February 2018 Newsletter

AVAILABLE NOW: 

Osceola/SMC Chamber E-Newsletter: February 2018. 

Read it here: http://conta.cc/2Et3yXH

 
Includes details on multiple upcoming I-55 beautification projects, Governor Hutchinson's visit celebrating MissCo being an ACT Work Ready Community and Arkansas Northeastern College's partnership with SMS group to create the Arkansas Steelmaking Academy, local companies Kagome Foods and OMLP supporting the new ANC Center for Allied Technologies, Ribbon Cutting from Southern Style Florist and Events, and member briefs including Southern Bancorp President Christie Patterson's promotion, Osceola Therapy and Living welcoming new Adminstrator Alexandria Washburn, Mailboxes & Beyond owner Tobye McClahanan completing an industry certification degree, and The Pill Peddler's planned expansion.

#GreatThings #MissCoAR

McClanahan Completes Industry Certification Degree

McClanahan earns Master of Retail Shipping Management Degree from the Association of Mail & Business Centers.

Tobye McClanahan, owner of Mailboxes & Beyond, recently completed all the requirements to receive her Masters of Retail Shipping Degree from the Retail Shipping Institute (RSI), a division of the Association of Mail & Business Centers (AMBC). AMBC was originally established in 1982 as an association to serve the retail shipping industry with training, programs, research, discounts, and advocacy. RSI was established in 2004 with the primary focus of development of store owners and employees with the AMBC Professional Skills Certification Program. The degree program required a completion of 55 credit hours, 25 hours of certified classes, and 30 hours of elective classes. Certified classes consist of Shipping 1 & 2, Packing 1 & 2, Heavy Freight Shipping, Certified Mail Receiving Agency Regulations, Printing, and other Operating Procedures and Regulations specific to the industry. The elective classes consist of Marketing, Social Media, Bookkeeping, Software, and an array of other general and industry specific best practices.

McClanahan, a native of Blytheville, holds a B.S. in Finance with a Corporate Emphasis and a B.S. in Accounting, both from Arkansas State University. McClanahan believes in life long education and wants to continually research and learn the newest and most current regulations and best practices in all the many services Mailboxes & Beyond offers to this community. In the 9 years she has been in business, she has traveled to many training events all over the country to help Mailboxes & Beyond to better serve the Mississippi County Community. She says, “The hours of training and networking with other stores has been invaluable to our success of Mailboxes & Beyond.” She is proud to represent not only Mississippi County, but the entire state of Arkansas at most of these industry events. “I’ve been to numerous events for this industry all over the country and I have never met another person from Arkansas. I don’t understand businesses that don’t get involved and continue to hone their skills and knowledge. Once you think you have nothing left to learn is when you usually begin to fail. We work diligently to know the most current mail and shipping regulations and cutting-edge print technology. The other great benefit is our network of friends at stores all over the country. If we haven’t done a certain project or task we probably know someone who has, and that is a major resource that we have tapped into! We are 9 years STRONG and have great growth plans for the coming years to help provide many needed resources in Mississippi County”.

Mailboxes & Beyond is a proud member of the Osceola/South Mississippi County Chamber of Commerce.

Article submitted October 29, 2017 by

Tobye McClanahan
Mailboxes & Beyond
Phone 870.763.8381
Fax 870.763.8382
mailboxesbeyond@yahoo.com

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Member Spotlight: Trammell Martial Arts

Although relatively new to the area, Raymond Trammell Jr. is no stranger to martial arts. Sensei Trammell has over 30 years’ experience in martial arts and is a practitioner in the art of self-defense, specializing in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, MMA, and self-defense for kids and adults. His studio, Trammell Martial Arts (TMA), offers a friendly, safe, clean, and family-oriented learning environment where everyone feels comfortable training.

Sensei Trammell received his first Don Black Belt in the art of Tang Soo Do in 1986, and his Masters Belt in 2010 under Master Instructor Curtis Butler. He began studying the magnificent art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in 1996 under the Rickson and Royce Grasie International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Association. In 2004, Sensei Trammell began studying under Rigan Machado Association, where he earned his Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and now serves as an affiliate teaching the three major components in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: submission grappling (no strikes), no holds barred (including strikes) and street defense.

