Downtown Trick or Treat & Haunt the Park

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Going into its 5th year, the Downtown Trick or Treat continues to grow, with over 50 businesses participating each year and over 750 kids roaming the streets of downtown Ferndale in their favorite costumes.
This year we are closing down Main Street from 1st-3rd, along with 2nd Avenue from Main to Vista and 3rd Avenue from Main to Vista on Saturday, October 31 from 3-5 p.m. in order to provide a safe environment.
Chamber Members located in the downtown core are welcome to open up their storefronts and have children come trick or treat inside their business.  If a Chamber Member is not located in the downtown core, they may set up a tent on the street.
In addition to the Downtown Trick or Treat, we have also added Haunt the Park, in conjunction with the Ferndale Heritage Society.  Kids and their families can join us after the Downtown Trick or Treat for Haunt the Park at Pioneer Park from 5-7pm.  This event will feature decorated cabins, family fun activities as well as a haunted area of the park.

Wind Storm Blows Street Festival Away

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After one of the most beautiful summers, one of the worst summer storms in the history of Whatcom County rolled into town just in time for  the Ferndale Street Festival.
The Festival was rocking Friday evening to 80’s and 90’s rock provided by Exit 266 and Voyager, and beer was flowing in the Hawaiian themed beer garden, sponsored by Phillips 66, but by Saturday morning the entire atmosphere had changed.
Saturday morning after setting up, the wind picked up and tents started blowing over.  At 10 a.m., the executive decision was made to cancel the Street Festival due to safety concerns.  Soon after canceling the Festival, power went out in most of Whatcom County and wind gusts continued to increase, getting up around 60 mph.
Although everyone was highly disappointed by this outcome, the safety of our vendors and patrons will always come first.  We look forward to providing a safe and fun Street Festival in 2016!

Members of the Quarter

August
Signs By Tomorrow

Imagine it…We Can Do It!  It’s not just a slogan to us, but a true way of conducting business. We are proud to deliver the highest quality visual messaging solutions to our clients, large and small. At Signs By Tomorrow we stand by our commitment to provide you with quality, affordable signs, that get you noticed. Signs By Tomorrow is family owned and operated business. Owners Dave & Sarah Koehler have lived in the Ferndale area for 25 years.

Learn more at:

www.signsbytomorrow.com/bellingham/

2001 Iowa St

Bellingham

676-7117

September

Northwest Washington Fair

The Northwest Washington Fair & Center, operated by a nonprofit organization, is known for its annual August fair that draws nearly 200,000 people to Lynden each year, but hosts many other events throughout the year. Craft shows, horse events, nonprofit fundraisers and RV clubs are just a few examples.

Learn more at: www.nwwafair.com

1775 Front Street
Lynden

354-4111

October

Starvin’ Sam’s Mini Marts have been part of Whatcom County since 1980.  Starvin’ Sam’s #4 located at 5639 Barrett Rd. has been serving the citizens of Ferndale since the early 60’s. The location has gone through several changes over the years; it began as a Mobil service station, BP, 76 and present as a Chevron.  Starvin’ Sam’s is proud of being a longtime member of the Ferndale Chamber of Commerce and supporters of our community.

Learn more at:
https://www.facebook.com/starvinsamsmin?fref=ts

5639 Barrett Rd
Ferndale

384-3841

 

 

Welcome New Members: Fall 2015

July

Sound Beverage

Twin Sisters Creamery

August
Healthy Pet

Kelly Services

September

Primerica

Fizz Pop Media

Plain English Technology Service

Allison Amy Jewelry

Mary Kay Independent Consultant—Sarah Engel
New Path Hypnotherapy
Buds SOS
London Health Center

AlyBlue Media

Ferndale School Bond 2016

 

You spoke. We listened.

The Ferndale School District heard what the community told us loud and clear. You understand the need to modernize our high schools, but you want the work done in a financially conservative way the preserves the history of the facilities. We got it.

We asked and you have given your support to help us come up with a plan that addresses the desperate needs of aging facilities and the educational needs for a changing world. We invited you to propose a solution that made sense to you and that you would support. You answered the call. Some of you participated in design forums and town halls. Some of you came to countless small group meetings. Some of you held one-on-one conversations with us. In the great American tradition of communities coming together to solve hard problems, you came up with a compromise proposal that reflects everyone’s needs.

Although the process was sometimes messy and sometimes contentious, it ultimately resulted in a hybrid plan. The new bond proposal is a combination of new and remodeled facilities, an approach that not only lowers the price tag but also holds onto Ferndale’s proud traditions. The performing arts center, the gymnasiums, and the cafeteria will be renovated to address outdated mechanical, electrical, and energy systems, while the Alexander (classroom) building, Old Main and the Career and Technical Education (vocational) buildings will be completely rebuilt. In other words, we are saving the buildings in the best condition and replacing those that are beyond salvage. By taking this hybrid approach, we have dropped the cost to $89 million. You told us this was a better plan.

However, some of you said that $89 million, while considerably better than $125 million, is still too much to afford. For that reason, you will hear us talk about the bond in terms of Proposition A and Proposition B. While the project requires the work in both propositions to address the needs at the high schools, the voters will have the option to only elect proposition A at this time and defer Proposition B to a later time. Even though deferring the work to a future bond will ultimately cost more, some of you wanted that option. We listened. You will have that choice.

