Freeport Slumberland Partners with The Bridge to Help Area Kids Sleep Easier

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1 Freeport Slumberland Partners with The Bridge to Help Area Kids Sleep Easier Tony Carton Communication Editor Life is tough for kids. Young lives can be full of hard truths and yes, you can be anything you want if you try, but you ve got to have the right tools to succeed. A good night s sleep is one of those tools and the folks at Slumberland in Freeport have partnered with The Bridge Ministry to see that young people get the rest they need by donating dozens upon dozens of mattresses to area families. Making Homes for the Holidays is a charity focused on getting kids in beds, said Slumberland store manager Jeff Snell. It s a project our local owner, Jon Davis encourages us to undertake every year. Slumberland Inc set up Making Homes for the Holiday as a part of its larger, 40 Winks Foundation more than 20 years ago and the charity is supported by the Larson family who own and operate the parent Slumberland corporation. Comm ommunicator municator They ve given out over 15,000 mattresses and box springs over the years to help keep kids have beds, said Snell. They ve figured out kids will feel much better about themselves if they are sleeping on a bed as opposed to sleeping on the floor. He said they ve gone through a number of changes to make the program more effective in Freeport. When we first opened six years ago we were trying to handle the project internally, Snell said. We were taking names and finding beds for people, but we ve found it works much better to work with the Bridge Ministry because they re willing to do the screening and they have a list of people who are in need of beds. Freeport Slumberland donated 30 mattresses to the project in December 2014 and that initial donation barely scratched the surface of need. The Bridge still had a list of about 40 names still needing mattresses after the 30 we gave them, he said. There is a huge need here and we re just one store with one little group of seemingly tireless helpers. The Bridge Ministry works with a number of area churches. Snell said the ministry delivers donated furniture to people twice a month throughout the year and can usually manage six stops on a weekend. Unfortunately, with their limited number of volunteers they are usually maxed out, he said. They could use so much more help. They are pretty much february 2015 freeport, IllInoIs booked up and have scheduled all of their deliveries for months in advance. When I talked to them last they had over 60 different names on their list that needed stuff, but they can only do six every other week. Snell and the folks at Slumberland, The Bridge and the whole Make Homes for Holidays Freeport group are undaunted by the size and scope of need in Freeport. Donations come in and bedding goes out and life gets a little better one good night s sleep at a time. We did most of our mattress donations in December last year, but in January, The Bridge ordered more stuff from us, Snell said. That second order was the result of a donation from an area farmer. There are plenty of people out there that need the help and the folks at The Bridge are doing a great job of finding them and seeing they get the help they need. As current coordinator for The Bridge Ministry, Gene CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 4 GOLD MEMBER SPOTLIGHT 7 MEMBER SPOTLIGHT 10 MEMBER NEWS 12 IDENTITY PROTECTION

2 2 freeport area chamber of commerce 27 W. Stephenson St, Freeport IL Phone: Fax: DIRECTOR OF PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT, PROMOTION AND OPERATIONS: Tiffany King DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND SALES: Kim Grimes ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT: Julie Huber COMMUNICATION EDITOR: Tony Carton The Chamber of Commerce Communicator is published on a monthly basis with the partnership of The Journal-Standard paper. We thank them for their continual effort to keep this publication in print! DATES TO REMEMBER... March 4 Rise N Shine Breakfast Hosted by Highland Woman s Clinic-Monroe Clinic 7:30 am 8:30 am March Chamber Annual Dinner Masonic Temple Social Hour 4:30-6:30 pm Silent Auction 5-7:15 pm Dinner & Program 6:30 pm March 19 Chamber Finance Meeting Chamber Office, Conference Room #2 7:30 am Business after Hours Hosted by Hampton Inn 5-7 pm March 24 Chamber Board Meeting Chamber Office, Conference Room #1 7:30 am March 26 Ambassador Meeting Stephenson County Farm Bureau 7:30 am New Year, New Look I hope you are getting settled into your daily routine after the rush of the holidays and the New Year. At the Chamber we are looking ahead to new challenges this year like many other area businesses. We constantly ask ourselves, What can we do to bring more value to our members? One area of focus was the Communicator and how we can make it more relevant to businesses and organizations in our area. We decided to streamline the look of the Communicator as well as include more articles on issues we face as individuals, not-forprofit organizations, and for-profit businesses. As you look through the Communicator this month I am sure you will see many of the changes we made, and we only hope to get better. We will be sending out a survey to our members in April to see what you like and don t like about the changes. We look forward to continuing to improve and succeed with your feedback. We are very excited about the Chamber Annual Dinner coming up Chamber Chat with Tiffany King on Thursday, March 12, 2015, at the Freeport Masonic Temple. Our guest speaker this year is Jason Anderson, Executive Director of the Greater Rochelle Economic Development Corporation. Jason will be speaking about Seeking a Better Tomorrow. Jason is a very dynamic speaker and bases a lot of his business decisions on principles presented in the book, Boomtown USA, The 7 ½ Keys to Big Success in Small Towns by Jack Schultz. I believe everyone will leave filled with hope and inspiration. Seats are filling up fast so please visit our website to download a brochure or contact us at the Chamber at and we can get you signed up that way as well! Also, don t forget to nominate a deserving individual for the Dale LeBaron or Rising Star Award, or a deserving organization or business for the Not-for-Profit or Business of the Year Award. We are taking nominations electronically this year! You can find all nomination forms online at In closing we want to thank Everglades Expr ess for hosting this month s Rise and Shine Breakfast and Generations Brewing Company, Winter Construction, and Winter & Associates for hosting our Business after Hours. Mark your calendars for the March Rise and Shine Breakfast at Highland Women s Clinic on March 4 and Business after Hours at the Hampton Inn on March 19. We hope to see you all there! Visit us online at freeportilchamber.com

