Upcoming Seminar - New Technologies for Small Business - Social Networking and More

The Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce announces an upcoming seminar for members as well as non-members:

New Technologies for Small Business - Social Networking / Computer Freebies / Portable Communications Workshop

• When: Thursday, September 17th, 2009 from 6:00 - 8:30 pm
• Where: Carolina Beach Police Training Room (located in the Carolina Beach Town Hall)

In this seminar you will learn how to utilize the newest tools and technologies for your small business. Topics include social networking, business software, productivity and marketing. From the mobile phone to the web browser, there is a world of low cost and free software available for today’s small business. Seminar also includes plenty of Question and Answer time.

This workshop is being co-hosted by the Cape Fear Community College Small Business Center.

Free Parking is available behind the Carolina Beach Town Hall offices next to the Recreation Center. You may access the parking lot by taking the driveway directly south of Town Hall or you can enter off of Seventh Street.

How to Register

There is a $5.00 charge for this seminar and seating is limited, so be sure to reserve your space today. Food and beverages will also be provided.

You can register by calling the Chamber at 458-8434.

For more information about the Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce, please visit the website at www.PleasureIslandNC.org.

Learn more about becoming a member.

Sunday Night Movie at Carolina Beach Lake - Wall-E

The Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce Free Movies at the Lake Series continues this weekend with a showing of Wall-E on Sunday night, August 30th.

The movie is shown outdoors at Carolina Beach Lake Park so bring your own chairs and blankets to get cozy. This is a great event for the whole family.

The movie starts at 8:45 pm. Concessions are available.

Wall-E is the Academy Award-winning animated feature starring a garbage collecting robot left alone on Earth after humankind abandons it when it becomes overrun with trash and products. This is a beautiful robot love story as well as a witty commentary on consumerism and environmental concerns.

For more information and to see the complete film schedule for the summer, please visit:
www.PleasureIslandNC.org/freemoviesatthelake.asp

Free Summer Concert Series - El Jaye Johnson, Jazz Music

Join us Friday night, August 28th in Kure Beach for the Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce Free Summer Concert Series featuring El Jaye Johnson. Enjoy the sounds of this versatile and entertaining jazz performer outdoors at the Fort Fisher Military Recreation Area in Kure Beach, NC. - for free!

As the kids start going back to school and summer officially winds down, make sure to head over to our final show in the Music Series on Friday from 6 pm - 8 pm. Bring your own beach chairs, blankets, and food. Beverages are available for sale on the premises (please do not bring beverages or pets).

For more information and to see more dates in the Series, please visit: www.PleasureIslandNC.org/freesummerconcertseries.asp.

Fireworks and Music at the Gazebo Featuring Radio Flyer

Summer may be coming to an end but we've got plenty of celebrating left in us! The Fireworks by the Sea Series continues through next week, weather permitting.

Come on down to Carolina Beach Thursday evening, August 27th for a great jam band treat with Radio Flyer at the Gazebo from 6:30 - 9:30 pm.

Plus enjoy our next-to-last fireworks display of the summer season on the beach after the sun goes down. (Our final fireworks will be on Friday, September 4th for the Labor Day Weekend.)

See you there!

Sunday Night Movie at Carolina Beach Lake - Bedtime Stories

The Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce Free Movies at the Lake Series continues this weekend with a showing of Bedtime Stories on Sunday night, August 23rd.

The movie is shown outdoors at Carolina Beach Lake Park so bring your own chairs and blankets to get cozy. This is a great event for the whole family.

The movie starts at 8:45 pm. Concessions are available.

Bedtime Stories stars Adam Sandler as a hotel handyman whose life changes when the lavish bedtime stories he tells his niece and nephew start to magically come true. This movie was nominated for Favorite Movie at the Kid's Choice Awards in 2009.

For more information and to see the complete film schedule for the summer, please visit:

www.PleasureIslandNC.org/freemoviesatthelake.asp

Snow's Cut Boat Ramp Will Stay Open Until Late Winter

You spoke and they listened! Thanks to a recent article in the Star-News and reporting by Snow's Cut Monthly, Pleasure Islanders spoke up about having all three local boat ramps closed simultaneously throughout the winter.

According to an article in today's Star-News:

"Erik Christofferson, engineering division chief with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, said he had not realized the renovations to the Snow's Cut ramps would overlap with those at the state park until he received phone calls following a previous StarNews story on the issue."

