TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Gift Certificates Program The Chamber's gift certificate program has been well received by the Plymouth community. Chamber Gift Certificates, sometimes referred to as Chamber Bucks, do keep customers Shopping Plymouth First. This Gift Certificate program is very easy and safe to use. Gift certificate(s) may be ordered from the Chamber office and online (From our web front page, see CHAMBER GIFT CERTIFICATES at the top bar and click.) by any person or company, and be presented as general gifts or perhaps, as part of an employee bonus or Christmas gift program. There is no cost above the face dollar value of the certificate. The purchaser picks up the certificate(s) order at the Chamber office (120 N. Michigan St.) and tenders payment to the Plymouth Area Chamber of Commerce in cash or check (sorry, no plastic). The gift certificate is a legal check, purchased by any gift giver and can be accepted by any participating Chamber member business with the same confidence as a cashiers check or as cash. The certificates are individually typed with the pertinent information - the dollar amount (up to $100.00 per certificate), the recipient's name, if applicable, and in the memo area, a greeting of up to 30 characters or the name of the company giving the gift certificate (s). Personalizing these with the recipient's name will make these second party checks and thus, must be endorsed, but remember that these are pre-purchased gift certificates. The money goes directly into one bank account specifically for gift certificate purposes only, thus making these checks 'as good as cash.' The merchant therefore treats these checks like cash and makes change just as if he or she has received cash. Each certificate is then placed in an envelope along with a cover letter and the list of participating Chamber member businesses from which the recipient of the gift certificate selects the place in which to make their purchase or purchases. The list of participating Chamber member businesses is also online from the front page of the Chamber's website. Please note, a Chamber member's business is not automatically put on this list when they join the Chamber. Chamber member businesses must let the Chamber office know they want to be included on the gift certificate participating merchant list. Gift certificates will bring new and previous customers to the participating store. This is a form of advertising dollars that Plymouth Area Chamber of Commerce member merchants do not have to expend. Enclosed with this NewsMonth is our current list of participating members. If your business is not listed and you want to participate, please call us at 936-2323 and have us add your business to the list. If for any reason you no longer wish to participate, let us know and we will remove your listing. These past several years there has been a tremendous increase in the purchase of Chamber gift certificates. Hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of these Chamber Bucks have been in circulation over the Christmas Holidays. A vast number of these certificates are purchased by many of Plymouth's Industrial businesses for their employees. And throughout the year, individuals purchase gift certificates as gifts for all occasions. We sincerely hope that the Plymouth Area Chamber of Commerce members will take advantage of this program, both as gift givers and especially as participating businesses. It is a great way to give and a great way to keep our member businesses in the public's spending loop. This is a great way to 'Shop Plymouth First!'

New Staff at Plymouth Chamber Jane Fuentes has joined the Chamber Staff, replacing Betty Gibbs. Jane is a real estate agent with Collins and Company, but many people will remember her from her past position at Crossroads Academy. She is a longtime Plymouth resident, moving to Plymouth in 1959. Her past work experience includes instructing MS applications and general receptionists' duties at Crossroads Academy; writing the Country Music Hall of Fame's web site in Nashville, Tennessee; writing copy for an ad agency in Elkhart; and writing for the Pilot-News and The Indianapolis Star. "I hold a special place for Crossroads because I worked with some wonderful people, and I had the opportunity to learn about MS applications from great instructors," Jane said. Being bilingual, Jane is often called upon to do translating for local business. "It's amazing how the Hispanic population has grown, and continues to grow here in Marshall County," she says. "I remember starting school here and not being able to speak English at all. It was frustrating for me and for my teachers at times, so I can relate to the difficulties a language barrier can cause." Jane is the new chair of the revitalized Ambassador/Membership Committee. As this committee exposes non-member businesses to the advantages to being Chamber members, it will also make a concerted effort to include invitations to the newly developing Hispanic businesses to become Chamber members. Jane is married to Rick Troxel, a special education teacher and wrestling coach. She has a son and three grandsons.

The UPS Store
1913 N. Michigan St., Ste. F, Plymouth; 574-936-5665; www.theupsstore.com
Vince and Lisa Poczik have announced that they are opening another UPS Store in Warsaw. This location is north on State Road 15 by Wal-Mart and Lowes. The address is 2562 Walton Blvd @ SR15. The phone number is 574-269-7393. The opening is targeted for mid-October


The Pilot News
214 N. Michigan St., Plymouth; 574-936-3101; www.thepilotnews.com
Rick Kreps has been named the new publisher of the Pilot News and its weekly newspapers in Culver, Knox, Bremen, Nappanee and Bourbon, as well as the free shopper publication for Marshall, Starke and Pulaski counties. Rick is a graduate of Huntington North High School and earned his bachelor's degree from Ball State University in 1979, majoring in journalism and Spanish and a minor in history. His wife Connie is a certified public accountant.


