Learn about volunteering at our Ice Cream Party on Oct. 6!

On October 6, 2016, we're hosting a Volunteer Recruitment Ice Cream Party at The Chamber, 23 Bullsboro Drive, Newnan.

We'd love for you to attend and sign up to be a Chamber Volunteer! Which "Chamber Flavor" do you find most tasty? Come for a "sampling" at the October 6 Ice Cream Party to learn about different volunteer opportunities. We will host two sessions, one at 11:30am that will feature lunch and an ice cream party, and one at 4pm with adult beverages and an ice cream party!

Click here to register for the 11:30am party.

Click here to register for the 4pm party.

'State of Healthcare' Lunch is October 5 at Newnan Country Club

Anne Meisner, Ilona Wozniak, Michael Robertson

As many of you already know, one of our most popular programs of the year has been our "State of the Community" Lunch Series. Our final lunch of the year in this series will be a “State of Healthcare” Lunch on Wednesday, October 5, 2016 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Newnan Country Club. Since these lunches have sold out in the past, we encourage you to register now if you plan to attend!

Speakers will include Anne Meisner, president and CEO of Cancer Treatment Centers of America at Southeastern Regional Medical Center (Newnan); Ilona Wozniak, president and CEO of HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Newnan; and Michael Robertson, CEO of Piedmont Newnan Hospital.

The “State of Healthcare” Lunch on October 5 is sponsored by Newnan CEO. Registration for the lunch is $35 for Chamber Members and their guests and $50 for General Admission. For more information, call 770-253-2270 or email info@newnancowetachamber.org. You can also register through ChamberMaster by clicking here.

Sept. 29 is early registration deadline for Winter Wonderland

It's time to start making plans for our 2016 Winter Wonderland Big Expo! This year's event will be Thursday, November 3, 2016 from 3-7pm at the Summit Family YMCA, 1765 E. Highway 34, Newnan.

Presented by Delta Community Credit Union, this event is the biggest, most influential business exposition in Coweta County and has been used to promote Coweta's business community for 22 years now! If you'd like to take advantage of Early Bird Exhibitor Registration rates, click here and register by September 29.

Several options are available depending on your business needs. We have options available for Corporate Sponsorships, which offer premium booth locations; Booth Participants, who are placed together in an exciting centralized exhibition area; and Table Participants, whose displays are placed along the visitor walk paths.

To register to attend now, click here.

Tomlinson to speak at next Women of Prosperity Lunch

Columbus Mayor Teresa Tomlinson will be the guest speaker for our next Women of Prosperity Lunch on September 28, 2016. The event will be held at the Newnan Country Club, 1356 Highway 29 North in
 Newnan, from 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. This event is sponsored by LifePlan Financial Advisors, Inc.

Tomlinson was elected as the 69th mayor of Columbus, Georgia in 2010 with 68 percent of the vote. On January 3, 2011, she was sworn in as the city's first female mayor. In 2014, she was reelected to a second term with 63 percent of the vote, making her the first mayor since the city's consolidation in 1971 to win reelection in a contested race. She has four times been named to Georgia Trend's 100 Most Influential Georgians, and she holds a National Security Secret Clearance with the Department of Defense.

Since taking office, Tomlinson has collaborated with Council and stakeholders to reform the city's pension plan, saving taxpayers $27 million over 15 years while protecting the retirement benefits of Columbus's hardworking employees. She reformed the city's employee healthcare system, saving taxpayers $4.5 million annually, saving 120 employee jobs, and instituting an employee Health and Wellness Clinic to lessen future city healthcare costs.

The luncheon will be held at the Newnan Country Club from 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. Admission is $35 for Chamber Members and their guests, $50 General Admission. Click here to register, or for more information, visit info@newnancowetachamber.org or call the Chamber at 770.253-2270.

Which candidates will be at Thursday's Political HobNob?

It's almost time for our 2016 Political HobNob! This year's event will be Thursday, September 15, 2016 at The Newnan Centre, 1515 Lower Fayetteville Rd., Newnan. Candidates who have confirmed they will be attending and participating in a moderated forum include David Stover, Republican, current representative and candidate for Georgia House District 71; Cynthia Bennett, Democrat, candidate for Georgia House District 71; Drew Ferguson, Republican, candidate for US House District 3; Angela Pendley, Democrat, candidate for US House District 3; and Bob Trammell, Democrat, candidate for Georgia House District 132.

