Latest / WIXN AM 1460 - Shaw Local Radio / Talk Line: Sam Kersey shares the latest updates from the Rock Falls Chamber of Commerce

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Talk Line: Sam Kersey shares the latest updates from the Rock Falls Chamber of Commerce · WIXN AM 1460 - Shaw Local Radio

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  Speaker 1: Hey, there's Stock Valley. Welcome back to the Waking crew
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: here on FM ninety five one and AM fourteen sixty WIXN.
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  Speaker 1: It's eight fifteen, so that means it's time for talk
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  Speaker 1: line and I'm joined today by our good friends from
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  Speaker 1: the Rock Falls Chamber of Commerce, the president Sam Kersey, Sam,
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  Speaker 1: how are you today?
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  Speaker 2: Good morning, and things are really heating up in Rock
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  Speaker 2: Falls and we are excited for this warmer weather.
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  Speaker 1: I mean, who wouldn't be right, It's it's been mid fifties.
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  Speaker 1: I think it was sixty sixty something over the weekend anyways,
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  Speaker 1: and still continuing at least for most of this week.
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  Speaker 1: Absolutely beautiful.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, oh yes, absolutely. Twenty twenty six has been a
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  Speaker 2: little chilly, but we are gearing up for a hot,
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  Speaker 2: hot summer and springtime. Just got to recap in our
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  Speaker 2: twenty twenty six so far with the Rock Falls Chamber.
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  Speaker 2: In January, we actually did our Infant Emergency CPR class.
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  Speaker 2: We partnered with Stock Valley CPR to offer a free
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  Speaker 2: infant Emergency Response class that was free for our community.
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  Speaker 2: It had a great, great turnout. It was hands on
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  Speaker 2: practical training that gave parents, grandparents, babysitters, and more just
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  Speaker 2: the confidence to really respond to any of those emergencies.
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  Speaker 2: In twenty twenty six, we are really kicking off heavy
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  Speaker 2: with the education and supporting our local businesses however we can.
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  Speaker 2: So we're keeping that momentum as we moved into February
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  Speaker 2: with our tax prep seminar. We partnered with mcfall's Burge
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  Speaker 2: and Associates to host a tax seminar to help our
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  Speaker 2: local businesses and our members feel a little bit more
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  Speaker 2: confident as we gear up for that big, heavy tax season.
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  Speaker 2: We're here to support our members, so we connected them
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  Speaker 2: with Beth and her great team over at mcfalls and Burge.
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  Speaker 2: We loved having them in here and we really hope
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  Speaker 2: that was great for so many of our local businesses.
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  Speaker 1: I mean absolutely everyone kind of well maybe not everyone
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  Speaker 1: dreads tax season. You know, some folks are, you know,
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  Speaker 1: expecting a great return, but that you know, it's always
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  Speaker 1: better to be prepared and attending things like this are
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  Speaker 1: the best way to kind of get a leg up
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  Speaker 1: if especially if you have questions.
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  Speaker 2: Right absolutely, and we have so many great partners with
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  Speaker 2: the Rock Falls Chamber. You can jump on our website
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  Speaker 2: and look at our member directory at any time or
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  Speaker 2: just give us a call. If you guys have a
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  Speaker 2: question or if there's somebody you just need to connect with,
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  Speaker 2: give the Rock Falls Chamber a call. That's what we're
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  Speaker 2: here for. We're here to connect you with those professionals
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  Speaker 2: in our area and pair you with the perfect person
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  Speaker 2: to help you with those scenarios.
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  Speaker 1: Well, there you have it. If you have any of
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  Speaker 1: those questions or ever just been curious, get a hold
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  Speaker 1: of the Chamber and you want to talk a little
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  Speaker 1: bit about a special anniversary. Is that right?
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  Speaker 2: Absolutely? This is our big, huge seventieth anniversary with the
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  Speaker 2: Rock Falls Chamber of Commerce. We joke that we look
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  Speaker 2: great for our age, but we're still going strong. This
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  Speaker 2: is going to be a huge, mega event. It's going
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  Speaker 2: to be held on March fifth. It's really really special
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  Speaker 2: to us as we celebrate seventy years of business growth,
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  Speaker 2: leadership and community impact. We're going to host this event
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  Speaker 2: at the beautiful Mexicali ROAs Banquet Halt right here in
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  Speaker 2: rock Balls, Illinois. They again are a great community partner
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  Speaker 2: with us and we want to make sure to support
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  Speaker 2: them and really show off that beautiful, beautiful venue. We'll
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  Speaker 2: also be pairing with Toast and Plate Catering out of Sterling, Illinois.
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  Speaker 2: They will be hosting a awesome dinner custom to our
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  Speaker 2: evening and our needs. But tickets are only available through
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  Speaker 2: this Friday, that is February twentieth. That is a very
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  Speaker 2: very very very last day I can take tickets for
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  Speaker 2: this big night as we recognize our awards of the
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  Speaker 2: Shoulder to the Wheel, Meritorious Service Business of the Year,
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  Speaker 2: and so much more, and also going down memory lane
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  Speaker 2: and really checking out the last seventy years of rock
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  Speaker 2: Balls in the Rock Falls Chamber history, and a lot
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  Speaker 2: of people forget that we are a nonprofit organization, so
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  Speaker 2: we are heavily member based. So to celebrate us, we
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  Speaker 2: really have to celebrate those local businesses. If you love
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  Speaker 2: this community and you love seeing businesses thrive, it's really
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  Speaker 2: a great night and you really want to be in
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  Speaker 2: the room on that March fifth, So get your tickets
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  Speaker 2: right there at the Rock Falls Chamber website or just
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  Speaker 2: give me a call. I can get you registered by
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  Speaker 2: this Friday.
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  Speaker 1: There you go, folks, You've only got a couple of
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  Speaker 1: days left to get those tickets and be part of
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  Speaker 1: a huge milestone for the Chamber. Seventy years. That's congratulations
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  Speaker 1: on that. That's got to you know, feel amazing to
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  Speaker 1: have seen things kind of you know, go from you know,
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  Speaker 1: just this idea of lifting community up and then over
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  Speaker 1: the years, all these these new partners joining on, the
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  Speaker 1: different events that are that are always held, and just
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  Speaker 1: some of the new programs that pop out of the chamber.
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  Speaker 1: It's it's really cool to see what's what's happened. I
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  Speaker 1: know I haven't been here for those entire seventy years,
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  Speaker 1: but but just kind of getting to look back over
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  Speaker 1: the history that's been documented in what's happened, it's just
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  Speaker 1: really cool to see the growth that's happened over there.
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  Speaker 2: Absolute and me too, I haven't been here for seventy years.
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  Speaker 2: I haven't even been on this planet seventy years, but
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  Speaker 2: that makes it even more special and more meaningful. I
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  Speaker 2: feel so honored to be part of this organization and
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  Speaker 2: all the things that they've accomplished before me, and with
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  Speaker 2: me celebrating past presidents such as Linda Thurm who sat
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  Speaker 2: for over twenty three years as our president, and CEO
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  Speaker 2: Bethany Bland served over eighteen years, and so celebrating all
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  Speaker 2: those local businesses that contributed to the Chambers. So we
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  Speaker 2: really hope to see you guys there on that great
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  Speaker 2: wonderful night of March fifth.
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  Speaker 1: You know, and as the weather warms up, which it's
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  Speaker 1: not quite spring, although it's feeling like it lately. You
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  Speaker 1: wanted to talk about a couple of events for the spring.
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  Speaker 2: Absolutely, our Spring Bingo is blowing up. It is huge.
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  Speaker 2: Tickets are flying out the door faster than that fifty
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  Speaker 2: cc mini dirt bike that is our jackprot prize. So
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  Speaker 2: we actually sold over a hundred and fifty five tickets
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  Speaker 2: in the first week of tickets on sale. That's crazy.
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  Speaker 2: I understand that people are concerned that we're going to
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  Speaker 2: sell out, and they rightfully are concerned. So right now
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  Speaker 2: I check tickets this morning. We are sitting at the
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  Speaker 2: number where we typically do sell out. So if we
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  Speaker 2: were at our old venue, we would have sold out
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  Speaker 2: right now in spring being it would have been closed.
