Shop Alberni 2013 is gearing up with the goal of keeping retail dollars on this side of the hump. The campaign will remain the same, with participating merchants offering special monthly discounts to registered Shop Alberni shoppers. All discounts will be promoted on our website, avcoc.com. This year, we will be bringing visitors into the campaign by distributing special “visitor” registration cards at the Visitor Centre and handing them a list of participating merchants and their discounts along with the city map. This should give travellers a reason to spend more time in town, get them off the highway and increase local business. Merchants signing on for Shop Alberni 2013 should register at our office and a staff person will follow up with a visit to learn of your discount special and to pick up the registration fee of $50.00 plus two $10.00 gift certificates. The chamber will distribute those gift certificates to local front line staff people who often deal with the travelling public. This will encourage local workers to familiarize themselves with more local businesses. The $50.00 is to cover media ads and printing.
The Alberni Valley Bulldogs are hosting a big celebrity dinner and auction February 28th at the Best Western Barclay Hotel. Celebrities will be there along with the Bulldog players. Lots of great auction items will be up for grabs; autographed jerseys, professionally guided fishing trips and fancy golf packages from all over the province. Tables are being bought up at an impressive rate and individual tickets will soon be available from the Visitor Centre, Bulldogs office and the Barclay Hotel. They are $60.00 each and all proceeds go to our community-owned team, the Alberni Valley Bulldogs.
The chamber’s next Networking Luncheon will be Wednesday, February13th at the Barclay. You may have seen the newspaper articles about the possibility of a 13% City of Port Alberni residential property tax hike coming down the road. Sensing that this might be a touch steep, we will be hearing from City Manager, Ken Watson, as our keynote speaker for the luncheon. This will be well attended, so to reserve your seat at the table, call our office at 724 6535.
Thought for the Week:
“I wish people who have trouble communicating would just shut up.” Tom Lehrer
 FROM THE MANAGER’S DESK
SUBMITTED BY MIKE CARTER
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
ALBERNI VALLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE