This week:
Food Drive
Beginning Monday, Sept. 1 – Details to be released soon. Our county-wide local food pantries are being hit hard this year — with flooding and high gas prices, people are using the services more than ever. We’re going to make an effort to coordinate food drives around town and help with the need NOW — not just during the winter months. If you would like to step up to help this project, contact Damien or Amber at cdvp@amesjaycees.com.

Ames on the Half Shell Appreciation Party
Friday, Sept. 12 – We’ll have good drinks, good food, good prizes and (of course) good company! More details to follow. For information, contact Shannon Bardole at imabassplayer@hotmail.com.

Upcoming events:
Crush Party
Tuesday, Sept. 16 – Details to be released soon. A crush party is an informal social even with the purpose of recruiting members. Invitations are sent out to potential members. If you know someone who would make a great Jaycee, please let Terra Jenson (tjenson22@yahoo.com) know.

Membership meeting
Thursday, Sept. 18 – 7 p.m. at Buford’s at the Quality Inn and Suites, 2601 E 13th
Membership meetings are a great way to learn about upcoming events, meet new people and socialize. For more info, contact Peggy at pres@amesjaycees.com.

Age-Out Party
Saturday, Sept. 20 – Time TBA at Whisky River on Main Street. Molly Redenbaugh will be aging out of the Jaycees and we’re throwing her a party! Molly has been an essential piece of the Ames Jaycees — as well as the Iowa Jaycees and US Jaycees — and we want to thank her for all of her dedication and work. Please plan to stop by and tell stories and have a good time … oh, the stories.

In other news…
STEP UP AND LEAD!
With our larger projects concluded, we’re looking to finish the year strong.

Project chairs and committees are being sought for the following projects:
Poker Tournament

The chapter is also in need of people to fill the following to committees:
By-law Revisions

If you’d like more information about the above list, please contact Peggy at pres@amesjaycees.com.

Ames Chamber news

As a member of the Ames Jaycees, you are also a member of the Ames Chamber of Commerce. Therefore, please take advantage of the following activities!

GET OUT THE VOTE! School Board Elections: Tuesday, September 9
FOUR candidates for Ames Community School Board. TWO open School Board seats. YOUR vote is essential … and it will only take minutes of your time! Tuesday, Sept. 9 polls are open from 7a.m. – 8 p.m.

Business After Hours: Wednesday, September 10
Come one, come all! Ames Chamber members are all invited to join us at Becker Underwood’s Colorbiotics facility this Wednesday evening from 5 – 7. Come early and join us for the ribbon cutting at 4:30 celebrating Becker Underwood’s newest addition: Colorbiotics. Take a tour of the new state-of-the-art facility while making new friends, connecting with colleagues, and enjoying great FREE food and beverages. Bring the whole office! Colorbiotics is located at 1725 Dayton Avenue.

Young Professionals of Iowa Conference
October 10, 2008 |9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |Muscatine Holiday Inn
This year’s conference provides the connection, direction and education to challenge young professionals to be active leaders in their community and state. Make sure to bring your business cards along to network with other young professionals. Register today at www.ypiowa.com.
Visit www.ypames.com or call 232-2310 for more information!

Business Improvement Forum: Arousing Interest
Thursday, September 18 at 7:30 a.m.
Somerset Clubhouse ( 2400 Aspen Rd )
Sponsored by Ames365.com
Employees of Ames Chamber businesses are invited to attend the next Forum on “Arousing Interest.” This program is designed to increase your ability to generate interest in your business’s services – in short, how to generate more sales! The Forum will be presented by Mike Day, General Manager of Dale Carnegie Training. Continental breakfast is provided. Please register by Wednesday, September 17 by calling 515-232-2310.

Business at Breakfast
Thursday, September 25 at 7:30 a.m.
First National Bank | 405 5th Street
Join us on the 25th for an opportunity to give a two-minute “shameless plug” about your organization while handing out business cards, brochures and/or any other promotional materials that describe your business or organization. If you’ve never attended before, make August’s Breakfast your first!
We purposely keep this event small to insure great one-on-one interaction with fellow Chamber members, so your RSVP is very important. Please contact the Chamber no later than noon on Wednesday, September 24 to attend (232-2310). The continental breakfast is free to all attendees, but we need your RSVP to participate. See you at Breakfast

Ames Community Grant Program Wants to Fund Your Great Ideas
The Ames Community Grant Program was established by the Ames Convention & Visitors Bureau to support a wide range of local projects to attract visitors to Ames and enhance community life for its residents. Be creative with your event! Projects can be cultural, educational, environmental, athletic or artistic! This spring, the ISU Textiles and Clothing Department received a grant to host an apparel contest for high school students, in conjunction with their Spring Fashion Show. Community organizations are encouraged to apply for the grant program to help develop new projects and events or to enhance current ones! Applications are available now and must be submitted by October 10, 2008.
To learn more about the Program, application criteria, or to apply online, please visit http://www.visitames.com/members/grant_program.aspx

Want to learn how to become a “celebrity” inside your sphere of interest?
Then GET NOTICED AND GET RESULTS!
Registrations are now being accepted for the 2008 Business Improvement Annual Conference: GET NOTICED AND GET RESULTS! This exciting event will be held Thursday, October 16, 2008
at the Quality Inn & Suites and features Jeff Beals, author of Self Marketing Power: Branding Yourself as a Business of One and host of the radio talk show Grow Omaha. Sponsorship opportunities are still available – contact the Chamber at 232-2310 for more information.

Quotable.
Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in getting up every time we do. – Confucius

Peggy Nitchals
77th president
Ames Junior Chamber
Better yourself. Better your community.