Tue, April 8-Sun, April 13 Sun N Fun Fly In: Lakeland Linder Airport Thu, April 10 Can-Do and Ambassadors: Noon, Chamber Boardroom Fri, April 11 Committee of 100: 8:00 a.m., Bartow Municipal Airport Terminal Fri-Sat, April 11-12 Relay For Life: Bartow Memorial Stadium Sat, April 12 Main Street Bartow’s Antique Fair: 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Youth Villa Open House: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Sun, April 13 Bartow Adult Concert Band: 2:30 p.m., Bartow Civic Center Mon, April 14 The Loft Day Spa Ribbon-cutting: 4:30 p.m., 215 E. Main St. Tue, April 15 Executive Committee: 3:30 p.m., Chamber Boardroom Board of Directors: 4:00 p.m., Chamber Boardroom Wed, April 16 Bartow’s Just Say No Event: Parade, Rally & Community Luncheon. Joint Civic Club Luncheon begins at noon at the Bartow Civic Center Thu, April 17 Bartow Community Healthcare Foundation, Inc.’s Fun Thursday: 5:15 p.m 1239 E. Main St. Fri, April 18 Madrid Engineering Group, Inc. Ribbon-cutting: 3:00 p.m. Friday Fest: 6:00 p.m., Main Street Bartow, JD Madrid, Performing Artist Fri, May 2 Pig Out Bartow Barbecue Fundraiser: 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Thu, May 8 Spirit of Bartow Awards Breakfast: 7:45 a.m., program begins at 8:00 a.m., Bartow Civic Center Can-Do and Ambassadors: Noon, Chamber Boardroom Arts Ensemble Ribbon-cutting: 4:30 p.m., 1000 American Superior Blvd., Winter Haven Fri, May 9 Committee of 100: 8:00 a.m., Bartow Municipal Airport Terminal Sat, May 10 Main Street Bartow’s Antique Fair: 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Bartow Breakfast Rotary Golf Tournament: Bartow Golf Course Thu, May 15 Riverside National Bank Fun Thursday: 5:15 p.m., 475 E. Van Fleet Dr. Fri, May 16 Main Street Bartow’s Friday Fest: 6:00 p.m. Remember, the Chamber is "Information Central" for our community. For widespread exposure of your event and to avoid competing schedules, be sure your info is included on the community calendar. Call 863-533-7125 or email the information to info@bartowchamber.com. Please include a contact name and telephone number. |
Mosaic was very proud to host the Leadership Bartow class this past week for phosphate day. This was the Leadership XII class’ last regular day of its two-year curriculum, which covers everything from local industry and government to health & human services and quality of life issues. The class will conclude its Leadership experience with a three-day tour of Washington D.C. on April 23, 24 & 25. Mosaic is again very proud to join with Community National Bank as corporate sponsors of the Washington D.C. trip. Mosaic is also very committed to making this program available to our employees. I would urge all of you to take a look at the leadership program and consider it as an opportunity to build leadership skills in those who occupy key positions in your organizations. Through the years I have consistently heard rave reviews on Bartow’s Leadership program and have seen the positive impact it has had on participants. If you want more information, give Jeff Clark a call at the Chamber. He and the Leadership Bartow Chair, Sherry Wheelock, do a great job coordinating this quality program for our Chamber members. April is the month for the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life scheduled for April 11 & 12 at the Bartow High School Stadium. Be sure to check out the Chamber/City of Bartow/Polk County Democrat tent where you can purchase a chance to win one of five Ribbon of Hope bracelets designed by Spath Jewelers. Tickets are $5 each, or five for $20. Also, be sure to stop by Mosaic’s tent for our Texas Hold’em tournament - are you feelin’ lucky? John Hutto, a long-time organizer of Bartow’s Relay, recently reported that the Bartow event is ranked Number 6 in the state of more than 300 Relay events held each year. When you stop and consider that many of those events are held in communities much larger than Bartow, it’s pretty amazing. It also says a lot about the spirit of this community to go above and beyond for a cause that touches so many of us. I hope to see