What Are You Doing for Superbowl?

Award Nomination Time

It’s your community and now it’s time to recognize those business owners and volunteers in our community that make it such a great place to visit and to live.  There are a few different organizations that are accepting nominations including the Collingwood Chamber of Commerce, the Town of the Blue Mountains Chamber of Commerce, the Meaford Chamber of Commerce and the Wasaga Beach Film Festival so why not take a few moments and think about which restaurant or retail operation goes over and above, who’s giving amazing customer service time and time again, who is making extraordinary efforts that should be recognized and make sure you check out the fantastic video productions on the Wasaga Beach Film Festival website and vote!

We’ve collected all of the links below to make this easy…

2014 Collingwood Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards: In the last 12 months (May 2013 – May 2014), the award winning businesses will have developed to meet the changing needs of Collingwood. The award winners will have provided a high level of business service and/or product needed by consumers and the community. SELF NOMINATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Nominations close at noon on Monday March 31^st. http://www.collingwoodchamber.com/business-awards.cfm

 

Town of the Blue Mountains Chamber of Commerce Nomination Now Open for AGM Business Recognition Award.  The Chamber is holding their Annual General Meeting and Business Recognition Award Dinner on March 19 at The Westin Trillium House, Blue Mountain. As a part of that meeting, they will present the Business Recognition Awards to celebrate some of the businesses that have been models for the Town in 2013. Please review Guideline for Nomination, http://bluemountainschamber.ca/files/agm/bra/2013-Nomnation-Guideline.pdf?utm_source=Chamber+Chat&utm_campaign=920953719f-Chamber_Chat1_10_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_4072bf7908-920953719f-79599261 and nominate one or more of the businesses that you think deserve special recognition by Feb 14. Please send all your nominations by either email to vp@bluemountainschamber.ca with “Nominee” as the subject line, and the following information contained in the message, or physical mail to the following address by Feb 14: 1. Name of Nominee 2. Name of Award nominating to 3. Link to website or profile of nominated business 4. 250 word description of how the nominee merits the Award 5. Disclosure (relationship of nominator to nominee) 6. Name of Nominator/Chamber member. Mailing Address: Blue Mountains Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 477 Thornbury, ON N0H 2P0

Download 2013 Awards Categories & Sponsors http://bluemountainschamber.ca/files/agm/bra/2012-Award-Descriptions-and-Winners.pdf?utm_source=Chamber+Chat&utm_campaign=920953719f-Chamber_Chat1_10_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_4072bf7908-920953719f-79599261

 

Meaford Chamber of Commerce Award nomination information and submission forms – Deadline for nominations: Monday March 3, 2014: http://mcofc.ca/customcontent/members/admin/2014_nomination_form_-_fillable.pdf

 

Voting is now available for the Third Annual 2014 Wasaga Beach Short Film Festival until January 25th, 2014, 12:00 (noon) pm. Vote for your favourite film(s)/video(s) by category. Click on each category to view any or all of the category entries and then click the vote button below each film/video for each one you like http://www.wasagafilmfestival.com/  

Thanks for your efforts and happy nominating!

Julie

New Year's Eve and Christmas Tree Collection Info

If you still haven't figured out what to do or how to celebrate the New Year you can make reservations at one of the fabulous and unique restaurants that you can only find in our area.  Here's a list of all of the Amazing Restaurants in the area and lots of them have designed special New Year's menus.

For a fun family experience you might want to check out the Family Scavenger Hunt in Downtown Collingwood...

You can check out the New Year's Eve Party at Blue Mountain Resorts or another great option (yeay fireworks) is the Blue Mountain Village

Party Safe and have Fun!

Christmas Trees

Bi-weekly Christmas tree collection will take place during the month of January.

This change significantly increases access to Christmas tree collection service and provides more flexibility to allow residents to keep Christmas trees up longer. Christmas trees must be placed at curbside Monday at 7 a.m. of collection week. Collection will occur at some time during the week and does not necessarily coincide with your garbage collection day. To determine your collection week click here. For more information please consult the waste management calendar or contact Customer Service at info@simcoe.ca, 705-735-6901, or 1-800-263-3199.

Julie's Awesome Gift Wrapping Advice

I love Christmas and wrapping presents.  For some, however the task of wrapping is daunting...and with only about 10 days left 'til Christmas read on for some excellent advice:

1.  It's not the gift that creates the moment of excitement...it's the fun, anticipation and excitement of unwrapping that creates the lasting impression...so yes...wrapping is important...it's the effort that counts.

2.  Now that you've decided to wrap...read on...because it can be easy as pie or frustrating as hell.  If you're a newbie to the wrapping world and have decided to go cheap...you'll soon find out that what started out with good intentions has ended with a bunch of ripped corners, jagged edges and irritation at what is supposed to be fun and easy.

3.  The key to success is easy.  First, make sure you have a clear workspace...dining room table is great (clear crumbs first).  Second, make sure you have at least 2 pairs of scissors handy so that when you lose the first pair you don't get hung up and waste time...keep on wrapping.  Three, use good quality paper...it makes all the difference and Costco has the best wrapping paper...worth the drive to Barrie (if the paper was available locally, I would buy it locally.).  Four...cut only the amount of paper you need to wrap each gift...plan it out...flip each box along the paper on all 4 sides and add in a couple of inches for folding in nice edges and then make your cut.  If you have too much paper things start to get bunched up and yucky.  Time spent now will be rewarded by a great looking finished product.

4.  If you can't get to Costco or don't have budget for wrapping paper, use newspaper and stick on a few twigs of pine or maybe a pinecone...you'll be amazed at how the rustic look of newspaper tied with twine or string with a sprig or two of evergreen and a hand written gift tag will just look spectacular.

5.  Wrap a few presents each day leading up 'til Christmas so that the task is not so daunting and overwhelming...creating undue pressure.

6.  Remember that the UPS Store offers gift wrapping service.  The UPS Store is located at 115 First Street in Collingwood (Maplelane Plaza).  First come, first served.

Happy Wrapping.

JC

Lots of Events

With so many Christmas and Holiday events, plus Grand Openings (Ms. Holly's Spa in Stayner) and Grand Re-openings Wendy's) make sure you use our events calendar as your one stop resource to finding out what's going on near you!

Collingwood Downtown announces Santa Claus Parade Winners

Although the evening was extremely cold and blustery, the crowds enjoyed a magical, light filled parade as one of the highlights of a day filled with Christmas celebrations. 

Many commercial businesses, non-profit organizations, and youth groups presented entries that celebrated the holiday season with music and lights.  Thanks to all the participants and congratulations to the winners.

Category winners are:

INDUSTRIAL / COMMERCIAL – First Place – Collingwood Fuels Limited; Second Place – GJ Custom Contracting Inc.; Third Place – Collingwood Veterinary Services

SERVICE CLUBS / NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS – First Place – Optimist Snowboard Club; Second Place – The McCaffrey Family; Third Place – Knights of Columbus Council  5793

YOUTH – First Presbyterian Church Youth

A special thank you is extended to all the sponsors, volunteers, and entries for making this year’s parade such a great success.

New Facial Cleansing Solution available at One Tooth

 

These are just in at One Tooth in Cranberry Mews...great Christmas Gifts...great for travel.