They are going to try to delay the work to the Snow's Cut ramp until late winter after the Carolina Beach State Park ramp re-opens. Christofferson also said that they "definitely don't want the projects to overlap and have both sites closed, not even for a day."

In the case that the Carolina Beach State Park boat ramps are not finished in time, the Snow's Cut ramp project will be delayed until next winter.

Please visit the following link to read the full story:

www.starnewsonline.com/article/20090819/ARTICLES/908194006

Fireworks and Music at the Gazebo - Bibis Ellison and Spare Change

The Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce Fireworks by the Sea and Free Music at the Gazebo Series features Bibis Ellison and the Spare Change Band (Rock) on Thursday, August 20th at the Gazebo on Cape Fear Boulevard starting at 6:30 p.m.

Plus,the FIREWORKS will be that night at 9:00 p.m. Grab your beach chairs and head on down to the Boardwalk for a great time. (Weather permitting)

Poster Contest for Pleasure Island Seafood Blues and Jazz

The 2009 Seafood Blues and Jazz Festival Poster Contest will come to a close on August 22, 2009.

If you are interested in entering a work of art for this contest please be advised that all entries:

• Must be a flat work of art no smaller than 11” x 14” and no larger than 18” x 24”.
• Please do not submit work on stretched, framed canvas or canvas board.
• All lettering is prohibited yet poster must be representative of the Seafood Blues and Jazz Festival.
• Contest winner will receive $200, VIP treatment at the festival, recognition for the poster graphic and will have the opportunity to sign posters at the Festival in the Fine Arts Plaza.

Applications are available on our website at www.pleasureislandnc.org/seafoodbluesandjazzfestival.asp.

Pleasure Island Chamber Membership Badge

The Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce wants their members to be able to proudly show off their membership status with a badge for their website!

To add this button, simply copy and paste the following HTML code into your website:

<a href="http://www.pleasureislandnc.org" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1187.photobucket.com/albums/z398/wilmingtonseo/pi-mem-1_zps6470e576.gif" border="0" alt="Pleasure Island Membership Badge"/></a>


A recent survey by the Atlanta based Shapiro group shows that membership in a local chamber of commerce can significantly boost a business' image among both consumers and other businesses.

According to the study, positive perceptions of chamber members were found in a number of areas, including overall favorability, consumer awareness and reputation, and likelihood of future patronage.

The study shows that when respondents were told that a particular small business was a member of its local chamber, they were 44% more likely to rate it favorably than study respondents who were not told of the chamber affiliation. It also shows that consumers are 63% (and businesses 59%) more likely to buy goods and services in the future from a company that they believe is a member of the local chamber of commerce.

“We discovered that informing someone about a company’s chamber membership opens the door to substantial increases in positive perceptions of that business,” said Alex Trouteaud, Ph. D., senior strategist for The Shapiro Group. “There clearly is a feeling by our respondents that chamber membership is synonymous with quality and desirability.”

Take advantage of this positive perception today and add your membership badge to your website!

For more information, please visit:

www.PleasureIslandNC.org/about-pleasure-island-chamber-of-commerce.asp

Free Summer Concert Series - Mako (Classic Rock, Blues)

Join us tonight in Kure Beach for the Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce Free Summer Concert Series featuring Mako. Enjoy the sounds of this favorite classic rock/bluesy band outdoors at the Fort Fisher Military Recreation Area in Kure Beach, NC. - for free!

This 4th show in the Series is tonight, Friday, August 14th from 6 pm - 8 pm. Bring your own beach chairs, blankets, and food. Beverages are available for sale on the premises (please do not bring beverages or pets).

For more information and to see more dates in the Series, please visit: www.PleasureIslandNC.org/freesummerconcertseries.asp.

Bike Lanes on the Snow's Cut Bridge?

The Star-News today reported on the desire by some to restructure the lanes of the Snow's Cut bridge connecting Wilmington with Carolina Beach and Pleasure Island to accommodate bikers and pedestrians with greater safety.

Currently, the bridge has a 3-foot sidewalk for pedestrians and a 2-foot paved shoulder. Groups including the New Hanover County Commissioners and officials from Carolina Beach and Kure Beach asked the N.C. Department of Transportation to investigate what could be done to make crossing the bridge by foot or bike a safer experience.

It turns out that any changes made to widen the pedestrian and bike lanes would make the lanes for car traffic less safe. It would push the oncoming lanes too close together which wouldn't meet bridge standards requiring 4-foot paved shoulders. It would also be an expensive modification project, costing as much as $2 million.

Two alternatives to modifying the current bridge would be to build a separate pedestrian and bike bridge or to replace the existing deck on the Snow's Cut Bridge - both which are currently too expensive to consider further.

It is possible for the Wilmington Metropolitan Planning Organization to set this bridge modification project as a priority, in which case the N.C. DOT would investigate the matter further.

To read the full article, please visit:

www.starnewsonline.com/article/20090813/ARTICLES/908134007/1004

Have you tried to cross the Snow's Cut Bridge on bike or foot? What was your experience like? We invite you to comment and let us know what you think about the current bridge and its capacity for handling bikers and pedestrians.

Sunday Night Movie at Carolina Beach Lake - Journey to the Center of the Earth

The Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce Free Movies at the Lake Series continues this weekend with a showing of Journey to the Center of the Earth on Sunday night, August 9th.

The movie is shown outdoors at Carolina Beach Lake Park so bring your own chairs and blankets to get cozy. This is a great event for the whole family.

The movie starts at 8:45 pm. Concessions are available.

Journey to the Center of the Earth stars Brendan Fraser as Prof. Trevor Anderson who journeys on a quest to find out what happened to his missing brother. Along with his nephew (Josh Hutcherson) and a mountain guide (Anita Briem), they discover discover a fantastic and dangerous lost world in the center of the earth.

For more information and to see the complete film schedule for the summer, please visit:

www.PleasureIslandNC.org/freemoviesatthelake.asp.

Boardwalk Blast Battle of Bands - Final Round

Head on down to the Carolina Beach Boardwalk Gazebo today for the final round of the Boardwalk Blast Battle of the Bands from 2:00 - 6:00 pm.

Bands competing include:

• NitPcknHitKckrs
• 458
• The Elected Officials
• Redemption
• Lethal Injection
• Silver Judas

Limited seating is provided but please feel free to bring our own chairs.

For more information about events at the Carolina Beach Boardwalk, please visit:

Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce
or
The Boardwalk Makeover Project

Snow's Cut Boat Ramp Will Close For Renovations

Both the Star News and Snow's Cut Monthly report that the Snow's Cut (or Annie Drive) public boat ramp will close for improvements this fall and winter.

The Carolina Beach State Park boat ramp has been closed all season and is set to open back up in June 2010 while the Fort Fisher Basin boat ramp is also set to be closed for repairs over the winter months.

Renovations on the Snow's Cut public boat ramps includes paving the parking lot, adding lane markings, and adding a tie-down lane to improve traffic flow. The ramps and docks will be replaced, with the new ramps relocating farther inland for better protection from waves and wind. The public boat ramp access should be open again in time for next boating season.

A fishing pier to be added to the boardwalk on the canal side is currently in the plans. The Star News reports that some people worry that this will add major congestion to the access. Other people welcome the addition of a fishing pier.

Renovations to the Carolina Beach State Park boat access include re-doing the docks and boat ramps, repaving the parking lot, and adding new bulkheads in front of the current ones.

Funding for the Snow's Cut boat access project will come from a combination of a grant from the marine fisheries department and from boat registration and licensing fees.

Read the full Star-News article here:
www.starnewsonline.com/article/20090805/ARTICLES/908059984/1004

New Members of the Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce - June 2009

OK - We're a little behind with our blog announcement of the New Members of the Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce, but this is still important news to our organization and we're working on getting caught up!

Welcome Aboard New Members from June 2009!

The following businesses realized the importance of economic growth for Pleasure Island, and have pledged their support by investing in your Chamber of Commerce. Please support your community by calling on these businesses when you are in need of products or services!

Judy Morono
A Beautiful Home - Custom residential cleaning, rental cleaning, cleaning for special events, room makeovers
7317 Cassimir Place.
Wilmington 28412
910.795.6065
jmorono@gmail.com


Harlan Bast
Carolina Beach Boardwalk Amusement Park - Carolina Beach Amusement rides, food and games
PO Box 50332
Lighthouse Pt., FL 33074
813.760.5707
j.verona@mchsi.om
www.hildebrandrides.com


Charlie Miller
Charlie’s Boardwalk Subs - Subs, hotdogs, popcorn and drinks
8 Pavilion Ave. South (On the Boardwalk)
Carolina Beach 28428
910.458.5502
seacapncharlie@aol.com

A. Kyle Myers
D.W. Project Solutions, LLC - Project Management services for the hospitality industry. Hotel and restaurant specialists, providing construction, new build and transition, FF&E, and OS&E Project Management and Consulting
6704 Chelwood Ct.
Wilmington 28412
570.656.6059
kyle.myers@dwprojectsolutions.com

Barbara Williams
Embellishments - We design and make handmade lamps and shades and embellish, repair and update old lamps and shades. We use vintage, or unusual fabric, some real jewels and handmade finials. We also have a child and baby line for summer 2009.
814 Cape Fear Blvd
Carolina Beach 28428
910.458.9269
cnchomeacc@charter.net

Fred Zaytoun
FredCo BizServices, LLC - Provides accounting management services, consulting, training, setup and support using Quickbooks financial software
PO Box 502
Carolina Beach 28428
919.971.0632
fredz.fredcobiz@gmail.com

Sheri Frost
Frost’s and Associates -Non-Profit Consulting
8401 Wingfoot Way
Wilmington 28412
850.902.0210
frostsb@cox.net

Fran Pacheco
Lett’s Taxi and Limousine - Wilmington NC Taxi, Limousine and Shuttle service
1740 Airport Blvd. Ste 1
Wilmington 28405
910.458.2222 or 910.343.3335
fspacheco71@gmail.com
www.lettstaxi.com
www.lettslimo.com

Frank T. Grady, Jr.
New York Life Insurance Co. - Insurance and Financial Services
Landfall Executive Suites
1213 Culbreth Dr.
Wilmington 28405
910.398.6413
frankgradyjr@ft.newyorklife.com

Fireworks and Music at the Gazebo Featuring Gypsy Fire

Head on down to Carolina Beach tonight (Thursday, 8/6) to enjoy rock band Gypsy Fire at the Gazebo from 6:30 to 9:30 pm.

As a bonus, you'll get fireworks on the beach at sundown! And it's all free to attend.

Plus, the Seaside Grill at the Courtyard Marriott recently announced an All American Buffet in conjunction with the Fireworks display on Thursday nights from 5 pm to 9 pm. The buffet is $12.95 for adults and $6.95 for children (kids under 5 are free).

Be sure to check out the remaining summer band and fireworks schedule at the Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce website:

Fireworks by the Sea Event Series.

Courtyard Marriott at Carolina Beach Serving Up Special Summertime Buffets

In conjunction with our fabulous Pleasure Island Fireworks display on Thursday nights, the Seaside Grill at the Courtyard Marriott is proud to offer the All American Buffet featuring hamburgers, hot dogs, salad bar, baked ziti, baked beans, coleslaw, pasta and potato salad, chili, meatballs over pasta and chefs’ dessert selection.

Then on Fridays, enjoy the Island’s only Seafood Buffet featuring fried shrimp, fried scallops, fish of the day, chicken fingers, clam strips, french fries, hush puppies, coleslaw, potato salad and chef’s selection of dessert.

Both buffets are $12.95/adults, $6.95/children and kids 5 and under are free and are available from 5:00-9:00 p.m.

For more information, please visit www.CourtyardCarolinaBeach.com.

National Night Out with Carolina Beach Law Enforcement Officers

The 26th Annual National Night Out, a unique crime/drug prevention event sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch has been scheduled for Tuesday, August 4th.

National Night Out is designed to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness; generate support for, and participation in, local anti-crime programs; strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships; and send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and are fighting back.

The Carolina Beach Police Department and Police Advisory Committee along with the NHC Sheriff’s Department Crime Prevention Unit will be on the Boardwalk with handouts, prizes and tips for parents.

Please come out and join us as we celebrate National Night Out.

Sunday Night Movie at Carolina Beach Lake - Kung Fu Panda

The Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce Free Movies at the Lake Series continues this weekend with a showing of Kung Fu Panda on Sunday night, August 2nd.

The movie is shown outdoors at Carolina Beach Lake Park so bring your own chairs and blankets to get cozy. This is a great event for the whole family.

The movie starts at 8:45 pm. Concessions are available.

The Oscar nominated Dreamworks animated film, King Fu Panda, features the voices of Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Ian McShane, Jackie Chan, and Seth Rogen. In the Valley of Peace, Po the Panda finds himself chosen as the Dragon Warrior despite the fact that he is obese and a complete novice at martial arts.

For more information and to see the complete film schedule for the summer, please visit:

www.PleasureIslandNC.org/freemoviesatthelake.asp.