By dallaschamber DACC • General Information • motivation • • • • • • 0 Comments

Why do you do it?

Many questions are asked regarding the big question WHY? What’s interesting is that simple word helps to define so much of what we do in life. If someone asks you why you work where you work or why you do what you do for work, what do you tell them? When kids ask ‘why’ for everything that occurs we have answers, sometimes we have to resort to quantum physics to get the answer but there is an answer to their question of why.

But sometimes, the answer is not so available. The deeper questions of the universe, at times, don’t allow us to know exactly why things are the way they are. We may or may not be able to know the answers to these bigger questions of why. Mysterious isn’t it. So what’s the point? My point is that we can only control our own ‘why’. We can only determine what we determine to do and then be determined to do it. The haunting question behind what we do is why we do it. Martin Luther King Jr. Gave the “I have a dream” speech. He did not give an ‘I have a 7 step plan’ speech.

People join and become a part of great things because of why those things are done. This is because the ‘why’ is an underlying purpose that grips the heart of a person and compels them to gravitate toward something great. This can be something great for themselves, something great for their family, or even something great for all people. The ‘why’ within us drives us to how we will deliver on what we will desire to share or become or do or have.

Start with the question, why. When you know why you can picture what it looks like when you get there. When you can picture what it looks like to get there, you can determine the how. When you have the why and the how, anything is possible.

By dallaschamber General Information • • • • 0 Comments

Batman Day – May 1

May 1st is Batman Day. This unofficial holiday celebrates and honors one of the world’s most well-known comic book superhero. While the origins of this holiday are unknown, the general consensus is that the day commemorates the date in 1939 when the crime fighter made his debut in the Detective Comics #27.

In this first story, the Caped Crusader was introduced to readers as Bruce Wayne, a rich socialite who fought crime in the fictional city Gotham City – often in brutal ways. As subsequent issues of Detective Comics was introduced, different parts of what would become the Batman legend would become revealed. For example, in July of 1939, readers saw Batman use his utility belt for the first time. In September of that year, readers were introduced to his Bat Plane, as well as one of his primary weapons – the Batarang. In November of 1939, readers were introduced to his origin story – the killing of his parents by a mugger.

In the April 1940, issue of Detective Comics (#38), Dick Grayson was introduced as Robin the Boy Wonder. According to Robin’s origin story, he was a circus performer who was orphaned when his parents were killed by a gangster. Once Robin had joined up with Batman, however, the stories began to change. He transformed from a vigilante who often murdered the criminals he apprehended into more of a father figure to Robin.

In 1940, Batman was given his own comic, although he still continued to be featured in the Detective Comics series. This first issue of Batman introduced readers to both the Joker and The Cat (who would later be known as Catwoman). Since then Batman has enjoyed infamy with the Batman original series, several animated series’, and more than a dozen feature-length movies- with more being added all the time.

How to Celebrate?

  • Like us, most you of you probably do not need an excuse to revisit your favorite Batman comics, but if you do, today is a good day to do some marathon Batman comic reading.
  • Wear a cape and go to work in your Batman costume. Your boss and coworkers will get a kick
  • Watch any of the several Batman movies out there with family and friends. Maybe you could combine it with a Batman themed costume party? Tell all your guests to come dressed as a Batman comics character.

Did You Know?

That Melbourne, Australia was very briefly called Batmania? It was named after explorer John Batman.

By dallaschamber DACC • General Information • Member News • • • • 0 Comments

Member Spotlight – Fowler Homes

Fowler Homes has been building homes for over a decade, specializing in luxury custom homes, homes for active adult living and affordable-style housing.  As an off shoot of the James W. Fowler Company, Heavy Civil Contractors and Tunneling Contractors, you can be certain that your home is backed by a reputable company.

James W. Fowler co. was founded in 1972 by James and Candace Fowler. Beginning with a single bulldozer, Jim began building logging and farming roads in the Coast Range. With additional growth came the opportunity for larger projects located throughout Oregon, Washington, and California.

Today, James W. Fowler Co. is a diversified general contractor providing heavy civil and tunneling construction solutions for clients across North America. Since their inception, they have based their business on three core values; Excellence, Integrity, and Service with regard to their clients, subcontractors, and employees.

Not only is Fowler Homes dedicated to building quality homes, but we are also involved in land development and other ventures creating viable neighborhoods to better communities.

