders,” said Amy Jeffers, the teacher who received Red Line Painting’s help. “We really had no funding, no help and kids like that need more. Chris is the kind of person that if he has anything extra, he’s willing to give it.”
It turned out to be a very long winter for Red Line Painting but they kept on giving and the business survived and grew.
The company now regularly employs 10 people and has painted over 150 homes, businesses and even architectural gems in Chicago, including places of worship. As an ingenious measure of how the economy is improving Rutledge can tell you that in 2008 Red Line Painting went through only 400 gallons of paint but through just September of this year they’ve already used up 700 gallons and are going strong. Rutledge says the company specialty is being able to take off any kind of old finish and adorn it with the latest technology.
That brings up one last interesting note about this company and reinforces another truth we often hear but don’t get to see put into practice quite as often. The idea of putting faith to work, which always requires us to go first and do the best we can with what we have.
Currently, Red Line Painting is painting the extensive metal exteriors of a 33 condominium unit managed by DOMUS, Inc of Chicago, owned by Donna Firman. The railings have to be cleaned and then painted all by hand and the work can be tedious. But Rutledge approached the job the way he does every single opportunity that comes along. “No other contractor I’ve ever worked with has ever been so knowledgeable,” said Firman. “He even had the paint rep from Sherman Williams out here to meet with me twice. That’s very unusual.
“On this project I’ve had up to 10 different employees on the property and there’s no swearing, no excessive chit chat. They’ve very clean cut. As a property manager I hire contractors all the time and most of the time I don’t let them talk to my unit owners. Any one of them from Red Line Painting can talk to anyone of the unit owners any time. Gives me such a sense of relief,” she said.
It can be tough when looking at the pile of bills and the empty bank account or even to have a job and still be able to reach out and be of service to others. Chris Rutledge is helping others though to see faith at work and it’s lighting the path for the rest of us. More adventures to follow.
In what is already being dupped this years "doomsday", the Chicago Transit Authority released their proposed budget for 2010 on Saturday, October 10, 2009. Presently, the CTA is operating at $300 million budget gap. Mayor Richard M. Daley has already called the proposed budget for 2010 "very ugly" and the changes ahead are certain to affect everyone.
The CTA has noted three key areas that have contributed to their shortfall:
To combat this problem, organization president Rich Rodriquez introduced a series of fare increases and service cuts to help balance the budget. Below is a list of proposed changes to help balance the budget.
2010 Proposed Service Details
2010 Proposed Reductions
Complete Budget Details
These changes are scheduled to go into effect on February 7, 2010. Continue to check the LPCC's website for more information.
]]>The City of Chicago has found itself tapping the so-called "Rainy Day Fund" created through lease deals of key public assets including the Skyway and more than 36,000 parking meters to fill a budget hole of more than $500 million. Mayor Daley also ordered more furlough days for 2010, totally nearly a month of time off - 24 days - for non-essential personnel.
Read more from the City's budget press release:
Growing Chicago's Economy
Daley also said the 2010 budget invests in programs to help turn around Chicago's economy by creating new jobs and opportunity, new businesses and by providing job training.
He said the city will use up to $25 million ($8.4 million this year) in parking meter revenue to fund a job training program, called TechCorps, for Chicago workers who have been laid off during the bad economy.
Further, Daley said that in the next few weeks, he will announce a major new collaboration between government and Chicago's business community, focused on using resources more effectively to help recruit and retain businesses and trade shows in Chicago. And, he will soon propose new steps to help the City's small businesses stay afloat, so they too can retain and create jobs.
Improving Neighborhood Quality of Life
Through the city's capital program it will reconstruct 11 miles of sewers and lining and rehabilitate an additional 40 miles of them. It will resurface more than 550 blocks of local streets and more than 110 alleys and replace more than 150 blocks of sidewalks.
Daley said the city will start construction for a new fire station, a new police station and five new branch libraries.
In closing Daley reminded his audience that while other cities and states are cutting key services and raising taxes, Chicago is not.