Join your chamber for the 2nd Annual Small Business Summit, March 20, 2010, 8:00 AM - 12 Noon in the Mildred D. Kessler Learning Center at the New Ebenezer Retreat Center. Topics of focus will be Smart Marketing, Small Business Taxes, HR Tips and Social Networking. The cost is $20 for members and $39 for non-members. Expo booths are available for Chamber Members at $50.00, booths include two tickets to the event. Call the chamber today to register 912-754-3301.

Monthly Membership Breakfast, March 10, 7:30 AM, Rincon First Baptist Church-Memorial Chapel, We will be learning how our community can benefit from responding to the US Census. Please encourage employees, friends and neighbors to attend. Call the chamber today to register or register online at www.EffinghamCounty.com. The cost of the breakfast is $12.

Savannah Technical College is beginning a new College paid internship program! Students will be available from all Programs of Study. The students will be in their final two quarters of study and Savannah Tech will work with your company to match students specifically to the needs that you may have. The paperwork and accounting have been kept to a minimum to ensure that the program is mutually beneficial. For more information please contact George Cobham, Internship Program Leader, with Savannah Tech at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program is excited about preparing and filing your 2009 income tax return for FREE by IRS Certified Tax Preparers! For more information and appointments call United Way-Effingham @ 826-5300.

Mar. 9

Introduction to Internet, Rincon Branch Library, 1:00PM, This is a beginner's course on using the Internet Explorer to navigate through the Internet and printing. Prerequisite: Windows. Registration is limited. Register by calling 826-2222.

Live Oak Library: Book Bunch Alice in Wonderland, 4:30 PM, Rincon Branch, for ages 5-12

Monthly Membership Breakfast, 7:30AM, Rincon First Baptist Church-Memorial Chapel. Network with your fellow chamber members! Call the chamber today to register or register online at www.EffinghamCounty.com

Blood Alliance Blood Drive at Citizens Bank of Effingham in Springfield, 802 S. Laurel Street, 9:00AM-1:30PM. If you have questions please contact Lisa Pittman at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 912-754-0754.

Mar. 11

Thinking of Starting a business? The University of Georgia's Small Business Development Center will be hosting a comprehensive workshop on starting a business. The cost is $69.00 per person (includes class materials). Call for more information 912-651-3200 or register online at www.savannahsbdc.org.

Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Savannah, in partnership with Bank On Savannah, is offering Money Smart: A Financial Education to help consumers develop money management skills and positive financial relationships. This free service provides information about banks and types of accounts available, how to save money and how to create a spending plan. Learn to tell your money where to go, instead of always wondering where it went! Topic: Credit Report and Scores 6:00PM -7:30 PM, Rincon Branch Library, Space is limited. Call 912-691-2227 or email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to reserve your seat.

Live Oak Library, Book Bunch: Alice in Wonderland, 4:30PM, For ages 5-12, Springfield Branch

Mar. 13

Bingo Night, 6:00PM -9:00PM, at the Effingham County Recreation Department on Hwy 119, sponsored by the Springfield Revitalization Corporation in support of the MARS theatre project. Hot Dogs, chips, drinks and baked goods will be available for purchase. Bingo packages available at the door. For additional information contact Barbara Oglesby at 912-826-0826 or Tess Hynes at 912-754-3301.

Mar. 16

Effingham Board of Commissioners 3:00PM

Mar. 18

IDA Board 8:00AM

Board of Education 7:00PM

Effingham Democratic Committee will host a meet your candidate meeting for Regina Thomas at 6:00PM at the Effingham County Hospital. For more info please call 912-349-0805 or email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Mar. 20

Small Business Summit, 8:00 AM-12 Noon, Join your Chamber for the second annual Small Business Summit. Topics to include SmartMarketing, HR tips, Small Business Taxes and Social Networking. Register today by calling the chamber, $20 for member, $39 for non-members and $50 for booths. Don't miss this great opportunity, call your chamber today 912-754-3301.

