The first day of the fall Grow Newberry Farmers Market was held this past Saturday. The rain was iffy, but didn’t scare off the shoppers interested in fresh, local produce and locally made items. The fresh brewed coffee was nice as well. We welcomed two new art vendors this week, so bring your Christmas list. You may be able to cross a few people off as you shop with us each Saturday from 9 until 11 a.m. through Nov. 18 in Memorial Park in downtown Newberry.

From now until Nov. 17, the Newberry County Young Professionals have partnered with the Rotary Club of Newberry, the Muller Center at Newberry College, and Newberry County Literacy Council for a Coat Drive. They are accepting new and gently used coats and other outerwear for high school students in Newberry County. Drop off points include the Chamber, Prosperity Drug, Newberry College Keller Hall, and Sissy’s Boutique.

The Third Annual Pumpkin Painting Party will be held this coming Sunday from 3 until 4:30 p.m. in Town Square in front of Community Hall in downtown Newberry. The first 150 children aged 12 and under will receive a pumpkin to paint to their heart’s content. Refreshments will be served. We thank Walmart for donating the pumpkins, Senn Trucking for transporting them, and Whitaker Floor Coverings for the paint.

If you are a Chamber member who is interested in meeting more people, then being an Ambassador may be for you. In addition to reaching out to other members, some Ambassadors also help out at events and further engage in their community. If you are interested in learning more, contact us. This month, the Ambassadors will meet on Oct. 25 at 10 a.m. in the Chamber conference room. Join us and find out if you would be a good fit with this dedicated group of people.

Newberry County Memorial Hospital has renovated and expanded their cafeteria. On their behalf, we invite you to join us for a Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening of the new area on Oct. 26 from 5:30 until 7 p.m. The Ribbon Cutting will be held around 6 p.m.

The 2017-2018 Leadership Newberry County will hold their first class on Nov. 2. We look forward to sharing their experiences via several outlets throughout the next nine months.

Last evening, Park Sterling Bank hosted this month’s Business After Hours. Thank you to all who came out for networking. November’s Business After Hours will be held on Nov. 2 from 5:30 until 7 p.m. at The Farm, located at 7556 SC 219 in Newberry. This will be an outdoor event for the whole family, so bring your partner, spouse, and/or child(ren). ServiceMaster Restoration by GB Johnson is sponsoring this event at the Johnson family farm. In the event of inclement weather, this event will be cancelled, so watch the forecast and call us if you have questions about plans.

We are sponsoring a Newberry County Job Fair on Nov. 9 at Piedmont Technical College from 1 until 4 p.m. If you are a business looking to hire, contact us and we will send you a link to register. If you are seeking a job or just interested in what types of jobs are available, be sure to mark your calendar to drop in.

We welcome your feedback and suggestions. Feel free to contact us at 803-276-4274, chamber@newberrycounty.org, or 1209 Caldwell Street on the first floor of Community Hall in downtown Newberry.

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Michelle Long

Contributing Columnist

Michelle Long is executive director of the Newberry Chamber of Commerce. Contact her at michelle@newberrycounty.org.