by Richard Ortiz | Sep 7, 2018 | Uncategorized
The Freeburg Community Yard Sale is coming up next Saturday, September 15 from 8 am to 2 pm. The Freeburg community will be jammed head to toe with individual sales. Stop by and find hidden treasures, and give some items a much needed new home.
The Chamber will have yard sale maps available at local businesses on September 14 to make your shopping experience easier. If you plan on selling, sign up before September 10 to be included on the map. The maps will include the address and a brief listing of sale items. Maps will be available for pickup at Country Mart, Gary’s Restaurant, Midland States Bank, Regions Bank, Ace Hardware, both Citizens Community Bank locations, and The Freeburg Tribune September 14 and 15.
If you live on the outskirts of Freeburg and want to participate, spaces are available in the Freeburg Marketplace for you to sell your items. Country Mart will also be having a Fall Fest with events and attractions in the parking lot of the market place.
To participate in the yard sale as a seller, or for more information, contact Carolyn Anderson at 618-539-5528 or mrsa417@att.net. Make sure and get signed up by September 10 to be on the map.
If you’re looking for deals, or to discover hidden treasures, come check out the sales around Freeburg. While you’re here, please try the many great businesses in our community and enjoy the best that Freeburg has to offer!
by Richard Ortiz | Sep 6, 2018 | Uncategorized
The Freeburg Chamber is preparing for the annual Chili Cook Off and Fall Festival to be held on Saturday, September 29 at the Village Square Park in Freeburg. Last year’s event was a big hit and we’re looking forward to another fun and tasty day at the park! The festival will be from 11 am to 7 pm. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Freeburg Food and Clothing Bank and the Utility Assistance Fund.
The main event is the chili cook off. The winning team receives a $500 prize, and all teams that sign up before September 14 get a $75 gift card to Country Mart in Freeburg. The entry fee is $35, but Chamber members can enter for free. This is one of many benefits extended to our members, like exclusive networking events.
The public will vote on a winner. Attendees can buy a round of samples from all of the stands, and will get a chance to vote on their favorite chili. There will also be a special guns and hoses competition between the police and fire departments, with separate voting. If chili isn’t enough for your stomach, the VFW will also be selling BBQ.
Old fashioned beer buckets will be for sale that can be refilled throughout the event for a reduced price. The buckets are not only a great value for the beer itself, and handy to carry around the event, but they make for great collectibles and display pieces.
There will be plenty of activities for young ones, including a large kids activity area sponsored by Hope Christian Church. The Freeburg Women’s Community Club will be having pumpkin and face painting as well. The Freeburg Food and Clothing Bank will be holding a food drive, and everyone who brings food items will be entered into a basket raffle.
If you’re looking for an opportunity to get your business some positive exposure in front of a great crowd from around the area, we have event sponsorship opportunities available. Sponsorship information, as well as the entry form for interested teams, are attached below. For more information, email mtrout@freeburg.com or call 618-410-8077.
Sponsorship Letter 2018
Chili Cook-Off Entry & Rules 2018 2
by Richard Ortiz | Aug 31, 2018 | Uncategorized
This is the last call for the quarterly Freeburg Chamber Luncheon scheduled for September 4 at Reifschneider’s Grill and Grape in Freeburg. The luncheon will be held from 11am to 1pm.
Guests will have the option of soup and salad, six wings and a side, a burger and a side, or a quesadilla. Sides include fries, chips, slaw, or potato salad. Each meal includes a non-alcoholic drink and costs $10.
As with our previous two quarterly luncheons of 2018, a new addition to the Chamber calendar, space has filled up quickly for the September 4 event. If you plan to attend, call 618-410-8077 or email mtrout@freeburg.com as we only have a handful of spaces left for this event!
Chamber Luncheons include a brief keynote address from a guest speaker. The guest speaker for September is Judge Heinz Rudolf. Judge Rudolf has been an Associate Circuit Judge in the 20th Judicial Circuit in St. Clair County, Illinois since 2006.
These events, launched in January, have been extremely popular and we are looking into the possibility of expanding our offerings of lunch meetings in the future. These meetings get individuals who work in Freeburg but don’t live in Freeburg, a more convenient time to get involved with the Chamber.
In addition to lunch and the guest speaker, the luncheons offer a relaxed, casual atmosphere for members to network and mingle. As opposed to more rigid networking events, our luncheons are a laid back, professional meal and a great chance to talk to other business people in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere.
The Freeburg Chamber has many exciting events coming up, including the Chili Cook Off and Fall Festival on September 29 and the Freeburg Community Yard Sale on September 15. At the luncheon, we will give attendees more information on these and other events upcoming in our community, and fill guests in on our plans to promote business in Freeburg in the coming months.
The quarterly luncheons are just one of many benefits accessible to Freeburg Chamber, in addition to a free newspaper spotlight advertisement, social media promotion, other events, and more. Join us today and help us grow the business community in Freeburg!
by Richard Ortiz | Aug 2, 2018 | Uncategorized
As a businessperson, you are no doubt hounded constantly by various organizations looking for your membership. We just want to take a moment to share some of the benefits of joining the Freeburg Chamber of Commerce. An annual membership for in-town is $50, $100 for out-of- town. The Freeburg Chamber is dedicated to providing the best possible benefits for our members to better help us serve the community. We are always looking for new ways to improve our offerings.
Access to Networking Events
As a member of the Freeburg Chamber, you get access to business networking events throughout the year. Our monthly meetings are on the second Monday of every month. Additionally, we have quarterly business luncheons throughout the year, a number that may be ramped up in the future as there has been much demand.
