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The Nassau County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the sixth annual ‘Give the Gift of Local’ campaign, starting November 23rd and lasting until December 31st. This program was created to stimulate and reward local shopping during the holidays. The concept is simple; visit a participating local Chamber of Commerce member business and receive a ticket to be eligible for various prizes. No purchase necessary. Tickets, available at participating businesses, are printed with a message of thanks for shopping local and are pre-numbered. Retailers simply give out the tickets (no purchase necessary) and winning numbers are published on the Nassau County Chamber of Commerce website at www.NassauCountyFLChamber.com. The Nassau County Chamber of Commerce thanks you for shopping local this holiday season. TOP 10 REASONS TO SHOP LOCAL1. Shopping local creates jobs.
Most local stores hire within the community. Making them successful allows them to hire more people, which creates more jobs, and therefore more money spent locally! 2. Shopping local saves you money. It might appear cheaper in big box stores or online but every little bit counts…including gas and shipping. When you shop at the store that you can walk to you won’t have to pay for any of that! 3. Local, independent shops give back to the community. Most local businesses do a lot to support our communities through local charities, schools, and community events. 4. Great customer service. Studies have shown us time and time again that people receive great customer service when they shop local. 5. Local businesses support other local businesses. Local businesses employ a wide array of supporting services such as local architects, designers, cabinet shops, sign shops, contractors, accountants, insurance brokers, computer consultants, attorneys etc. 6. Shopping local keeps services in business.Local shops go hand in hand with the local services such as the tailor, hairdresser and banker. If there are no shops then there are no services…which means you’d have to cut your own hair. 7. Keep dollars Local Fact: Locally owned businesses put a greater revenue share back into the local economy compared to chain stores. 8. Support entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship is what fuels America’s economy. Be patriotic! Support innovation and prosperity! 9. Help the environment. Not only are you helping your wallet by not spending money on transportation; you’re also helping the environment. Shopping local means less sprawl, congestion, habitat loss, and pollution. 10. Local shops offer unique products. Shopping locally provides you with the opportunity to discover something different. You’re not likely to find the same thing at a local store as you would at the mall
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The Elm Street Sportsman Association (ESSA) would like to extend an invitation to your business/organization to join us as we present our first Black Business Expo on February 15, 2020. Please consider partnering with us to inform our community of the various Black owned businesses within our community and surrounding areas.
Our organization was founded in 2014, ESSA has improved and contributed to a better quality of life for hundreds of children and their families. ESSA is committed to helping plan for the future, thus creating a better quality of life for all. ESSA is a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization. Elm Street Sportsman Association’s first Black Business Expo will be held in Fernandina Beach, FL at the Peck Center Gymnasium. With this event we are proud to introduce and showcase Black owned businesses within the community and surrounding areas. The Black Business Expo will be a time for Black Entrepreneurs to display their goods and share expert knowledge for their particular product. This is an excellent opportunity to promote your business while also expanding your vision. The month of February is nationally known as Black History Month and is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans while also recognizing the central role of blacks in United States history. Therefore, we find it appropriate for this thrilling event to take place during the month of February. We are excited for this upcoming event and the vendors that will participate. We look forward to you becoming a community partner with the Elm Street Sportsman Association. Click the button below to download the vending application or visit www.ElmStreetSportsmansAssociation.com for more information. Join Arte Pizza on Monday, November 18th from 5:30-7:30 PM for a full 3 course dinner with hors d’oeuvre and a dessert bite. Arte Pizza is located at 109 N. 3rd Street, Fernandina Beach, Florida. The menu is: Caponata on toast points with Prosecco Pumpkin risotto with duck confit with vermintino Stuffed winter squash parmigiana with Chianti Lamb loin roulade with la foicia Pumpkin cannoli with champagne For more information, visit www.ArtePizzaAndPasta.com or call (904) 277-1515.  