2008 December Monthly Newsletter

Is It Time to Look Back Yet? 10th avenue singers This month’s Pasco Chamber of Commerce luncheon meeting will be held Monday, December 8th, 11:30AM at the Pasco Red Lion Hotel. Rather than a speaker, this month’s meeting will feature Pasco High School’s 10th Avenue Singers performing a program of holiday music. Don’t forget to put this one on the calendar now—and if you haven’t ever invited a guest to a Pasco Chamber meeting, this would be a good one to start with! RSVP to the chamber office at 547-9755 or e-mail info@pascochamber. org. DECEMBER 2008

This was a year of change. The year that gas hit four dollars a gallon… That the Dow fell nearly forty percent from 13,340 to a recent low of 8175... That the future of a number of jobs at Hanford came into question… So far the very real tough economic times that hit some parts of the country haven’t come to Pasco and the Tri-Cities. So far, real hardship is still something that we see on TV rather than at home. Time will tell what 2009 will be…but it will almost certainly be different than 2008, one way or another. And in uncertain and unsettled times, it’s good to be here, in a community with a history of neighbors helping neighbors. Whatever 2008 did to individual finances, almost everyone really can help someone else in some way or another. And that tradition—that ethic—is more important than ever. Giving isn’t about what we have, it’s about who we are. And that’s something that we shouldn’t let change. For those who can help their neighbors financially, many groups and organizations would welcome the assistance. They will likely face a greater demand for services than ever. For those who can’t help financially, there are other ways to help, and that’s every bit as important to this—or any—community.

If you don’t know of a group that you feel strongly about helping, several belong to the Pasco Chamber of Commerce. Chamber staff members are happy to point you in a direction or make an introduction for you. Additionally, almost any church can point to families or groups that need help. In uncertain and unsettled times, we don’t know what 2009 will bring…but we can reaffirm who we are as individuals and as a community by caring, practically, for our neighbors. And that will make the future better than sitting and waiting news headlines to tell us what to think or how to feel...

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2009 Happy Holidays and Merry (soon-to-be) Christmas! Coming to the end of 2008, your Pasco Chamber of Commerce is looking back at a year of renewal—renewal of focus, renewal of energy and renewal of growth. It’s an exciting time to be part of this organization! Last month, the board invested a day in strategic planning under the facilitation of Organizational Development Consultant Mark Gladstone. The

Chamber’s vision and goals were discussed at length. It was concluded that the group vision for the Pasco Chamber needed to be centered on the “enhancement of relationships within the business community” and “supporting our members, to ultimately make Pasco and the surrounding area a better place to live, work, and play.” Look for more precise wording to be introduced in the near future… One way the Chamber is put-

ting this vision into practice is through continued development of relationships with Franklin County’s agriculture community. Next month, the Chamber will host the 2009 Pasco Ag Show. Please put it on your calendar and support your Chamber by stopping in to learn about the industry that has always been Pasco’s economic mainstay. If you haven’t spent time on a farm in recent years, you’ll be shocked at the technological and business expertise it

takes to produce the products that we take for granted… One quick reminder: Your Pasco Chamber is committed to your success! If there is anything we can do to support you or your business, please let us know. Executive Director Nikki Gerds can be reached via the Chamber office at 547-9755 or at [email protected]. We do want to hear from you!

Ryan

Ryan Brault, President Pasco Chamber of Commerce

WORTH MENTIONING... Used car dealership Transportation Solutions has moved from Kennewick’s Clearwater Avenue to Pasco’s Autoplex. Graphic design and marketing firm Sara Nelson Design, Ltd. is now located in downtown Kennewick at 27 North Auburn Street—the former DS Watkins Coffee House. Pasco printer Presscraft has announced the installation of “Computer to Plate” technology that eliminates several steps in the printing process. The result is greater detail in the final print and reduced use of film and hazardous chemicals. To learn more, look online: www.presscraft.com. Pasco’s property tax rate is expected to decline about 10% next year, to $2.00/thousand of assessed value; no

increase anticipated in any taxes or fees for next year. Shannon Arntzen has joined New Northwest Broadcasters (Eagle 106.5, Power 99.1, Star 95.7, The Wolf 94.9, KTCR 1340 and K-Jox 960) as an Account Executive.

Arntzen Community Concerts of the Tri-Cities has launched its 2008-2009 season. Next up is a February 22nd performance of “Broadway, Her Way” with actress and singer Emily Skinner at Richland High School’s Theater. Pasco Chamber members receive a 15% discount when purchasing 10 or more tickets. For more information, look online: www.rconcert.home.att.net.

Bennett

Ryan Bennett—formerly with the Tri-City Herald—now sports a HarveyMonteith Insurance business card as a full lines agent.

