Etowah Valley OB/GYN has joined Harbin Clinic Women’s Center/Cartersville. Come see their new facility at 150 Gentilly Blvd., 3rd Floor, Cartersville. The Ribbon Cutting and Business After Hours for chamber members begins at 5:00 PM and lasts until 7:00 PM. RSVP to Martha Macon by September 8 for the chance to win $100.

Allstate - The Thompson Group Classic, the Cartersville-Bartow County Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament, will be held on Monday, October 4, at the Cartersville Country Club. Player spots are going fast, so sign up today. Great day of fun and networking with dinner sponsored by Terry Reid Kia. Contact Martha Macon for details; click here for major sponsorship opportunities. Our beverage sponsor is Comcast Cable. For the hole sponsor, signage and foursome registration form, click here.

Hole sponsors include Allstate-The Thompson Group, AT&T, Cartersville Country Club, Century Bank, Elite Motors, Fairfield Inn, Family Savings Federal Credit Union, Fleetwood Security, Hilton Garden Inn, NorthSide Bank, Parnick Jennings Funeral Home, Pendley Heating & Air, TDS, Terry Reid Kia, and Wynn Pontiac.

This bi-lingual Web site sponsored by the Georgia Dept. of Community Affairs provides detailed information about rental properties and helps people find housing to best fit their needs. Go to www.GeorgiaHousingSearch.org, or phone 877-428-8844.

The presenting sponsor for "Roll Out the Red Carpet for Business in Bartow" is Action Rent All. Join Diamond Sponsors Fleetwood Security, Ladies Fitness & Health Center, and Harbin Clinic to get your message out to the public. Contact Leslie McMillan today. The Showcase will be October 28 at the Clarence Brown Conference Center.

Members can reserve their booths for the 2010 Bartow Business Showcase, "Roll Out the Red Carpet for Business in Bartow," to be held on October 28 at the Clarence Brown Conference Center from 3:00-7:00 PM. Member cost is $300, prospective members, $400. Contact Leslie McMillan, leslie@cartersvillechamber.com. Click here for registration packet.

Reinhardt University hosts Business After Hours in celebration of their new status as a university. This networking event is being held at The Resouce Center, 1 N. Gilmer St., Cartersville. RSVP to Martha Macon by September 22 for the chance to win $100.

The Small Business Council is holding a Lunch & Learn on Friday, September 24, 11:30-1:30 PM at the chamber. Dr. Donald Sabbarese will speak on, "U.S. and Local Economic Recovery: The Challenges for the Recovery - A Rebound for Small Business, Job Growth and Real Estate." He is a professor of economics and director of the Kennesaw State University Econometric Center.

Lunch, catered by Slopes BBQ, will be provided free to chamber members, $10 for non-members. RSVP to Martha Macon no later than Monday, September 20.

The Cartersville Downtown Development Authority is seeking Cartersville restaurants and caterers for this year’s Taste of Cartersville to be held on Saturday, October 16, from 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM. Festivities will include live music and entertainment all day on stage, cooking demonstrations, the Atlanta Braves Kids Corner, giveaways and much more. This is a great way to showcase your restaurant or food service. For more information please call the DDA at 770-607-3480.

CelEARTHbration, educating the community on green and sustainable initiatives, is a joint project of Bartow Environmental Management Systems and Keep Bartow Beautiful, being held on Saturday, November 13, at the Clarence Brown Conference Center. Click here for sponsorship information; click here for exhibitor information.

The University of Georgia's Small Business Development Center offers sound advice on starting and growing your business, and also on how to successfully sell your business. Click for a summary of pitfalls to avoid: Things to Avoid.

Georgia Department of Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond has created Georgia Work$ which allows unemployment insurance (UI) claimants to draw UI benefits while receiving workplace training from a potential employer for a maximum of 24 hours per week for up to six weeks.

Benefits to employers are pre-screened qualified individuals; up to six weeks of pre-employment training; trainee stipends covered by GDOL; hiring of trainees at discretion of employers; and workers' compensation coverage provided by GDOL.

Claimants qualify for up to $600 in training stipends (an average of $100 weekly) to help defray training related costs such as child care and transportation. Upon completion of training, participants receive credentials of acquired job skills and are considered for employment. About 60 percent of those who complete GW$ training have been hired.

Employers interested in participating in Georgia Work$ should click here for the training request form: http://www.dol.state.ga.us/pdf/forms/georgia_works_training_request.pdf.

Your local Northwest Georgia Small Business Development Center office has partnered with the Chamber to bring business counseling to you. Meetings will be held at the chamber the first Tuesday of each month. Additional meetings can be held at your request. Please call the SBDC office at 706-272-2700 to schedule. They are eager to help your business succeed.