New "Dickens Illuminated Procession" Adds to Festive Holiday Weekend on Florida's Amelia Island11/13/2019 Fifth Annual Dickens on Centre - December 13-15 in Downtown Fernandina Beach Northeast Florida's Amelia Island is once again transforming historic Centre Street in downtown Fernandina Beach into a festive Victorian Christmas village for the fifth annual Dickens on Centre (Dec. 13-15), the centerpiece of the island's holiday celebrations. The free event takes visitors back in time to experience Charles Dickens’ early Victorian era Britain, with themed characters and entertainers, festive lights and holiday décor, period vendors, exciting seasonal entertainment, a petting zoo with goats, and tastes of the holidays. New for 2019 is the inaugural Dickens Illuminated Procession, a unique walking lantern parade of glowing holiday cheer. Other returning annual favorites include photos with St. Nick, Tiny Tim’s Kids Zone, the adults-only Dickens After Dark, and the Christmas Wish booth. Downtown restaurants, shops, art galleries and other local businesses will join in the fun, along with period street vendors selling handmade crafts and special holiday treats such as candied nuts, spiced cider and more. All the details can be found at AmeliaIslandChristmas.com. “Amelia Island offers many events and family festivities throughout the holiday season, and Dickens on Centre has become a treasured tradition for many visitors and locals alike,” said Gil Langley, president and CEO of the Amelia Island Convention & Visitors Bureau. “In addition to these great events, many of our award-winning inns, hotels and resorts offer special rates and packages, making the holiday season even brighter on Amelia.” The new Dickens Illuminated Procession will light up downtown Fernandina on Thursday, Dec. 12, from 5 to 8 p.m. Participation is free and everyone is invited to join in the parade, carrying something that shines, lights up or glows to reflect good holiday cheer. (For safety, only battery-operated lights and lanterns will be permitted; no open flames or candles. Some vendors will have a limited number of lanterns available for purchase at the start of the parade, but everyone is encouraged to create their own.) Carrying their lights and lanterns, parade-goers will wind their way through the historic district before coming to the waterfront, where they will be greeted with music and merriment. Dickens on Centre is offering new live entertainment options this year, including the addition of the “2nd Act Stage” to complement the main Wharf Stage and a new “Legend of St. Nick” stage show. Plus, those planning on dressing up in their Dickens era finest can enter the new period piece costume contest. Dickens After Dark returns after a successful first year on Friday, Dec. 13th and Saturday Dec. 14th. The ticketed event hosted at the Florida House Inn is for adults (21+) and includes one signature cocktail, hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. An immersive theatrical experience, be prepared to be entertained with The Mistletones, aerial acrobatics, Twisted Dickens Variety Show and a historic ghost tour led by the Amelia Island Museum of History. Dickens on Centre is the perfect centerpiece to an assortment of other beloved island holiday events. The annual Amelia Island Museum of History Holiday Home Tour (Dec 6-7) showcases stunning in downtown Fernandina, each decorated for the holidays by a local florist or decorator. Other scheduled events include the annual Lighted Christmas Parade (Dec. 21) on Centre Street in downtown Fernandina Beach. Also joining the seasonal celebrations is The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, home of the S.S. Amelia, the world’s largest gingerbread pirate ship, which arrives at the resort on Nov. 27 and docks in the lobby until Dec. 29. Along with the ship's arrival on Nov. 27, the 23rd Annual Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island Christmas Tree Lighting will take place at 5:30 p.m., with the grand finale of Santa's arrival and spectacular fireworks. The resort offers others holiday activities throughout the month. The annual tree lighting celebration at the Omni Amelia Island Plantation on Nov. 29 is open to the public and includes festive culinary creations, crafts, live music and entertainment, and of course, a visit from Santa. A portion of proceeds for this event will benefit the Barnabas Center through Omni Hotels & Resorts’ Say Goodnight to Hunger initiative. The Omni celebrates the season all month long with a number of family-friendly activities. For more information, a complete calendar of events and additional island happenings, hotel packages and more, visit AmeliaIslandChristmas.com.  Head over to Captain Jack’s Smokehouse this Saturday, November 16th from 4:00-8:00pm for Bikes, Brews & BBQ, an event celebrating America's Military and Veterans. There will be prizes, raffles, a bike show and live music. There will also be $2.00 draft beer, Marlin & Barrel specials, vendors, live music and a pig pickin'. Click the event link below for more information: www.facebook.com/events/641223272952166   The First Coast Infant and Toddler Center, LLC (C04NA0072) just received their license from the Florida Department of Children and Families to provide child care in Fernandina Beach. The new center, located just off Old Nassauville Road, next to Pak's Karate Academy on Parliament Drive, supports infants beginning at 12 weeks, and toddlers progressing into their threes. There are also limited seats for children up to four years of age not enrolled in VPK. Director Victoria Smith explains the philosophy behind the new center. "We support programs for infants, toddlers and children up to four years of age, infusing various philosophies to include Magda Gerber's Resources for Infant Educarers (RIE), Dr. Emmi Pikler Principals, Waldorf and Montessori." The curriculum-based center seeks to provide an alternative for working families in the area that provides a nurturing and developmentally appropriate environment which supports encouragement of individuality, creativity, and a love of learning. Active enrollment is underway, and with a maximum capacity of under fifty children, there is an