3 freeport area chamber of commerce Did you know... CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Koning oversees the ministry s end Making Homes for the Holidays. He said they collect donated furniture and redistribute it to families in need. There is nothing more moving than to take a single bed to a child who has been sleeping on the floor, said Koning. I wish we could do more, but we have an application process and there is a limited amount of donated bedding. The need here in Freeport is very real and we just can t do enough. The Freeport Slumberland routinely donates ten percent of its profits to area charities. Help them build a better Freeport. Stop by the store at 305 W South Street in Freeport and open 9-8 pm Mon-Fri 10-5:00 Sat and Sun. The Bridge, a multi-cultural church offering relevant teaching and passionate worship, is located at 1 East Stephenson Street, Freeport. Come see why The Bridge Church is Freeport s place to celebrate Christ. when you place an ad in the Communicator, Housing for disa bled to open Au g. 1 that same ad can be picked up in The Journal-Standard and online. NUIC BOYS TITLE UP FOR GRABS BET ON HIGHER TAXES FOR ILLINOIS SPORTS, PAGE B1 OPINION, PAGE YOUR NORT Sunday, April 6, 2014 LOCAL HWEST ILLIN OIS OVER THE RAIN BOW Mayor Jim Gitz how city officialsdetails are cleaning up neighb orhoods after the harsh winter and encour ages residents to appropriately clean up yard waste, debris and other garbage. A4 Man escapes blaze uninjured Kitchen fire may left house a totalhave loss, according to fire department. A6 Revisiting histo found in Volum ry e I Leslie T. Farghe colorful lesson r s left a port s history of Free. C1 By Shannon NEWS SOUR CE SINC Volume 168, NG, A2 MONEY SMA RT WEEK CIVIL RIGHTS Featuring investments by: 1718 S. Dirck Drive Freeport (815) uction Wedne s- BILL ROSEME IER/THE The Pekin Repu blican was long champion of equa a lity for all Ame ricans By Chris Get married, live longer? Study finds marrie and women less d men have heart problelikely to ms. C4 Landslide suits may not go far Hanaha Salaza His Pennies r (left) and Rachel Salaza as part of a r read from session for port Public Money Smart the Curious George Saves Library. JANE LETHLEAN/THE Week on Saturd JOURNAL-STAND ay at FreeARD Area residents lea about financial rn planning By Jane Lethle an The Journal-Standa rd FREEPORT It was standi only for some of the session ng room s as Money Smart Week kicked port Public Librar off Saturday at Freey. While many people attended session discussing Social s affairs, Gary WelzSecurity and veteran s of Freeport was interested in more improving his credit score and learning how time homebuyer. to become a firstwelz and his family But it wasn t until a conservative senato held Abrah am r who once PEKIN It duced to the was intro- seat in Congr Linco ln s ess nation by a youthful hands on it that got his, the Civil game -chan m o d e r n, Rights Act of ging presi1964 dent, champ be assure d passag could ioned after e into his assass inatio law or history. succe ssor, the n by his The measure legislative inside ultim ate discri minat outlawed ion r. basis of race, on the Its need was attested to religi on, at every segreg gender an d or lunch countated hotel origin, requir n a t i o n a l ed integrajob denied or er; every tion of public faciliti school still separ ate and sought to impro es and every protester unequ al; to voting and ve access integrated down a firehosewho faced schools. dog; every churchor police Circumsta nces in or cross burned bombed early 1964 throug ; every life h June lost. SEE DIRKSE N, A3 More Money Smart Week events Go to money smartweek.org plete listing of for additional Moneya comweek events Smart in the Freepo rt area. currently rent a home but want Basically, I am to buy. home, and I got ready to buy my first my credit score insight on how to follow and how it can benefit President Lyndo Leader Everet n B. Johnson and Senate t Dirksen greet Minority cuss passag each other as e of the 1964 they dissen. Hubert Civil Humphrey, D-Min Rights Act. At left is n. DIRKSEN CONGRE CENTER COLLEC TION SSIONAL Advertising online lets you reach prospective customers in Freeport and the surrounding areas...galena, Rockford, Monroe & more! Find out more by contacting your sales representative directly or calling The Journal-Standard advertising department at JOURNALSTANDARD The Savant Capital Management, Inc. is a Registered Investment Advisor. State Bank and Savant s marketing material should not be construed by any existing or prospective client as a guarantee that they will experience a certain level of results if they engage the advisor s services. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investments offered are not deposits, obligations or guaranteed by State Bank or Savant Capital Management. They are not insured by the FDIC or any federal government agency. These types of investments carry risk, including the possible loss of value. in Freeport. LEGACY Kaerga GateHouse Media rd Illinois ING, A3 Dirck Drive JOURNAL-STAND ARD Everett Dirksen legislative cra, ftsman SEE PLANN Investment Management Trust Administration Living Trusts Estate Settlement Retirement Plans Guardianships Custody Services $2.00 to its neigh bor S. Dirck Drive, at 1760 built 200, we could a 23-unit up. apartment buildin FREEPORT If there wasn t fill them a market, nearin g compl Work is elderly that openedg for the we would n t build them, etion on a in 2009 but there $3.2 millio is a really n apart ment and is also managed by Over marke big complex at 1756 The Rainbow t. Association. S. Dirck T h e fi r m s Drive that will Housing option adjacent s for those 23-unit home for people becom e a with mobility apartment buildand physical ing for with physical disabilities the disabilities are and mobility few and far occupied elderly is fully impairments and has a length when it opens between in Freeport, said wait list, y Huffman said. Aug. 1. Over The Rainb The ow Execu- new apartm tive Director ent building The facility will Eric Huffman. funded primar is be managed by the ily This hous Over The i n g i s s o Department of by the U.S. Rainb ow Assoc Housin scarce in Illinoi s and in Urban Development g and Evanston nonpr iation, an the count ry, as well that once as by the Illinoi ofit devels Housing oper of sp people know about it, it fills Development Autho ecial-needs housi ng. The up really quickl the Illinois Depar rity and Eric Huffman, directo y, apartm ent tment r of Over the complex is similar said. If we built Huffman Comm Rainbow erce and Econo of ciation, shows the new barrie 50 of these, in design we mic physically disabl could fill them r-free buildin Assoed that s under g for the up. If we day on South SEE HOUSI constr rd NATION/WORLD Business... D1-D4 Obits...A Classified... 5 D5-6 Life&Style...C1-6 Opinion...A4 Lottery...A2 Sports...B1-6 Weather...A2 Number 83 Ireland The rent is too high all over US Troy Lessman, Julie Morhardt & Beth Bastian Trust & Investment Specialists E 1847 m As demand for ments surges apart, so do rental rates. D1 SPORTS TUE st, A2 $33 coupon savings in today s paper $1,055 overal l savings this year The Journal-Standa Death Notices Lady Pretzels 1-0 over DeKa win lb MON Complete foreca A4 lstandard.co Leaf River Timothy J. Mulfor d, 60 Uncertainty surrou county s potent nds ial liability after landslide in Washington. D3 TRUST & INVESTMENT SERVICES SUN 60/36 54/36 48/32 Mayor: Please help clean up Freeport Defense holds up after lone goal by Erica Hasken. B1 Offering a unique partnership between State Bank and Savant Capital Management joining to provide you with best of class solutions for your Trust and Investment needs W. Douglas Street, Ste 900 Freeport, Illinois