Their greatest desire is that your Fowler built home will exceed your expectations and be…

“Your Home for Living!”

“There are not words, absolutely no words, to express what we feel. All our lives we have trusted people and been screwed. Finally, we decided not to let that happen again so we trusted, however questioned everything you did. You took the brunt of our 48 years of mistrust. You always stayed patient and explained everything. You and everyone you put us in contact with were such a blessing to us. When God blesses it is beyond comprehension. If you build a spec house in the neighborhood, please know that you can send any potential client our way and we will sing your praises.”

“Julie and I are very excited about the house and can’t wait to move in! It literally is exactly what we were looking for in a home and met every criteria we set before we started looking… and MORE! I have dealt with thousands of builders over the years and your company’s dedication to excellence and customer service is becoming more the exception than the norm in this industry.”

By dallaschamber DACC • General Information • • • • • 0 Comments

Bugs Bunny Day

 

Bugs Bunny first appeared in a short film “Porky’s Hare Hunt” on April 30, 1938 as theater audiences awaited their feature presentation, and has since been enjoyed by millions of viewers. Bugs bunny is the famous cartoon character best remembered for his popular catchphrase “Eh, what’s up, doc?” For many of us just this sight of our long eared friend brings back fond Saturday morning childhood memories as he tormented his fellow Looney Toons characters, mainly Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, or Yosemite Sam.

As a young performer wet behind the floppy ears, much of his film work was uncredited. He sometimes appeared under the stage name “Happy Rabbit.” But, you know what they say. If it looks like Bugs Bunny, and talks like Bugs Bunny, and moves like Bugs Bunny… then it is Bugs Bunny. Bugs Bunny finally shared his true identity in the credits of January 1941’s tour de force, “Elmers Pet Rabbit,” perhaps at the urging of his costar, Elmer Fudd. This is also when people first heard Bugs Bunny famous line, and the audience loved it. Since then this dynamic duo have often featured together, and even welcomed a third member, Daffy Duck in 1957.

Since his debut, Bugs Bunny has appeared in various short films, feature films, compilations, TV series, music records, comic books, video games, award shows, amusement park rides, and commercials. He has also appeared in more films than any other cartoon character, was made an honorary Marine master sergeant during World War II, is the ninth most-portrayed film personality in the world, and has his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Bugs Bunny has proven that with hard work and tenacity there is nothing you can not accomplish if you put your mind to it.

While his appearance has “evolved” over the years, Bugs Bunny has always denied the rumors of plastic surgery, Botox or fillers. He attributes his agelessness to a healthy diet, long hops on the beach, and his judicious use of lighthearted ridicule.

Happy Bugs Bunny Day, and we look forward to many more years with our beloved rabbit.

By dallaschamber DACC • General Information • • • • • • 0 Comments

Take Our Sons & Daughters to Work Day

For nearly 25 years the Take our Daughters and Sons to Work program has been “Leading the way…”, inspiring young dreamers to dream big. The program is designed not to make us parents want to pull our hair out as they get into all our paperwork, but to inspire them to dream of themselves in boardrooms, city halls, union halls and concert halls. As parents we want our kids to know that they can do anything they set their minds to.

That is what this program is for. Inspiring them to believe in themselves as much as they believe in their superheroes. Inspiring them to envision a future for themselves and what they can accomplish. This is also a great opportunity for them to see what kind of hard work is required; hard work in school means you can do cool things at work. If they want to be an astronaut or a doctor, or a ballerina; then they can do it if they set their minds and hearts to it.

However, not all of our jobs allow us to bring our kids. Or, in a moment of perfect honesty, not all of us want to bring our children to spend the day with us. Maybe, you are a super parent who works from home and every day is bring your child to work day. In that case I salute you and your ability to get things done.

If you fall in any of these categories, you don’t have to miss out on the day completely. Design some projects for your kid to work on at home that reflect your career. Have them design a new company logo. Ask them to write a story about what they envision for the future of computers, fashion, etc. Give them a story problem that relates to your company and show them the practical value of number-crunching. What if your child does not want to follow in your steps? No problem, take some time with them to research what career they want to do. Get creative. It will give you an excellent opportunity to pass along work values and bond with your child; whether you take them to work or not.

