Paul Szmal: And welcome back to FLX Morning here on Finger Lakes News Radio. It's 8.15 and we're joined in studio by Tara Silvey from the FLX Chamber of Commerce. Good morning, Tara. How are you this morning?
Terra Sauve: Good. How are you?
Paul Szmal: Man, yeah, it seems like you and the organization have been crazy busy here for the past couple of weeks.
Terra Sauve: Yeah, we have a lot going on and a lot to recap too.
Paul Szmal: Yeah, let's start by recapping the February Business After Hours Mixer.
Terra Sauve: Yeah, so that was just hosted a few weeks ago, February 12th over at CCMI. Some people might remember that we held their member milestone in 2023 when they opened their new built facility right on State Route 14. So it was nice to bring people back in there, see the space, get a chance to meet with the owner and kind of talk about his plans for the future too.
Paul Szmal: Yeah, and then the next one is coming up before you know it.
Terra Sauve: Yeah, it's right around the corner too from here. We'll be at Ronnie's Cedar Inn on March 12th, and that's from 4 to 6. So we're excited for that one too and bring people there who may have not been there before.
Paul Szmal: Now the Business After Hours Mixers, are those open exclusively to chamber members or?
Terra Sauve: No, so anyone can attend. It's $10 for members, $20 for non-members, and then we do offer a season pass program, which is still, you're able to sign up for it now, which that pass gets you into all of the mixers for the year. It includes five guest passes and then something that we added this year, it's you get one quarter voucher for our new Lunch and Learn program as well. So it's kind of a bundle package for some of our programs and events, but people seem to take advantage of that just to have the extra guest passes as well.
Paul Szmal: Well, we hear bundle and save a lot in television commercials. Why not have it with the chamber?
Terra Sauve: Yeah, exactly. Absolutely.
Paul Szmal: You've got a member milestone celebration coming up too.
Terra Sauve: Yeah, so we are excited. We are going to be celebrating the 10th anniversary of Simple Sweets Bakery on Friday, March 14th from 12 to 1, and she's located right in downtown Geneva on 93 Castle Street. So our office actually helps her with her grand opening, her five-year celebration, and now we get to celebrate their 10th year anniversary.
Paul Szmal: And we have a save the date announcement for the annual Chamber Cup Golf Tournament, one of my favorite events of the year.
Terra Sauve: Yeah, mine too. We're excited. We're going to be over at Silver Creek this year, so save the date. It's going to be Wednesday, May 21st. We'll be announcing sign-up forms probably early next month in March. Just sign up fast because this always sells out, but we're excited for it.
Paul Szmal: Tara Sauve from the FLX Chamber of Commerce joining us here on FLX Morning. So what's new on the new membership front?
Terra Sauve: Yeah, so we actually have two new members. So I have the Boys and Girls Club of Geneva. They recently came back, and then we have Riley Earl Films. He's located in Pen Yen, and he does photography and videography. So you'll see him at some of our events, and he will be at the golf tournament as well.
Paul Szmal: And there's also what looks like a March Madness special for new membership, a great way to get involved and join up with the Chamber of Commerce.
Terra Sauve: Yeah, we did this last year, and it was a huge hit, so we thought we would offer it again. It's not something that we do, but we're going to take $50 off of membership starting now through the end of March. You just have to mention that you heard this special and just reach out to us. If you maybe have been on the fence about joining or want to learn more, just reach out to us and see how we can help.
Paul Szmal: And this would be an appropriate time to talk for a minute about the benefits of joining the Chamber.
Terra Sauve: Yeah, a lot of benefits. So one of them is just we are basically a marketing and public relations firm and help with our regional members in referrals, networking, and some of the events that we held just to connect other business owners with other business owners in the area.
Paul Szmal: So some of the 2025 Chamber programs that are going on, let's talk about those for a minute, starting with the window display at a downtown Geneva location. What's that about?