4 4 freeport area chamber of commerce continue to serve the citizens of the communities where we have goldmemberspotlight agencies. He said the company seeks to provide value at every level of its operation. Our key to success is to work every day with our core values in DIMOND BROS. mind, Swanson said. To us, these INSURANCE SERVES values aren t just words written on a FREEPORT WITH plaque somewhere but words we try VALUE AND INTEGRITY to live by. They are: Dimond Bros. Insurance is a full We value our clients. service insurance agency with 34 We value the communities locations across Illinois, selling and we live in. servicing every type of insurance We value our employees, product. who are our greatest asset. Our goal is to be the hometown We value management with agency with the latest and most integrity technological products, services We value growing our agency and expertise in the business, said We value ethical profitability Dimond Brothers Insurance Vice Each associate at Dimond Bros. President of is empowered to deal with any Northwest situation using these goals as an Illinois, Mark active guide. Swanson. We Learn more about the services formed in and value available through Dimond 1867 and have Brothers call Phone: grown through or visit them at dimondbros.com. partnering with great local agents mark swanson to expand opportunities and abilities in the communities they serve. Swanson said Dimond Bros. came to Freeport in 2006 when the Bill Bear Agency joined the group It was a very rewarding partnership and Freeport is a perfect home for us, he said. Bill retired in 2011, but all of the remaining employees are still working with us. In fact, Freeport has been such a success that we ve expanded operations, hired new associates and are developing even stronger ties to the community. July 2012 saw the Ferguson Financial Group merge with Dimond Bros Insurance and has brought on a second location in Freeport, as well as locations in Pecatonica and Forreston. The Lafferty Insurance Agency joined Dimond Bros. Insurance, LLC on March 1, Located in Freeport, IL the Lafferty Insurance Agency was a leading Benefits Agency in Northwest Illinois specializing in Group Health and Ancillary Benefits, as well as individual Health, Life and Long Term Care. The staff that joined us are all excellent insurance professionals and we are looking forward to adding even more talent to our organization, said Swanson. He said the priority at Dimond Bros. Insurance is trust. With our growing size and state-wide strength, our agency is able to offer insurance coverage for every type of individual and business, said Swanson. While our first and primary goal is to be the hometown agent you can trust, we are also working hard to get the word out that we can handle everything from the individual Medicare need to multi-state corporations. Swanson said Dimond Bros. Insurance is always looking to the future. In addition, with the Affordable Health Care Act there are going to be questions and needs from every individual, family, and business about what this new law means for them, he said. Our agency has abilities and expertise to help everyone with this major change in their lives. Look for us to host regular seminars and outreach programs in the very near future to help the citizens of Stephenson County. To stay abreast of the changes resulting from the ACA, Dimond Brothers has built a benefits side that specializes specifically in Affordable Care Act. Swanson also noted Dimond Bros past and continuing reliance on efficiency, integrity and experience. Outside of Chicago, Dimond Bros. is the largest independent agency in the state, however we are made up mostly of local, small-town agencies with excellent professionals, he said. Our goal is to continually reach out to new potential partners to join us and to PLAGER, KRUG, BAUER & RUDOLPH, LTD Selecting legal counsel is an important decision. It may also be a difficult one for most people. Plager, Krug, Bauer & Rudolph, Ltd. is a full service law firm serving clients throughout northwestern Illinois and southwestern Wisconsin as well as other locations throughout the United States. The firm s history can be traced back to the 1880s. William ( Billy ) N. Cronkite was born in Freeport and admitted to the Bar in He served as deputy county clerk from when he opened an office at 145 Stephenson Street. In 1898, he was elected county judge but returned to private practice in Plager, Krug, Bauer & Rudolph, Ltd currently has four attorneys and a staff of paralegals, legal assistants, and administrative personnel, including one CPA. The firm is a dynamic and growing organization that takes pride in providing services of the highest quality. They realize that when clients come to them they often bring concerns that are of major importance in their lives. Plager, Krug, Bauer & Rudolph, Ltd is sensitive to those concerns and strives to provide professional assistance as quickly, economically and effectively as possible. Members of the firm are licensed to practice in Illinois, Colorado and Wisconsin, as well as in Federal District Court, United States Tax Court, and United States Supreme Court. Plager, Krug, Bauer & Rudolph, Ltd attorneys have special expertise in a variety of areas including: Agricultural Law Banking Business Organizations and Plans Commercial Law Corporate Law Creditor/Debtor Law Employment Law Estate and Trust Administration Estate and Gift Tax Planning Family Law Income Tax Preparation Limited Liability Companies Litigation Municipal Law Personal Injury Real Estate Transactions 1031 Tax Deferred Exchanges

5 freeport area chamber of commerce Tax Audits Tax Planning Will and Trust Planning, Administration, and Disputes Support Services In order to provide legal services more efficiently, Plager, Krug, Bauer & Rudolph, Ltd. utilizes a staff of trained legal assistants and paralegals who serve under the supervision of the attorneys. For more information please contact Plager, Krug, Bauer & Rudolph, Ltd. with questions, comments, or suggestions at any time. Call (815) or toll free at (800) or visit them online at plager-law.com. W O M E N S H E A LT H C A R E Rite-Way Furniture & Appliance is located in historic downtown Freeport, and continues to be this area s premier furniture and appliance store. For 43 years, Rite-Way has offered a wide selection of brand name furniture cal wescott including Ashley, Best Craft, Flexsteel and Best Home furnishings; King Koil & Serta bedding and Crosley, Frigidaire, GE, Maytag, Samsung, and Whirlpool appliances. The Rite-Way team continually expands and updates their product lines. We ve been in downtown Freeport since we started back in 1972, said Rite-Way owner Cal Wescott. We ve seen a lot of growth over the years and we like to consider ourselves one of the anchor stores in the downtown area. He said there is a growing demand for downtown retail and office space. 5 You can do your entire shopping experience right here in downtown and get very personal and friendly service, he said. And, you can count on Rite-Way Furniture & Appliance for help with your shopping from selection to delivery and all with the benefit of purchasing locally. We have a full selection of furniture, appliances and bedding, Wescott said. We know many folks will look for ways to brighten their homes in the spring and we are ready to help with all those special items that will make your house into a home. Stop by and see what we can do for you. Wescott said there are many advantages to shopping locally. When you shop at locally owned stores, that money stays in the community, he said. Local businesses tend to purchase from other local businesses creating a cycle that results in a stronger tax base and leads to improved schools, well maintained infrastructure, and support for our local police and fire departments. He said shopping locally also creates jobs and leads to diverse choices for consumers. You don t have to shop locally every time to make an impact, said Wescott. But, developing the habit of shopping and doing business locally is all it takes to start improving and growing our community. For your next home furnishings or appliance purchase, stop by the Rite-Way Furniture & Appliance store 20 East Stephenson Street; your name brand discount furniture and appliance store. Rite-Way is open Monday Friday: 9am-6pm and Saturday: 9am-4pm or visit them online at or on Facebook by searching Rite-Way Furniture and Appliance. Delivery is available with free setup and removal of the old product and Rite-Way accepts all major credit cards, offers a free layaway plan and excellent financing through Wells Fargo. Committed to your Success! INTEGRITY Permanent birth control. No permanent scar. Now, you can wear a bikini without trying to hide tubal ligation scars. If you re ready for permanent, non-reversible birth control, the Essure method of non-surgical tubal ligation is for you. FHN Ob/Gyn Nicolai Hinds, MD, FACOG, offers this simple office procedure at FHN Specialty Care Harlem Avenue in Freeport. The Essure method is safe and more than 99 percent effective in preventing pregnancy, with no scarring, no hospital stay and very little recovery time. Make an appointment today with Dr. Hinds to talk about this safe, simple process to simplify your life and your swimsuit options. To learn more about Essure, call FHN Specialty Care Harlem Avenue at FHN ( ) ext We re here, for you. TRUST EXPERIENCE COMMITMENT YEARS Mark Larry Shane Luann Laura Karen Stop in to see These have been the pillars of our Bank for over 48 years. At Midwest Community Bank we are dedicated to serving your business. What are the qualities you look for in your Bank?

