JAN 2015 – Annual Installation Dinner Announced

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Chamber Annual Installation Dinner and Civics Award Ceremony scheduled for Wednesday, January 28th

The Redlands Chamber of Commerce will present the new directors and welcome new officers to the organization for the 2015 year, Wednesday, January 28th, 2015, 6 PM at the Casa Loma Room, University of Redlands.

The dinner provides a venue for the announcement of the prestigious Man and Woman of the Year and Police and Firefighter of the Year Awards. Each year the anticipation mounts during the event waiting for the reveal of Man and Woman of the year along with the Police and Firefighter of the year awards.

Tickets are limited; reservations are necessary, $50 per person. For more information about the dinner and to make your reservations call the Chamber office at 793-2546

JAN 2015 – NEW YEAR’S TRADITIONS

new-year-logos-4In many countries, New Year’s celebrations begin on the evening of December 31—New Year’s Eve—and continue into the early hours of January 1. Revelers often enjoy meals and snacks thought to bestow good luck for the coming year. In Spain and several other Spanish-speaking countries, people bolt down a dozen grapes-symbolizing their hopes for the months ahead-right before midnight. In many parts of the world, traditional New Year’s dishes feature legumes, which are thought to resemble coins and herald future financial success; examples include lentils in Italy and black-eyed peas in the southern United States. Because pigs represent progress and prosperity in some cultures, pork appears on the New Year’s Eve table in Cuba, Austria, Hungary, Portugal and other countries. Ring-shaped cakes and pastries, a sign that the year has come full circle, round out the feast in the Netherlands, Mexico, Greece and elsewhere. In Sweden and Norway, meanwhile, rice pudding with an almond hidden inside is served on New Year’s Eve; it is said that whoever finds the nut can expect 12 months of good fortune.

Other customs that are common worldwide include watching fireworks and singing songs to welcome the New Year, including the ever-popular “Auld Lang Syne”. The practice of making resolutions for the New Year is thought to have first caught on among the ancient Babylonians, who made promises in order to earn the favor of the gods and start the year off on the right foot. (They would reportedly vow to pay off debts and return borrowed farm equipment.)

In the United States, the most iconic New Year’s tradition is the dropping of a giant ball in New York City’s Times Square at the stroke of midnight. Millions of people around the world watch the event, which has taken place almost every year since 1907. Over time, the ball itself has ballooned from a 700-pound iron-and-wood orb to a brightly patterned sphere 12 feet in diameter and weighing in at nearly 12,000 pounds now constructed of iron aluminum and Waterford Crystal. Various towns and cities across America have developed their own versions of the Times Square ritual, organizing public drops of items ranging from pickles (Dillsburg, Pennsylvania) to possums (Tallapoosa, Georgia) at midnight on New Year’s Eve.

It is believed that the Babylonians were the first to make New Year’s resolutions, and people all over the world have been breaking them ever since. The early Christians believed the first day of the New Year should be spent reflecting on past mistakes and resolving to improve oneself in the new year.

Noisemaking and fireworks on New Year’s eve is believed to have originated in ancient times, when noise and fire were thought to dispel evil spirits and bring good luck. The Chinese are credited with inventing fireworks and use them to spectacular effect in their New Year’s celebrations.

JAN 2015 -The After Glow Continues To Shine After The Night Light Run

night lightThe neon is packed away, the holiday lights are dimmed and the glow gear has faded but the memories linger. The second annual Redlands Chamber Night Light Run welcomed hundreds of runners, walkers, and meanderers on Saturday, December 27th post holiday food fest! The music pounding the beat, at the Redlands Mall and the lights dazzled. As the crowd swelled the DJ sounded the alert and the announcer sent the runners off onto the streets of Redlands. A mass of undulating, glowing runners, walkers, strollers and revelers headed out into the darkness. It wasn’t long before the first and fastest athletes returned and then in their own time the rest showed up thrilling us with stories of night time running.

The Redlands Chamber Night Light Run, could not have been possible without the generous support of race sponsors, Barich & Associates Insurance, Beaver Medical Clinic, Southern California Edison, Arthur Murray’s Dance Studio, Juice it Up, Redlands Fitness Training, Redlands Blueprint & Commercial Printing and JAM Sportswear, what a team!!

The volunteers that secured the streets making the adventure safe are to be thanked as well, without them the course would not have been open and accessible. Special thanks to the Officer Ken Wright and his team that kept the street closure to a minimum.

It was another bright and shiny event that left a sparkling impression, hats off to everyone !!!

JAN 2015 – CHAMBER MEMBERS RENEWING – DECEMBER 2014

BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF GREATER
REDLANDS AND RIVERSIDE
P.T. McEwen
1251 Clay Street
Redlands, CA  92374
Phone:  798-4599
 
CORNER BAKERY CAFÉ
Kristi Smith
402 North Orange Street
Redlands, CA  92373
Phone:  801-3962
 
COVENTRY PET RESORT & TRAINING CENTER
Deborah Salow
412 Tennessee Street
Redlands, CA  92373
Phone:  792-1163
 
DARBY’S AMERICAN CANTINA
Jon Darby
One State Street
Redlands, CA  92373
Phone:  792-2119
 
FREEMAN OFFICE PRODUCTS
Tim Derryberry
123 South “D” Street
San Bernardino, CA  92401
Phone:  387-1108
 
HAMPTON INN & SUITES
Tasha Howe
27959 Highland Avenue
Highland, CA  92346
Phone:  862-8000
 
INLAND CENTER MALL
Terri Reif
500 Inland Center Drive
Sam Bernardino, CA  92408
Phone:  884-7268
 
ISU BARICH INSURANCE
George Barich
408 E. State Street
Redlands, CA  92373
Phone:  793-9683
 
KIMBERLY CREST HOUSE & GARDENS
Tonja Blankenship
1325 Prospect Drive
Redlands, CA  92373
Phone:  792-2111
 
LAW OFFICE OF JEFFREY S. RAYNES
Mitchell Raynes
300 E. State Street, Suite 690
Redlands, CA  92373
Phone:  793-6800
 
MAIDS 2000
Chanel Eren
80 Alabama Street
Redlands, CA  92373
Phone:  793-1493
 
MILLER ARCHITECTURAL CORPORATION
Gary Miller
1177 Idaho Street, Suite 200
Redlands, CA  92374
Phone:  335-7400
 
MUFFIN TOP BAKERY
Emile Maamari
233 E. State Street
Redlands, CA  92373
Phone:  792-9911
 
NORMAN D. MATHIS, DDS
Dr. Norman Math 508 Cajon Street
Redlands, CA  92373
Phone:  793-2024
 
P & R PAPER SUPPLY
Joseph Maiberger
1898 E. Colton Avenue
Redlands, CA  92373
Phone:  793-1493
 
PCH ARCHITECTS, LLP
Greg Chapman
30 So. Center Street
Redlands, CA  92373
Phone:  792-7397
 
PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS PROF ORGANIZING
Cathy Bates
Redlands, CA  92373
Phone:  810-3719
 
PROVIDENT BANK
Marina Guadarrama
125 E. Citrus Avenue
Redlands, CA  92373
Phone:  793-2992
 
RCS-ACA-J.K.-12
Willie Guida
105 Tennessee Street
Redlands, CA  92373
Phone:  793-0601
 
REDLANDS DENTAL GROUP
Lisa Chatwood
422 Orange Street
Redlands, CA  92374
Phone:  792-7500
 
REDLANDS JEWELERS
Brian Ahlers
1 North 5th Street
Redlands, CA 92373
Phone:  792-4016
 
REDLANDS REAL ESTATE EXCHANGE
Dora Waters
P. O. Box 8111
Redlands, CA  92375
Phone:  793-2825
 
REDLANDS SPINE & SPORT
Michael Donia DC
219 E. Olive Avenue
Redlands, CA  92373
Phone:  793-2225
 
REDLANDS WEB DESIGN
Martin Walker
1255 W. Colton Avenue
Redlands, CA  92374
Phone:  509-4051
 
SELAH SOUNDTHEOLOGY CHRISTIAN STORE
Les Spoelstra
415 Tennessee Street
Redlands, CA  92373
Phone:  792-2175
 