everyone there supporting Bartow’s fight against this terrible disease. Another important event that I want everyone to know about is Pig Out Bartow! This event will be held at the Bartow Civic Center on May 2 and consists of a community barbeque. Meals will be available from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and will include pulled pork, baked beans, corn on the cob, roll and dessert. Tickets are $5 each and orders of 10 or more meals can be delivered to your place of business. This event is a fundraiser for the Chamber, so we need all of our members to fill out the flier in this newsletter and fax or mail it in to reserve your meals. Again, Mosaic is proud to be a sponsor of the event along with Bartow Ford, Citizen’s Bank & Trust and Fred’s Southern Kitchen. Spring is one my busiest times of the year. There are so many things going on and so many places to be - I’m sure many of you can relate. Often I find myself getting caught up in all the craziness and forgetting to be thankful for the blessing of having the strength and energy to be a part of so many of these worthwhile projects. Again, I thank all of our loyal Chamber members, many who find the time to donate many hours of service to the community though this organization - I appreciate your support. Sincerely, Debbie Burdett President |
 American Heritage Properties of Polk County Mr. David Maples 415 E. Main St. Bartow, FL 33830(813) 650-4530 Professional Mortgage Lenders Mr. John Shamp 1890 Havendale Blvd. Winter Haven, FL 33881 (863) 229-1192 CAT 5 Hurricane Products, LLC Mr. David Smith 1630 N. Park Ave. Bartow, FL 33830 (863) 533-6589 Gloryland Express Daycare Ms. Margaret Presley 490 W. Davidson St. Bartow, FL 33830 (863) 519-9700 The Loft Day Spa Ms. Robin Barnes 215 E. Main St. Bartow, FL 33830 (863) 860-2703 Arts Ensemble International Ms. Jane Waters 1000 American Superior Blvd. Winter Haven, FL 33880 (863) 293-2700  5 Years Daniel Helmick Holy Trinity Episcopal Church SPCA, Inc. 10 Years Berns Septic Tank Company, Inc. H. Lyle Bulman Central Florida EUROCars Children’s Home Society Citrus Connection Community First Credit Union Dr. & Mrs. Edward E. Etheredge Premier Home Mortgage Services, Inc. Rehab Specialists, Inc. Service Master Smithbilt Industries, Inc. Cheyenne Stringfellow-Watts Mortgage Broker Turnkey Signs of Bartow, Inc. Women’s Care Center 15 Years Budget Auto Parts of Bartow Carroll Construction Jack E. Davis First United Methodist Church Florida Farm & Ranch Supply Metalcoat of Florida Mr. & Mrs. Ray Peacock Michele A. Purcell Stenger Grove Service, Inc. Union Academy Magnet School Marty J. Wilson 25 Years State Farm Insurance - Leo Longworth Ruth C. Trainor 30 Years Bartow Center/Age Institute of Florida Rotary Club of Bartow |
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Youth Villa Open House Set All Bartow Chamber members are invited to a special Open House at the Florida Sheriff’s Youth Villa located just east of Bartow on Highway 60 on Saturday, April 12 from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. The girls will be providing tours of the campus and a delicious, complimentary barbecue lunch will be served from noon until 1 pm. Call Joyce Edwards at (863) 533-0371 to RSVP by April 4 so the Villa can prepare for the correct number of guests. Lunch & Learn EventExplores Hospice The Center for Cancer Care & Research is pleased to announce the next program in a series of informational luncheon events designed to educate the community on a variety of health and safety-related topics. The next program in the “Lunch & Learn” Educational Series will be held on Tuesday, April 8, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Lunch will be provided as attendees enjoy a presentation titled, “Hospice Palliative Care,” presented by guest speaker Dr. Brandon Flynn, from Good Shepherd Hospice. “Lunch and Learn” events are held in the boardroom of the Center for Cancer Care & Research located at 1730 Lakeland Hills Boulevard in Lakeland, at the corner of Bella Vista (adjacent to the main campus of Watson Clinic). The program is free of