6 6 freeport area chamber of commerce 2015 PREFERRED MEMBERS We would like to give special recognition to the following businesses that provide extra support to the Freeport Area Chamber of Commerce. GolD members Elliott & Trainor, P.C. Flachtemeier Monuments Rock River Valley Blood Center RAMP Berner Food & Beverage John H. Vogt Freeport Insurance Center Alwayz Cookies Bamberg Plumbing Rite-Way Furniture & Appliance Fishburn, Whiton, Thruman, LTD Schofield Plumbing United Way of NW Illinois, Inc. Christian Supply Center Bomar Heating & Cooling Best In Sight Winter & Associates Tri-County Christian School Stout Insurance Agency, LLC Freidag Associates CPAs Altman Automotive Inc. Swift Hospitality Group, Inc. Liberty Village of Freeport Above and Beyond Associates NWIL Friends of the NRA Freeport Community Foundation NMD Media A Division of New Millenium Directories Furst Staffing BTL Capital Management Dimond Bros Insurance Agency, Inc. Eagles Club Catholic Diocese of Rockford Pearson Jack Myers Consulting Seaga Highland Community College Foundation TB & B Accounting & Tax, Inc. Plager, Krug, Bauer & Rudolph, Ltd. Fehr-Graham & Associates Freeport TV Andy Blankenbaker-American National Insurance silver members QBE the Americas LeBaron & Miller Interiors Task Trainers Stephen Spyrison DDS Tim s Auto Care bronze members Fruth-Simmer Insurance Agency My Church Twice As Nice Consignments Laura Welti Floor Covering Plus Union Savings Bank Dental Connections Family Health Quest Sawicki Motors Saxer Accounting Services, LLC State Farm Insurance Steve Johnson Skate Station Sanitary Cleaners Midtown Center Bill George Plumbing & Heating Parkview New Millenium Directories Family Affair Café Tiffany Nieman will serve as Freeport Area Chamber of Commerce board chair in She said she sees her time as board chair as an opportunity. I think the Chamber plays a huge role in our community and I see a lot of opportunities for us to further fulfill the Chamber s mission and vision, said Nieman. Her earliest contact with the Chamber came when the nonprofit she worked for enrolled as a Chamber member. She quickly moved to become a Chamber Ambassador, a board member and then chair of the Chamber Membership Committee. As I learned more about what the Chamber offered its members and what it offered the community it really became important to me to help become a part of that vision for the future and support the staff and the board, said Nieman. She said advocating for a business friendly environment for the Chamber membership would continue as a priority during her time as chair. Business advocacy is one of the areas we really felt our members were asking us to kind of spearhead, said Nieman. I think that involves keeping our membership in tune with local, state and federal issues that impact businesses while helping our member s voices be heard. Nieman said they realize that different types of businesses are looking for different things from the Chamber. We are really trying to narrow in on what adds value for our membership and then try to improve on that, she said. A Conversation with the 2015 Board Chair Elect... Tiffany Nieman She offered the possibility of programs that would be specifically tailored for retail businesses or manufacturing or nonprofits. We are trying to cater to the different types of Chamber members that we have, Nieman said. She said the Chamber s social activities play a big role in growing a career or a business. Professionally, social events are important because that s how you meet other professionals who might work in your circle or whom you might do business with, she said. The other side of that is we have a growing number of professionals who are new to our community. A Chamber event is a great way for them to meet other professionals that know their way around the community, know what is out there for social activities and professional development. She said the benefits from the Chamber s social events are multifaceted. We are hearing that our members like the professional development side of things and they also like the social side, so hopefully we can move in those directions and continue to provide those types of opportunities for our members. She said she expects to build on the changes already implemented by the Chamber. My hope is that we get to see the continuing addition of new committees and new services and see how that makes a difference, Nieman said. I think really focusing on value for our members is going to be key in the coming years.

7 freeport area chamber of commerce 7 MEMBERspotlight ABC ADVERTISING SPECIALISTS INC ABC Advertising is a full service advertising company providing sports programs and posters to local schools. We ve been in business over twenty years, said owner Jen Sheppard. We do sports programs for high schools. Sheppard s mother-in-law, Sally A. McMahon started and ran the company in Lena almost 24 years ago and Sheppard recently bought it from her with plans to continue the business. All of our programs are truly a keepsake for student athletes, parents and fans, Sheppard said. ABC Advertising programs have come a long way over the years and now feature full color programs on gloss stock and full web access. The newest thing that I ve introduced is that all our programs are now on our web site, she said. We have a really nice web site and we are doing a lot more with social media. She said their plans for the future include expansion while staying on the cutting edge of providing new and more effective ways for folks to use their products. There are not too many people that do high school sports programs as a full time job, Sheppard said. I think we deliver a quality product in an industry where quality and service matter. In addition to sports programs, ABC also publishes sports posters, handbooks, menus and placemats. The agency also produces the annual Stephenson County Home Show the third weekend in March at the Highland Community College/ YMCA Sports Complex in Freeport, IL. The show normally attracts upwards of 4000 visitors annually, is open to the public and features free admission. This year the show expects 80 exhibitors displaying the latest in home design, remodeling, furnishings, electronics and so much more. Exhibitors include furniture stores, heating and cooling contractors, remodeling and new home contractors, carpet stores, pool and spa dealers, home party dealers and more. It s a great opportunity for our local businesses to get in front of their target audience, said Sheppard. The Annual Stephenson County Home Show is sponsored by ABC Advertising Specialists. For information about the annual Stephenson County Home Show, call ABC Advertising at The event is free and open to the public. For more information about the services and events sponsored by ABC Advertising Specialists visit them online at abcadsonline.com or search for them on Facebook at ABC Advertising Specialists, Inc. DAVE VEHMEIER PURCHASES FREEPORT ALLSTATE The D Vehmeier Agency is announcing the purchase of Freeport Allstate Insurance Agency. I worked for Jim Mendendorp and when he retired he offered me the agency, said Freeport s newest Allstate agent/owner, Dave Vehmeier. He said his years with the agency made the decision to purchase the agency easy. My knowledge and understanding of the people in this community will help me provide our customers with an outstanding level of service, Vehmeier said. I look forward to helping families protect the things that are important. He said Mendendorp would be staying with the agency on a part- time basis and as always, office manager Sharon Thomas will provide the first smile you see when you drop by the new D. Vehmeier Agency offices We are here to support our existing clientele as well any new clients, Vehmeier said. We re just going to do our best at working with everybody. Vehmeier said when folks are buying insurance in Freeport they re looking for just the right mix of price and protection and his agency will provide more than just an insurance quote. They want to understand your situation, coverage expectations and budget because the more they know, the better they can advise you and a strong insurance agency is built on trust. It is important to be as honest as you can be and you ve got to keep it real, Vehmeier said. Contact the D Vehmeier Agency for all your auto and home insurance needs. They can also provide coverage for off-road vehicles, boats and mobile homes, as well as life insurance, investments, health insurance and commercial insurance. Visit them online at agents.allstate.com/david-vehmeierfreeport-il.html or call or stop by their offices at 1301 S Harlem Ave, Freeport for more information. URBAN KRAVE The Urban Krave is rapidly become Freeport s go to spot for baked goods, breakfast on the run and quick lunches. Sarah Jupin owns Urban Krave with husband Nick. We sell the Jessica s Best brand BUSINESS AFTER HOURS We would like to thank everyone for coming out to our Business after Hours hosted by Generations Brewing Company, Winter & Associates., and Winter Construction. Everyone was able to enjoy some wonderful food and of course some Generations Beer which is made locally here in Freeport. We would also like to say a special thank you to Generations Brewing Company for all the hard work in order to make this event a complete success. Thank you for all the hospitality! If you haven t had a chance to check out Generations Brewing Company stop by for a visit. If your timing is right you might even get a tour!

8 8 freeport area chamber of commerce and we carry Addie Cakes brand, so we have a cupcake of the day and we have cheesecakes from the Addie Cakes side of things, she said. They opened last year in November and chose 30 West Stephenson, Freeport because they d fallen in love with the storefront. Nick kept driving by this store and showing me how neat it was and then when I got laid off at my job we decided to go ahead and open Urban Krave, she said. He was right. This is a beautiful storefront and we re glad to be here in downtown Freeport. They make everything fresh daily from scratch and with no preservatives. We do breads, Danish, Call ahead or stop by Urban Krave at 30 W. Stephenson for Freeport s freshest quick lunches. cinnamon rolls and to-go lunches with soup, sandwich and a cookie, said Jupin. We have four different breads made fresh daily for our sandwiches. Choices matter and we offer quite a few. She said folks can call in or just come in and they ll have their lunches ready to go in no time. Space doesn t permit dine-in here, Jupin said. Our goal is to try to do something quick for the local business people to grab and get back to relax and enjoy their lunch break. The focus at Urban Krave is on customer service. Owning a business is totally new to me, she said. I ve felt for a long time that customer service is lacking now days and I like to bring smiles to people s faces and give folks that special treatment I think they deserve when they walk through our door. She said quality bring folks back to Urban Krave for more. We do everything hands-on and you can tell, said Jupin. Our breads smell fresh; our rolls have that homemade feel. I think a lot of people are going back to expecting quality and we want Urban Krave to be the place they think of when they look for quality. See for yourself why Urban Krave is the place to go in downtown Freeport. Call (815) or stop in at 30 West Stephenson. Open daily 8 am-4 pm. BLACK DIAMOND MUSIC STUDIO & SALES Black Diamond Music Studio & Sales is becoming the place where Freeport goes to find the latest and greatest in musical instruments,, vintage vinyl recordings, music lessons and recording services. We are a boutique music store, said Diamond Music Studio & Sales owner Debra Green. We have guitars and drums and everything in between. Basically, we have everything you need to be a rock star. Their stocks include picks, and sticks, tuners, a wide variety of strings and more and they can order any items not in stock. We also repair amps, guitars and drums, she said. We have shirts and purses and jewelry as well as a pretty good selection of vintage vinyl records and an unusually good selection of new and used guitars. Diamond Music Studio & Sales also offers use of a full line of mixing boards, mikes and all the studio accessories needed to create quality product and Green said they expect to have their recording studio fully up and running shortly. Mark Frazer is managing our store and will operate the recording studio, said Green. He has considerable experience with recording and we are really looking forward to providing this service. She said that in addition to Frazer s responsibilities as manager and studio operator, he gives mandolin and guitar lessons and Black Diamond has a drum instructor and is looking for someone to teach keyboard. Black Diamond Music Studio & Sales opened at 1329 E South Street, Freeport on Christmas Eve day Green s been a lifelong Pretzel and said there is no music store in Freeport that can compare with the stock and services Black Diamond can offer. I ve always been interested in music, said Green. It s always been near and dear to my heart. Mark s been a performing musician for about 30 years and together we ve got what it takes to make this business take off. She said they re a little eclectic, but small and boutique. We keep our services very personal, Green said. We don t carry a lot of overhead so we can compete with much larger operations. Stop by Diamond Music Studio & Sales and see what they can do to stimulate your creative juices. The shop is located at 1329 E South Street, Freeport. Call for hours.

9 freeport area chamber of commerce 9 affordable care act (aca) tax provisions The Affordable Care Act contains comprehensive health insurance reforms. This law includes tax provisions that affect individuals and families, as well as businesses, insurers, tax-exempt organizations, and government entities. For individuals, the law requires you and everyone on your return to report health care coverage or claim an exemption or make a payment with your return. It also establishes a Health Insurance Marketplace where individuals can purchase health insurance coverage. For those who purchased coverage through the Marketplace, you may be eligible for the premium tax credit. These provisions of the health care law will result in important changes, including how individuals and families file their taxes. The law also contains benefits and responsibilities for other organizations, including employers. Reporting coverage Most taxpayers already have qualifying health care coverage, and will simply check a box on their tax return. This includes coverage from an employer, Health Insurance Marketplace coverage, and government-sponsored programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP. If you purchased coverage through the Marketplace, you will receive a Form 1095-A, which provides information about your coverage. Claiming coverage exemptions Some taxpayers are exempt from the requirement to have coverage. Most coverage exemptions can be claimed when you file your return. However, some exemptions must first be obtained from the Health Insurance Marketplace. If you have a question about the information shown on your Form 1095-A for 2014, or about receiving Form 1095-A for 2014, contact your Marketplace visit HealthCare. gov/taxes. The IRS will not be able to answers questions about the information on your Form 1095-A or about missing or lost forms. Claiming and reconciling Premium Tax Credit You can only claim this credit if you purchased health insurance through the Marketplace. You must file a federal tax return if you received any advance payments of the premium tax credit to reconcile those payments. You will use the information on Form 1095-A that is issued by your Marketplace to calculate the credit when you file. Making the Individual Shared Responsibility payment If you do not have qualifying coverage or an exemption for each month of the year, you will need to make an individual shared responsibility payment with your return. In general, the annual payment amount is the greater of a percentage of your household income or a flat dollar amount, but is subject to certain caps. The individual shared responsibility provision requires you and each member of your family to do one of the following: Have qualifying health coverage called minimum essential coverage; Qualify for a health coverage exemption, or Make a shared responsibility payment when you file your 2014 federal income tax return in Many people already have minimum essential coverage and do not need to do anything more than maintain that coverage and report their coverage when they file their tax returns. Taxpayers have the right to know what they need to do to comply with the tax laws. They are entitled to clear explanations of the laws and IRS procedures in all tax forms, instructions, publications, notices, and correspondence. Visit irs.gov for more information. RISE N SHINE We would like to thank everyone who came out to our Rise N Shine Breakfast this month hosted by Everglades Express. Everyone enjoyed a morning of delicious treats and was able to do some important networking as well! We would like to say a special thank you to Everyone at Everglades Express for working so hard to make this event a complete success. Thank you! YPN MIXER A great time was had by all at our YPN kickoff Mixer at Lena Brewing Company. Thank you to everyone who was able to attend. We have a lot of great events in store for YPN this year, stay tuned!

10 10 freeport area chamber of commerce MEMBERnews $5,000 One Book, One Freeport Grant Awarded to Freeport Public Library The Freeport Public Library has been awarded a grant of $5000 by the Community Grants Program from the Ralph E. and Mildred Johnson Fund of the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois. This generous grant will provide funding for displays, programming and marketing for the 2015 One Book, One Freeport communitywide reading program based on the book Rocket Boys by Homer Hickam, according to Pat Vorwald, Head of Adult Services at Freeport Public Library. We are delighted to offer One Book again, after successful One Book programs in 2011 and One Book, One Freeport is a collaboration between a range of organizations including the Freeport Public Library Foundation, the Freeport Art Museum, the Stephenson County Historical Museum, U if I Extension, Highland Community College, the Lindo Theatre, FHN, the Journal Standard, and O Mara Moving & Storage. Free copies of Rocket Boys will be distributed to the general public and to local schools for classroom use. Displays include a coal mining exhibit at the Freeport Art Museum and a MICROSWITCH exhibit, at the library, of switches and sensors used during the space program. The Lindo Theater has scheduled a showing of October Sky, the film version of Rocket Boys. Highland Community College s spring play, Over the Tavern is setduring the Eisenhower years, as is Rocket Boys. There will be children s programs on building, decorating, and launching rockets. Bob Kaplow and the Fox Valley Rocketeers will be on hand to assist with the launch. Lectures and book discussion groups are scheduled countywide during March and early April. The grant from the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois gives us the additional resources needed to finance this array of events and provide local citizens an opportunity to come together around a common theme, Mrs. Vorwald explained. She anticipates that audiences will see parallels between Coalwood, the setting of Rocket Boys, and Freeport. Grants Officer for the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois James Patterson added that The Community Foundation is pleased to help bring the Freeport community together around an inspirational book and related community activities. Not only is this project creative and unique, but it also promotes literacy and a sense of civic pride. Pathologist Janet Fleck, MD, Joins FHN FHN is pleased to welcome new Laboratory Department Medical Director Janet Fleck, MD. Fleck is a board-certified anatomic and clinical pathologist who will lead the laboratory department at FHN Memorial Hospital. She earned her medical degree from the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis and completed residencies in clinical and anatomic pathology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, NY and at South Bend Medical Foundation in South Bend, IN. Pathologists are physicians who diagnose and characterize disease by examining tissues, blood and other body fluids. Fleck is certified in both anatomic pathology, which concerns biopsies and organs removed at surgery and cells collected through scrapings and brushings, and clinical pathology, which deals with blood and other body fluids. Fleck will work with FHN s team of primary care providers and specialists to diagnose disease and help patients regain their best possible health HCC Clarence Mitchell Library presents Friday Forum series and poetry readings HCC s Clarence Mitchell Library announces several upcoming events for their Friday Forum series and workshops, which will be held in the library, located on the second floor of the Marvin-Burt Liberal Arts Center on the Highland campus. The first Friday Forum will feature a performance by the Highland Forensics Team at 2 p.m. on Friday, February 27. The Highland Forensics Team will be performing some of their speech events, ranging from informative speeches to acting. Other upcoming Friday Forums include: At 2 p.m. on Friday, March 13, the HCC Theatre Department will present an in costume cutting from their upcoming production of Over the Tavern, which will be presented on campus at the Ferguson Fine Arts Center,March At 2 p.m. Friday, April 17, Jeremy Monigold will host a program called 3D Printing & Scanning, to learn about printing real objects through 3D printing and scanning. The Clarence Mitchell Library is also proud to present How to Read a Poem with author and poet, Tania Runyan. This workshop will be followed by an open mic for poetry readings on Tuesday, March 31 at 2:30 p.m. For more information, contact reference librarian and chair of library services, Laura Watson, at laura.watson@highland.edu or HCC Foundation and Stephenson County Farm Bureau to Co-sponsor Estate Planning Seminar The Highland Community College Foundation and the Stephenson County Farm Bureau will co-sponsor a special workshop on Monday, March 23 and Tuesday, March 24, 2015regarding estate planning. The workshop, which is open to the public, is entitled How to Keep Your Estate Plan Up-to-Date And Avoid Family Feuds. Keynote speaker for the event is Marc Carmichael, J.D., an attorney who has written and spoken extensively on estate planning to groups of attorneys, fundraisers, and consumers since He is knowledgeable about estate planning issues as they relate to farmers, particularly charitable gifts of grain, unitrusts funded with grain and cattle, transfers of farms pairing family limited partnerships and charitable lead trusts, and gifts of remainder interests in farmland. After Carmichael s lead presentation, he will facilitate a panel of local professionals with expertise in different aspects of estate planning, including: financial planner Jim Endress, CPA Doug Freidag, trust officer Steve Kroeger, attorney David Shockey. The workshop is open to the public, including, but not limited to, those persons who make their living in agriculture. The Monday, March 23 workshop will be held from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. at the Stephenson County Farm Bureau, 210 W. Spring St., Freeport, and will include dinner. The same workshop will be repeated on Tuesday morning, March 24, from 7:30 to 10:00 a.m. at Student/Conference Center at Highland Community College, room H-201, and will include breakfast. There is no charge for this workshop, but participants are

11 freeport area chamber of commerce 11 requested to RSVP, in order to assist meeting planners with food planning, room setup, and materials preparation. Please call the HCC Foundation at or edu. When you RSVP, be sure to tell which workshop you will be attending, and provide your name, address, phone, and . For further information about this workshop, please contact Kim Rampenthal at the HCC Foundation, at Highland Community College Trustees consider tuition increase During their February 17 regular meeting, the Highland Community College Board of Trustees approved a first reading of a $10 per credit hour tuition increase beginning with the Fall 2015 Semester. This was the first of two readings required to approve the new tuition rate. If approved, in-district tuition would increase from $118 per credit hour to $128 per credit hour and the senior citizen rate would increase from $89 to $96 per credit hour. Trustees are considering the proposal primarily due to decreased state and local property tax revenue. Traditionally, the three main components of the College s operating budget are state unrestricted grants, property taxes, and tuition and fees, funded by an equal share of these three sources. With state funding now comprising only 13 percent of the HCC operating fund, Vice President of Administrative Services Jill Janssen explained that the increase of $10 per credit hour would help offset reductions in state funding and local property values. For fiscal year 2015, Highland is expecting local property taxes to contribute 45 percent, with 36 percent of revenue generated from tuition and fees. The remaining six percent comes from other sources. The College has experienced declining revenue from the state in recent years, amounting to an average reduction of about$100,000 per year over the course of the last five fiscal years, said Janssen. Highland aims to maintain the overall tax rate at a consistent level from year-to-year; however, this effort to maintain a consistent tax rate now results in decreased local tax revenue because of lower property values in the district. Janssen also noted that from fiscal year 2015 to budgeted fiscal year 2016, expenses are expected to grow about three percent. The College has taken steps to control costs through a reduction in contractual services, capital equipment, employee travel and training, and utilities, as well as renegotiation of certain employee benefits and leaving open positions vacant. Highland expands online career training programs with ed2go Since 2012, Highland Community College s Business Institute has been offering a program of online courses that makes it easy for individuals to take high-quality, non-credit online courses. Through a partnership with ed2go, there are hundreds of classes on a variety of topics. The Business Institute is expanding on these instructorled online courses to offer career training programs. These online open enrollment programs have been designed by a team of professionals from each respective field, providing individuals with effective web-based learning programs. Instructors/mentors are actively involved in the online learning experience, responding to any questions or concerns, as well as encouraging and motivating students to succeed. Currently ed2go has 17 programs for Healthcare and Fitness; 71 programs for Business and Professional; 41 programs for IT and Software Development; 40 programs for Management and Corporate; nine programs for Media and Design; 17 programs for Hospitality and Service Industry; 19 programs for Skilled Trades and Industrial; 11 programs for Sustainable Energy and Going Green, and eight programs for Career Online High School. Monroe Clinic One Step Closer to becoming a Diagnostic Imaging Center of Excellence Monroe Clinic s Computed Tomography (CT) team recently achieved accreditation through the American College of Radiology (ACR). The CT Accreditation Program is a stringent program that involves the acquisition of clinical and phantom images, dose measurements and the submission of scanning protocols. It also evaluates staff qualifications, quality control, radiation safety policies and image quality. Monroe Clinic s imaging team adds CT to the list of Monroe Clinic ACR accredited modalities which include MRI, Nuclear Medicine, PET/CT and Digital Mammography. It is something our team has chosen to do because it holds us accountable to our own high standards while offering patients peace of mind that comes from knowing they re receiving the best in terms of safety, experience and quality, shares Rhonda Roenneburg, Monroe Clinic s Director of Imaging Services. To earn accreditation from the ACR, an imaging team achieves gold standards in quality control, safety, staff accreditation and image quality and demonstrates the commitment to providing the safest and best quality care possible. The American College of Radiology (ACR) accreditation programs for diagnostic imaging are modality based. They assess the qualifications of personnel, policies and procedures, equipment specifications, quality assurance (QA) activities, patient safety, image quality, and ultimately the quality of patient care. These evaluations focus on the process of delivering diagnostic imaging care. The Diagnostic Imaging Centers of Excellence (DICOE) program takes accreditation to the next level by providing a comprehensive assessment of the entire medical imaging enterprise including structure and outcomes. Facilities that wish to apply for this program must first be accredited by the ACR in all modalities that they provide. They must also participate in the ACR General Radiology Improvement Database (GRID) and the Dose Index Registry (DIR). Monroe Clinic s goal is to apply for this designation by the end of Monroe Clinic offers a comprehensive medical imaging program including MRI, CT, nuclear medicine, PET/CT, ultrasound, X-ray, mammography, stereotactic breast biopsy and interventional radiology. All these resources are critical tools in aiding in the diagnosis of the patients. explains Dr. Jeffrey Block, Madison Radiologists. Patients can search ACR.org to learn which organizations offer an accredited CT program and to learn more about Diagnostic Imaging Centers of Excellence. Monroe Clinic CT Technologists Sitting: Sue Pick, CT Technologist Back Row L to R: Dan Walker, CT Technologist, Eric Schroeder, CT Technologist, Carla Crawford, Coach Diagnostic Imaging and CT