Members wishing to contribute to this column can email news to [email protected]

2008 - 2009

PASCO CHAMBER

AROUND TOWN

Board of Directors

PRESIDENT RYAN BRAULT Edward Jones 1st VICE-PRESIDENT BENJAMIN BEHEN Lucky Flowers 2nd VICE-PRESIDENT HEIDI ELLERD Kuffel, Hultgrenn, Klashke & Shea PAST PRESIDENT DARRICK DIETRICH Basin Disposal PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTEE DEBBIE BONE-HARRIS Franklin PUD DIRECTORS CARRIE CHAMBERS River Realty GLEN CLIFFORD Clifford Farms GARY CRUTCHFIELD City of Pasco LEONARD HARMS Harms Engineering ANNE KOVIS Allstate WALT NEFF Neff Ranches MELLISA NEFF-HILL Bank of Whitman CHENYN PRESTON-JOHNSON Preston Premium Wines COURTNEY STENSON Pasco School District CRAIG SUTTON BrightWeb Marketing MONICA VAN HOLLEBEKE Simplot Grower Solutions LIAISON MEMBERS DENIS AUSTIN Pasco Police ED BROST Franklin PUD RICK MILLER Franklin County SAUNDRA HILL Pasco School District JIM TOOMEY Port of Pasco JANET WRIGHT Lourdes Health Network TREASURER RONALD J. PERKINS, CPA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NIKKI GERDS

Events | Activities | Fun things to do “Seed of the Primal Mind” Art Exhibit runs from December 1st - 4th, at CBC’s Esvelt Gallery. Enjoy Jazz Nite, featuring the CBC Jazz Band and Free Form, December 4th from 7:30 9:30PM at CBC Theatre. Oakwood Cellar’s Holiday Open House is planned for December 5th - 7th, from Noon - 5PM, 40504 N. DeMoss Road, Benton City. The “Spirit of Light” Christmas Tree Lighting is December 6th from 1 - 5PM at Flag Plaza in downtown Kennewick. Dr. L. G. Spaulding Guild Christmas Home Tour December 6th from 9AM 4PM. Call 627-4374 for information. Focus on Best of the Northwest Food and Wine (seminar) will be December 11th from 7 - 9PM, at Terra Blanca Winery, on DeMoss Road in Benton City. The annual Christmas Lighted Boat Parade will be December 12th and 13th from 6 - 9PM on the

Columbia River between Clover Island and Howard Amon Park. Mid-Columbia Regional Ballet performs The Nutcracker December 12th - 14th at Richland High School Auditorium. Call 946-5417 for information and tickets. The Columbia Basin Jazz Orchestra performs A Big Band Christmas!, featuring Duke Ellington’s “Nutcracker”, December 13th, 7:30PM, at Pasco High School. Lord of the Dance will perform December 17th, 7:30PM, at Toyota Center. Mid-Columbia Mastersingers Choral Christmas Concert, “A Boy was Born”, will be performed December 19th and 20th at 7PM and December 21st at 3PM, at Central United Protestant Church in Richland. The 30th Annual Cable Bridge Run comes up December 20th at 9AM. First Night® Tri-Cities 2009 will again this year be held at Columbia Basin College. The familyoriented festivities begin at 4:30PM on the 31st. For more information: www.firstnighttc.org.

Members wishing to contribute to this column can e-mail news to [email protected]

PASCO AG SHOW Tradeshow January 6th | 9AM - 6PM January 7th | 9AM - 4PM

Agriculture Hall of Fame Gala January 6th | 6:30PM For more information go to: www.pascoagshow.com

New Members ABADAN Sherry Armijo 946-2030 CLIFFORD FARMS Glen Clifford 547-2955

Pasco Chamber of Commerce

PRESORTED STANDARD US POSTAGE

PAID

PASCO WA 99301 PERMIT NO. 107

1925 N. 20TH AVE. PASCO, WA 99301 (509) 547-9755 www.pascochamber.org

HARMS ENGINEERING Len Harms 547-2679 STATE FARM INSURANCE Luis Garza 547-7038 ST. PATRICK’S CATHOLIC CHURCH Rev. Daniel Barnett 547-8841 THE WILLIAMS AGENCY Jennifer Schwegel 585-7338

Renewing Members CHARLES AND CAROL KELTCH DICK BANKS MOON SECURITY

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7 8 9 10 11 12 13 12.08.08 Membership Luncheon Pasco Red Lion | Noon Pasco High School 10th Avenue Singers The luncheon is sponsored by:

Walt Neff Neff Ranches

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VP nts S R e s Plea hamber eveailing

e-m oC Pasc 9755 or org. L L A for ing 547 hamber. c all by c o@pasco inf

12.03 Executive Committee Meeting Chamber Office | 11:45AM

12.16 Tri-Cities Hispanic Chamber Luncheon Pasco Red Lion | Noon

12.23 Board of Directors Meeting Booth Building | 11:45AM

12.25 Christmas 12.31 New Year’s Eve

Make it Personal

Please consider extending a personal invitation to tho se with whom you do busine ss to join the Chamber!

Save the Date

The Pas co Cha m PASCO ber presents th e AG SH OW and the AG HA LL OF January 6 - 7, 2 FAME 009 at T To rese R rve spa ce or sp AC onsor, call 547 -9755.

Writing and design for the Pasco Chamber Newsletter courtesy of SARA NELSON DESIGN, LTD. | 545-4584 | www.saranelsondesign.com