SERVPRO OF S. REDLANDS-YUCAIPA
Steve Sclimenti
Fontana, CA  92336
Phone:  389-6310
 
SPLASH KINGDOM & BIG AIR TRAMPOLINE
Lianne Leiss
1101 No. California Street
Redlands, CA  92374
Phone:  335-7275
 
STAR AUTO PARTS
Ed Rivera
535 W. Redlands Blvd
Redlands, CA  92373
Phone:  793-2168
 
TIRE GUYS – GOODYEAR
Ed Ferguson
1631 W. Redlands Blvd
Redlands, CA  92373
Phone:  793-1639
 
WHITEFROG DESIGN, LLC
Matt Leeds
1030 Nevada Street, Suite 100
Redlands, CA  92374
Phone:  748-1525
 
 
 

 

JAN 2015 – NEW CHAMBER MEMBERS – December 2014

AGAPE GRACE IMAGING
Julie Diaz
555 Cajon Street, Suite F
Redlands, CA  92373
Phone:  793-5500
 
MY COOKIE JAR BAKERY
Shawn Wood
Grand Terrace, CA  92313
Phone:  213-7200
 
PACIFIC DERMATOLOGY INSTITUTE
Richard Rotan
255 Terracina Blvd, Suite 205C
Redlands, CA  92373
Phone:  793-2323
 
UNION BANK
Michael Milian
173 Orange
Redlands, CA  92373
Phone:  363-2214

JAN 2015 – Member Profile – VISITING NURSES ASSOCIATION

Visiting Nurses Association California they are here to help10  VNA Picture

VNA California provides home health, palliative and hospice services when in-home care is needed or preferred. They serve patients, their caregivers and families throughout the Riverside and San Bernardino, and North San Diego Counties of Southern California. Their professional services also include extensive outreach education and charitable support for the communities we serve. Because they are non-profit, they are committed to helping anyone who needs our assistance.

VNA defines their scope of services in response to the changing needs of patients, physicians and the communities they serve and remain in the forefront of the latest medical advances and delivery procedures. VNA California is one of the largest in-home care providers in Southern California, offering a full continuum of care for patients, including Home Health, Palliative, Hospice and Bereavement services.

What distinguishes VNA most is their commitment to providing exceptional care for patients, who become like family, and to developing relationships of trust with physicians. They support their Care Plans with an experienced team of nurses and specialists, including a Medical Director at each VNA California location.

Every patient deserves to be treated with dignity, compassion and the best care possible. That was the VNA mission in the beginning and remains so today and for the future.

To learn more about the services offered by the VNA contact the Redlands office at 1861 W. Redlands Boulevard, Building 7B; Home Health: 951-769-1419 / Fax 951-769-9873 Hospice: 951-845-8439 / Fax 951-769-1038.

JAN 2015 – Member Profile – LIFEHOUSE THEATER

11  Lifehouse Theater Picture

LifeHouse Theater is an award winning community theater celebrating decades of family productions

Unique in the nation, LifeHouse is an independent, interdenominational theater whose plays and musicals are exclusive, original productions seen by over 30,000 guests each year.  More than 500 volunteer actors comprise the casts of storytellers and join gifted artists, technicians and support staff from all walks of life to stage redemptive, inspirational stories.

LifeHouse is an award-winning faith-based theater guided by historic Judeo-Christian perspectives and values.

The outreach of LifeHouse includes international broadcasts of original productions on the SmartLifeStyle TV channel, audio drama CDs, the LifeHouse Theater Outreach (LTO) Touring Company, interpretation for the deaf, a college scholarship program, scripts performed by organizations throughout the U.S. as well as internationally and theater classes for youth.

LifeHouse Theater is… a community theater where each musical or play is an original production. More than sixty new works have premiered here.

Located in a historic Redlands building, which Founder and President Wayne Scott’s company remodeled in 1999, LifeHouse Theater features 215 stadium-style seats.

Currently celebrating its twelfth anniversary season, LifeHouse Theater recently received a California Legislature Resolution honoring the theater’s work and community service.