12 12 freeport area chamber of commerce ExecutiveCOMMITTEE The Executive Committee of the Chamber is always on the lookout for ways to position us for growth and success in the future. We re pleased and excited to announce several moves that will help us better serve our Members. NEW BUSINESS ADVOCACY COMMITTEE This committee was formed in 2014, and will really hit its stride in the next couple of months as it tackles an ambitious plan to interview all eight candidates in contested City Council races, and all six candidates for the Freeport School Board. The committee will then share their conclusions with Chamber membership before the election which is April 7. NEW STRATEGIC PLAN The Strategic Plan approved RIBBON CUTTING The Ambassadors cut the ribbon along with Peak Medical Home Care to celebrate the Grand Opening of their new location at 773 W. Lincoln Blvd, Suite 204 in Freeport. Peak Medical Home Care, Inc. offers clients support if it is just for an hour or if you are in need of 24 hour care. Caring for a loved one? In need of some help? Call Peak Medical Home Care and see what they can do (815) Congratulations and welcome to Freeport! at our January board meeting will focus our efforts on three primary objectives, supported by goals, activities and measures: Continually define and enhance member value Maintain Freeport Area Chamber of Commerce s financial stability Help create a business friendly environment NEW CHAMBER LEADERSHIP TEAM APPROACH Effective January 1, 2015, we divided the responsibilities of the Executive Director and Director of Member Services job descriptions into two new positions that will make up the Chamber Leadership Team: Director of Program Development, Promotion and Operations Tiffany King Director of Membership Development and Sales Kim Grimes Kim and Tiffany have formally accepted these new positions. They are on board and committed. We are working with them in their roles, and the transition is well underway. We believe that this new organization will: Effectively align strengths and responsibilities Maintain a strong team approach Create strong long-term strategic and operational implementation for the Chamber Give Kim and Tiffany the opportunity to succeed and grow Tiffany and Kim will lead their assigned areas of responsibility, and collaborate on topics that apply to both of them. NEW BOARD MEMBERS AND BOARD LEADERSHIP ROLES Welcome New Board Members effective January 2015 Terri Musser, Jitterbug Events Karen Christen, FHN Todd Fransen, Aero Group, Inc. Roger Sdao, Freeport Family Chiropractic and Acupuncture Kim Boldt, Winter & Associates Congratulations to members with new roles: Scott Winter Membership Committee Chairperson Terri Musser Events Committee Chairperson Kim Boldt Ambassadors Chairperson Tiffany Nieman Chairperson- Elect for the Board Bridget Trainor Past Chairperson of the Board Joe Vaske Chairperson of the Board We are always interested in feedback from members on any topic. Feel free to contact any of us with questions or feedback. RIBBON CUTTING The Ambassadors cut the ribbon along with Next Generation Wireless as they celebrated the Grand Opening of the new store location at 1603 S. West Avenue in Freeport. It is always our honor to be there on this special day. Congratulations Next Generation Wireless! We wish you nothing but success moving well into the future! RIBBON CUTTING The Ambassadors cut the ribbon along with Lena Brewing Co. as they celebrated the Grand Opening of Lena Brewing Co. located at 9416 W. Wagner Road in Lena (next door to Rafters). It is always an honor for us to be there to help celebrate this special day. If you have some time why not stop by and see this beautiful brewery for yourself? If your timing is right you could get a tour too. Congratulations and welcome to the Chamber!

13 freeport area chamber of commerce 13 Identity protection: prevention, Detection and Victim assistance Identity theft places a burden on its victims and presents a challenge to businesses, organizations and government agencies, including the IRS. Tax-related identity theft occurs when someone uses your stolen social security number to file a tax return claiming a fraudulent refund. The IRS combats tax-related identity theft with an aggressive strategy of prevention, detection and victim assistance. We are making progress against this crime, but it remains one of our highest priorities. And, if you become a victim, we are committed to helping you resolve your case as quickly as possible. Are you a victim of tax-related identity theft? Tax-related identity theft occurs when someone uses your stolen Social Security number to file a tax return claiming a fraudulent refund. Generally, an identity thief will use your SSN to file a false return early in the year. You may be unaware you are a victim until you try to file your taxes and learn one already has been filed using your SSN. Know the warning signs Be alert to possible identity theft if you receive an IRS notice or letter that states that: More than one tax return was filed using your SSN You owe additional tax, refund offset or have had collection actions taken against you for a year you did not file a tax return IRS records indicate you received wages from an employer unknown to you. Steps to take if you become a victim File a report with the local police File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at identitytheft.gov or the FTC Identity Theft Hotline at or TTY Contact one of the three major credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit records Equifax Experian TransUnion - TransUnion.com, Close any accounts opened without your permission or tampered with. If your SSN is compromised and you know or suspect you are a victim of tax-related identity theft, take these additional steps: Respond immediately to any IRS notice; call the number provided Complete IRS Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit. Use a fillable form at IRS.gov, print, then mail or fax according to instructions Continue to pay your taxes and file your tax return, even if you must do so by paper. If you previously contacted the IRS and did not have a resolution, contact the Identity Protection Specialized Unit at How to reduce your risk Don t routinely carry your Social Security card or any document with your SSN on it. Don t give a business your SSN just because they ask only when absolutely necessary. Protect your personal financial information at home and on your computer. Check your credit report annually. Check your Social Security Administration earnings statement annually. Protect your personal computers by using firewalls, anti-spam/ virus software, update security patches and change passwords for Internet accounts. Don t give personal information over the phone, through the mail or the Internet unless you have either initiated the contact or are sure you know who is asking. The IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by to request personal or financial information. This includes any type of electronic communication, such as text messages and social media channels. Report suspicious online or ed phishing scams to:phishing@irs.gov. For phishing scams by phone, fax or mail, call: Report IRS impersonation scams to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration s IRS Impersonation Scams Reporting. If your ssn has been compromised, take these steps: File a Police report File an FTC complaint Contact one of the three credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your account Close any financial accounts opened without your permission. Respond immediately to any IRS notice, according to instructions. Complete IRS Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit. Continue to your file tax return, even if by paper. BusinessAdvocacy COMMITTEE The Freeport Area Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce the recent forming of the Business Advocacy Committee. Its members are made up of Freeport Area Chamber of Commerce Members who strive to be a team dedicated to selfless service and proactively anticipating topics vital to chamber members, conducting due diligence and implementing action in advance of critical deadlines. The BAC Mission is a strategic advocate dedicating to educating, motivating and enabling unified action by all Chamber business members. The BAC vision supports growth of a strong and resilient economic business environment benefiting chamber business members and by extension the community. The BAC goals and objectives include Government relations, Economic and Fiscal Viability, social Responsibility, organic growth and Communications/ awareness. BAC will be conducting interviews with the Freeport School Board Candidates and the 8 Individuals in the 4 contested Freeport City Council races. The BAC Committee will be publishing a conclusion of their interviews with all the candidates.

