Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce

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☼ Where has 2011 gone? Seems like yesterday was almost summer and we were preparing for the Strawberry Festival. With the mild weather we’ve had this winter, it felt like spring was here. But, then . . . we did get a cold, snowy blast of winter for a few days . . . hurray, warm weather is on the way again :?)

NEW businesses in our community in 2011. We're glad you chose Hartford as your new home!

        ► Coin Express Laundromat, 202 W. Main St., Hartford.
        ► Subway Restaurant, 61210 CR 687, out by I-94, Hartford.
        ► Four Winds Hartford Casino, 68600 W. Red Arrow Hwy, Hartford.
        ► Iglesia Evangelica Tempolola Hermosa Church, 65097 Red Arrow Hwy, Hartford
        ► La Esquina De Mexico Restaurant, 101 E. Main St., Hartford

☼ Christmas started in November with the Chamber 2011 Holiday Extravaganza. Our board trustee, Tammy Ackerman, went shopping and purchased $1000 in gift certificates & cards from Hartford Chamber member merchants. Christmas boxes for the drawing were located in Hardings, Hair Forum, and the Hartford Public Library. Winners were listed at the Christmas in the Park celebration on December 10th. Thanks to the Hartford businesses who helped make Christmas a little brighter for 42 individuals. Check the opening page of our website for a list of winners at www.hartfordmichigan.com.

☼ It’s time for our Annual Dinner-Meeting. It will be held on Tuesday, February 14th - yes, that’s on Valentine’s Day at the Van Buren ISD Conference Center in Lawrence. Please join us for a lovely meal catered by Keeler Keg. Non-chamber members are welcomed to attend. To help us order the correct number of dinners, click here to download mail-in dinner reservation form - please return dinner reservations by February 10th. Click here to complete the online dinner reservation form. Our special guest speaker is Jill Bland, Executive Vice President with Southwestern Michigan First, Economic Development Advisors. Bring your questions and suggestions for our area.

At the annual meeting, we will vote on 5 categories for our “best of “ from Chamber member businesses. Those selected will have their business logo and information on the website free of charge for a year. See last year’s “best of “ honorees on the right side of the website opening page at www.hartfordmichigan.com.

☼ Summer is just around the corner and it’s Strawberry Festival planning time. After several years of working on the parade, Cindy Birmele has decided not to coordinate the parade this year. We appreciate the wonderful job she has done in the past toward giving Hartford one of the best and biggest parades in the area. The Strawberry Parade is in need of a new chairperson. If you would like to help with the Strawberry Parade, please let us know right away. It is a lot of fun and something our community and visitors really enjoy. We have a Cinderella-type coach in the lineup for our Strawberry royalty again this year - always a favorite!

We are also in need of volunteers to help with the Strawberry Festival. Please let us know if you can help . . . we can’t do it without YOU!

☼ Do you need a job? Click here for employment resources on our website (under the Links icon on the left menu). There are many links to local employment listings with an extensive variety of jobs in Van Buren, Cass, and Berrien Counties, as well as other locations. Save this in your favorites.

☼ Reminder - Chamber yearly memberships expired on December 31, 2011. Click here for the Hartford Business Directory where a CoC designation is denoted beside current Chamber member listings. If your business name is not shown, we didn't received your 2011 renewal form and dues. This list will change after the Annual Meeting and upon receipt of 2012 dues. Out of the area listings is not permitted without Chamber membership. On behalf of the board, we thank you and hope you will continue to support the Chamber.

A real advertising bargain at
$15.00 for individuals or $30.00 for businesses and organizations.

2011 Chamber Members listed below
All memberships expired 12-31-2011
Click here to download a renewal-new membership form.
Click here to complete the membership form online.

AB Packing Equipment Inc.
Advantage Electronics
American Red Cross
Amerigas
Amhawk LLC
AnyWear Embroidery
Arrow Automotive LLC
Arrowhead Bar & Grill
♦ AR Controls
Avalanche Rental Properties
Beacon Specialized Living Services
Becht Construction
Best Way Disposal
Big Dan’s U-pick’em
Bob’s Barn Farm Market & Bakery
Carla’s Crafty Gifts
Charlie Weeden Inc. Concrete
Chemical Bank
Chet Nichols
♦ City of Hartford
CityNets Inc.
Competent Secretarial Service
Cross’s Corner
Crown Trophy
Direct Discount Outdoor
DowdSystems Administration
Farm Bureau Ins-Dale Tallman
♦ Finis (Tad) A. Moody Jr.
Gala-T-Inn
Great Start Collaborative-V. Buren
Gustafson Pool & Spa Inc.
♦ Hair Forum
Hanson Logistics
Hardings Friendly Market

Hartford Adult Education
Hartford Animal Hospital
Hartford Auto Repair
Hartford Chiropractic Clinic
Hartford Community Center
Hartford Federated Church
Hartford Fire Department
Hartford General Baptist Church
Hartford Lions Club
Hartford Outlet
Hartford Public Library
Hartford Public Schools
Hartford Seventh-Day Adventist Church
Hartford Township
Hartford United Methodist Church
Herbalife Independent Distributor
High Acres Fruit Farm
Hilltop Fruit Trees LLC
His Place Cathedral of Faith
Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church
Huffman's Home Furnishings
John Proos, State Senator
Keeler General Baptist Church
Keeler Keg & Kitchen
Kellogg Hardware
♦ Kid Builders, LLC
Krohne Plant Farms Inc.
Lakeland Comm Hospital-Watervliet
Larry’s Used Cars
Liebenthal Dentistry
Mann Metal Finishing
McFarland Fruit Market
McFarland Pies
Miller Thermometer Co.

Modern Mothers Club
Moody Family Organic Farm
Moses Fire Equipment, Inc.
Overton Farms Inc.
Panel Room Restaurant
Paw Paw River Produce
Perry's Perfect Pitch Piano Tuning
Personal Touch Cakes
♦ PNC Bank
Puhrman Hauling & Excavating
Red Arrow Accounting
Red Arrow Building Supplies, Inc.
Red Arrow Dairy
Richter Insurance Agency
Rick Hall Construction LLC
Rick’s Tack & Supply Shop
S. Ravi—MD, PC
S & A Automotive
Shafer Lake Fruit
Southwest Transport Co.
Stage Coach Embroidery
Tall Timbers Tree Farm
♦ Tammy Ackerman
Tom Smith Tractor
Tonya Schuitmaker-House Rep.
Unex Inc.
Van Buren Co. Historical Society
Van Buren Co. Republican Party
Van Buren Co. United Way
Village Auto Wash
West Michigan Freight LLC
William & Shirley Jackson
Woodside Auto Sales

Upcoming Events:
► December 31, 2011 - Chamber memberships expired. A Renewal - New Member Application is enclosed.
► February 14, 2012 - Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner-Meeting at ISD Conference Center in Lawrence..
► Tuesday, March 13, 2012 - Chamber meeting 12:00 NOON at Hartford City Hall.

Until next time,
Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce