Calendar:

Weekly Meeting:

Our regularly scheduled weekly meeting will be held Wednesday morning at the Weathervane Restaurant in University Mall from 8:00 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. Meeting Dues are $5.00 per week.  Place your business card and $1.00 in the Optional Drawing. One card will be selected and that person will receive the week's kitty. For Express Check-In, please arrive with a $5.00, a $1.00, and a business card and we will check you in. We greatly appreciate your bringing correct change. We cannot change large denomination bills ($10, $20, $50, etc.) and cannot accept checks.

This Week's Speaker:

David Stoner is the founder of EnviroFix, an air cleaning company that uses a 100% scientific process to solve most indoor air quality problems.

Speaker's Schedule for January 2008

March 26 - Open Meeting - No Speaker Scheduled
April 2 - Bill Lindenmuth, Triangle Financial Services
April 9 - Diana Minta, A Better Image Printing
April 16 - Volunteer Speaker - Contact Kim Piracci
April 23 - Frank Rexford, Integrated Mortgage Strategies, Ltd.

Did You Know:

Collecting Easter Baskets for Kids in Need!, Friday, March 21, 2008

The Durham Rescue Mission is once again collecting Easter Baskets to be given to children in need at their Annual Community Easter Dinner to be held on Fri, Mar 21st. Town Planner is again heading up an effort to collect baskets for this great cause. Baskets should contain a combination of toy(s) and candy. Pre-packaged baskets can be brought for $5 at Wal-Mart. The baskets need to be collected by Wed, Mar 19th. You may drop them off at Great Earth Vitamins at Meadowmont in Chapel Hill. You may also call Marcia at 491-9904 for details on the Basket collection.

Volunteers are needed for the dinner. Volunteer opportunities include: making or purchasing Easter baskets to be given to at-risk children; setting up the event site; cooking the meal; serving the meal; setting up and manning the game booths; giving away clothing; giving away groceries; giving away Easter baskets to at-risk children 12 and under; and cleaning up after the event. If you, your family, friends, and/or associates are interested in helping us, please call or email Rodney McClain at 919-688-9641 or volunteer@durhamrescuemission.com

Retail Roundtable - 7:00 a.m., Tuesday, March 18, 2008

The purpose of the Retail Roundtable is to bring Chamber members together for an exchange of ideas about a shared interests in a non-competitive environment. Members share stories of challenges, successes and day-to-day best practices to assist in the success of every member. The Retail Roundtable meets the third Tuesday of each month at the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, 104 South Estes Drive, Chapel Hill, 27514. The Retail Roundtable is open to Chamber members. For additional information regarding the Retail Roundtable, contact Tracy Hager at 967 - 7075 or by email at thager@varolinachamber.org.

Business After Hours - 5:30 p.m. to 7:30pm, Thursday, March 20, 2008

The Chamber’s premier monthly networking event, Business After Hours, will be held at Aveda Institute Chapel Hill from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Thursday, March 20. Triangle Land Conservancy is the non-profit spotlight. Aveda is located at 200 W. Franklin St. in Chapel Hill. Don't forget your business cards.

Women's Roundtable - 8:00 a.m., Tuesday, March 24, 2008

The women's roundtable is a chance for employees of chamber members to discuss common challenges. The meeting agenda includes introductions, success stories, member presentations, book reports and hot topics. The Women's Roundtable meets the fourth Tuesday of each month at the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, 104 South Estes Drive, Chapel Hill, 27514. For additional information regarding the Retail Roundtable, contact Jan Bolick by email at jan@businessclassins.com.

Communications and Marketing Committee - 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 25, 2008

The Communications and Marketing Committee meets to discuss ways in which the Chamber can more effectively communicate with members, and focuses on ways in which the Chamber can better market itself and its members. The Communications and Marketing Committee meets every other month at the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, 104 South Estes Drive, Chapel Hill, 27514. For additional information regarding the Communications and Marketing Committee, contact Meg Branson at (919) 967-7075 or by email at mbranson@carolinachamber.org.

Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina - Coming in April 2008

The Chapel Hill Leads Group will sponsor a Spring Food Drive, benefiting the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina sometime in April. Prepare today by accumulating your donations of  Food and Non-Food items. Try to set aside one hour to staff the collection table. If you cannot donate the time, a food / non-food item will gladly be accepted. Spread the word to your clients during this week. Let them know about the food drive. Perhaps you might collect items at your business and bring them to University Mall.

