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PAGE 6A - THE COMMERCE (GA) NEWS, WEDNESDAY. MARCH 25. 2009
Brent and Mary Greenwood are shown with an
award honoring Funopolis Family Fun Center,
Commerce.
Funopolis Captures
Top Industry Award
Funopolis Family Fun
Center, Commerce, was
recently named the best
new family fun cen
ter by the International
Association for the Leisure
and Entertainment
Industry at the Fun Expo
Convention and Trade
Show.
The best new family fun
center award is based on
originality, venue layout,
graphic imaging, variety
of attractions, layout and
theme. Funopolis Family
Center is owned by Brent
and Mary Greenwood.
Funopolis Family Center
became a reality after
receiving approval from
Banks County officials
and financing by Regions
Bank. The Greenwoods
hired Athens-based
Aldridge to renovate
the existing 84 Lumber
yard and buildings. The
Greenwoods also consult
ed with Dorothy Lewis
and Rich Bartlett of Fun
Station Inc., who have
been in the amusement
industry for more than 30
years.
The five-acre indoor
and outdoor facility
includes laser tag, mini
golf, bumper boats, mini
bowling, go-karts and
inflatables. Other attrac
tions include a water
wars game and Max
Flight — a roller coaster
simulator that gives the
effect of riding a roller
coaster. The complex
employs 70 people dur
ing the summer.
Funopolis Family Fun
Center is located at 40155
U.S. Hwy. 441 South,
Commerce. For informa
tion, call 706-335-3866 or
visit www.funopolisfami-
lyfuncenter.com.
Seminar Targets Chamber Web Site
Members of the Jackson County Area Chamber of
Commerce can get some free help on improving their
listings on the chamber's web site.
Chamber Masters will conduct two training sessions
at the chamber office, at 3 p.m. Thursday, March 26,
and at 3 p.m. the following Thursday, April 2.
Robyn Peterson will show members how to enhance
their web listings and about adding "hot deals," job
postings and other events to the web site, which can
be accessed at www.jacksoncountyga.com
Chamber Trims Budget To
Meet New Revenue Forecasts
By Mark Beardsley
Facing declining mem
bership revenue and try
ing to shield itself from
further reductions, the
Jackson County Area
Chamber of Commerce
slashed its 2009 budget
by six percent on the
revenue side and 5.6
percent on the expense
side.
The group's board of
directors voted unani
mously last Friday to
amend its budget to cut
revenue by $28,227.
That comes on top of a
$53,000 reduction in the
original budget over the
2008 budget.
The biggest cut is antic
ipated in dues income.
Renewals are running at
77 percent, said Shane
Short, president.
"We wanted to be a little
conservative on the front
end," Short explained.
By Mark Beardsley
"There is some hope on
the horizon," declared
Jackson County chamber
president Shane Short to
his board of directors
last Friday.
What gives Short rea
son for optimism is an
increase in the number
of calls to the county
from prospective indus
tries, he said.
The day before, he told
the board, a company
made contact and had
already narrowed its
focus to one particular
site.
"That's a good sign,"
he said.
Secondly, Short said a
local company, which
he did not name, plans
"a major expansion of
business that will help
absorb some of those
employees that have
been laid off."
Another prospect,
code-named "Gump," is
a "high tech" manufac-
"We are now starting to
see more layoffs ... busi
nesses are cutting back
... and we've seen some
members go out of busi
ness."
In the current busi
ness climate, the cham
ber also expects to have
more trouble lining up
sponsorships for various
events, and revenue line
items for the Women In
Business luncheon, the
annual golf tournament,
the Taste of Jackson
and other events were
trimmed accordingly to
the tune of $7,500.
The amendment did
show a $7,000 increase
in advertising income
from a new county map
the chamber staff will
produce in-house.
On the expense side, the
chamber shaved $13,125
from personnel, largely
by eliminating the posi-
turer that would invest
$50 to $100 million and
hire approximately 50
people should it come to
Jackson County.
"This week has been
really busy," Short said
later. "We've had a lot of
calls and so forth, and
that's exciting."
Short and Howard
Ledford, director of
instruction at Lanier
Technical College's
Commerce campus,
spoke about efforts that
are starting to market
the area to biotechnical
companies.
Jackson, said Short, is
part of what is called the
"Innovation Crescent,"
an area that includes the
University of Georgia,
Georgia Tech, Hartsfield
International Airport
and the Centers for
Disease Control, which
officials want to market
for biotechnical com
panies. The University
of Georgia already has
tion of office manager
(replacing it with a part-
time receptionist). The
board also cut $6,000
from costs for its office
and administration,
$1,700 from building
maintenance, $500 from
member services, $2,200
from events, $1,200 in
personnel costs (all in
workman's compen
sation insurance) and
$2,000 in travel expens
es.
The end result would be
net revenues over expen
ditures at the end of the
year of $28,849.
"I really wanted us to
keep as much of that
in the budget as we
can," Short explained.
"Number one, we don't
have any reserves.
Number two, if things
get worse, this gives us
room to go in and cut
some more."
a "bio-incubator" with
several start-up compa
nies that will eventually
have to move out of the
incubator — hopeful
ly into the Innovation
Crescent.
"Entry level salary is
$65,000," Ledford point
ed out. "We're not talk
ing doctors, but people
who have a 'certificate of
training.'"
The industry relates
closely to life sciences,
and Ledford said Lanier
Tech's Barrow campus
is opening a life science
program, as are Athens
and Gwinnett technical
colleges.
"Eighteen months of
training and you jump
into a $60,000-$65,000
job," he said. "I've already
applied," he joked.
"We are changing how
we look at recruiting
businesses," Short said.
"We're going to focus
on biotechnical a little
more."
Teams Sought
For Chili
Cookoff
On April 18
Get out the cayenne
pepper, the chili pow
der and the hot sauce
— they may bring you
(limited) fame and for
tune.
The Jackson County
Area Chamber of
Commerce will hold its
annual chili cook-off
at 3:00 p.m. Saturday,
April 18, at YearOne in
Braselton — and the cost
of entering a team has
been slashed by $100.
The cook-off is held
in conjunction with the
YearOne Braselton Bash
Car Show for Public
Safety Awareness and
Law Enforcement Day.
Other featured events
will include a burnout
show, interactive DUI
demonstration, and
equipment from local
police, fire and rescue
departments, along
with a Life Flight heli
copter. There will also
be a children's area —
and a big car show.
Last year 5,000 people
attended and vendors
ran out of chili. That's
why the team fee is
lower this year — so
teams can make more
chili. So far, 11 groups
have organized to com
pete for prizes, trophies
and the title.
The event is a fund
raiser for the chamber,
which last year post
ed a profit of about
$4,500.
First through third-
place prizes will be
awarded for "best tast
ing chili" and "show
manship," plus cash
prizes for People's
Choice (most tickets
collected) and a DJ's
Choice.
The team entry fee
is $150 for chamber
members and $200 for
nonmembers. Teams
must make seven gal
lons of chili.
The chamber sells
tickets redeemable for
two-ounce samples and
for bowls of chili.
Chamber: A little 'Good
News' Seen On The Horizon
Maysville Council To Meet
The Maysville City Council will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday
at the public library.
Items on the agenda include available stimulus funds,
the sewer use manual and the grease trap policy.
NEED CASH?
Sell it in the classifieds — $10
706-367-5233
$ 5 00 0FF
Ticket Of s 2CP° Or More. Valid with coupon Mon.-Thurs. only.
La Hacienda Commerce La Hacienda Braselton
173 Steven B. Tanger Blvd. 5391 Highway 53
706-335-7458 706-654-0070
|^T/ie Original Mexican Restaurant! Not affiliated with any other restaurant j
Kir
Hickory Smoked BBQ
WE HAVE
NEW HOURS
Thurs. 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. • Fri. & Sat. 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Sunday 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Thank you for your patronage.
Join us for some real old-timer slow pit cooked barbeque.
7226 S. Apple Valley Rd., Jefferson, GA.
706-367-7476
7 G’s Farm
WINTER SALE
Ley la nd Cypress Trees
1 -gal. containers 3-4 ft. tall $5.00
7-gal. containers 6-7 ft. tall $21.00
7 G's Farm • 2331 Old Kings Bridge Rd. • Nicholson, Georgia
’hone: (706) 757-2526 • www.7gsfarm.com • Open Daily 10-6
WINTER CLEARANCE
Golf Clubs & Equipment
must go to make room for spring arrival!
Fittings
Bag Evaluations
Repairs
Putting Green
Equipment
Apparel
1850 Epps Bridge Pkwy. • Athens, GA
Driver’s Education Offered
AARP Driver’s Safety
This 2-day class reviews rules of the road, deals with accident prevention
and normal age-related changes that afiect driving ability. Graduates
may be eligible for auto insurance premium reduction. Advance
registration is required. $12 for AARP members, $ 14 for
non-members. Participants must attend both classes for certification.
Monday, April 21
and Tuesday, April 22
5:00 - 9:00 p.m. both days
Space is limited, so call today to register.
For more information
and to register, call our
Health Education department .
at 475-5620.
Athens Regional
MEDICAL CENTER