Hello Ames Jaycees!

Thank you for those members who attended the Third Quarter All State this weekend. Our members won some awesome and well-deserved awards and the Red Region (to which we belong) is in possession of Elmo. I definitely recommend checking out the Iowa Jaycees mascot this year — Firefighter Elmo — on Facebook.  We’ll be taking Elmo around this quarter in the Red region and promoting Iowa Jaycee spirit!

Here is your update for the week of Oct. 6.

This week:
Friday After Work
Friday, Oct. 10 – 5-? p.m. at West Towne Pub, 4518 Mortensen Rd. FAWs are an informal social gathering held twice a month. For more info, contact Charby.

Upcoming events:
Membership meeting
Thursday, Oct. 16 – 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. Awards from third quarter All-State will be announced!! Additionally, nominations for the 2009 board of directions will be held. For more info, contact Peggy.

Visitation to Clive
Friday, Oct. 17 – More details to come in the next few weeks — but we’ll be heading down to Clive for the Buc(k) beer night with the Des Moines Buccaneers. Please sign up with Scott if you’re planning to attend. If you don’t want to drive back to Ames, there’s plenty of room at Todd and I’s house! Contact state director Scott Long .

Friday After Work
Thursday, Oct. 24 – 5-? p.m. at London Underground. FAWs are an informal social gathering held twice a month. We’ll be visited by the Cedar Rapids Jaycees. Also — don’t forget you can bring food into London for dinner. For more info, contact Charby.
Halloween Pub Crawl
Friday, Oct. 31 – Meet at 7 p.m. behind Olde Main Brewery. Look for the big green bus. Cost is $20 and includes transportation and a T-shirt. Costumes optional. We’ll be hitting some rural areas and meeting up with the Nevada Jaycees. Questions? Contact Grace at halloweenpubcrawl@amesjaycees.com.

Membership meeting
Thursday, Nov. 6 – 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. Additionally, nominations for the 2009 board of directions will be held. For more info, 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!

Vote Your Voice
October 20 | 7:00 p.m. | Iowa State Legislative Candidate Forum| City Hall Council Chambers
October 27 | 7:00 p.m. | Story County Candidate Forum| City Hall Council Chambers

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.

Blue Sky Days
Volunteers are a key part of making this Blue Sky Days a success on October 11th! We will need volunteers for various shifts ranging from 5:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and also for activities throughout Blue Sky Day. Volunteers are need for set up and tear down of the Pancake breakfast and 5k run. Specific times are all listed on our website, www.ypames.com or please contact Katie Sopher at katherine.sopher@lsiowa.org  or 515-817-0966 to sign up.

A Passion for Customer Service
Tuesday, October 14 (part 1) & Tuesday, November 11 (part 2)
F & M Bank, 402 Lincoln Way
Sponsored by: Manpower and ATW Training & Consulting, Inc.
There is only one reason to be in business and that is to have customers. In this program we will draw out what it means to be truly passionate about serving your customers, and we will explore the impact of customer service on growing your business. This program will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and is presented by Nick Reddin, Manpower, with November guest speaker Tom Gard, Hy-Vee.
Registration for this two-part program is just $30 for Chamber members ($50 for non-members) and includes lunch. To register, call 515-232-2310.  Please register for Part 1 by October 9.  Click here for a registration form:

http://www.ameschamber.com/docs/Business%20Improvement/BuildingAWorldClassBusinessMailer.pdf

Business at Breakfast
Join us on October 23 at Green Hills Retirement Community 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 have never been to Business at Breakfast make this your first! Please RSVP by contacting the Chamber at 515-232-2310 by October 22. The continental breakfast is free but we still need your RSVP if you would like to participate.

Get Noticed and Get Results! Chamber Offers Dynamic Marketing Seminar
In a competitive world, you need to stand out!
Register now for the 2008 Business Improvement Annual Conference: GET NOTICED AND GET RESULTS!  This exciting event features Jeff Beals, author of Self Marketing Power: Branding Yourself as a Business of One and host of the radio talk show Grow Omaha.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Quality Inn & Suites
Sponsored by: Manpower
$79/person for Chamber members ($119/person for non-members)
Registration includes: half-day program, continental breakfast and lunch, and your own copy of Jeff Beals’ book, Self Marketing Power. Registration forms available at www.ameschamber.com or call 515-232-2310.
Get your spot reserved quickly so you can Get Noticed and Get Results!

Volunteers Needed to Help Ada Hayden Artist
The Public Art Commission is seeking volunteers to assist environmental artist Patrick Dougherty as he continues on a commission piece at Ada Hayden Heritage Park. Dougherty needs assistants to help assemble his woven willow sculpture.  Dougherty will be working from 8 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday for the next two weeks.  The final day of participation will be Oct. 13 through Saturday, October 18.

Those interested in volunteering should call the City Manager’s Office at 515- 239-5101 for more information.  Volunteers are needed immediately and should be prepared to work outside.

Lunch & Learn
On Thursday, October, 23 join us as we learn about identity theft and how you can protect yourself! Suzy Owens of the Ames Police Department, will give tips and also examples of identity theft here in our community! Networking and lunch will begin at 11:30 with the presentation from noon to 1p.m. at the Somerset Clubhouse.

Quotable.
Volunteering is how we pay our rent for being on this earth.
- Sue Denny

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