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  Speaker 2: But luckily for everybody, we move locations to a bigger
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  Speaker 2: venue with more space and more opportunity, and then more
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  Speaker 2: opportunities to grow the prizes as well and the awesome
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  Speaker 2: giveaways that we're doing. So we're at the McCormick Event
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  Speaker 2: Center again, such as we were in the Holiday Bingo
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  Speaker 2: last twenty twenty five. So the McCormick Event Center, they've
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  Speaker 2: been a great community partner with Candlelight with us. So
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  Speaker 2: we are only about halfway sold out of tickets right now,
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  Speaker 2: which is still crazy for this event. So if you
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  Speaker 2: are interested, make sure to get those tickets right away
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  Speaker 2: just in case we sell out. I don't know what
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  Speaker 2: that's gonna happen. Again, we are blowing out of tickets everywhere.
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  Speaker 2: People are grabbing them like crazy. But this is really
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  Speaker 2: the bingo to hit. This is the one that you
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  Speaker 2: want to go to. We have prizes such as Beats
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  Speaker 2: by dre earbuds, a three sixty video drone, a beautiful
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  Speaker 2: Michael Core's handbag worth over four hundred dollars, the thirty
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  Speaker 2: four piece Pioneer Woman pot sets, pots and pans set,
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  Speaker 2: the outdoor patio swing set, and then again like I mentioned,
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  Speaker 2: that fifty cc mini dirt bike. It goes over twenty
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  Speaker 2: five miles per hour, sturdy, durable brake system installed, So
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  Speaker 2: make sure you get those tickets. Again. We're gonna partner
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  Speaker 2: with the McCormick Event Center and PC Tech to you
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  Speaker 2: for this huge, mega event with more space, better equipment,
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  Speaker 2: and more possibilities than ever to win. Grab your tickets
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  Speaker 2: at the Rockfalls Chamber dot com or at the Rock
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  Speaker 2: Falls or Stirling Soft Valley Banks before we sell out.
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  Speaker 2: Get them soon. Get your friends, get your family members,
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  Speaker 2: get everybody together. If you have a group of ten
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  Speaker 2: or more, we'll hold your seats for you, so you'll
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  Speaker 2: just come in, check it and you'll be ready to go.
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  Speaker 2: If you don't have a group of ten, that's okay.
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  Speaker 2: We have plenty plenty of seating. Come on in and
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  Speaker 2: it's just open seating when you get there. You'll just
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  Speaker 2: find a good place.
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  Speaker 1: When you get there, there, you go grab your tickets
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  Speaker 1: while there's still some space left available. Get your dobbers.
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  Speaker 1: Beat me down there, because the last thing you want
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  Speaker 1: to see is me on your mini dirt bike with
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  Speaker 1: those beats by Trey blasting my tunes and it could
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  Speaker 1: have been you. I'll scoo right out of that place.
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  Speaker 1: Once I win those two, I'll call that away.
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  Speaker 2: I hope somebody does.
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  Speaker 1: You also had a networking event that you wanted to share.
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  Speaker 2: Absolutely, We just want to make sure people are going
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  Speaker 2: to mark their calendars for that huge speed Networking event
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  Speaker 2: on April twenty second. Speed Networking is getting so much
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  Speaker 2: traction and we're really growing this event. The Spring one
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  Speaker 2: is going to be the one you want to hit.
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  Speaker 2: So speed networking is an idea, kind of thought like
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  Speaker 2: speed dating, but for your business. So what other opportunities
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  Speaker 2: No matter what your age, no matter what your business is.