While the prospect of a Bond in 2016 for a new/modernized high school is easy to get excited about, we need to remind you that our Maintenance and Operations Levy is expiring this year too. That means the school district will also be asking you to approve a replacement levy in 2016. The Levy is a critical funding source that allows us to “maintain” the quality of day-to-day education and “operate” programs for students. The Levy pays for approximately 25% of everything we do. Despite all the talk out of Olympia about fully funding education, there has been no reduction to our dependence on the local Levy. Without it, the quality of our instructional programs and variety of educational and extra-curricular options for kids, families, and the community will be dramatically reduced.

The community has been telling us for years that they value quality education in Ferndale by continuing to renew our M & O levies. You told us last year we needed to change our approach to fixing our high schools. You told us what a better plan looked like, and we listened.

Please continue to support Ferndale’s proud tradition of strong schools, smart kids, and a caring community by exercising your right to vote on these ballot initiatives.

–Dr. Linda Quinn, Ferndale School District Superintendent

Upcoming Events

October

*7—Leading Ladies

*8—Business Unplugged

11—Public Market Harvest Festival

12—Columbus Day

*21—Membership Luncheon

*21-31—Pumpkin People

*28—Northwest Business & Cross Border Expo

*31—Downtown Trick or Treat

*31—Haunt the Park

 

November

*4—Leading Ladies

*12—Power Hour Educational Series

*18—Membership Luncheon

26—Thanksgiving Day

 

December

*2—Leading Ladies

*4—Holiday Tree Lighting

4-6—Olde Fashioned Christmas

*10—Business Unplugged

*16—Membership Luncheon

25—Christmas Day

31—New Year’s Eve

 

 

*denotes Chamber event

 

 

 

Ferndale Power Hour Educational Series

Our first Power Hour, held in September, was a great success!

Les Pilon of the Ferndale Les Schwab spoke to our group of 11 attendees about training employees to become superstars.

Our next Power Hour will be held on November 12 and will feature Graham Youtsey, who took part in the very first Zig Ziglar Legacy Certification class, and is now one of a handful of Zig Ziglar Legacy Certified trainers, speakers and coaches in the world. He focuses his time and energy in helping others achieve their potential.

Throughout his 20-year career as a commercial and residential banker, Graham has coached and mentored dozens of business professionals to find their purpose and pursue it with passion.

Upcoming Power Hours:

November 12
Graham Youtsey will speak on Increasing and Keeping Productivity in the Workplace
Doors at 3:45; Speaker at 4
WECU Ferndale
FREE to Members

January 14
CJ Seitz of the Small Business Development Council will speak about creating your 2016 Business Plan
Doors at 3:45; Speaker at 4
WECU Ferndale
FREE to Members

Board Member Profile

anya

Anya Milton, Ferndale Boys & Girls Club

As a Chamber Board Member and Ferndale Clubhouse Branch Director for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Whatcom County, I have had the unique privilege of serving this community in a number of ways including serving on the Ferndale Prevention Network, the Domestic Violence Commission’s Child Witness Work Group and the STEP Grant Community Coordinated Response Team.

I have been fortunate enough to watch our community develop and flourish over the past 10 years and I’m committed to improving the opportunities for children to grow up in a safe and supported environment.  Prior to my current position, I ran the Street Outreach Program for homeless and runaway youth in Bellingham. In every interaction I had with the youth, I always found myself asking, how can the community further support youth to change their life’s trajectory?

Working for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Whatcom County allows me to support a mission that enables ALL young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens. I find that serving with the Chamber not only provides further investment in the community; it provides an important perspective to local businesses on local children’s needs.

Ambassador Spotlight

Lorraine Morris

Lorraine Morris, Bank of the Pacific

Being a Chamber Ambassador has been a great opportunity for me to get to know many of my fellow community members in our corner of Whatcom County.  Whether it’s a ribbon cutting celebrating a new business, a Member of the Month presentation honoring an established Chamber Member, or the monthly lunch meeting, I know I can always count on being surrounded by like-minded business owners and community members looking for ways to support and promote each other.  My goal is to not just meet and greet those whose paths I cross, but to build lasting relationships.

I grew up on a family farm in the Yakima Valley and moved with my husband to Birch Bay nearly 20 years ago where we still reside with our two teenage children.  I’ve worked in Banking for over 20 years, and I have the distinct privilege of managing the Ferndale Bank of the Pacific.  Bank of the Pacific has been providing banking solutions for small-to-medium sized businesses and farms for over 40 years.  I welcome you to stop by our branch located at 1860 Main Street just across the street from The Woods Coffee.  We look forward to serving you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Upcoming Membership Luncheons

October 21

11:30am-1pm

Ezra Moore will be speaking on cyber security

Sponsored by Phillips 66

Wednesday, November 18

11:30am-1pm

State of the City
Gary Jensen

Sponored by Alcoa Intalco Works

Wednesday December 16

Noon-1pm

Holiday Party

Sponsored by Ferndale Grocery Outlet

We encourage you to bring a door prize to our luncheons!

RSVP for our upcoming luncheons here!  Click your desired month and then the event you would like to RSVP for.