Posts filed under 'Chamber Events'
Posted: May 5, 2008: 1:59 pm
Free Admission! Special Shows! Food and Merchandise Discounts!
Special Discounted Annual Pass for Chamber Members!
Tickets for the Chamber’s May Showcase, “Chamber Family Night” at Cypress Gardens are now available in our lobby while they last. (Limit six per family) The event will be held from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on May 22.
Winter Haven Chamber members need only display a Chamber Advantage Card, business card or employee ID card from a Chamber member company. Join your friends at Cypress Gardens for an evening filled with family fun!
| See other posts filed in: Chamber Events, Cypress Gardens, Tourism
Posted: April 18, 2008: 9:40 am
Free Admission! Special Shows! Food and Merchandise Discounts!
Special Discounted Annual Pass for Chamber Members!
The Chamber’s May Networking Showcase morphs into “Family Night” fun as Cypress Gardens Adventure Park rolls out an evening of special shows, breathtaking flowers and food and merchandise discounts for Chamber members and their immediate families. The Gardens is hosting members and families from the Winter Haven, Haines City, Lake Wales, Auburndale and Lake Alfred Chambers of Commerce.
Cypress Gardens Adventure Park
Chamber “Family Night” Fun
4:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Special 6 p.m. Ski Show
Special All New Animal Encounter Show
Botanical Gardens open until 6 p.m.
More than 40 rides to thrill!
Special “Family Night” Admission Tickets* available May 1 in Chamber Lobby while they last.
To obtain tickets:
Present your Chamber Advantage Card or your business card/or employee identification card with Chamber member company at Lobby Desk. You may only pick up tickets for your immediate family (parents and children). The Chamber reserves the right to limit quantities.
| See other posts filed in: Chamber Events, Cypress Gardens, Parks and Green Space
Posted: April 17, 2008: 8:49 am
The Winter Haven Chamber has two great events scheduled for next week. You can RSVP at the links provided below.
FREE Chain of Lakes Breakfast Forum!
Tuesday, April 22, start your day with a free breakfast in one of Winter Haven’s most beautiful settings … at the Lake Hartridge Nature Park (pictured R at sunrise). Sponsored by Killebrew, Inc. and presented by Mike Britt and Rashelle Selser of the City’s Department of Natural Resources the breakfast is complimentary to the first 100 people who RSVP. Continental Breakfast will be served starting at 7:30 a.m. in the main picnic pavilion. The program will outline the our water resources and the City’s plans for a new aquatic and nature center to be built at the park. It’s one more step in the City’s quest to become a green community. Learn also how the nature park serves as a stormwater filtration marsh for Lake Hartridge. The program is open to Chamber members and the General Public. Free with your RSVP here.
Holiday Inn Hosts April 24 Showcase!
Join your friends at Winter Haven’s newest hotel … The Holiday Inn (200 Cypress Gardens Boulevard). Thursday, April 24 from 5:30 - 7 p.m. you can tour the beautiful new facility, impressive lobby (pictured below), restaurant and more. Enjoy great food, too! Shake the hand of the “Mystery Guest” and win $25. If you are this month’s “Name Dropper” chosen at random from our database you will win $200 — but you have to be present. Free to Chamber members and a guest with your RSVP here.
| See other posts filed in: Chain of Lakes, Chamber Events, Commercial Developments, Economic Development, Parks and Green Space
Posted: April 14, 2008: 9:12 am
No, we’re not speaking of corporal punishment … but the best way to win the Second Annual Chain of Lakes Challenge Canoe & Kayak Races is to paddle your boat better than anyone else in the competition.
Bring your canoe or kayak to the Lake Summit Boat Ramp Park this Saturday, April 19. Registration begins at 7:15 a.m. and the races start at 7:45 a.m. There are four divisions:
Professional Kayak (under 26″ wide)
Recreational Tandem or Solo Kayak (more than 26″ wide)
Professional Canoe (single bladed paddles)
G-2 canoe or kayak encouraging two generations to participate together (i.e. parent/child or grandparent/grandchild)
The first three categories will depart Lake Summit and travel along the shoreline of Lake Eloise clockwise and into Little Lake Eloise back into Lake Eloise continuing in a clockwise direction to the Eloise/Lulu canal. Paddlers will travel directly across Lake Lulu to the Lulu Shipp canal and back across Lulu into Eloise and on to Lake Summit and the Boat Launch Park finish line. (Approximately 7.7 miles.