charge, but seating is limited. Call Martha Harper at (863) 603-4791 or Debi Hunt at (863) 284-6974 for more information. Clear Springs Relay Team ‘E-vites’ Members To Jewelry Event Bartow Chamber members are “E-vited” to a jewelry party to help benefit Bartow’s Relay for Life. The special invitation is extended to members through the Internet through a site called “evite,” in which the guest may respond either “yes” or “no” and even give comments as to the reason for the response. The jewelry party is the idea of Rhonda Freeman and Hope Taylor of Clear Springs and will feature beautiful jewelry from the Premier Designs line. Thirty percent of the proceeds will go to Bartow’s Relay for Life. The party is planned for Friday, April 4, at Clear Springs Packing, 6105 Spirit Lake Rd., at 4:30 p.m. For more information, please visit www.evite.com and search Relay For Life, or call Ms. Freeman or Ms. Taylor at (863) 534-1292. YVC Patrons Sought The Florida Sheriff’s Youth Villa Classic Golf Tournament is a major fundraiser for the Youth Villa with proceeds generated going towards maintaining the facilities that assists over 900 deserving youngsters throughout Florida. Those wishing to be a patron for the Memorial Day weekend event may call Pam Renew, Ray Willis & Associates, at (863) 534-1591 for more information. Sun n Fun Is April 8-13 The Sun n Fun Fly-In will take place the week of April 8-13, 2008, and will feature the USAF Thunderbirds on Saturday and Sunday, April 12 and 13. Other events include daily airshows, over 400 educational forums and seminars, more than 500 commercial exhibitors, nightly entertainment and a night airshow on Friday, April 11. For more information about the show and ticket prices, call (863) 644-2431 or visit the Sun n Fun website: www.sun-n-fun.org. Hospice Care Program At USF Rath The University of South Florida Lakeland Rath Senior ConNEXTions and Education Center presents its next Lunch & Learn program Friday, April 4. Ginny Wolfe will present “Why Bother: the Importance of Hospice Care and Advanced Directives” from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Rath Center, 1350 East Main Street, C200, Bartow. Admission is free, but advance registration is required. To register, contact Holly Sigsbee at hsigsbee@lakeland.usf.edu or 863-533-5925 Lunch is not provided, so please bring your own. Bartow Relay BBQ Cook-off Tickets at Chamber Tickets are available at the Bartow Chamber for the Sticky Fingers Bar-B-Q Cook-off Contest to be held at the Relay for Life event on Friday, April 11, at 5:00 p.m. Tickets are $6 each, with proceeds going to the American Cancer Society. Dinner will be served beginning at 5:00 p.m. at the Bartow High School stadium. Call Virginia Condello at (863) 533-7125 for more information. Sunshine Celebrations Offers Wedding Clinics Need help planning your wedding? Wish you could get advice from experienced professionals about your big day? Sunshine Celebrations is offering a wedding clinic for the perspective bride, and it is the perfect opportunity to get the best tips on planning the flawless wedding. The clinic begins April 10 at 6:00 p.m. at Sunshine Celebrations, 5269 S. Florida Ave. in Lakeland. Call to reserve your seat now, (863) 324-7333 or email info @apremierentertainment.com. USF Offers Free Reading Tutoring The University of South Florida Lakeland is offering free tutoring this summer for K-8th grade students with reading difficulties. Graduate candidates who are completing their master’s degree in reading will provide tutoring either one-on-one or in small groups. Tutoring sessions will be held Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-11 a.m., June 9-26, at USF Lakeland. All students will be assessed using multiple informal reading assessments. Based on the results of these assessments, a plan will be developed and implemented for each child. Transportation to USF Lakeland is the responsibility of the child’s parent or guardian. At the end of the project the child’s parent or guardian will receive a progress report. For more information contact Tracey Cayson at (863) 667-7072. 
The next Committee of 100 meeting is set for Friday morning, April 11, 2008, at the Bartow Municipal Airport in the Terminal conference room. This month’s presentation will be given by Jacob Stuart, president of the Orlando Chamber of Commerce. Meeting time is 8:00 a.m. If you are interested in becoming a member of this prestigious group, contact Committee of 100 Chairman Brian Hinton at 863-533-4196. MEMBERS A-C-T Environmental & Infrastructure Allen & Company of Florida, Inc. Ardaman & Associates, Inc. Artcraft Printers Badcock Home Furniture & more Bank of Central Florida Bartow Community Healthcare Foundation, Inc. Bartow Ford Company Bartow Regional Medical Center Boswell & Dunlap, LLP Brown & Brown Insurance of Florida Colonial Bank CF Industries, Inc. Citizens Bank & Trust City of Bartow Clear Springs Community National Bank Community Southern Bank Congressman Adam Putnam Davis Bros. Florida Transport Service, Inc. Gibson & Wirt, Inc. Hatton Insurance Agency, Inc. Highland Homes Madrid Engineering Group, Inc. Michael Holley Pontiac-Buick-GMC Mosaic Murphy Motors PalletOne, Inc. Peace River Center Pickett & Associates, Inc. Pickett Engineering, Inc. Polk Community College Polk Works Renditions Riverside Bank SEMCO Construction Smith Bros. Oil Company, Inc. State Farm Insurance - Bill Costello Mr. & Mrs. Jean Terry The Polk County Democrat Till Office Equipment University of South Florida Lakeland Bartow Farmer’s Market Every Saturday Downtown The Historic Bartow Downtown Farmer’s Market is every Saturday from 8am to 2pm on the north side of the Historic Polk County Museum on Central Avenue. Vendors who are interested in participating in the Farmer’s Market may call Main Street Bartow at 863-519-0508. Got Changes! Let us know of any changes you or your company might have so the Chamber can make proper referrals and give information to your potential customers! E-mail info to jeff@bartowchamber.com. Your fellow Chamber members want to hear about you! |
Bartow’s 19th annual ‘Just Say No’ Parade, Rally and Luncheon will take place on Wednesday, April 16, 2008. The annual parade will kick off at Tom’s Chicken Shack, 901 E. Main St., at 9:30 a.m., and will continue down Main Street turning left on Broadway Avenue on its way to Bartow High School.
The rally is made up of Bartow area 5th grade students from Alturas Elementary, Anna Woodbury Elementary, Bartow Elementary Academy, Eagle Lake Elementary, First Methodist School, Floral Avenue Elementary, Gause Riverside Elementary, Gibbons Street Elementary, Highland City Elementary, Stephens Elementary, and Wahneta Elementary.
S.L. Frisbie moderates the Political Forum sponsored by Citizens Bank & Trust on March 20 in which Bartowans could ask questions from the City Commission candidates.
The Bartow Chamber of Commerce welcomed Community Southern Bank into their new temporary location Tuesday, March 11, 2008 with a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house. Melissa Pittman, Branch Manager, snipped the ribbon alongside Michael Micallef, President & CEO, as a crowd of staff, city officials, and Chamber Ambassadors looked on. The temporary location for Community Southern Bank will open April 1, 2008 at 175 S. Central Ave. If you would like to reach them, call (863) 581-7027, or (863) 519-0101 after the bank officially opens. The permanent new location is scheduled to open October 2008 at 101 W. Main St. in downtown Bartow.
Left, Melissa Pittman, Branch Manager, (center) and Michael Micallef, President & CEO, received the First Clear Dollar of Profit from Chamber President, Debbie Burdett, Mosaic.
December 8, 1941, ground was broken for an airfield on 900 acres six miles north of the City of Bartow. In 1942, the U.S. Government developed this site as an Army Air Corps field - training replacement fighter groups on P-51 aircraft. Later the airfield became property of the City of Bartow and is now the Bartow Municipal Airport.
“This is kind of a proud moment in my life,” said Corbett, “having such an honor when I look at the list with all these people on it. I feel quite humbled.”
Southeastern University announces the hiring of Myrtice Young, APR as Public Relations Director.
The Greater Bartow Chamber of Commerce joined the Citizens Bank and Trust for their Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening in Bartow on Tuesday. Citizens Bartow Branch Manager, Sandy Dobbertean closed the scissors at the ceremony. Citizens Bank and Trust’s permanent location is scheduled to open at the end of 2008 or beginning of 2009. From left to right are: Chamber Ambassadors Pam Renew, Karen Wheelock, and Tina Spath; Citizens Bank and Trust Assistant Manager, Kitty Clanton; Bartow Mayor, Brian Hinton; Chamber Ambassador, Nancy Young; Citizens EVP-Commercial Loans, Theron Strangry; Citizens Board Member, Clay Wilson; Citizens Chairman of the Board, P.T. Wilson; Citizens President, Greg Littleton; Citizens Branch Manager, Sandy Dobbertean; Chamber President-elect, Ruth Trainor; and Chamber Ambassadors Connie Brown and Mary Jordan.
