Chamber Gift Check program in transition
August 15 deadline for use of all outstanding checks
By TODD TRANUM
President and CEO of the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce & Executive Director of the Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier
The Shop Chautauqua County Gift Check program is in a period of transition. Due to the recent sale of HSBC branches to First Niagara bank, the Chamber's Gift Check account was sold to First Niagara as part of the corporate agreement. As a result, the routing number on all existing HSBC checks will be changed.
First Niagara has agreed to honor all currently distributed HSBC checks until August 15. Any Shop Chautauqua County Gift Checks with the HSBC routing number spent before that date will be honored and should be processed by participating merchants with no trouble.
After Aug. 15, Gift Checks with the HSBC routing number can no longer be processed, even if the expiration date on the check is still valid. Anyone who may have Shop Chautauqua County Gift Checks with the HSBC routing number should use them before the Aug. 15 deadline.
Letters have been mailed to all participating Chamber member businesses offering training opportunities to help ease this process. The Chamber can not guarantee payment on old checks after that date. If HSBC checks are deposited after Aug. 15 the Chamber will not be responsible for returned check fees.
If you need staff training on this issue or have additional questions, please contact Erin Andersen in our office by email at eandersen@chautauquachamber.org or by calling 366-6200 or 484-1101.
In the meantime, new Gift Checks with the new First Niagara routing number are now available for sale through the Chamber. The new checks will not be subject to the Aug. 15 deadline and will be good for one year from the date they are issued.
The Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce Shoptauqua Gift Check program has been directly responsible for putting over $1 million back into local businesses in our community. We continue to see it as a tool to improve foot traffic and increase sales for participating businesses. Thank you for your continued support of the Chamber and this program.
Chamber mixer at the county fairgrounds July 19
The next Chamber networking mixer will be a preview of the Chautauqua County Fair. Coming up on July 19, the event will features the sites and tastes of the fair to be held at the Fairgrounds on Central Avenue, Dunkirk.
This networking event is sponsored by DFT Communications, Fredonia Place, Jamestown Jammers Baseball, Jamestown Mattress Company, Jamestown Savings Bank Arena, Lake Erie Regional Health System, Nestle Purina PetCare, OBSERVER, the Post-Journal, WDOE-KIX96, and WJTN/WWSE/WKSN/WHUG/WQFX.
To register visit our new website at www.chautauquachamber.org, or call one of our offices at 366-6200 or 484-1101.
Date change for social media training course
The upcoming Social Media Training for Business course Design and Build Your Own Website is full. Registration can no longer be accepted for the course. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, the JCC Continuing Education office has had to make a minor change in the dates the course is being offered.
The class will still be held from 1 to 3 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays in July. But instead of beginning on Tuesday, July 10, it will start Thursday, July 12 and continue Tuesday and Thursday afternoons through July 24.
This course is being offered to both Chamber members and non-members for free as part of a social media training series provided through Amazing County funding from the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation, and the Knight Foundation. Please watch for additional opportunities in the coming months as more Social Media Training sessions are planned in this series.
