News Month - Plymouth Chamber of Commerce

Manufacturers in Marshall County are producing more with existing resources by eliminating non-value-added activities (waste), i.e., they're adopting 'lean' principles. And one of the ways that they're learning more about these principles is through the Marshall County Network for the Advancement of Manufacturing (McNAM!)

This network, launching on June 14, 2007 in Plymouth, is comprised of diverse companies seeking to reduce costs, better satisfy their customers, and improve their bottom lines by integrating high-performance methods and techniques.

The goals of the Network are to:

accelerate learning curves and provide cost-effective ways to integrate lean concepts and principles;
maximize access to the knowledge and experiences through the mutual sharing of solutions and ideas;
and leverage the buying power of the Network to reduce training costs.

McNAM participants benefit by networking with other companies that are implementing lean, tapping into resources (from within/outside the Network) on how to increase their competitiveness, gaining fresh perspectives from other Network participants, reducing training costs, sharing real-world solutions and experiences, accessing the latest news and view on lean manufacturing techniques, and touring facilities to see lean tool in action.

The meeting topics were established by the Network's Steering Committee, which currently is comprised of Doug Anspach, Plymouth Economic Development Corporation; Curt Fleece, Crossroads Academy; Hollie Grantz, Hoosier Tire; Tony Lenne, Bay Valley Foods; Don Newton, Hoosier Tire; Bill Schlosser, Plymouth Foundry; and Carol Snare, Ferro Corporation.

The Network calendar through year-end:
June 14	Lean - An Overview
July 12	Value Stream Mapping
August 9	5S/Workplace Organization
September 13	Lean Culture/Culture Change
October 11	Lean Strategy
November 8	Error Proofing

Meetings are held on the second Thursday of each month (except December) from 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. at the Crossroads Academy, 1800 Jim Neu Drive, Plymouth.

For more information, please contact Doug Anspach at 574-936-2323, or Dietra Rosenkoetter, Purdue University TAP (Network facilitator) at 317-275-6812, email dietra@purdue.edu.

Plymouth Public Library
201 N. Center Street, Plymouth, 574-936-2324; www.plymouth.lib.in.us
The Plymouth Public Library is going to have a public survey on their web site (http://www.plymouth.lib.in.us/) starting at 10:00 AM on May 25 until 8:00 PM on June 12. As soon as this survey is ready, the Chamber's web site will have it linked to our web front page too (www.plychamber.org). Please try to schedule some time to assist our Plymouth Public Library and take this survey. Thank you very much!

JobWorks/WorkOne Partner
316 N. Kingston Road, Plymouth, 574-936-8919; www.jobworksinc.org
WorkOne is recruiting employers for a job fair. WorkOne of Marshall County is looking for employers with multiple job openings to participate in a special job fair from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, Wednesday, June 27th at the WorkOne Center, 316 Kingston Road, Plymouth. The event will feature a wide range of industries with jobs at all levels. Extensive promotion is also planned and WorkOne estimates that 200 to 300 job seekers will attend the job fair. Interested employers should contact Pat Schultz at the Plymouth WorkOne Center 574-936-8919 or Jackie Reed at 574-239-9368. You can also register at the WorkOne Web site: gotoworkone.com.

Latino Festival - More Information
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Noon to 10:00 PM -Amphitheater, Centennial Par

Space is still available at the Chamber's Information Booth.
Arrive by 10:00 AM to set-up space.
When ever possible, try to have signs and literature printed in both English and Spanish.
Keep in mind that this is a long day and have enough people scheduled to man booth space at all times. Chamber members sharing this space could also spell one another for 'times out'.
Having a bilingual person available is a good idea, if possible.
Remember to bring your own tables and chairs.
The Chamber office will receive booth placement one week prior to the event from the Heart and Hands office and will contact our members who sign up to share the Chamber's booth space about placement and any further details we receive.
Above all, enjoy the experience!

The Center for Hospice and Palliative Care, Inc.
112 S. Center Street, Plymouth, 574-935-4511; www.centerforhospice.org
The Center for Hospice and Palliative Care is currently looking for compassionate and caring volunteers. Their program serves eight counties and is helping our community by lending a helping hand and improving the quality of living for Marshall County people. If you (or someone you know) have a few hours a week to help in the Hospice office, provide respite patient care, visit patients in extended care facilities, or make calls to families that have lost a loved one, now is the time to call and join the Hospice team of professionals. Your experience as a volunteer will begin with extensive training at our Plymouth office, 112 S. Center Street , on June 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, and 21, 2007 from 5:30 to 8:30 PM. To apply or for additional information, please call Ellen Brown (800-744-2784 or 574-935-4511) or visit www.centerforhospice.org. The Center for Hospice and Palliative Care, Inc. is a premier not-for-profit, community-based agency improving the quality of living through hospice, home health, grief counseling, and community education. With offices in South Bend , Plymouth , and Elkhart, The Center for Hospice and Palliative Care, Inc. serves St. Joseph, Marshall, Elkhart, Fulton, Kosciusko, LaGrange, La Porte and Starke Counties.

M.C. Council on Aging/Life Enrichment Center
1306 W. Harrison Street, Plymouth, 574-936-9904
THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2007
WORKSHOP
LIFE ENRICHMENT CENTER
1305 WEST HARRISON ST.
10:00 AM TO 3:00 PM The Indiana Partnerships for Lifespan Communities project is pleased to announce a workshop for area agencies on aging and their community partners. In this one-day-session, Nancy Henkin will introduce community teams to the new Viable Futures Toolkit, a comprehensive process and resource that can be used to create communities that work for all ages. Participants will learn how to assess community strengths and needs across a lifespan, see how communities around the U.S. are creating community sustainability through bringing generations together around common causes and strengthen partnerships among the aging network and the broader community stakeholders. Nancy A. Henkin, Ph.D. Temple University/Center for Intergenerational Learning, Philadelphia, PA , is the founder and Executive Director of the Temple University Center for Intergenerational Learning. Established in 1979, the Center is dedicated to strengthening communities by bringing generations together to meet the needs of individuals and families throughout the life cycle. The Center achieves its mission through model program development, training and technical assistance, research and evaluation, and materials development. Dr. Henkin received her B.S. from Simmons College and her Ph.D. from Temple University. Over the past 26 years, she has developed a wide range of cross-age programs and has consulted with numerous local, national and international organizations in the aging, youth and educational fields. A leading authority in the field of intergenerational programming, she frequently presents at national conferences such as the American Society on Aging, the National Council on the Aging, Generations United, Grantmakers in Children, Youth, and Families and the Rosalyn Carter Institute. She has also given presentations in Japan, China, Finland, Singapore and Europe. Dr. Henkin has produced a variety of audiovisual and written materials and published articles in aging, social work and education journals. She was co-editor of the winter, 1998-99 issue of the American Society on Aging's Journal, Generations United, and co-edited a book entitled Linking Lifetimes: A Global View of Intergenerational Exchange. She also serves on the editorial board of the International Journal on Intergenerational Relations, the Mayor's Commission on Aging in Philadelphia, and the Verizon National Consumer Advisory Board. Dr. Henkin is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Jack Ossofsky Award from the National Council on Aging (2005), the Maggie Kuhn Award from the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (2003) and the Gray Panthers (1988).

June 2007

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