anticipation the seats will fill up quickly. The Center is open daily, Monday through Friday. For more information, contact Center Director Victoria Smith at (904) 432-7267 or at Victoria@FCInfantAndToddler.com. More information can also be found by going to www.FCInfantAndToddler.com. Senator Rubio Names Amelia Island Kayak Excursions as the Senate Small Business of the Week10/22/2019  U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, named Amelia Island Kayak Excursions of Fernandina Beach, Florida as the U.S. Senate Small Business of the Week. "As Chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, it is my pleasure to honor Amelia Island Kayak Excursions of Fernandina Beach, Florida as the Senate Small Business of the Week." "Six years ago, Mark Bullington and his two children, Amber and Aaron, decided to turn their passion into their livelihood. Showcasing Florida's beauty, Amelia Island Kayak Excursions offers both kayak and boat expeditions throughout wildlife-rich Egan's Creek, Lofton Creek, and more of Florida's coastal environment. In 2017, Amelia Island Kayak Excursions was recognized by the Nassau County Chamber of Commerce as the Small Business of the Year and received the Bold City Best Water Sports Award. To educate the next generation on Florida's wildlife, they partnered with an after school program by gifting students a free kayak trip if they meet their academic goals. Amelia Island Kayak Excursions is an example of a community-oriented small business, and I look forward to watching their continued growth and success. Congratulations." As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Senator Rubio continues the tradition of honoring America's small businesses and entrepreneurs. The Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship oversees proposed legislation on matters relating to the Small Business Administration and investigates all problems relating to America's small businesses. Kayak Amelia has been awarded the Platinum Level Certification from the Florida Society for Ethical Ecotourism (FLSEE). This is the highest level of certification available from FLSEE and recognizes the depth of awareness and stewardship that Kayak Amelia delivers while conducting their business. FLSEE is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to maintaining a professional code of ecotourism ethics to encourage an awareness and stewardship of Florida's natural and cultural heritage. Ecotourism is defined as "responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education." The FLSEE certification process starts with a 340 question assesment of the outfitter's complete operation (environmental impacts, interpretation, conservation and environmental sustainability), followed by an anonymous visit by a SEE certification specialist. There are four levels of certification - Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Kayak Amelia is the official Outfitter of Talbot Island state parks and has been offering guided tours and rentals in the Northeast Florida area for over 20 years. Jody and Ray Hetchka are the "Mom and Pop" of Kayak Amelia. "We could not be more pleased and honored to receive the SEE recognition." Ray stated, "We've built our business on the principles of respectful travel through the salt marsh, paddler safety, factual interpretation and fun! By sharing our love of this little corner of northeast Florida, we hope to encourage others to love and protect their own 'wild places'."  Patty Hutfles (SEE board member), Jody & Ray Hetchka - owners Kayak Amelia  Every year, thousands of tourists and locals alike rely on our Discover Nassau Life & Leisure Guide to help them navigate Nassau County. Whether you're looking for restaurants that are dog-friendly or a list of real estate agents around town, the Discover Nassau Guide has you covered.
As a benefit of membership, every Chamber business has at least two listings in the guide. To ensure that the information in the guide is as accurate as possible, we are asking you to go to our website and check your listing in the Business Directory. If you see something that isn't right, please email alex@nassaucountyflchamber.com and your listing will be updated (both on the website and the new edition of the Discover Nassau Guide). We ask that you contact us with any and all changes to your business listing by November 1st. Along with your business listing on our site, we're also asking that businesses check the 2019 Discover Nassau Life & Leisure Guide. Click the buttons below to view the various sections of our digital guide and make sure your information is up-to-date. The Nassau County Clerk of Court offices will join other Clerks in the state to help restore Driver Licenses of citizens who have had their licenses suspended. Operation Green Light is a statewide Driver License Reinstatement Event. On Friday, Oct. 18, Clerk of Court locations in Yulee and Fernandina will open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. for Operation Green Light. “This is a great opportunity to save some money and get back on the road – legally,” said John A. Crawford, Nassau County Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller. “Those eligible can potentially save up to 35%.” For more information, or to find out if you are eligible for this program, call the Clerk of Court Office at 904-548-4608 or visit www.NassauClerk.com.
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Nassau County Chamber of Commerce
961687 Gateway Blvd., Suite 101-G | Fernandina Beach, FL 32034 Phone: (904) 261-3248 | info@nassaucountyflchamber.com | site map |
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