Blog Tag: kawartha chamber

Outgoing President’s Notes 2018-19

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Tonya Kraan - Kawartha Chamber of Commerce Tourism President 2018-19 (002)

As I write this report, I cannot believe that a year has passed since I was voted in as President of the Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism. I look forward to continuing to serve on the Board as Past President for 2019-20.

My involvement with the Kawartha Chamber started when my family and I moved to Ennismore. I remember speaking with Sherry as our boxes were being unpacked. I wanted to get to know this community – what businesses and services were available for us as new residents. The business directory was great, but I really wanted to get to know the businesses and volunteer my time to help grow economic prosperity in the region, so I joined the Board. I have participated in the Governance Committee, the HR Committee and the Marketing Committee. I will continue to Chair the Marketing Committee and look forward to Chairing the Nominating Committee to ensure our Board continues to meet the needs of our members.

The Marketing Committee has been working on a few initiatives and at a recent meeting, we reviewed some of the key reasons why businesses choose to join the Kawartha Chamber. It probably won’t surprise you that we agreed overwhelmingly it was because we support rural, small businesses in all sectors – including microbusinesses, solopreneurs & home-based businesses. The staff work hard to organize networking and professional development events that meet the needs of our members. One of the most requested sessions are our “Business Owners Sharing Solutions” (B.O.S.S.) series and our “Hops” are highly attended – giving members opportunities to tour businesses and speak with the owners.

I want to thank the 330+ Chamber members for allowing me to serve you as President for 2018-19 and a special thank you to the staff for making this term unforgettable.

Tonya Kraan

Outgoing President

Recap of the Kawartha Chamber’s 2019 AGM

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2019 Annual General Meeting

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Tonya Kraan, Strexer Harrop & Associates & Past Board President, hosting our meeting

We hosted our Annual General Meeting last night, February 13th, at The Village Inn in Lakefield. If you missed it, keep reading for a recap of the event and to see some photos!

Last night, we:

  • Discussed our 2018 year and its highlights.
  • Presented the slate of directors for the coming year (see below for full slate) – welcome to new Board Directors Mary Brown, Sales Representative, Bowes & Cocks Ltd. Brokerage Apsley  & Roberta Hubble, owner of Tim Hortons Lakefield & Bridgenorth!
  • Approved our Bylaws.
  • Enjoyed networking and refreshments.
  • Presented sponsorships & donations.
  • Held a membership draw as well as door prize draws.
  • Hosted a new member welcome. Our First Data rep, Bruce Averill , and Chamber Group Insurance rep, Brian Bulger, The Life Insurance Guy, were both on hand to answer any questions.
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New Member Welcome Display

We would like to extend a huge thank you to our Refreshment Donors for the evening! We enjoyed sandwiches from The Bridgenorth Deli and Cassis Bistro, pizza from Pizza Alloro, cookies and squares from Lakefield Bakery on Queen & M&M Food Market respectively, a cheese platter & veggies from Lakefield Foodland as well as beverages from The Village Inn, who also graciously hosted us in their meeting space for the meeting.

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Some of the delicious refreshments

We also received great door prizes.  Thank you to Tim Hortons Lakefield & Bridgenorth, The Bee’s Knees Encaustics, CIBC Bridgenorth & Lakefield, Salon Sorella & Day Spa, Stoney Lake Cruises and The Art Shop for their donations.

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Door prizes

Last night, we commemorated the retirement of two Board Directors: the late Garry Douglas, North Kawartha Design and Kawartha Lakes Construction, and Tom LaBranche, Village Pet Food & Supply.

In Garry’s honour, we presented a donation to Cuddles for Cancer. Charlotte, a member of Cuddles for Cancer Youth Council, accepted the cheque on behalf of Cuddles for Cancer founder, Faith Dickinson.

Retiring Board Director, Tom LaBranche, chose the Peterborough Humane Society for his donation. Unfortunately, a member of the Peterborough Humane Society wasn’t able to attend last night.

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Tom LaBranche presented the donation to Cuddles for Cancer on Garry’s behalf

We also presented our 2019 sponsorships for PolarFest and the Ice Sculpture Carving, which were accepted by Terry McQuitty (Lakefield Herald) and Jennie MacKenzie (Lakefield Pantry), respectively.

