Executive Director's Notes
We had an amazing time at Graze Steakhouse in Locust Grove for the October Business After Hours. We give a special thank you to the Scruggs Family and staff for the warm hospitality, tasty variety of beverages, and wonderful hors d'oeuvres.
I would like to encourage all of our members to attend Chamber events.
Please see 2021 schedule below.
Email occcexec@gmail.com to confirm your date to showcase your business!
Networking & Social Events 2021
Business First Coffee
We are in the process of scheduling the Networking and Social Events for 2021! Consider hosting the Orange County Chamber of Commerce Business First Coffee, an opportunity that showcases your products or services through the community’s largest professional business organization. A Coffee Hour host must be a member in good standing with the Orange County Chamber of Commerce. Business First Coffee and Wake Up Locust Grove are hosted on a first call/reserve basis.
Coffee Hour host benefits and responsibilities include:
Newsletter and Media Exposure – Coffee Hour host will receive print space for information and promotion of its operation and employees in the weekly newsletters. Information announcing date, time, and location of coffee hour will be shared through email and social media sites of the Chamber. Submission of business overview and logo required.
Coffee Hour Host – Utilize this Coffee Hour to show your support for the community and to showcase your business, products, services and employees. Responsible for providing coffee and other beverages for guests. Host may provide food if desired. (Any additional costs, venue, food, A/V needs are responsibility of host)
Chamber Coffee Hours are scheduled once a month from
8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Business First Coffees are hosted in the Town of Orange and Gordonsville area. Wake Up Locust Grove Coffees are hosted in the Unionville and Locust Grove area.
Dates for Business First Coffee 2021 are on Tuesdays on January 12th,
March 9th, May 11th, July 13th, September 14th, November 9th
Dates for Wake Up Locust Grove are on Tuesdays on February 9th, June 8th, August 10th, October 12th, and December 14th.
Business After Hours
Business After Hours is the premier networking event for business professionals. This event is designed for members to meet and build relationships with representatives from a variety of companies and organizations. This quarterly event occurs on Thursdays, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm, unless otherwise noted. The location is constantly changing and designated by the host organization. This event is free to attendees and is a great opportunity to make new contact and establish long-lasting business relationships.
So, don't forget your business cards.
Dates for the Business After Hours are on Thursdays on March 18th, June 17th, September 16th, and December 16th.
Please RSVP a date to occcexec@gmail.com
Mark your Calendar for the 96th ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET
Thursday, November 12th at the Madison at the Mill.
The Chamber is in the process of finalizing plans.
Do not miss out on the BEST time in town!
Email occcexec@gmail.com for more information.
Upcoming Events
Tuesday, November 10th
Business First Coffee hosted by Orange County Public Schools
TEAC Building
8 a.m. -9 a.m.
Thursday, November 12th
96th Annual Awards Banquet
Madison at the Mill
starts at 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, December 12th
Business After Hours hosted by Deep Roots Home and Garden Center
5 p.m. - 7 p.m.
FALLAPALOOZA 2020
Virtual Fall Festival
Exploring the beauty of Orange County, Virginia
Photo and Video Contest
From: October 9th - November 27th
We are happy to be hosting a photo and video entry contest of your favorite destination, location, or business in Orange County. Capture the best that Orange County has to offer and submit your entry to occcexec@gmail.com
The photo entry should include two sentences explaining your photo.
The Video entry should be no longer than two minutes. Please include commentary by video taker.
A winner will be announced each Friday. Each weekly winner will receive a $10 gift card from a Orange County Chamber of Commerce business.
The grand prize winner will receive accolades in the Orange County Review, on www.orangevachamber.com, and all social media pages.
Grand Prize Winner
Will receive four tickets to the Orange Uncorked Wine Festival
May 1-2, 2021.
Under the age of 21 will receive a $50 gift card.
All content received will be the property of the Chamber and be used in marketing materials online and printed collateral materials.
Contestants may submit their photo/video entries to: occcexec@gmail.com
Week 3 Photo Winner
Kylen Hollars
Chamber Member Spotlight
Clearwater Grill
Full Service family friendly restaurant. Seafood, Steaks, Fresh BBQ, Sandwiches and Burgers. Fantastic Sunday Brunch Buffet!
We are OPEN for “THANKSGIVING”
DINE IN ON THANKSGIVING DAY
or PICK UP A FAMILY PACK THE DAY BEFORE (Serves 4-6 or 8-12 people)
Full menus are online at https://clearwatergrill.com
(540) 972-0606
4276 Germanna Hwy, Locust Grove, VA 22508
Germanna Community College
We’re giving back to our communities in a big way. Get up to $500 towards spring classes. Register by December 1.