The G-2 race will depart Lake Summit shortly after the above divisions and travel through the Cypress Gardens ski show circle, on around the tire breakwaters and back to Lake Summit Boat Launch Park.
Entrants must bring their own canoe or kayak. All crafts must be manually paddled. All participants must wear flotation throughout the race. All participants must finish or report out of the race at a check point to account for whereabouts. Checkpoints will be located at Little Lake Eloise and Lulu/Shipp Canal (east end).
First Place winners in each division get Cypress Gardens Passes and $50 cash awards. Second Place finishers receive $25 and Cypress Gardens Passes. Registration forms available at Andy Thornal Company and the Winter Haven Chamber Lobby. $20 registration fee per boat. All entrants receive Challenge T-Shirts.
The Chain of Lakes Challenge is sponsored by Andy Thornal Company, The News Chief and The Ledger. It is the final event in the 2008 Chain of Lakes Festival. The Chain of Lakes Challenge is organized by the Winter Haven Chamber Foundation and the City of Winter Haven Department of Natural Resources. Course Checkpoints courtesy of Marine Supply - The Boating Center.
Pictured at left, Don Nettlow noses between the finish line buoys to win the inaugural Chain of Lakes Challenge Professional Kayak division in 2007.
| See other posts filed in: Chain of Lakes, Chamber Events, Cypress Gardens, Sports
Posted: April 11, 2008: 10:24 am
The Greater Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce has organized a fact-finding visit to Alliance, Texas for Polk County leaders. The group will tour the BNSF intermodal rail terminal and also the surrounding business park developed by Hillwood.
Participants include Polk County Commissioners, County Manager Mike Herr, Winter Haven City Commissioner Jeff Potter and City Planning Officials, Winter Haven Chamber leaders, Ron Morrow with CSX, East Polk Committee of 100 executive, Jack Barnhart. The City of Lakeland and Chamber have been extended an invitation to participate to get first hand knowledge of an operating integrated logistics center.
The group will depart Sunday, May 18 from Tampa. Monday, May 19 officials will meet and tour at the BNSF intermodal rail facility in the morning and Hillwood developer of the surrounding office park in the afternoon. An evening return to the rail terminal and office park area is planned to observe lighting and sound levels.
Up to twenty people are expected to participate. The Alliance integrated logistics center is much larger than ILC planned for Winter Haven and it involves a “reliever” airport as well. But the overall project has a proven track record for job and business park development and other economic factors that can be projected to the Winter Haven facility. Winter Haven also has the opportunity to plan its site in much the same way as the Alliance, Texas experience.
| See other posts filed in: CSX - Winter Haven, Chamber Events, Commercial Developments, Economic Development, Transportation
Posted: : 10:21 am
The Third Annual Central Park Stroll was held April 10 amid picture perfect weather, beautifully manicured parks and ten new outdoor sculptures. This year’s Stroll was unique in that for the first time, one of the ten sculptures was created by a Winter Haven artist. Perhaps most exciting is the fact that Albert Kriston’s “Reach” sculpture (pictured at left) was selected as “Best of Show” by the judges and “Peoples Choice” winner from Thursday evening’s guests.
Reach was inspired by the astronauts who lost their lives on the shuttle Challenger.
The Florida Outdoor Sculpture Competition is organized by the Polk Museum of Art in conjunction with the City of Winter Haven. This is the eighth year for the competition and the third time it has been in Winter Haven’s downtown parks. The City of Winter Haven provides both financial backing for the exhibition and the logistical support to install and maintain the sculptures. The sculptures are selected by a committee of area residents. This year’s judges included Carol Mickett, Ph.D., and Robert Stackhouse, Ph.D Artists.
The Central Park Stroll was sponsored by Cartlon Music Center, CSX Transportation, Food Partners, Haskell Corp., Peterson Myers, P.A., Publix Supermarkets, Inc., Raley Downtown Properties, Richards Fine Coffees, Tampa Electric Company and the Winter Haven Chamber Foundation.
The Chamber joins with Main Street Winter Haven and the City to present the Central Park Stroll. Those who voted for the sculptures last evening received a coupon book good for discounts at downtown restaurants and retailers.
| See other posts filed in: Chamber Events, City of Winter Haven, Cultural Arts, Downtown, Main Street Winter Haven, Parks and Green Space, Success Stories, Tourism
Posted: March 26, 2008: 2:31 pm
The obviously empty housing at left was removed from the historic Times Square building yesterday to join the previously removed works for restoration and electrification. The vintage “McClintock Clock” was placed on the then Snell National Bank in 1925 and for the past 83 years has served as one of Winter Haven’s most recognizable landmarks.
