Unity Tree Lighting November 29
Come one, come all to the Annual Unity Tree lighting that will take place this Sunday, November 29. The tree lighting will once again be held in front of Dwight Parker Library starting at 6 p.m. Due to Covid-19 the traditional ceremony will not include a program.
Members of the Unity Tree committee wish to thank everyone who “recognized” their business, honored a special person or remembered a friend or loved one and help support this years’ event.
Proceeds will be donated to Dwight Parker Library to help with various projects not covered by the library’s budget.
Special thanks to the City of Fennimore electric utility employees for their work installing the City’s beautiful holiday wreaths along Lincoln Avenue. It makes for a perfect warm welcome to everyone who passes through Fennimore.
Shop Small – Shop Fennimore First
The FACC’s Holiday promotion is now in full swing. The Holiday promotion will run much like the fall promotion. Shop at any of the chamber member business locations displaying the Shop Small and Win Big poster. Starting the week of November 23 make a purchase and then attach your receipt to the entry form available at the business location for a chance to win! Then drop off in the designated blue box located just outside the Fennimore Memorial building or mail to 850 Lincoln Avenue c/o Fennimore Area Chamber of Commerce.
There will be three weekly drawings taking place on Dec 2, Dec 9 and Dec 16 for $20 each in Fennimore bucks. Then all entries will be combined for the BIG $200 Fennimore Bucks drawing held on Thursday, Dec 17 just in time for the lucky winner to finish their holiday shopping for gifts or holiday entertaining.
FACC thanks Clare Bank for being the sponsor the 2020 Holiday Bucks Give Away Promotion.
Fennimore Bucks Season Begins
This time of year is the busiest season for Fennimore Bucks purchases. We are especially promoting bucks to support our local businesses. Do you have some people on your gift list that are hard to buy for? Are you looking for something for the newspaper delivery person, someone who has helped with yard work or shoveling snow? Do you want to help out a family who has been hit hard with Covid? Then Fennimore bucks could be a perfect solution for you. Many area businesses give Fennimore bucks as holiday gifts so employees can spend on things they need and the business is also directly supporting local businesses at the same time.
Unlike some gift cards that charge a loading fee, there are no additional charges to purchase Fennimore bucks. You get full face value. The chamber looks at Fennimore bucks as a benefit of membership for chamber members in direct support of our mantra Shop Small – Shop Fennimore First.
Fennimore bucks are available in any dollar amount starting at $5 on up. We do suggest orders of more than $50 to one person be divided into two at $25 as it the gift receiver could possibly use the bucks at more than one business. Someone asked what happens if they have a $20 buck but they only spend $17.25; the business would give $2.75 back as change. When a merchant accepts Fennimore bucks they deposit it and get full face value. The bucks are actually a three part check and the bottom two panels explain which businesses accept bucks.
Fennimore bucks are available from the Promotions Coordinator. Unfortunately the Memorial building is currently closed for the safety of City employees and customers. Here are some options for Fennimore Bucks orders:
- Fill out a Bucks order form that is available online or pick one up from the bulletin board at Benders Foods; Casey’s or Kwik Trip. Fill out the order form and make a check payable to Fennimore Area Chamber of Commerce for the total amount of your order. Please provide an addressed envelope for the bucks to be sent to you.
- Call my office 608-822-3599 and give me the order over the phone (regular office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday thru Friday) or to arrange for pick up.
Download the Fennimore Bucks Order Form
Orders received by Monday, Dec 21 will be processed in time or holiday gift giving.
I do apologize for any inconvenience that not having the building open for walk-in Fennimore bucks orders this year! Let’s all think positive that a year from now things will be back to normal.
Chamber Makes Plans for Annual Meeting on December 9
The Fennimore Area Chamber of Commerce is making plans for their Annual Meeting / Holiday party scheduled for Wednesday, Dec 9 starting at 5 p.m. Unfortunately due to COVID and the recent rise in cases in the area, the FACC board has decided to hold the meeting virtual by zoom.
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://zoom.us/j/98925370246
Meeting ID: 989 2537 0246
Passcode: 120476
Dial by your location: +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/acFr1iyZMK
Current chamber members should have received the zoom link through the Chamber’s constant contact group email.
Others who are interested in learning more about becoming a member are asked to contact me by email promo@fennimore.com or by phone 608-822-3599 and I will send you a link.