LifeHouse also offers programs in musical theater production for youngsters.  In addition, LifeHouse Productions also tours musicals and offers “LifeTales,” a musical biography series for school students that features curriculum guides available to educators.  The critically acclaimed series profiles “Alexander Graham Bell,” “Abraham Lincoln,” “Jackie Robinson,” and others.

LifeHouse has been named as one of the most popular live theaters in the region by the Sun Newspaper’s reader poll.

DEC 2014 – President’s Article by Geoff Bonney

rcc-geoff-bonney

Some Things Never Change

Time for a bit of history about Redlands and the Chamber of Commerce.  We all have heard about President McKinley’s historic visit to Redlands in 1901.  Recently I learned about the role the Redlands Chamber of Commerce played in that visit.  Back then the C of C was called the Redlands Board of Trade.  At that time they resided in the Phinney Block building on a six month lease for $35 a month.  Things were good in 1901.

On the second floor of the Chamber offices, you may have noticed a leather chair in the southeast corner.  This chair was made by the Board of Trade specifically for President McKinley to use during his visit.  He sat in this chair while attending a Board of Trade meeting at the Phinney Block building.  Next time you sit in that chair, know that you are sitting in a bit of history.  McKinley was particularly important to Redlands, since his tariff on imported oranges helped the local industry.

Now the title of this article is “Some Things Never Change”.  As part of my research on the McKinley visit, I reviewed the minutes from the Board of Trade.  It turns out that they were dealing with many of the same problems then that we have now.  Here is a summary of a few items.

Roads were a big concern, probably even more so than now.  Since the streets were dirt, there is frequent mention of the need to sprinkler them for dust control.  When the President came to town they upped the anti to oiling rather than sprinklering.

Just like today, they had a Government Review Committee (then called the Committee on Law and Legislature).  In 1901 they were reviewing an ordinance to maintain vacant lots.  This included looking at similar ordinances in Los Angeles and Denver for comparison.  Also on their plate was the review of City Bonds to purchase the Yucaipa Ranch Property for a municipal water supply.

Tourism was on their minds as well.  Redlands called itself the “Land of Flowers” and the “Naval Orange Capital of the World”.  They sent had over 5000 tourism booklets printed, and sent 2000 to the Tourist Information Bureau of Los Angeles for distribution.

Of course there was the task of keeping the Board of Trade operating.  This included paying the electric bill (yes, we had electricity then).  I’m guessing there was not a Night Light Run.  If so, I would have seen another reference to sprinklering the streets.

I am told this pattern of Chamber work goes back even further.  In 6000 BC the Mesopotamia Chamber of Commerce was also addressing road conditions.  I wonder what their GRC had on their agenda.  I’m assuming they did not have to worry about paying the electric bill though.

Have a great Holiday and a Happy New Year!

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President McKinley in Redlands, 1901.  Note the flowers and fabulous streets.

DEC 2015 – President Bonney Announces Officers For 2015

One hundred and twenty years ago Redlands business leaders joined forces at the Board of Trade and set a path for a strong, healthy, and prosperous business community and today’s business leaders are still at it. The Redlands Chamber of Commerce still provides a service for local business and professional men and women looking to improve their business and build a better community.

To assist in directing the organization to accomplish the mission to serve its members to act as an advocate of business community, President Bonney has enlisted the help of a cabinet of officers. This year those officers willing to give of their time and talent include; Jill Riley, Citrus Valley Plumbing, President Elect;  Mike Limon, Storage West, Treasurer; Mike Hokana, Freeman Office Products, and Daney Bachiu, Redlands Blueprint and Commercial Printing.

DEC 2014 – Chamber To Host Annual Installation Dinner and Civics Award Ceremony

The Redlands Chamber of Commerce will present new directors and welcome new officers to the organization Wednesday, January 28th, 2015, 6 PM at the Casa Loma Room, University of Redlands. 1

After the installation of directors and officers, attendees will be treated to the announcement of the prestigious Man and Woman of the Year and Police and Firefighter of the Year Awards. While selections are made earlier, all four awards are held in secret until the announcement that evening creating an air of excitement and surprise until the very last revelation.

Tickets are limited and reservations are necessary $50 per person. For more information about the dinner and to make your reservations call the Chamber office at 793-2546