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. |
|