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  Speaker 2: Where else can you go where you can sit down
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  Speaker 2: in one night and in an hour you've sat down
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  Speaker 2: with twenty plus business owners one on one, had the
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  Speaker 2: opportunity to connect with them, explain your business, tell them
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  Speaker 2: your mistress, put their business card right in their hand,
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  Speaker 2: and then meet them and take their contact home with you. Nowhere,
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  Speaker 2: there is nowhere else you can do that, So please
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  Speaker 2: join us for that speed Networking April twenty second. If
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  Speaker 2: you're a member of the Rock Falls Chamber of Commerce,
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  Speaker 2: you and all of your employees are totally free. So
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  Speaker 2: you can send your marketing rep. You can send your HR,
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  Speaker 2: you can send one or two different employees. Again to
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  Speaker 2: grow this great networking opportunity, So join us April twenty second.
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  Speaker 2: If you're not a Rock Falls Chamber member, that's okay.
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  Speaker 2: It's just a small fifteen dollars donation to help the
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  Speaker 2: event grow, and we'd love to talk about joining the
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  Speaker 2: chamber and growing your business through us as well. One
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  Speaker 2: of us will be at the table, so you will
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  Speaker 2: get the opportunity to even sit down talk one on
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  Speaker 2: one with us. And I know a lot of questions are, well,
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  Speaker 2: what if I've met five, six, seven of these people already? Yes,
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  Speaker 2: but have you got to know them or have you
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  Speaker 2: got an update from their business in the last six months.
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  Speaker 2: A lot of times we get really busy and we
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  Speaker 2: forget to just check on in and a couple of
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  Speaker 2: our older partners that we've had for many, many years,
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  Speaker 2: so it's a good opportunity just to catch updates and
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  Speaker 2: meet other people as well. Well.
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  Speaker 1: There you go, whether you're a new business to the
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  Speaker 1: area or you've been here for a while but you
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  Speaker 1: feel like there's maybe some in the business community you
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  Speaker 1: still haven't connected with. This is the event for you, Sam.
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  Speaker 1: Is there anything else you would wanted to share this
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  Speaker 1: morning when we have a few.
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  Speaker 2: Minutes just that we'd love to see in rock Balls
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  Speaker 2: If you guys have a party or any event, business meeting,
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  Speaker 2: anything like that. We have the Rock Falls Community Building
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  Speaker 2: right here with us as well, it is a wonderful space,
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  Speaker 2: very space. This table schaers provided, full access kitchen, and
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  Speaker 2: it's available for any kind of wedding, get together, kintinera
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  Speaker 2: business meeting, anything like that. To give the Rock Falls
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  Speaker 2: Chamber a call and we'd love to welcome you into
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  Speaker 2: the Rock Falls Community Building this year.
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  Speaker 1: And if you're a business that's not yet part of
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  Speaker 1: the chamber, how would they go about doing that?
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  Speaker 2: Just give us a call. Membership is easy and you
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  Speaker 2: can get started same day. It's just a simple little
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  Speaker 2: paperwork and then you're activated that day. That same day
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  Speaker 2: you'll unlock free unlimited marketing. So that's marketing through our
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  Speaker 2: social media which is over eight thousand followers on our
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  Speaker 2: community e blast which is over three thousand followers. It
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  Speaker 2: opens up all of these seminars such as the tax prep,
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  Speaker 2: the CPR, the speed networking and a lot more. All
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  Speaker 2: of those are completely free for utilized throughout the year.
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  Speaker 2: And then don't forget you either get free admission or
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  Speaker 2: a just kind of admission to any of our events
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  Speaker 2: throughout the year, just celebrating our members. And then we're
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  Speaker 2: always looking for new seminars and new partners that way too,
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  Speaker 2: So if you have an outstanding business and you have
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  Speaker 2: something to share with the community, that would be a
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  Speaker 2: great resource. We'd love to partner with you as well.
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  Speaker 1: There you go, no reason not to have that level
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  Speaker 1: of support. Sam, Thank you so much for sharing all
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  Speaker 1: this information and all the wonderful work that you folks
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  Speaker 1: do over at the Chamber, and I look forward to
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  Speaker 1: having you share future updates with everything that's going on
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  Speaker 1: as we continue into the new year.
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  Speaker 2: Thank you so much for having me, and make sure
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  Speaker 2: to check out the rock Falls Chamber this year for
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  Speaker 2: our big seventieth year anniversary.