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Tonya Kraan presenting the Kawartha Chamber’s sponsorship for PolarFest to Terry McQuitty
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Tonya Kraan presenting the Kawartha Chamber’s sponsorship for the PolarFest Ice Carving event to Jennie MacKenzie

The last cheque presentation of the evening was with Board Director Lynn Woodcroft, Sales Representative, Royal LePage Frank Real Estate. Lynn renewed her Professional Development Sponsorship with us for 2019-20. Gerry Herron of Blue Diamond Window Cleaning also renewed his 2019-20 Networking Events Sponsorship but wasn’t able to make it to the meeting.

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Lynn Woodcroft presenting her sponsorship to Tonya Kraan

Thank you to everyone who came out to our AGM last night. We had a great time networking, enjoying refreshments and recapping our 2018 year with you all!

More Photos From Our AGM

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Members enjoying some networking & refreshments before the meeting commenced
Auditor, Marie Dietrich of Grant Thornton LLP, presenting her report
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Charlotte, a member of Cuddles for Cancer’s Youth Council, getting ready for the presentation
Kelland Sewell, rPM3 Solutions Canada Inc, giving our members a brief overview of B2B
Meeting adjourned!

 

Board Directors 2019-20

*The Board Executive will be elected at our March 2019 Board Meeting on March 11th at 6pm at The Village Inn.

Take Part in PolarFest This Winter!

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For the 13th year, PolarFest is taking place in Selwyn Township this winter. If you don’t know, PolarFest is a 3-day festival filled with lots of fun winter activities, all of which are perfect for the whole family. All the events for PolarFest take place in Selwyn Township (Bridgenorth, Ennismore and Lakefield).

The Kawartha Chamber is a proud Community Sponsor!

Friday, February 1st (PA Day)

Snowman Challenge Begins 

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If you think you can build the best snowman in Selwyn Township, then there is a contest for you! Make sure your snowman is ready for PolarFest weekend and take a picture of your awesome snowman and upload to Facebook, be sure add #snowmanchallenge #polarfest to your post. Don’t have Facebook? No problem, email photo to tjacobs@selwyntownship.ca A prize will be awarded for the best, most creative snowman! Taking place from February 1st-3rd.

Youth Shinny – 9am-12pm, February 1st

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With February 1st being a PA Day, get your kids involved in PolarFest! A Youth Shinny will be taking place from 9am – 12pm at the Ennismore Community Centre. The entry fee is $5 per person and full equipment is mandatory.

There are three games taking place:

  • 9 am -10 am for ages 8 & under (Novice & Tyke)
  • 10 am -11 am ages 9 to 11 (Atom & Peewee)
  • 11 am -12 noon ages 12 & over (Bantam & Midget)

Opening Ceremonies – 6:30pm, February 1st

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The opening ceremony for 2019 PolarFest is taking place at 6:30pm at the Marshland Centre in Lakefield. Stop by to see some fireworks and help kick off the 13th Annual PolarFest!

Lakefield Trail Night Hike – 7:20pm, February 1st

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After the Opening Ceremony, join the Lakefield Trail Stewardship Committee for the ‘Nature in Winter’ Guided Night Hike on the Lakefield Trail!

The hike begins at 7:20pm at the Marshland Centre with Derek & Sheila Potter leading the hike and exploring local wildlife. There will be lots of educational fun, stories and games. The hike will return to the beach for a toasty campfire with campfire songs with the Girl Guides, roasting marshmallows and hot apple cider. Be sure to dress warmly and bring a flashlight.

Guns and Hoses Charity Hockey Game – 7pm, February 1st

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If a night hike isn’t what you’re after, a charity hockey game (Guns and Hoses) will also be taking place at 7pm at the Ennismore Community Centre. The game is between the police (‘Guns’) and Selwyn Firefighters (‘Hoses’).

Entry is $2 at the gate. There will also be a 50/50 draw. Funds raised will go to Victims Services of Peterborough Northumberland.

Saturday, February 2nd

Causeway Christian Assembly Free Pancake Breakfast – 9am, February 2nd

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Start your Saturday off with a Free Pancake Breakfast at 9am at the Causeway Christian Assembly (1307 Yankee Line) in Ennismore.

Ice Sculpture Competition – 10am-4pm, February 2nd

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Lakefield is celebrating its 15th anniversary of spectacular ice sculptures with a Ice Sculpture Competition from 10am – 4pm at Cenotaph Park in Lakefield. This years theme is Mythical Woodland Creatures! You can bring your children out to the event to enjoy crafting statues out of ice provided in the ice garden.