As they prepare to celebrate their 25th anniversary the Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work program invites you to share your stories. They want you to share how your experience with this unofficial holiday has helped you become and “Agent of Positive Change”. If you would like to share your story then visit their Facebook page or use #SERVICEFORCE on twitter.

By dallaschamber DACC • Member News • • • • 0 Comments

National Golf Day

Dallas is home to an exquisite golf course, Cross Creek Golf Course. Located right outside of town on the Oregon 22 we would like to take a moment to fully appreciate them.

Cross Creek Golf Course is a beautiful and challenging 18 hole course and driving range that combines traditional as well as links-style golf. At 6900 yards the course is designed to be a relaxing and pleasurable experience; whether you are a beginner or a professional. NW Golf Guys named Cross Creek Golf Course number one in the Willamette Valley in both 2012 and in 2013. They have kept that reputation growing by also becoming one of the most popular courses in the valley; known for as a premier for daily fee golf experiences.

They pride themselves on being known as a friendly family oriented golf course and invite their customers to host special events and golf tournaments. They are open year-round to the public though they encourage calling ahead in order to keep wait times minimal.

In an effort to stay up to date with current tournament rules Cross Creek is under revision. This will be the most major revision of the rules for more than 20 years. As the process is still underway and exact changes have not been decided yet they are not yet ready to announce all of them. If you are interested in seeing what revisions they are looking at they have put together a video on their website taking a look at the five most important rule changes.

Cross Creek is also preparing to celebrate its 20th anniversary on May 12th and will be hosting a tournament if you are interested in attending. We encourage you to go and support a local landmark!

“Greens are in great shape and have interesting contours. Good course for a trip to the coast, or a day trip from the valley or Salem. Very helpful and friendly staff.”

“The 18 hole course is situated in a rural country setting, very quiet and very open. The course is set up for all levels of ability with 4 different tee boxes. The women’s tees are very generous which helped with the pace of play. Take a nice drive out of the city and locate Cross Creek and give it a try, well worth the drive!”

By dallaschamber DACC • General Information • Member News • New Members • • • • 0 Comments

New Kids on the Block – Welcome New Members

Dallas Area Chamber of Commerce is proud to welcome two new members to our family; Luckiamute Valley Charter School and Beal Christmas Tree Farm.

Luckiamute Valley Charter Schools mission is to create a community where students, staff and families work together to cultivate the academic, social, emotional, and ethical growth of each student. Building on children’s innate curiosity and joy in learning, Luckiamute Valley Charter School promotes unique programs with a solid traditional academic foundation, incorporating current technology. They strive to provide a safe and nurturing environment so that children become confident thinkers and life-long learners. The foundation that makes this possible is a school community where parents and teachers work in cooperation for the good of every child, and a community that values the school at its heart. If you are interested in more information about them you can contact them at either their Bridgeport campus, (503) 623-4837, or Pedee campus, (503) 838-1933.

Beal Christmas Tree Farm is a family owned and operated Choose and Cut Christmas tree farm located at 700 Oak Villa Road. They offer two ways to get your perfect fresh-cut Christmas tree. You can either come to the farm to choose your tree and take it home or have your tree delivered right to your door-step. While their Christmas season starts the day after Thanksgiving to December 22nd, they have not limited themselves to just one holiday. In October they host a Pumpkin Patch for the community to enjoy. They grow pumpkins in a variety of shapes and sizes for you to choose from. A unique I-Spy walking trail game for all ages, Corn Hole games, a FFA Petting Zoo, and more are just some of the unique activities they offer their customers. No admission is required, and they also have popcorn and hot dog meals available. If you are looking for a great way to spend time with the family during the holiday season then we would point you in Beal Christmas Tree Farms direction.

Welcome once again to both Luckiamute Valley Charter School, and Beal Christmas Tree Farms. We look forward to what the future holds!

By dallaschamber DACC • General Information • Member News • • • • 0 Comments

Dallas Cinema – Movie Theater Day

In honor of Movie Theater Day we wanted to take a look at one of our historical community member; Dallas Cinema.

When the Dallas Cinema, originally named the Rio, opened is unknown. We do know that the theater was originally positioned in the rear of the building with a furniture store where the current auditorium and snack bar area. You can still see the original architect behind the coffee shop and paint store, where the projection booth was located.