Terra Sauve: Yeah, so we rent out our windows. We are located in downtown Geneva, so you'll see some of them are already rented now. We do have one more space left that is rented, so if you don't have a location in downtown Geneva, you're looking for some extra advertising space, you can rent out one of our windows, and this program usually sells out as well. It's very popular. So that's another kind of benefit and program that we offer to help with the advertising.
Paul Szmal: And as well as the e-news program that you have.
Terra Sauve: Yep, the e-news program is a little bit different. So you can advertise in our digital monthly newsletter and e-blast. We have two different options. It also allows you to put an ad on our website and include a featured Facebook post. So this is just another way if you have a special going on, an event coming up, and you're trying to get the word out, this is another way that we can help you do that.
Paul Szmal: And you mentioned the Lunch and Learn program. I've heard about this Lunch and Learn program before, but for people maybe that are hearing about it for the first time, what can you tell them about it?
Terra Sauve: Yeah, so we started this last year. We had two different topics. So one was all about digital marketing, and one was about financial planning. So we're looking to bring this back starting in April. We'll have some announcements probably next month on this. But the Lunch and Learn is just to get people together. You can do it in person or on Zoom. And it's about a topic that people are interested in learning about. And we'll have one of our other members host, depending on what topic or category it's in.
Paul Szmal: Are those like the business after hours, where there's a member rate and a non-member rate for participation? Or is that one of those member exclusives that you get when you become a member?
Terra Sauve: Exactly. Yeah, this is exclusive to members and other benefits. So if it's something that we've been telling, we have a survey going out too, just to tell us what they're interested in learning about, and we can help to make that happen for them.
Paul Szmal: Okay, fantastic. And then the Annual Partners program is available right now.
Terra Sauve: Yeah, so the Annual Partner program, it's basically an advertising bundle. You sign up in the beginning of the year. So it runs from February to January. So signups are still going on now, but you get inclusive access to all of our events. The extra advertising that you're included, also your logo will be featured in our window display downtown. So people take a part of this. It's been really popular and growing through the years. But it's an inclusive event and advertising bundle.
Paul Szmal: And I know you have some annual partners that you'd like to give a shout out to.
Terra Sauve: Yeah. So I'll turn it over to you to say thank you to some of these important businesses.
Paul Szmal: Yeah. So thank you to our Annual Partners. We have Canandaigua National Bank and Trust, Community Broadband Networks, the I-Care Center, Fairfield by Marriott, Guardian Glass, Finger Lakes Federal Credit Union, Finger Lakes Partners Insurance, Consala Waste Systems, Four Winds Chimney, Padulas Wine and Liquor, Generations Bank, Geneva on the Lake, and Seneca Lake Resorts. So thank you to all of our Annual Partners. We couldn't do this without you guys.
Paul Szmal: All right. So let's wrap up a couple of the events that are coming up. The next Business After Hours Mixer.
Terra Sauve: Yep. So that is going to be Wednesday, March 12th from 4 to 6 at Ronnie's Cedar Inn. And again, that is a $10 for members, $20 for non-members, so anyone can attend.
Paul Szmal: Yeah. Yep. Correct.
And while you're there, it'd be a good way to talk to some of the chamber members, find out some of the benefits, maybe wind up joining up yourself.
Terra Sauve: Exactly. Yes.
Paul Szmal: And then the Member Milestone Celebration for Simple Sweets Bakery.
Terra Sauve: Yep. And that's going to be on Friday, March 14th, and that's going to be 12 to 1 o'clock. And that's at 93 Castle Street in Geneva. Come hungry, by the way, because their stuff is absolutely delicious.
Paul Szmal: And then the Chamber Cup Golf Tournament. You want to book your tournament foursomes now so you don't get locked out because this generally sells out in the date for this year.
Terra Sauve: Yep. So it's going to be Wednesday, May 21st over at Silver Creek Golf Course in Waterloo.
Paul Szmal: All right. Tara, thanks so much for joining us this morning. Much appreciated.
Terra Sauve: Thank you so much for having me. It's 822 on FLX Morning.