ECRP 33rd Jacan Brown Spring Run, Goal 200 runners in honor of Jacan, 1-Mile Run/Walk and 5K Run, Location: Annex gym on Ash Street in Springfield. Jacan was the organizer for 20 years. Pre-register by 3-18-10 to be guaranteed a T-Shirt. For more information call Brenda at 912-754-6339.

Mar. 21

Meet the Orchestra Event and Concert, a Grassroots Arts Council Grant Project, 3:00PM, at the Effingham County Recreation Department Gymnasium. "Meet the Orchestra Event and Concert", visit stations for an up-close look at instruments, Talk with Orchestra musicians to ask questions, Hear the instruments demonstrated individually and in small ensembles, Finally, hear a short full orchestra concert.

Mar. 22

City of Rincon 7:00PM

Zoning 7:00PM

Join us to read great books to our therapy dogs! this is a wonderful opportunity to build confidence for the reluctant reader, 4:30 PM, Rincon Branch, ages 5-12

Mar. 23

City of Springfield 6:00PM

City of Guyton 8:00AM

Mar. 25

Chamber Board 7:30AM

Thinking of Starting a business? The University of Georgia's Small Business Development Center will be hosting a comprehensive workshop on starting a business. The cost is $69.00 per person (includes class materials). Call for more information 912-651-3200 or register online at www.savannahsbdc.org

Dog Days: Join us to read great books to our therapy dogs! This is a wonderful opportunity to build confidence for the reluctant reader. 4:30PM, Springfield Branch, ages 5-12

Introduction to Word 2007, 1:00PM, This is a beginner's course on using this popular word processing software. Prerequisite: Windows. Registration is limited. Register by calling 826-2222. Rincon Branch Library

April 8

Consumer Credit counseling Service: Money Smart: A Financial Education Topic: Savings, 6:00PM -7:30PM at the Rincon Branch Library. Space is limited. To reserve your seat, call 912-691-2227 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

April 9

Re"Lei" for Life, Effingham County High School, assist your Chamber in raising support for this special event! Please see details at the bottom of the E-Mail or contact Heather at the Chamber today!

April 16 & 17

Olde Effingham Days Festival, Friday night street dance with Leon Jacobs from Atlanta and Food Vendors from 7:00PM-10:00PM, Saturday, local entertainment, take a walk down the hill to relive history, visit the Historic Effingham Museum and Living History Site, enjoy Arts and Crafts, 10:00AM until 5:00 PM, 5:00PM 2nd Annual Tater Hawg eating contest. and Street Dance with the Swingin Medallions starting at 6:15PM. For more information call 754-6339.

April 24

Fishing Rodeo hosted by the ECRP, 9:00AM-12 Noon, Children ages 2-14 and Senior Adults, Held at Baker Lake at the corner of McCall and Courthouse Roads in Springfield. Prizes and Lunch Provided.

June 5

F.O.R.C.E. Golf Tournament at Lost Plantation, Contact Archie Jenkins for more information.

Chamber Member News:

Rincon Shipping and Packaging has relocated to Lisa Street next to H&R Block. Stop by to see the new location and get your shipping and packaging needs as well as gifts!

The American Cancer Society

Relay For Life is a life-changing event

By taking part in Relay For Life®, we have a chance to join 3.5 million people from across the country to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against a disease that takes too much. At the same time, we’ll help raise much needed funds and awareness to support the American Cancer Society’s efforts to save more lives.

Whether it is through a friend, family member, the neighbor down the street, or our own personal experience, we have all been touched by cancer in some way. Please join The Chamber Team. Together, we have the power to help create a world where cancer can no longer claim another year of anyone’s life.

If you know of any business that would like to participate by selling “star bursts” (small paper stars for donation of $1.00 or more and hang them in the windows) or just give a onetime gift please let me know. Donation items will be needed as well for the auction that night.

The Chamber Team goal is $1000.00 please help us to exceed our goal.

According to an annual report released Tuesday by Better Business Bureau, consumer complaints to the organization increased by 9.7 percent in 2009. Not only did BBB receive nearly 1 million complaints filed by disgruntled customers last year, consumers turned to the non-profit more than 65 million times for help researching businesses across North America.