Help keep Orange unique by shopping at small and local businesses in Orange County this holiday season. #shoplocal #dinelocal #supportsmallbusiness#thinkorangeva
Orange County News
ORANGE COUNTY RECEIVES $2 MILLION IN CARES ACT FUNDING FROM THE COMMONWEALTH FOR WIRELESS HOTSPOT PROJECT
Orange County receives $1,999,620 from the Commonwealth of Virginia for broadband funding pursuant to the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) for a wireless hotspot project. The hotspots are an innovative solution that provides access to free Wi-Fi for students, small business, teleworkers, and residents. The grant award will help Orange County build thirty-one (31) miles of optical fiber and rapidly deploy a county-wide network of Wi-Fi hotspots that will place 5,791 homes within two (2) miles of a free Wi-Fi hotspot. Over 1,600 of those homes will be less than one (1) mile from a hotspot. The thirty-one (31) miles of fiber will pass 555 homes that will be able to receive fiber to the home connections in 2021. The Wi-Fi hotspots are being placed throughout the county in partnership with over a dozen community facilities including churches, parks, and fire stations. Orange County Administrator Theodore L. Voorhees noted, “The wireless hotspot project provides a viable and timely solution to Orange County citizens struggling with internet connectivity. We appreciate this generous grant from the Commonwealth which will free up local dollars to make fiber connections to residents beginning in 2021.” The County will complete the project through a partnership with the Orange County Broadband Authority, and its operating entity, FiberLync, utilizing existing contracts to begin construction immediately. The project must be completed by December 25, 2020 to comply with the CARES Act funding guidelines.
For further information, please contact Stephanie Straub,
Public Information Officer at sstraub@orangecountyva.gov
or (540) 672-5407.
Woodberry Forest School's student newspaper would be happy to run ads for any business in Orange who wants to reach Woodberry students, free of charge.
For more information contact Tim Pouring -Editor in Chief of the Woodberry Oracle at tim_pouring@woodberry.org
2020 QUADTANK PITCH COMPETITION AND
QUAD COUNTY BUSINESS SUMMIT GO VIRTUAL
The Orange County Economic Development Office is pleased to announce it will co-host the 2020 QuadTank Pitch Competition and Quad County Business Summit along with the Economic Development Offices of Greene County, Louisa County, and Fluvanna County, the Fluvanna Chamber of Commerce, and the Central Virginia Small Business Development Center on November 17, 2020. The QuadTank Pitch Competition will take place from
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., and the Quad County Business Summit
from 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
The 5th Annual Quad County Business Summit will be all virtual. The event will feature keynote speaker Sandy Sponaugle from Platinum PR. Participants will also hear from Hope Lawrence of Hudson Henry Baking Company on how her Fluvanna business has reached its current level of success. The Summit will also include breakout sessions and opportunities for virtual networking. The event is free for Quad County business owners. Interested participants can register at
“In light of current pandemic, the Quad County Business Summit Planning Committee decided to take these events virtual to ensure that our rural entrepreneurs and businesses owners would still have access to this valuable network of resources,” noted Rose Deal, Project Manager for Orange County Economic Development. Similar to last year, The Summit will also include the QuadTank, a winner take all pitch competition. The QuadTank is available for new or current business owners from the participating counties. Businesses should prepare a business plan and pitch their plan to the panel of judges. The final presentations and judge questions will be hosted live the morning of November 17th, for all participants to view. The grand prize for the QuadTank is $5,000. Last year’s winner was JB Cakes of Orange County. This year the Quad Counties are inviting Madison County businesses to participate in the Summit as special guests! Madison County entrepreneurs can view the QuadTank and participate in the Summit with fellow Central Virginia business owners. Registration and sponsorship opportunities are listed on the Summit website: www.qcbsummit.com.
Please save the date, November 17th, to virtually attend this event.
For more information, please contact Rose Deal,
Project Manager at (540) 672-1238.
Round 2 of the Bounce Back Orange Small Business Grant program will open on October 5th, get started today by submitting your interest form in order to be eligible for up to $8,000 in forgivable grant funding. You must complete the interest form at https://bit.ly/3hUzk0a as the interest form generates your invitation to apply for the grant. This is a required step in the process. The application will be an online form, backed by Lenderfit, a secure document and communication management application for loan and grant applications.
For full program details please go to https://bit.ly/2XbVrqZ. Community Investment Collaborative Orange County Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
The Chamber hosts many events throughout the year. This is all possible by the contributions of our
dedicated volunteers.
I am extending out an invitation in need of additional volunteers to make all upcoming events a success.
We will need Chamber members to volunteer for
the following committees:
2021 Events
Orange Uncorked Wine Festival
(May - 1st & 2nd)
Business & Industry Picnic
(Date - May 20th 2021)
Orange Street Festival
(September 11th 2021)
97th Annual Awards Banquet
(Date - TBD)
If you have a special talent or feel inspired to volunteer,
please respond to:
Office # 540.672.5216