There will also be an opportunity for you to cast a ballot for the People’s Choice Awards, which will be taking place at 5pm at the Thirsty Loon. If you hang on to your ballot stub, it’s a valuable discount coupon.

There will also be face painting offered from 12-4pm at Cenotaph Park, which is brought to you by the students at Oxford College!

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Some of the Ice Carvings from PolarFest 2017

RE/MAX Hot Air Balloon Rides – 11am, February 2nd

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PolarFest has it all – even hot air balloon rides! Stop by Isabel Morris Park in Lakefield at around 11:00am to view the area from the sky in a hot air balloon. The air balloon will be tethered and the event is conditional on the weather (must be a calm day with no wind). If there is any wind, the balloon will not be onsite.

Ice Sculptures – 11am to 3pm, February 2nd

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Stop by Heritage Park in Bridgenorth from 11am – 3pm to see some chainsaw ice carvings by the Ice People. Carvings will be on display at Heritage Park.

Polar Run – 11am, February 2nd

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If you enjoy running, consider taking part in the 5k Polar RUN. The run starts and finishes at The Village Inn in Lakefield. Sign in for the run at 10:30am. The run starts at 11am.

The run will take you through the village, out and back on the Lakefield Trail for a total of 5km. Runners and walkers of all abilities are welcome. The Polar Run is an old fashioned 1st, 2nd and 3rd overall for men and women (no chip timing). Awards ceremony and free post-race refreshments will follow.

Proceeds from the Polar RUN will support Athletics Ontario and Legion Track Club: Peterborough Legion Track.

Little Chippers – 11am to 3pm, February 2nd

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If you have kids who love to get creative, stop by Heritage Park in Bridgenorth from 11am – 3pm for some ice sculpture building! Little Chippers gives kids the opportunity to get creative with ice and can build their own ice sculptures. Ice People will be on hand to offer instructions.

Free Public Skating – 12pm to 1pm, February 2nd

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Stop by the Lakefield-Smith Community Centre for some public skating from 12 – 1 pm. This public skating is sponsored by Craftworks at the Barn!

Nordic Day – 12pm to 3pm, February 2nd

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Stop by the Ontario Speed Skating Oval Lakefield from 12pm – 3pm to take in the great outdoors and experience a day of Nordic sports! Adventure Outfitters will be at the Speed Skating Oval with a selection of cross country skis and snowshoes. It’ll be a great opportunity to try some speed skating or take a trip around the oval property on groomed trails!

Library Lego Play – 1pm to 4pm, February 2nd

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Planning on stopping by Cenotaph Park in Lakefield to see the ice sculptures? Stop by the Lakefield Library in the Centennial Room from 1-4pm to warm up! There will be LEGO and colouring for kids ages 4+.

Polar Paddle – 1pm, February 2nd

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Ever wanted to see a canoe paddled down the middle of a downtown street? Don’t miss the annual Polar Paddle in Lakefield. The annual event is taking place at 1pm on Queen Street!

Take part in the Polar Paddle by registering a team or watch as teams of six push or pull canoes down Queen Street. The canoes will be on wheels and participants will be dressed in costumes.

The Polar Paddle is sponsored by the Lakefield Pantry and Township of Selwyn. For more information or to register call Jennie MacKenzie at 705-652-6062 or email: lakefieldpantry@cogeco.ca

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Polar Paddle 2017

Horse Drawn Sleigh Rides – 1pm to 4pm, February 2nd

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What winter festival would be complete without horse drawn sleigh rides? Stop by the Ennismore Community Centre from 1-4pm to enjoy sleigh rides & free hot chocolate.

Bridgenorth United Church Spaghetti Dinner – 5pm to 8pm, February 2nd

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Having spent the day checking out all the fun PolarFest activities offered in the township, you’ll probably have built up quite the appetite. So, make sure to stop by Bridgenorth United Church for their Spaghetti Dinner from 5pm – 8pm! Not only will there be delicious spaghetti to eat, there will also be musical entertainment with guest musicians and singers. Entry is $10 for adults and $5 for children 7 and under.

Candlelight Skate – 6pm to 9pm, February 2nd

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Finish of the second day of PolarFest with a candlelight skate from 6-9pm at the Ontario Speed Skating Oval (next to the water tower in Lakefield). The 400m oval will be lite with hundreds of candles to guide you.

The skating is free. Rental speed skates will be available. You’ll want to bring a flashlight to guide you from the parking lot to the Oval rink.