Our guest speaker for the meeting will be Andrew Nussbaum, Regional Tourism Specialist, WI Department of Tourism. His topic will be “2020 Tourism, What Have We Learned?” The 15 minute presentation is truly designed to be a lighthearted look back (and forward). From the onset of COVID. I’ve suggested our rural location offers lots of wide open spaces to explore and enjoy! Tourism dollars impact our region far more than what first comes to mind.
Following the speaker we will hold a brief annual meeting with election of officers and board members. The FACC board will share the 2021 chamber budget with members and recognition of the 2020 Community Awards.
The meeting will conclude with a time for a once around when business owners/managers have the opportunity to share business updates with others.
Giving Tuesday is December 1, 2020
Giving Tuesday is always the Tuesday following Thanksgiving. It’s a global giving movement that has been built by individuals, families, organizations, businesses and communities in countries around the world to champion the causes they believe in, support the communities the live in and the schools that have made an impact on their life.
The Southwest Tech Foundation board of directors invites you to participate in Giving Tuesday on December 1, 2020. The Southwest Tech Foundation invites you to join us as we raise money for our Charger Dream Fund. The Charger Dream Fund assists students through financial emergencies by awarding one-time grants up to five-hundred dollars in order that their education not be interrupted by an unexpected financial emergency.
The Charger Dream fund supported 124 students with nearly $50,000 in grant awards during the 2019-20 school year.
I invite you to donate now by giving a gift online at www.swtc.edu/foundation or by mailing a check to the Southwest Tech Foundation, 1800 Bronson Blvd. to help more students successfully graduate from Southwest Tech. Your gift means we can continue to support students who will be the workforce of Southwest Wisconsin.
Southwest Tech’s Blue Line Club Sponsors Winter Clothing Drive
SWTC Blue Line Club has begun a Winter Clothing Drive running through December 7. This winter could be one of the toughest because of COVID-19. The impact of COVID-19 has resulted in many changes of hours for businesses and because of the pandemic, a lot of places are not open thus, making it less accessible for area residents to go in and stay warm somewhere. The winter months can be a terrible struggle, and in Wisconsin, it is not uncommon to experience temperatures that can be relentless and dangerous. Hosting this winter clothes drive is a wonderful way to help our communities this winter during what has been such a challenging and chaotic year for all of us.
We will have several collection sites for winter coats and outerwear in good condition. There will be a collection box at the east entrance of the Southwest Public Safety building and another located inside the main entrance of the Southwest Tech campus, near the Bookstore. There is also a collection site at Friederick’s Family Restaurant and Bender’s Foods in Fennimore. The last day for drop off is December 7.
Collecting donations of: Winter coats and gloves, Winter hats, Snow Pants, Winter Boots (kids and adult), Sweatshirts (youth and adult), Socks (youth and adult- ankle & long), Blue Jeans/Sweatpants (youth and adult), hand-warmers and blankets.
11th Annual Cookie Walk Sponsored by Bethany Alliance Church
This year’s fundraiser will be prefilled boxes that must be ordered by December 5. Prices are $8 for a small box, $11 for medium and $13 for large. Orders may be made online at the church website bethanyalliancechurch.org or paper orders are available at Sugar and Spice Bulk Foods.
Cookies can be safely picked up curbside Dec 12 at Bethany Church between 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Fennimore Police Department Announces Alternate Street Parking Details
Winter will be here soon bringing snow, snow plowing and Alternate Side Parking enforcement. As unpopular as it is, Alternate Side Parking is enforced to keep one side of the street clear so the plows can work efficiently.
FPD will be using RainedOut.com to send an Alternate Side Parking courtesy reminder on the evening before an anticipated plow event. If you would like to receive these courtesy reminders, please text “fennimoresnow” to 84483. Standard message rates and data charges from your carrier may apply. You may text STOP to cancel alerts at any time.
Reminder of City Holiday Hours
City offices will be closed Thursday and Friday November 26 and 27 in recognition of the Thanksgiving Holiday.
Special Thanksgiving greeting are sent from the Promotions Coordinator’s Office to all readers. Time and time again Fennimore residents and leaders have come together in support of one another during the challenges of 2020. We are all truly blessed to live in such a wonderful and caring community.