Below, Bartow’s Citizens Bank and Trust manager, Sandy Dobbertean received the First Clear Dollar of Profit from Chamber President-elect Ruth Trainor. The new location of Citizens Bank and Trust is at 1450 N. Broadway Ave. in Bartow, and can be reached at (863) 533-6472.
Justin Davis, CEO of Bartow Regional Medical Center, said the two most frequent questions or comments he got from everyone was, “When is the road going to be built?” and when he answered, they always replied, “It will never be built!” The road that was supposed to be built when the new hospital was erected is finally in place, due to a collaboration between BRMC, the City of Bartow and its Community Redevelopment Agency, and a unique “ribbon-cutting” to commemorate the event took place on March 27. An ambulance and a firetruck “cut” the ribbon while driving through it on the new Wilson Avenue Extension and officially opened the street to the public.
Bartow Leadership Class XII students enjoy the scenery while touring Lake Hancock on an airboat at the Circle B Bar Reserve. The class also visited SWFWMD and A-C-T Environmental and Infrastructure.
Congressman Adam Putnam will host the group’s trip that will feature time with the Congressman and several “behind-the-scenes” glimpses into the Federal Government. Th e Washington D.C. trip is a tradition of the Bartow Chamber’s Leadership Bartow program. Although class participants bear much of the cost of the trip, the Chamber seeks sponsors to off set expenses. Mosaic has long been a sponsor of the Chamber’s legislative eff orts including the Washington D.C. tour. Community National Bank is a new sponsor for the trip that takes place at the end of the two-year Leadership Bartow curriculum.
“Mosaic and Community National Bank consistently support the Chamber’s Leadership program because they realize the importance of leadership development in our community,” said Jeff Clark, Chamber Executive Director. “Legislative and governmental aff airs are an important part of the leadership program focused in part on fostering understanding of political issues that impact the local community,” he added.
Above, Diplomats, who are the volunteer arm of the Greater Bartow Chamber of Commerce, meet together for an orientation and to eat lunch. Joining the Diplomats are Chamber Staff, Chamber President Debbie Burdett, and Diplomat supporters, Barbara Newell and Ruth Trainor. Barbara and Ruth provided the fried chicken for lunch, with the Diplomats bringing everything else. The 2008 Chamber Diplomats include Ortelle Bowden, Evelyn Brown, Betty Castor, Marylee Conley, Bonnie Davidson, Jack Davis, Carolyn Gorman, Mary Henderson, Ilene Hinds, Mickey Hogan, Nell Hollingsworth, Kitty Hunt, Bill Jencowski, Issie Jencowski, Tommie Jenkins, John King, Marietta King, Helen Knight, Jean Long, Sherry MacBlane, Sally Miller, Pete Parker, Aida Peraza, Shirley Pittenger, Teresa Rouse, Rose Marie Sherwood, Billy Strickland, Cathy Sutermeister, Rhoda Whitten and Frances Williams.Winners of the Diplomat of the Year and Most Hours Served awards will be announced during the Spirit of Bartow Breakfast to be held May 8. The breakfast is sponsored by Community National Bank.
Melissa Pittman, Community Southern Bank, was the February top Can-Do salesperson with $854 in membership sales.
The Bartow Community Relations Committee (CRC) recently met for a day-long planning retreat at Bartow Community Healthcare Foundation’s board room with Rich Thompson, Polk Community College, facilitating. The purpose was to examine the direction and focus of the committee. Left to right are Cliff Lewis, City of Bartow; Joyce Bentley, Polk Works; Gloria Washington; Jim Duane, Bartow’s Community Redevelopment Agency; Father Wally Reynolds, CRC Chairman, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church; Thompson; Iva Turner, Board of County Commissioners; Leo Longworth, Bartow City Commissioner; Bishop Willie Watson, Bartow Ministerial Alliance; J.J. Corbett, Retired Educator; and Jeff Clark, Chamber Director.
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