Sunday, February 3rd

Antique & Vintage Snowmobile Show – 10am to 3pm, February 3rd

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For the 12th year, the Antique & Vintage Snowmobile Club of Canada will be hosting an Antique and Vintage Snowmobile Show at Rotary Park in Ennismore from 10am – 3pm. Stop by to see some cool snowmobiles! All vintage snowmobile enthusiasts are welcome to come out and display their snowmobiles. All snowmobiles welcome.

The display is sponsored in part by R.J. Brown Insurance Brokers. For more information, contact Alex Lamore at alamore@bell.net or call 705-775-0141.

Ice Sculptures on Display – 11am to 3pm, February 3rd

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Some of the 2015 Polarfest Ice Sculptures on Display

Stop by either Cenotaph Park in Lakefield or Heritage Park in Bridgenorth from 11am-3pm to see the ice sculptures on display from the weekend’s festivities.

RE/MAX Hot Air Balloon Rides – 11am, February 3rd

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Balloon Rides are back at Rotary Park in Ennismore. Stop by around 11am to view the area from the sky in a tethered hot air balloon. Event is weather permitting (must be a calm day with no wind).

Outdoor IP Exhibition Game – LDMHA versus EMHA – 1pm to 2pm, February 3rd

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Come out and cheer on Ennismore Minor Hockey and Lakefield Minor Hockey as they host an outdoor exhibition game at the BEL Rotary Plunge site! Hockey game is taking place from 12pm-1pm at Rotary Park in Ennismore.

Lake Curling at Plunge Site – 12pm to 2pm, February 3rd

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Want to try curling? Join the Ennismore Curling Club at Rotary Park in Ennismore from 12-2pm to try some curling on Chemong Lake. There will be curling stones ready for use. Take part in a competition to see who can get their curling stone the closest for a chance to win a prize.

Free Public Skating – 1 pm to 2pm, February 3rd

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Free public skating will be offered at the Ennismore Community Centre from 1-2pm.

Polar Plunge – 2pm, February 3rd

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To close of the weekend’s festivities, stop by Chemong Lake at Rotary Park in Ennismore for BEL Rotary’s 39th Annual Polar Plunge! This year’s theme is Hockey Plunge in Canada, so grab your mouth guard and your favorite jersey and get ready to plunge! The Polar Plunge will be taking place at 2pm.

If you come early to the park this day, you can take a RE/MAX tethered hot air balloon ride, try lake curling or cheer on the IP’s in an exhibition pond hockey game!

 

For more info on PolarFest, visit the Township of Selwyn’s website HERE.

19 Awesome Resolutions to Bring You More Business in 2019

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2019 is your year. It’s time to grow that business beyond your wildest dreams. If you’re ready to see a change in your business, there are 19 things you need to start doing.