Sadly, in 1948 disaster struck when the furniture store caught fire and the Rio closed. During that time of remodeling, the Rio gained its current configuration that we know and love. When Ron Burch took over both the Rio and the Motor Vu in 1949 he made some changes. Among them was changing the name from The Rio Theater to Fox Theatre. The second was to change the schedules for both of the theaters to run simultaneously; season permitting. Since then the Dallas Cinema has gone through many changes, including another name change in 2017, but they have kept their historic small town feel intact.

Many of us have enjoyed visiting the local theatre, and in a time of rising movie ticket costs, we appreciate the folks at Dallas Cinema all the more. They continue to bring us the latest box-office hits while keeping costs reasonable. Recently they have also updated their menu to account for changing demands, and customers have responded enthusiastically with feedback. Thanks to all their hard work, a night on the town with the family is still possible without breaking the bank.

“We had a great time at the sing-a-long version of The Great Showman! So happy to have a theater that is willing to give us another way to enjoy a movie!”

“Watched The Last Jedi and really enjoyed it. The sound was great (and I’m really picky about sound). I didn’t get any food but the prices appeared to be good.
Price of admission is the best in the valley.”

“This theater is one of the oldies. Good popcorn and fun atmosphere to see a movie old or new. We have been there many times, and the small concession stand reminds me of a young child going to the movies. It’s clean, and comfortable too.”

By dallaschamber DACC • General Information • Member News • • • • • 0 Comments

Harvest Crossfit

If you are like me you have heard the term CrossFit a lot lately, but had no real understanding of what exactly it was. So like anyone in this day and age I googled it. The first definition I found was less than helpful: CrossFit is a branded fitness regimen created by Greg Glassman and is a registered trademark of CrossFit Inc. Wow, thank you google for clearing up all the mystery.

So I dug deeper, starting with researching our local CrossFit gym. From them, I learned that CrossFit is a high-intensity fitness program that incorporates elements from several types of sports and exercise. First opening in 2014, Harvest CrossFit has recently expanded to the point of relocation right onto Main Street. Their new location opened in August of 2017.

After speaking and meeting with owner MacLarin Jones, who owns the gym with her husband Devin, I can see why people view them as more than a gym. With five wonderful coaches that bring a wealth of knowledge and experience; they see their members as real people and strive to know what is going on in their lives.  They’ve built a culture of camaraderie and encouragement that keeps their members coming back and inviting their friends.  Once again, those small town personal touches go a long way to building a meaningful business.  They continue to get involved in the community as well, a few ways they are building community outside of their gym are, chairing the Young Pros group, serving on the Chamber Board, helping in their church and promoting community events to name a few.  They were even named Young Professionals of the Year in 2017.

One member had this to say, “Devin and MacLarin are really good at creating community. When you sign up at Harvest it isn’t just for an intense workout, it’s signing up to be part of the family. They often host BBQs and get together outside of class that help keep you connected. Losing 30 pounds has been great, but it is even better because I’ve had a community there to celebrate with me.” –Steve

By dallaschamber General Information • Management • motivation • • • 0 Comments

Excellent Customer Service

“I can help next in line!”

You recognize this cashier and begin to order a large coffee with cream when the cashier says –

“Hi John, it’s great to see you. Can I get you the usual?”

Now, that’s great customer service.

Sadly, with the advancement of the internet, and big box stores, getting that personal touch can be lost. But hope is not lost.

While it can be a struggle it is not only possible to build a relationship with your customers, but incredibly doable. As a managers, we might tell our staff that we as individuals do not pay them, our guests do so offer them the best service possible. Even a complaint can be an opportunity to go above and beyond. So don’t shy away from asking how things are.

Best Western Dallas Inn & Suites is one of those big companies that still tries to have those unique interactions with their guests. The vision of Best Western is to lead the industry in superior customer care. Andrea Reyes, Manager, had this to say concerning customer service, “Every interaction counts, and we want to be the reason our customers smile.”

Those extra personal touches go the extra mile and bring in more revenue. I’m more likely to be loyal to a store that knows my name and remembers me, than the one that just sees me as another source of revenue. So take the time today to chat with a customer. Ask them how things are, or even follow up on a past conversation. Your customers will thank you for it.

For a great example of customer service in book form, look for Mark Sanborn‘s “The Fred Factor” on a bookstore shelf.