14 14 freeport area chamber of commerce YoungProfessionalsNETWORK The Freeport Area Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals Network (YPN) wants you to be a part of their organization. YPN is a group of young professionals ages 40 and below that participates in a variety of activities ranging from professional development to general social gatherings. YPN member Kelsey Lehman said the group gets together to exchange ideas and network. It s really a great mixture of learning and fun, she said. I ve been with YPN for about three years and when I started they were just doing Lunch and Learns where we would meet on our lunch breaks and there would be a speaker on various topics, but it s really branched out over the last year to include more networking opportunities and more social activities. She said YPNs growth, both in membership and activities should be attributed to Tiffany King and Tiffany Nieman. They ve kind of taken charge and brought YPN to be more laid back and more of a social activity, said Lehman. I think a lot of people are thankful for the opportunity to have a peer to approach and discuss career possibilities or business issues. YPN really builds lasting connections and we have a great mixture of learning and playing together. Her hopes for the future of YPN include continued growth and further exploration of new ways to retain young professionals. We see people leaving, but we really have a good thing going here in Freeport with groups like YPN, Lehman said. The value you can get through peer mentoring can be very important. Lehman said the key to YPN s continuing success is open communication. I think one of the keys to retaining young professionals is getting the word out about what we are doing in YPN, she said. I think Tiffany does that very well with the Chamber E-blasts and just through word of mouth. The key is keeping communication open. The more people know about the opportunities available in the Freeport area the better. Anyone who works for a Freeport Chamber Member has a complimentary YPN membership, so take advantage and get involved. For more information on events or membership contact the Chamber of Commerce at (815) or freeportareachamber@ freeportilchamber.com. Kelsey Lehman is a Business Services Associate at State Bank, Freeport and a member of Freeport Area Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals Network (YPN) See your hometown agents for all your insurance needs! Jim Stout, CPCU, AAI, AIS Tina Stout, AIC, AIS Bonnie Remmers AAI Denise Lawfer AAI Vonda Christen INS Professional Progressive Personal Serving Freeport & All Surrounding Areas Since 1971 STOUT Kathy Lamm CISR Debra Martin INS VOTED BEST INSURANCE AGENCY BY THE JOURNAL-STANDARD READERS FOR 17 YEARS! INSURANCE AGENCY, LLC BUSINESS HOME AUTO LIFE HEALTH BONDS CALL TODAY FOR YOUR FREE No Obligation Insurance Quote 1108 S. West Ave., Freeport, IL VISIT US ON THE WEB:

15 freeport area chamber of commerce 15 TECHbytes Embracing (Real) Change Dave Redmore Spigot Networks It is ironic that we, as humans, have evolved over thousands of years on a planet that never stops changing and yet, we have a fundamental resistance to change. We seek a simple, comforting and familiar rhythm to life, but quickly learn that particular cadence is rarely sustainable. Technology is driving unprecedented change in our world. Countless aspects of our daily lives are affected by technologies introduced over the last decade. How we locally and globally interact, meet and communicate. How we buy and sell. Local politics, geopolitics, social norms and how we form and stay connected with our communities of friends and family have been fundamentally affected by technology. It is breathtaking to consider. If we don't embrace this global technology revolution, diving into it head-first both personally and as a community, we will be left behind in any new social, political or economic order it brings. So, where do we begin? Embrace real change. I have friends who still carry a paper calendar with them everywhere they go. It is usually in a very nice, leather bound, portfolio. Some, in recent years, have gotten rid of their paper calendars and instead use a tablet which they carry in a fancy, leather bound, portfolio. The problem is they haven t changed the way they manage their schedule. They ve bought a nice new tool, but are using that tool to do the same job in the same way. Imagine a contractor buying himself a nice new pressurized nail gun and then using it to drive nails like a hammer - that is what I see many people doing. If your new tablet has a stand-alone calendar app that isn t accessible from your Smartphone or a web browser or from your calendar on your PC, you haven t really embraced the change that a cloud-based, collaborative, communication tool like Google Apps for Work or Microsoft Office 365 can bring to the way you manage your schedule. Maybe it sounds like a stretch to say the way we use a calendar can transform our lives, but that stretch leads us to my next point. Stop using paper. It s really hard, believe me. I ve been trying to eliminate paper from my business and personal organizational processes for a long time and while there are still sticky notes on my desk and I jotted my notes for this article on a yellow legal pad, new tools and productivity enhancements have emerged from my efforts. I ve found using a cloudbased note taking application/ service such as Evernote and a file sharing service such as Dropbox are simple ways to begin. These services combined with the previously mentioned cloud-based communications tools for and calendaring can start to form a new set of tools for managing your daily workload in a way that gives you access to the information you need from any device at any time and that is a powerful new paradigm for getting more done in less time. Dave Redmore is founder of Spigot Networks a brand focused on computer networking and business communications services. Learn more about the services available through Spigot Networks online at spigotsystems.com or visit their offices at 524 W Stephenson St, Suite 360, Freeport or call Member benefits are a common reason folks join an organization. The challenge in growing membership is to best identify and then offer benefits that members will value, take advantage of, and in which they see enough significance to keep them engaged and participating. Scott Winter is the 2015 Freeport Area Chamber of Commerce Membership Committee chair and his group is working to add more special events and services for Chamber members I think this year we are really focusing on enhancing the value of a Chamber membership, said Winter. One of the areas they are exploring is spotlighting or highlighting Chamber members more frequently. We are also looking at adding an additional member appreciation event this year, he said. We think that might be a good way to give back to our members. There is real value in sharing ideas with like-minded individuals and a Chamber membership provides numerous opportunities for networking. A lot of people appreciate an opportunity to engage with their peers and some of our Chamber Membership Committee Chair Focuses on Value... Scott Winter smaller businesses appreciate the educational and business training events that we offer, said Winter. He said the Membership Committee works in support of the Chamber staff. The Chamber staff has a lot of great ideas this year and we are here to help make those ideas reality, Winter said. With organizations struggling to grow, and/or retain their existing membership, it s not surprising that demonstrating member value is a top priority. Watch for more information from Winter and the Membership Committee and feel free to share ideas that will make Chamber growth all the more exciting. To get involved and help your Chamber grow, contact Tiffany King or Kim Grimes at the Chamber offices, call Scott Winter is Vice President - Design/Build Services at Winter Construction, Freeport IL He is a Freeport High School alumnus and received a Masters in Architecture and a Masters in Civil Engineering Construction Management from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Winter lives in Freeport with wife, Andrea and their three children.

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