Over the years, Sensei Trammell has trained and studied other styles of martial arts, which include Aikido, Kickboxing, NinJitsu, Judo, and Jiu-Jitsu. Sensei Trammell fought competitively for over ten years. In state, national martial art tournaments, Sensei Trammell often took first place. While in the Navy, Sensei Trammell continued his marital arts studies in Yokosuka, Japan; San Francisco, California and Chicago, Illinois. While in the Navy, Sensei Trammell began teaching private lessons to military personnel.

In addition to his martial arts training, Sensei Trammell has recently retired from the Detroit Police Department in which he served as a member of the elite Special Response Team (SWAT). He served as a Tactical Operator and Instructor for the team; his training regimen included tactical training, firearms training, and physical training.

Trammell Martial Arts offers training for adults in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, which has grown into one of the most popular martial arts to study in America.  Training in this wonderful art will certainly help to put you in the best shape of your life mentally and physically.  Although BJJ primary objective is fighting on the ground, it also teaches students take downs and standing techniques such as defending punches and kicks.  TMA’s kids’ Martial Arts program is second to none, and strives to help children develop confidence, respect, and discipline all while having fun, getting in better shape, and learning valuable self-defense techniques.

Recently, Trammell began offering a new morning high intensity interval training (HIIT) workout. The TMA HIIT TEAM is an outstanding class that will kick your metabolism in high gear.  This class is for everyone, so don't be concerned if you're not in the best shape yet.  With a little dedication, you will get there by attending this class.  We motivate each other all while burning tons of calories!

Sensei Trammell has taught throughout the Detroit Metropolitan Area, and also offers his services to various police department and security officers. As a Self Defense instructor, Sensei Trammell provides private lessons to both men and women. Sensei Trammell is a well versatile instructor in martial arts and embraces opportunities to share his knowledge. He is available for clinics, seminars and demonstrations.

TMA proudly also offers a free trial adult Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class for those that may be interested, but want to come check out how it works. For the smaller students, TMA offers a free introductory lesson for kids interested in the Martial Arts.

For more information about any of his classes or private instruction, please stop by Trammell Martial Arts at 104 N Walnut in Osceola, call (586) 242-4526, or visit them online at www.trammellsmartialarts.com

Trammell Martial Arts is a proud member of the Osceola/SMC Chamber of Commerce.

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Chamber to Again Collect Snacks for Student Testing

Standardized testing is a huge task to orchestrate.  As a way to help keep students' morale and focus at a good level, snacks are provided to not only welcome a break, but also refuel their mental and physical energy.  However, with approximately 110 students per school per grade level, and at least 3 testing sessions planned for the year, the quantity of snacks needed for students quickly adds up to a substantial amount.  This has proven to be a struggle for districts to satisfy through limited funding.

In 2015, the Chamber of Commerce Education Committee spearheaded a drive for this project for the first time, and with the overwhelming response of our members, we were able to deliver over 8,500 snacks and drinks. Due to its success, the Osceola/South Mississippi County Chamber of Commerce Education Committee, with the encouraged support of area businesses, organizations, and individuals in our communities, hopes to once again show our collective support of local students by helping alleviate this burden and ensuring they have snacks as a welcome break from the tedium of testing.

As many of the tests begin March 1, the Chamber is taking donations now of snacks or drinks, as well as monetary donations with which to buy them. Snacks will be proportionally distributed between all three of our local schools, which are Osceola, Rivercrest, and the Delta School.

If you wish to donate items, all quantities will be helpful, as items can be mixed and matched through the grades and classes to give variety.  Suggested snacks include any reasonably healthy, individually wrapped and/or portioned food and drinks, such as:

• Juice boxes
• Capri sun pouches
• Cereal bars
• Granola bars
• Fruit snacks
• Healthy snack cakes
• Chips
• Pretzels
• Peanut butter crackers
• Bananas, apples, or oranges
• (please refrain from donating chocolate)

We are planning two drop off days, one on March 1 and another on either March 31 or April 3, to ensure both product freshness and ease of delivery. With those drop dates in mind, the Chamber will collect the first wave of donations now through February 24, and will deliver the items to each respective school district.  The second wave of donations will be collected through March 28 and will also be delivered to each school district. We will make purchases with any monetary donations within a few days prior to each respective drop off date above.