Marshall County REMC
11299 12th Road, Plymouth; 574-936-3161; www.marshallcoremc.com
MC REMC, as a distributor of WildBlue satellite internet service, now offers satellite-delivered broadband internet access to everyone in Marshall County, both REMC members and non-members. MC REMC has been offering electric to the rural areas of Marshall County and the surrounding areas since the 1930's. With its history of building lines into the sparsely populated rural countryside to offer service not covered by other utility companies, REMC is again serving the rural population by bringing today's technology to those who have been overlooked by other methods of broadband internet delivery. WildBlue uses a 26-inch satellite minidish for two-way satellite connectivity to the Internet. WildBlue does not require cable or phone lines and is accessible to virtually every home and small business in the continental United States. Contact Dave Lewallen, MC REMC WildBlue Sales and Installation Manager for further information.


King's Jewelry
202 N. Michigan St., Plymouth; 574-936-2399
Will and Nancy King, owners of King's Jewelry are pleased to announce that Associates Gloria A. Cook-Lorenz and Beth A. Duvall have successfully completed the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) Diamond Grading Class in Chicago, IL. GIA's Diamond Grading System is recognized by virtually every professional jeweler in the world. Through the GIA's unique combination of hands-on training, one-on-one coaching, and integrated video, they have learned to grade diamonds consistently and accurately.


Ancilla Domini College
9601 S. Union Road, Donaldson; 574-936-8898; www.ancilla.edu
Blanca Gallardo from Plymouth has been chosen as the recipient of the Heart and Hands, Inc. Scholarship at Ancilla College. Gallardo, who received the $500 award, is a Liberal Studies major at Ancilla and has been using the services of Heart and Hands in Plymouth since 2002. The Heart and Hands, Inc. Scholarship Fund was created in December 2004 by Tony and Mary Wood of Bourbon to provide financial assistance to a student enrolling at Ancilla College who was previously a student of Heart and Hands. Tony, an alumnus of Ancilla College, served as president of Heart and Hands, and Mary as the corporate secretary of the organization. Tony unfortunately passed away this summer, and his wife Mary was desirous of continuing the scholarship opportunity because it would be 'what Tony would have wanted.' "Blanca is a good representative for Heart and Hands students," said Mrs. Wood. "I am pleased to continue offering the scholarship."

October 2005

SUN.	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SAT.
2	3	4	5 NOON UW CABINET SJRMC	6	7	8 7:00 PM NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER CAMPAIGN BENEFIT KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
9	10	11 11:30 AM AMBASSADOR / MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE CHAMBER	12	13	14	15
16	17	18	19 NOON CHAMBER BOARD CHAMBER ---------- 5:30 PM UW BOARD KEYBANK	20	21	22
23	24 NOON PR/TOURISM CHAMBER	25 8:00 AM MCCF EXECUTIVE KEYBANK	26	27 NOON COMM. & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CHAMBER	28	29 1 - 3 PM RETAIL TRICK OR TREAT ---------- LAST FARMERS' MARKET
30
TO HELP IN PLANNING YOUR EVENTS SEE THE COMMUNITY CALENDAR.

October Inserts

Open House Plymouth Family Chiropractic 1405 N. Michigan Street, Plymouth Monday, October 10, 2005 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. Come meet our staff Dr. Annisa Gruendler Pam Mahler, Massage Therapist Nicole Pittman Ribbon cutting ceremony hosted by the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce. The Fischoff National Chamber Music Association 2005 Grand Prize Winner Lloyd Carr-Harris String Quartet October 18, 2005 7:00 P.M. Dessert Buffet Begins 7:30 P.M. Performance Begins Christos Banquet Center 830 Lincolnway East, Plymouth, IN $15.00 Adults / $8.00 Students (Grades K-12) The 2005 Grand Prize Winner of the Fischoff National Chamber Music Association Competition, from McGill University, Canada to present a soiree the evening of October 18, 2005; a dessert buffet is included. The Quartet will also present an Educational Outreach Program at Argos Community School Corporation. Tickets are on sale through the Encore office in the Live Enrichment Center, 1305 W. Harrison Street. Tickets are also available at Plymouth Chamber of Commerce, A.S.K. for Flowers, Ancilla College and from Encore Board members. You’re Invited! What: Marketplace of Ideas When: November 9, 2005 from 11:30-1 p.m. Where: Christo’s Banquet Center 830 Lincolnway East Plymouth, IN 46563 Lunch: $7.00 Pay Christo’s at the door. As a businessperson, are your customers/potential clients aware of your entire line of products/services? As a consumer, are you aware of the various products/services provided by area businesses? Here’s the perfect opportunity to let others know all about your business and/or learn about the various businesses in our community and what they have to offer. The Marketplace of Ideas will feature the products and/or services of local companies, and yours could be one of them. Only 10 businesses will be featured, and space will be granted on a first-come-first-served basis. There is a $10 fee for each 8 X 10 table. A buffet luncheon will be served from 11:30-1 p.m. At 12:30 p.m. Jerry Nikitas will present information vital to small businesses under the topic “Niche Marketing: Finding Your Place in the New Service Economy”. Nikitas is a former professor of Hospitality Management at Roosevelt University of Chicago. Please call the Chamber office at 936-2323; or email (plychamber@plychamber.org) for more information, to make reservations for lunch and/or to reserve a featured business table space. Featured Business Table Space: Reservations must be made by Friday, November 4th Luncheon Reservations must be made by Friday, November 4th