A big Thank You goes out to David Stoner of EnviroFix (www.killodors.com or (919) 847-5355) for initiating and overseeing this event. This is a great opportunity for the Leads Group in help those less fortunate. The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce " Business Matters" will carry this announcement to all of the Chamber's members. The following is a suggested list of Food and Non-Food items being accepted by the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina.

Suggested Food Items     (Please, No Glass Containers) Peanut Butter Canned Meals (Stews, Soups, Tuna, Ravioli, etc.). Pop-top cans a plus! Canned Fruits and Vegetables. Rice Cereal

Suggested Non-Food Items     (Please, No Glass Containers) Paper products (Toilet paper, paper towels, etc.) Hygiene Items (Toothpaste, Shaving items, soap, etc.). Diapers and "Attends" Elderly Nutrition Drinks ("Ensure") Infant formula  Please - No loose jars of baby food as they will have to be discarded due to health regulations.

About the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina
The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina is a nonprofit organization that provides food for people in need in 34 counties in central and eastern North Carolina. The Food Bank serves a network of more 880 partners agencies offering soup kitchens, food pantries, shelters, and programs for children and adults. In fiscal 2005-2006, the Food Bank distributed more than 31.4 million pounds of food and non-food essentials to these agencies. Sadly, hunger remains a serious problem in central and eastern North Carolina. In these counties, more than 440,000 struggle each day to provide enough food for their families. www.foodbankcenc.org.

Networking In Your Neighborhood

Apex Leads Group (New Location)

The Apex Leads Group (www.networkinginapex.com) meets every Tuesday at Carrabba's Italian Grill, 1201 Haddon Hall Drive, Apex 27502. Christine Rhyne Johnson of Mary Kay (919-386-0567) is the facilitator. They meet from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Cary Leads Group (New Location)

The Cary Leads Group meets every Thursday at the Hibernian Restaurant & Pub (http://www.hibernianpub.com/), 1144 Kildaire Farm Road, Cary, NC 27511. Located between SW Maynard Road and SW Cary Parkway. John Majernik of MannaTech (919-612-4170) is the facilitator. They meet from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Chatham County Leads Group.

The Chatham County Leads Group meets every Tuesday at Our Neighborhood School Pizzeria (www.ourneighborhoodschool.com/pizzeria.html), 87 Thompson Street, Pittsboro NC 27312. Volunteers from the Chatham County area will facilitate the meeting. They meet from 8:00 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.

Clayton Leads Group

The Clayton Leads Group meets every Wednesday at The Coffee Mill, 105 South Lombard Street, Clayton, NC. Bobby Whitley (bwhitley@jhnetwork,com) (919-719-3804) is the facilitator. They meet from 10:30 a.m.

Hillsborough Leads Group

The Hillsborough Leads Group meets the second and fourth Thursday morning of each month. Ned Parson of American Speedy Printing (493-0985) is the facilitator. They meet at the Occoneechee Steak House from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Holly Springs Leads Group

Holly Springs Leads Group meets every Wednesday at Java Divine (www.javadivine.com) in the Bass Lake Shopping Center, 128 Bass Lake Road, Holly Springs, NC. Barb Petty of Melaleuca (919-662-5418) and Debbie Walter (919-303-1829) are the facilitators. They meet from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

North Raleigh Leads Group

The North Raleigh Leads Group (www.northraleighleads.com) meets every Monday morning at the Percolator Coffee, 5039 Falls of the Neuse Road, Raleigh 27609. David Stoner of EnviroFix (919-847-5355) and Charlie Edinger of Second Chance Solutions (919-219-5264) are the facilitators. They meet from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Pittsboro Business Women's Group [PBWG]

The Pittsboro Business Women's Group meets the first and third Tuesday morning of each month at the Chatham Mortgage, 76 Hillsboro Street, Pittsboro, NC 27312. Janet Wyatt (542-4222 or pittsborobwg@hotmail.com) is the facilitator. They meet from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.

Western Wake Leads Group

Western Wake Leads Group meets Thursdays at the BNC in Cary beginning at 8:00AM. The BNC is located at 649 Walnut St. The cost will be $2 and will cover coffee and tea. For further information click here: http://smallbiz.meetup.com/483/calendar/7054450/ or call the BNC at 342-5251.