Current owners of the building, Park Partners, recently donated the clock to the citizens of Winter Haven thereby ensuring the clock never leaves the community.
The restoration is being coordinated by Lloyd Larish who purchased the remaining inventory of the now defunct McClintock Clock Works. The process will require the skill of a number of master craftsman and is expected to cost approximately $27,000. Restoration and electrification will take from three to five months.
Representatives from Main Street Winter Haven, the City of Winter Haven and the Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce are working together on a campaign dubbed “Buy a Little Time.” A restricted fund has been established within the Main Street organization to accept tax deductible gifts for the clock’s restoration. The cost of restoration has been divided among the hours and minutes of a 24 hour day making contributions affordable to everyone from children and schools to larger organizations within business community. For example:
$1,000 sponsors an hour
$500 sponsors a half hour
$250 sponsors a quarter hour
$100 sponsors five minutes
and minutes are $20 each
All hourly sponsors will be listed on a plaque to be placed below the clock. All donors will be listed in a celebratory program to be used on the date of the clock’s re-dedication.
For further information or a donor brochure contact Main Street Winter Haven at 295-9422 or the Winter Haven Chamber at 293-2138. Donor brochures are available here.
Tick-tock people! Join us and “Buy a Little Time.”
| See other posts filed in: Chamber Events, City of Winter Haven, Downtown, Main Street Winter Haven
Posted: March 19, 2008: 10:27 am
Add a little balance to your life and make plans to bring friends and family to the 2008 Sunset Celebration from 4 p.m. to sunset on the shores of Lake Howard at Avenue D. NW. The festival is FREE! The General Public is invited. In addition to the Chair artist pictured at left, guests will enjoy a strolling magician, Rolla Bolla (balance artist on a series of stacked cylinders), an amazing Hula Hoop demonstration and a contortionist (both pictured below). They’ll be “bending over backwards” to show you a good time.
Main Stage Entertainment includes Reggae and Beach music by Azwon. And T. Michael Stavres will bring a little Margaritaville to the festivities.
Do you know a local amateur talent under the age of 21? The Chamber will hold auditions for budding unicyclists, jugglers, magicians and other novelty acts on Saturday, March 29 at 9 a.m. at our downtown building (401 Avenue B, NW). Those selected will receive prizes and be asked to perform at the April 5th event during our “Amateur Hour.”
You won’t want to miss “Dogs In Synch” presented by the Humane Society. and our Children’s Game area features a bounce house, face painting, Treasure Dig, Sand Art and more. Do you have a vintage car or boat? Register for the Chain of Lakes Vintage Auto and Boat Show here and bring it for display. There will be a “Motorcycle Row” display, too!
You’ll find great food from Texas Cattle Company and Smokin’ Jim’s BBQ and you can also enjoy margaritas from Tanner’s Pub.
It’s a Key West-style Sunset Celebration presented by The Winter Haven Chamber Foundation, City of Winter Haven and the employees of State Farm Insurance.
Supporting sponsors include Bright House Networks, News Chief, The Ledger and Winter Haven Hospital. Main Stage entertainment from CSX Transportation and Street Entertainment sponsored by Dodge Chrysler Jeep of Winter Haven.
| See other posts filed in: Chamber Events, City of Winter Haven, Downtown, Tourism
Posted: March 17, 2008: 2:49 pm
Gather your crew (of up to 10 people) and join in the 2008 Admiral Eycleshimer’s Cardboard Boat Races this Saturday, March 22, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Lake Silver’s Martin Luther King Park. The races are presented by the News Chief.
It all begins immediately following the City’s Easter Egg hunt. Boats are built from 11 to Noon and then the races. There’s $200 in cash prizes. $25 registration fee. Rules and registration form here.
Register today!
| See other posts filed in: Chamber Events, Crazy Things To Do, Parks and Green Space, Transportation
Posted: January 16, 2008: 9:03 am
Randy Roberts and Sam Killebrew invite you to join the Florida Chamber, members of the Polk Legislative Delegation and fellow business leaders at Publix Supermarket’s corporate headquarters on Wednesday morning, January 30 as the business community unites behind Florida’s 2008 Business Agenda.
A complimentary full breakfast will be served. Seating is limited. RSVP by January 23.
Complete details and register on line here.
| See other posts filed in: Chamber Events, Political Scene
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