These are far from the only networking opportunities, as our summer months include an annual barbecue and the newly introduced Chamber Pool Night, during which attendees can bring their family (as well as staff and their families) to a fun night of BBQ and swimming at the Freeburg Pool. We also hold an annual Banquet for all Chamber members. Last year’s event included mouse races and prime rib.
Listing in Our Business Directory
Our business directory includes listings sorted by industry. With your listing, you can add your address, phone, website, and social media accounts. Our directory is easily accessible here, and is promoted through our marketing efforts.
A Free Newspaper Advertisement
Your membership in the Freeburg Chamber includes one free Spotlight on Business advertisement in The Freeburg Tribune. That advertisement carries a $48 value. The Spotlight on Business advertisement allows you to spotlight your services, location, or any other facets of your business for which you would like to raise awareness. These spotlight advertisements are also shared on our Facebook and LinkedIn pages.
Facebook and LinkedIn
Members of the Freeburg Chamber of Commerce get access to our networking groups on Facebook and LinkedIn. In these groups, you can converse with other members of the business community in the Freeburg area and promote events, services, and products. We also share content from our members on our Facebook and LinkedIn accounts, which work to promote Chamber events and business in Freeburg.
Join Our Community
The Freeburg Chamber is dedicated to strengthening the Freeburg Community. We work to promote business, strengthen community bonds, promote cooperation between businesses and civic bodies, and to raise the quality of life for everyone in the community. Please join us and be part of our growing community.
by Richard Ortiz | Aug 2, 2018 | Uncategorized
A fraudulent email account claiming to be the Freeburg Chamber Secretary contacted at least one chamber member. The email asked for the chamber member to click a link to update their contact information and was signed “Chamber Secretary”. This email was not sent by the Freeburg Chamber of Commerce or any of its representatives, and represents a dangerous type of email scam: phishing.
For those of you who aren’t aware, phishing is when a scammer sends a fraudulent email claiming to be a company or entity that they are not in order to get victims to hand over personal information like contact info, credit cards, bank accounts, etc. At best, these attacks get the victim’s contact information. More malicious ones target bank accounts and credit cards. Other phishing scams include Trojan horse viruses or ransomware.
Ransomware is exactly what it sounds like – scammers get access to your data, your computers, or your network and hold it for ransom. These attacks can lead to money stolen from accounts, identity theft, and can cripple your ability to do business by wreaking havoc on your data and holding your ability to do business ransom.
How can you protect yourself?
Don’t open any suspicious emails. Anything that looks too good to be true usually is. Check the email addresses carefully, many will have tell-tale signs of a fake like transposed words or will be hosted by sites like gmail instead of a company website. Look for logos that don’t seem to be properly sized. As many of these attacks come from overseas, many times the English used feels off. It’s very common for phishing emails to have terrible spelling and grammar.
The most important takeaway – do not click any links or give any personal information if anything even remotely seems off about an email.
If you’re worried about security, the Freeburg Chamber has two member IT companies who can help protect you from online scammers: Computype IT Solutions and CTS Technology Solutions. You can find these Chamber members under the computers and telecommunications section of our business directory.
Take any precautions you possibly can to make sure that you or your employees don’t fall for these phishing scams. Remember:
Correspondence from the Chamber will come from freeburgchambersecretary@gmail.com.
Hans Carpenter
-Freeburg Chamber Secretary
by Richard Ortiz | Jun 29, 2018 | Local News
On Monday, June 9 we will be switching things up for our monthly meeting. This will be the first ever Chamber Night at the Pool. We will have a light BBQ in the pavilion outside the Freeburg Pool at 6pm, with swimming from 7-9. The event is open to Chamber members and their families, so bring the kids and enjoy the pool! Please RSVP to freeburgchambersecretary@gmail.com or franksrogus@aol.com so we can plan accordingly. As always, volunteers would be greatly appreciated.
Not a Chamber Member? Join here to enjoy the benefits of Chamber membership. As a member of the Freeburg Chamber of Commerce, you will be listed in our business directory and be part of a dedicated group of local businesses focused on promoting commerce in the Freeburg area. To learn more about Chamber benefits, visit here. As a member, you are entitled to a free display advertisement in the Freeburg Tribune through our Spotlight on Business feature. We also post our Spotlights on our Facebook and LinedIn pages, which we use to promote Chamber events and Chamber members.
The month of June was a great one for the Freeburg Chamber. Earlier in the month, we welcomed Country Mart to Freeburg with a fantastically well-attended ribbon cutting. We are thrilled to finally have a grocery store in Freeburg again and wish Country Mart the best of luck as they get settled in.
The annual Freeburg Chamber of Commerce/Freeburg Rotary BBQ was a great success. Freeburg Mayor Seth Speiser spoke to the attendees and gave updates on several building projects the Village of Freeburg has in the pipeline. Thanks again to Frank Srogus and everyone who worked on the food and setup/cleanup to make this event possible.
The Chamber will have a float in the Freeburg Homecoming Parade. The FCHS art department is creating a mural for the float, and we will have volunteers hanging out promotional items from members. If you have freebees, literature, or swag you would like handed out, contact either of the emails above. We’re only a month and a half away, so please don’t procrastinate if you want your items handed out.
Save the date: the next Freeburg Chamber Luncheon is scheduled for Tuesday, September 4. More information will be made available closer to the event. The last two have been very well received and we look forward to another stimulating networking event in September.
Welcome New Members: Eckert’s Inc., Amann Appraisal Services, Wish Upon a Star With Tabitha, and Truckeria Del Valle.
