The Swainsboro Downtown Development Authority and the Swainsboro/Emanuel County Chamber of Commerce's annual "Christmas Parade and Carols on the Square" will be held this Thursday, December 5th, in downtown Swainsboro.

At press time over 85 entries were expected for the parade. The parade will feature dancers, bands, floats, beauty queens and a special visit by Santa. Last year some 2,000 to 2,500 people were in town for the event. This year's crowd is expected to be even larger.

The parade will begin at 5:30 p.m. near BB&T and proceed north on U.S 1, turning on to Pine Street. The parade route will then turn south on Green Street, ending at the Boneyard.

At 6:30 p.m. on Roger Shaw Street, members of local church groups and singers will entertain. The Houston Sisters, a local favorite, will perform.

Local vendors and artists will set up with special Christmas goodies and art for sale. This year's Relay- For-Life Committee will also hold a chili-cookoff.

During the event, the Pilot Club will light their annual "Lite-A-Lite" tree.

Sponsoring organizations include the Swainsboro Downtown Development Authority, Swainsboro- Emanuel County Chamber of Commerce, Emanuel County Arts Council, and the Pilot Club.

Swainsboro has two new businesses!

Walk the Line Bar and Grill, located at 214 West Main Street, will hold its grand opening on Friday afternoon, December 4th at 4 p.m. The new business offers six pool tables, flat screen televisions, karaoke, large dance floor, and a bar. Live entertainment will be featured on most weekends, according to Jason Scarborough, company owner.

On Monday, December 14th, Katz Salon will host a ribbon cutting at 10 a.m. The salon, which offers a full array of cosmetology services and products, is located at 206 West Moring Street, across from the Swainsboro Post Office. The owners of the new business are Larry and Thanh Braswell.

We would like to welcome these two new businesses to Swainsboro and urge all chamber members to attend their grand opening events.

The Technical System of Georgia, which includes Southeastern Technical College, has listed their legislative priorities for 2010. Among the seventeen capital outlay project priorities for the system is the construction of a Heath Services/Library on the Swainsboro Campus. The cost for the project is listed at $8,994,419.

The legislative priorities will be presented to the Georgia General Assembly in January for consideration.

Here is a reminder! The Swainsboro/Emanuel County Chamber of Commerce has created an "Emanuel Made-Emanuel Grown" page on the Chamber's website. You'll find great Christmas ideas. To view the page, go to www.emanuelchamber.org. Look for "Emanuel Made-Emanuel Grown" on menu board.

The Chamber is promoting local artists, local wood crafters, quilt makers, etc. and those items that are unique to the region.

"Since our website continues to draw traffic and is a mainstay in our efforts to promote Emanuel County, our idea is to connect buyers and sellers especially during Christmas. If we can promote "Emanuel Made- Emanuel Grown" products, everyone benefits," stated Bill Rogers Jr, chamber president.

If you have a locally made product and would like to have it featured on the Chamber's web page, please call the chamber at 478-237-6426.

The board of directors of the Swainsboro/Emanuel County Chamber of Commerce recently held a ribbon cutting in a most unusual setting-the middle of Watson's Pond at George L. Smith State Park.

The event was so "untypical" the picture was featured on the front page of the Georgia Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (GACCE) November newsletter. The event was held to launch a new county's newest business-Mill Pond Kayak, LLC. The owner of the company is Wesley Hendley.

Employees want choices in health insurance benefits to meet their individual needs. Additionally, business owners need help now as much as ever with keeping their costs under control. Enter Employee Elect, a product developed by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia (BCBSGa*) that provides a welcome solution to the needs and wants of both employees and employers alike!

Under the Employee Elect product, employers can decide how much money they wish to spend on coverage, then each employee chooses the product (s) that work best for his situation from a list of 30 different medical insurance plans. In this way, each eligible employee can have the best plan to suit them!

Since this is a revolutionary product model which most people do not know exists, there is an opportunity for savvy business owners to gain a hiring and retention advantage over their competitors with this product.

In addition, all the BCBSGa plan options are available at reduced premium rates to eligible business members of our Chamber of Commerce! Through the group "buying power" of the MemberCare Alliance of Emanuel CountySM, we are part of a statewide network of over 130 Chambers of Commerce offering discounted insurance products to Chamber member businesses. The MemberCare Alliance of Emanuel County program includes a variety of discounted insurance products such as: group term, voluntary and dependent life insurance, group dental insurance, group long term and short term disability, accidental death and dismemberment, and long term care insurance.

For more information on these insurance offerings, please call the Chamber, one of your participating Chamber-member insurance agents, or Purchasing Alliance Solutions, Inc., (the company that developed MemberCare Alliance of Emanuel County program) at 770-579-1214 or 1-800-782-8254, ext. 3515.

Mark your calendar! Swainsboro will once again host the 2010 Economic Outlook Luncheon. Sponsored by the University of Georgia's Terry College of Business, the event will be held at East Georgia College on January 28th.

Tickets can now be reserved by calling East Georgia College, at 478-289-2026.

Sixteen businesses and individuals took advantage of the Chamber's on-going small business development initiative when they gained valuable information on internet marketing.

Presented by Calvin Close, the presentation was held on Nov.5th, at the Swainsboro/Emanuel County Chamber of Commerce building.

The presentation was offered at no charge and covered topics ranging from "why sell on the internet" to "advertising on the internet for free." The presentation covered the dramatic rise in the internet, the reasons shoppers use the internet, and was followed by questions and answers.

"We were very pleased with the turnout for our small business development seminar," stated Bill Rogers, president of chamber. "Class participants received a lot of important information on the use of the internet as part of their overall marketing efforts. We definitely want to thank Calvin for sharing his expertise."

The seminar will be held again early next year.