“Amidst the housing crisis, high unemployment rate and the chaos on Wall Street, the last year has not been easy on consumers and the increase in complaints to BBB reflect this troubled economy,” said Stephen A. Cox, President and CEO of the Council of Better Business Bureaus. “Now more than ever, struggling families should rely on BBB to find businesses they can trust and to help their voice be heard in the marketplace.”

Cellular companies, cable and satellite TV, banks and car dealers lead the BBB’s list of complaints in 2009.

The cell phone industry received the largest number of complaints in 2009 with 37,477, a 2.1 percent increase over last year. The cable & satellite TV industry ranked second with 32,616 complaints, an 8.7 percent increase over the previous year. Rounding out the top three, banks received 29,920 complaints, a 42.3 percent increase over the previous year.

“For the second year in a row, banks experienced a significant increase in complaints coinciding with 140 bank failures in 2009,” said Cox. “Trust in the financial sector is already extremely low and the dramatic increase in BBB complaints against banks reflects the growing discord between consumers and the industry.”

While the cell phone industry, cable & satellite TV industry and banks received a high volume of complaints, two of the three industries saw improvements in their resolution rates over the previous year. Cell phone companies resolved 97.4 percent of complaints; the cable & satellite TV industry resolved 97.2 percent. The resolution rate by banks declined slightly to 95.2 percent.

The report also reveals that BBB Reliability Reports—which are available online for free and contain information on a business’s accreditation status, letter-grade rating and complaint history—are increasingly popular as a free tool for consumers to research the trustworthiness of businesses. The nearly 4 million BBB Reliability Reports® on businesses across North America were viewed more than 65 million times in 2009. The most popular industries researched through BBB were roofing contractors, general contractors and mortgage brokers.

For a complete industry breakdown of all complaints filed with the BBB in 2009, and previous years, go to www.bbb.org/us/statistics.

The Board of Directors of The Landings Company is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. William Houghton as President, effective March 15, 2010. Bill brings us a wealth of community marketing experience, including the past eight years with the Reynolds Companies of Atlanta, Georgia. During his tenure, he developed their marketing function, becoming Vice-President, Marketing for Reynolds Plantation and then Chief Marketing Officer for the parent management and development company. His prior experience included involvement with an advertising agency, a golf operating company, and a golf/travel publication.

Bill and his wife Deb are originally from the Philadelphia area. They have an elementary school age son and a pre-school daughter. He majored in marketing and advertising at Syracuse University and has an MBA in marketing from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is a licensed realtor, a board member of the American Association of Retirement Communities, and a former chairman of the Greene County (GA) Tourism Commission.

We are also extremely grateful and extend a huge thank-you to Interim Chief Operating Officer Larry Wills for his day-to-day leadership of The Company for the past six months on a volunteer basis. As you know, The Landings Company has been the wholly-owned marketing and real estate arm of The Landings Association since community management was turned over from our developer Branigar.

In its twelve years of existence, The Company has spent an average of $ 1.1 million annually on marketing and sales efforts on behalf of all property owners. These initiatives are currently funded solely from the net profits from our real estate and rental operations.

The Savannah-Chatham County Board of Public Education’s Charter Oversight Committee will meet Friday, March 12, 2010. The meeting will be held in Room 103 at the SCCPSS Administration Building, located at 208 Bull Street.

Because of the great interest in charter schools in our district and because we have 8 or 9 new intents from charter groups, Board of Education president Dr. Joe Buck has appointed a charter oversight committee that will work with charter schools AFTER their charters have been totally approved by the BOE. We anticipate the need to work with individual charter schools on their yearly reports, their budget requests, etc. The committee will have no authority other than to serve as a liaison to the entire Board.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m., with a proposed schedule as follows:

I. Role and Scope of Committee

II. Guiding Principles for the Committee

III. Other Charter Business

For more information contact the Board Office at 395-5534.