For more information or to drop off items or monetary support to purchase items, please feel free to contact the Chamber at 870-563-2281, chambersecretary@sbcglobal.net, or stop by the office at 116 N Maple, Osceola.

Osceola School District, Rivercrest School District, and The Delta School are proud members of the Osceola/South Mississippi County Chamber of Commerce.

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FNBEA to hold St. Jude Benefit 5K

First National Bank of Eastern Arkansas To Hold St. Jude Benefit 5K

First National Bank of Eastern Arkansas, in partnership with KFIN, will hold the Race for the Cure 5K benefitting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital on Saturday, October 29, 2016. The race will begin at 8:00 a.m. and both start and end at the FNBEA Osceola Branch, located at 1460 W Keiser Avenue in Osceola. Pre-registration before October 14 is $25, and guarantees a t-shirt for the race. Late registration is $30 and begins October 15, and day-of registration will be available from 7:00 – 7:45 a.m. the morning of the race.

In addition to awards for each age group, there will also be a battle of the schools between Osceola and Rivercrest as a challenge to see which school can raise the most donations for St. Jude. Since students will be gathering donations to give at school, students will have a discounted race entry fee of $10 as an incentive to participate in the 5K itself.

Click here for the general registration form.

Click here for the student registration form.

For more information, contact Taylor Lucius at First National Bank of Eastern Arkansas at 870-622-0400 extension 1504, or stop by the bank.

First National Bank of Eastern Arkansas is a proud member of the Osceola/SMC Chamber of Commerce.

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Free Business Development Conference Set for September 30

2016 NORTHEAST ARKANSAS BUSINESS & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE
“Innovation & Inclusion:  Creating Job Opportunities in the Rural Marketplace”

Innovation, inclusion and job creation in rural Arkansas will be the key words at an upcoming regional conference to be held in Blytheville, Arkansas.  Funded by the United States Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, the 2016 Northeast Arkansas Business & Enterprise Development Conference, with a theme of “Innovation & Inclusion:  Creating Job Opportunities in the Rural Marketplace” will bring together approximately 20 private, state, federal and nonprofit organizations with a singular mission of equipping small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs with the skills and resources to start and expand their businesses.

Hosted by the Arkansas Human Development Corporation (AHDC), Arkansas Northeastern College (ANC), Arkansas State University-Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center (ASBTDC), Mississippi County Economic Opportunity Commission and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), the conference will be held Friday, September 30, 2016 from 8:30 am – 2:00 pm at the Holiday Inn - Blytheville, 1121 Main Street, Blytheville, AR 72315. Topics will include but are not limited to, building effective partnerships, securing capital, how to sell goods and services to the government, and social media.

Join us at 8:30 am for a “Lenders Roundtable Breakfast,” where participants will network with local, regional and statewide lenders. Organizations invited to participate include Arkansas Capital Corporation Group, Arkansas Economic Development Commission, Arkansas Department of Workforce Services, Communities Unlimited, Eastern Arkansas Planning and Development District, FORGE, Farmers Bank and Trust, Hope Credit Union, Southern Bancorp, USDA – Rural Development …and MORE! Lunch will also be provided.

Current business owners and those just getting started, youth entrepreneurs, business and technical school students, apprentices, veterans and community and economic development professionals, are invited to attend this unique opportunity. You will engage with other business owners, receive help with research and business planning, learn how to increase your networking results and learn to do more business with government and private industry. Mr. Samuel Rikkers, Administrator, Rural Business Cooperative Services – USDA, Rural Development, Washington, DC will be luncheon speaker. 

Don’t miss the opportunity to help your community create needed JOBS by learning valuable insights to help your small business GROW! And, INNOVATE! 

Click here to download the flyer.

AN INVESTMENT OF TIME IS THE COST TO ATTEND BUT REGISTRATION IS ENCOURAGED.

You may register by calling Arkansas Human Development Corporation at (800) 482-7641  

or online at http://goo.gl/McuCqE

Information submitted by:

Arkansas Human Development Corporation

Contact: Clevon Young

cyoung@arhdc.org

501-374-1103

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