  1. Track data. There are tons of tools (some even free) where you can start tracking the numbers that matter to you most. Figure out your business goals and what it takes to achieve them, then put a plan in place on how you will track and analyze the data behind getting you there.
  2. Start conversing. Social media needs to be social. Put an end to the broadcast messages. Make 2019 the year you start talking with your audience, not at them.
  3. Give away something small but unexpected. Wowing your audience is a great idea to help them remember you and think of you first. It needn’t be expensive. Give them a coupon for future use, a caligraphied card with an inspirational quote, a fortune in their bag, or even a gift bag can brighten their day when it’s unexpected.
  4. Look for local sponsorships or ways to get involved. In order to buy from you, they need to think of you. Consider local sponsorships that can help you get in front of your ideal audience. These include PTAs, community sports teams, business collaborations, and local non-profits.
  5. Join a strong virtual group or meet-up. Find a virtual group that helps you learn something new, network with people in your industry, or get in front of your ideal audience. Which type you join will depend on your goals for the year. Virtual groups also allow you to connect and grow on your schedule.
  6. Join the chamber. Virtual networking groups don’t take the place of chamber membership because those organizations don’t have the business clout or knowledgeable staff the chamber does. The chamber has a strong referral network and is tied into the community in a way the virtual networking groups aren’t.
  7. Work smarter not harder. Doing something every minute of your day doesn’t mean you’re doing the right kind of work to advance you toward your business goals for 2019. Don’t take on busy work. Prioritize your most important activities twice a day. Having said that…
  8. View everything as moving you closer to a goal or farther away. When you adopt this mindset, you acknowledge you only have so much time in a day and you focus your efforts on things that matter.
  9. Make time for that thing you’ve been putting off. Whether it’s a health check or business expansion, let 2019 be the year you finally get around to doing that thing you keep rescheduling. Turn the annoyance into an accomplishment.
  10. Get a business checkup. Whether you hire a coach, work with a mentor, or read a successful business book, getting a different opinion on your business can help you look at things in new ways. This new set of eyes may come with suggestions or advice on overcoming potential challenges in the future.
  11. Work on your employee culture. Nothing will derail your hard work faster than a toxic culture. Make sure managers clear the paths for those who work for them and everyone is focused on your business goal. Then, just like you do for your customers, find ways to engage and impress them with little wow moments. Everyone wants to be a part of something great. In order to help with that….
  12. Hire slow, fire fast. Be exacting in the kind of person who will not only be a good fit for the position but for the team as well. If you’re dealing with a toxic employee, handle it quickly for less fallout.
  13. Tell your story. Telling your story creates a connection between your business and your audience. You want them to buy from you and that means they need to know, like, and trust you.
  14. Try (or learn) something new. Stagnation never benefits a business and your business won’t benefit from stagnant leadership. Try something new or learn something you’ve wanted to know more about. Then think of ways you can share that knowledge or your business can benefit from it.
  15. Explain what you do to a young child. When you explain your business to a kid, you have to perfect telling the story of what you do. You’ll need to make it quick (their attention span is limited), interesting (again, the attention span), and expressed in easy concepts. When you do this, you will see your business from a new angle and it may help in your elevator pitch.
  16. Build your list. If you’re not collecting email addresses of your customers and those interested in your business, you need to start now. Look into an email sender (there are free ones all the way up to several hundred dollars a month) that fits your business and start brainstorming a list of things your ideal audience would be interested in. This will help you stay top of mind and position you as a valuable resource for them.
  17. Become a thought leader. You likely know something about your business or industry that others don’t. Positioning yourself as a thought leader can help you get more exposure in areas that matter. It could also create a new revenue stream for you if you start speaking at conferences.
  18. Celebrate important days. Your social media content calendar requires a lot of content to keep it full. One way to get quick content is to search days of celebration for things that matter to your business. If you discover them with enough advance time, you can create fun contests around them. For instance, if you operate a restaurant you can offer a special on National Pizza Day.
  19. Laugh a little. Humor is contagious. Adding it into your social media can increase your shares. Adding a sense of humor to the office can improve morale. Employ it where you need a boost.

2019 is the year to finally get around to doing those things you’ve been putting off that will grow your business. Here are 19 solid ideas to get you started.

Christina R. Green is a regular blogger at Frankjkenny.com.

 

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Thanks to our Professional Development Sponsor: Lynn Woodcroft, Sales Rep, Royal LePage!

A Festive Evening at our Business After Hours: Holiday Social at Kawartha Lakes Construction

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We held our Business After Hours: Holiday Social last week on Wednesday, December 12th at Kawartha Lakes Construction, which is located at 3359 Lakefield Rd. in Lakefield. Sweet Competition was also at the Holiday Social with a pop-up shop. 

We had an amazing time celebrating the start of the holiday season with everyone. We’d like to extend a huge thank you to the team at KLC for hosting us.

Kawartha Lakes Construction

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If you didn’t know, Kawartha Lakes Construction Company is a full service professional design/build firm specializing in custom homes and renovation solutions! Their reputation is built on their commitment to quality craftsmanship, thorough planning, smart building practices and providing exceptional client experiences.

KLC Annual Holiday Social & Employee DIY Christmas Tree Contest

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In addition to collecting toys for the Lakefield Lioness Lions Club Toy Drive and non-perishable items for the Lakefield Food Bank, Kawartha Lakes Construction holds an employee DIY Christmas tree contest every year.

Throughout the evening, guests mixed, mingled and voted on their favourite trees. There were so many great tree creations this year!

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First place winner, Chelsea Lockheart, won $500 as well as a $500 donation to the charity of her choice. She chose to donate to Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region. Congrats Chelsea!

Here are some of the other DIY trees that took part in this year’s KLC employee DIY Christmas Tree Competition:

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Sweet Competition Pop-Up Shop!

Troy, owner of Sweet Competition (and a new Chamber member this year!) brought a selection of games, candy and pop with him to the event to help guests do some Christmas shopping.

Sweet Competition, located at 3347 Lakefield Rd., Unit 2, delights the hearts of young and old with a large variety of nostalgic candy, puzzles, board games, vintage soda pop and more in Lakefield, Ontario.

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Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!