Sponsored by Coweta-Fayette EMC, this event begins at 5 p.m. with a VIP Meet & Greet (check out sponsor booths, candidate materials and voter info), and then at 6 p.m., the Pomp & Circumstance portion of the evening begins with an invocation, Honor Guard, the singing of the National Anthem, and the introduction of current elected officials and special guests.

At 6:30 p.m., candidates will participate in a moderated forum. Afterward, you'll have the opportunity to take part in a “straw vote” via mobile devices. Results will be revealed at the conclusion of the event. There will be all-American fare such as hamburgers, hot dogs and barbecue. Tickets are $15 for General Admission, and tickets include food, drinks, access to candidates and networking with attendees.

To register online, click here. For more information, contact The Chamber at info@newnancowetachamber.org or call 770-253-2270.

B-A-H Networking at Kemp's is Sept. 8 at 5:30pm

It’s time to say goodbye to summer at our monthly Business-After-Hours networking event! Kemp’s Dalton West Flooring is our host for the Thursday, September 8 event, which begins at 5:30pm. You can network, mix, mingle, win prizes, and have fun!

“Dog Days of Summer” is the theme Kemp’s Dalton West Flooring has chosen. Business-After-Hours runs from 5:30-7pm at Kemp’s 7 Jefferson Parkway location in Newnan.

There will be great food, beverages, lots of door prizes and several cash prizes for Chamber members and guests as well. We look forward to seeing you there!

Honoring law enforcement at NuLink Early Bird Forum

    

Coweta County Sheriff Mike Yeager, NuLink's Lana Mobley,

Newnan Police Chief Buster Meadows

        Three of Coweta County’s top law enforcement officers were guests of honor at our August 30, 2016 NuLink Early Bird Forum. The Newnan Centre was packed with Chamber members and guests eager to hear from Newnan Police Chief Douglas “Buster” Meadows, Coweta County Sheriff Mike Yeager and Sergeant First Class Mike Adcock, who heads the Georgia State Patrol’s Newnan Post. The welcome was given by NuLink’s Lana Mobley, who also announced that NuLink has recently been acquired by WOW! Internet, Cable & Phone.

           

           Coweta County Sheriff Mike Yeager, who was first elected sheriff in 1993, praised local citizens and officials for their longstanding support of law enforcement, saying,“We know the majority of those in the community support us, and we appreciate it.”

            Yeager said that as more and more law enforcement actions are captured on camera, it is becoming harder to convict criminal suspects without photographic evidence. He said a person’s sworn testimony “used to be enough” but that jurors accustomed to seeing events televised or streamed on the Internet almost expect to see visual evidence of encounters involving law enforcement. Each Coweta County deputy is equipped with a body cam, and Yeager said the Coweta County’s Sheriff’s Office was first in the state to equip all officers with body cameras.

     

Lana Mobley and Chief Meadows

          Newnan Police Chief Douglas “Buster” Meadows has been with the Newnan Police Department for 44 years, becoming chief in 2002. Like Yeager, he thanked local citizens for their support and said when he tells other police chiefs how well his officers are treated and respected, they say, “We don’t have that.”

            Meadows talked about the importance of connecting with the community. He said the Newnan PD offers a Law Enforcement Explorers program that helps familiarize local youth with the people and functions of the Newnan PD and allows them to participate in programs supervised and taught by its officers.

            The Newnan PD has also partnered with “Guitars Not Guns,” a national nonprofit music program that provides guitars and lessons to foster kids, at-risk youth and other deserving children in a classroom setting with qualified teachers. Newnan’s own Doug Kees, an acclaimed musician, music teacher and guitarist, supervises the instruction.

       

SFC Mike Adcock

            SFC Mike Adcock of the Georgia State Patrol has been a law enforcement officer since 1988 and has been at the Georgia State Patrol’s Newnan Post since July 2007. Adcock said he currently has only 11 troopers at the Newnan Post but should have 15. The Newnan Post is responsible for Coweta, Fayette and Heard Counties.

            Adcock said reducing traffic fatalities is a top priority of the GSP. He noted that the GSP has a statewide goal of keeping traffic fatalities below 1,000 for the year and is on target to reach that goal in 2016.

            Yeager, Meadows and Adcock agreed that it is increasingly difficult to find qualified applicants to serve as law enforcement officers.

            Also at the breakfast, Newnan’s Norma Haynes was on hand and was recognized and thanked for her lifelong support of local law enforcement.