FMA Annual Meeting... SAVE THE DATE... December 10th! The FMA Annual Meeting is coming up on December 10th, 2008 at the Harraseeket Inn. This is traditionally the largest FMA member gathering of the year, with important information presented, the slate of officers elected for the following year, and Awards and Recognition given to those who have made important contributions to Freeport, FMA, and its members. All FMA members and associates are welcome and highly encouraged to attend. There will be a great Social Time, followed by what promises to be an engaging meeting, with lots of information. See the Agenda, and RSVP to Alison at awiest@freeportusa.com or 865-1212
Holiday Gift Certificates... Tens of thousands of dollars in FMA Gift Certificates will be purchased this season as they are every year. Please be sure that you let all your staff, (especially new cashiers) know that as a member of FMA, you DO accept FMA Gift Certificates. This is a great way to bring extra sales dollars into your store. Tender and process the FMA GC just as you would a travelers check and include it in your regular check deposit. If you have any questions, please contact the FMA office at 865-1212.
WFCP Home Time Radio Hour 2008...
TWO SHOWS ONLY!!
Saturday, December 6, 7:30pm
Sunday, December 7, 2pm
Freeport Performing Arts Center, 30 Holbrook St
$10 in advance, $15 at the door If it's December in Freeport, it's the Home Time RADIO Hour! WFCP is on the air for a fifth fun year with Sparkle Weekend's hottest ticket. The Freeport Players welcome you into the "studio" for their popular tribute to the Golden Age of radio. All new original scripts, great music and songs of the good old days. Get your tickets early! For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit us at www.fcponline.org. NEW TICKET OUTLET... The fastest, easiest way to purchase tickets is online using our secure PayPal order form. Your tickets will be waiting for you at the box office. If you'd prefer to buy advance tickets in person, The Clothes Tree at the Freeport Community Center, 5 Depot Street, Freeport, has agreed to be our box office. Tickets may be purchased during regular Clothes Tree hours: Monday-Friday 9am-5:30pm and Saturday 10am to 4pm. HELP US HELP OTHERS: In the spirit of the season, we will be collecting donations for the Freeport Community Services Food Pantry at both performances.
Make your customers love you - be an "Info Elf"...
You'd be amazed at how much your customers will appreciate you if you can give them answers to questions important to them. Things like "Where's a good place to eat?", "Where are the public rest rooms?", "What are the events this weekend?" Knowing what's happening around you is as much a part of good customer service as knowing your product lines, and good customer service is important to success. Why not become an "Info Elf" - someone that can cheerfully provide helpful information to customers. It's easy. FMA provides tons of information right at your fingertips, through the Vistor Guide Map, the FreeportUSA.com Website, printed and downloadable event flyers, Info Kiosks and the FMA office staff. Check it all out - knowledge is a powerful thing!
HealthNotes Vol IV
By James Tasse, Project Director
Healthy Casco Bay - Your Local Healthy Maine Partnership Tips to Avoid Holiday Overindulgence
Yes, it's that time of year again when even the most health conscious among us sigh when they step on the scales. Whatever your religious affiliation, 'tis the season for feasts and sweets, cocktails and eggnogs, and all these rich foods can take their toll on your waistline. Read on for some very helpful tips...
Freeport all around... Due to FMA's committment to Internet marketing, Freeport Maine is frequently brought to the attention of folks all around the country, and the world, in a wide variety of ways. Here are just a few recent examples... From a Dover, NH newspaper, "...The Freeport Merchants Association and the Kittery Outlets were holding their own midnight shopping events, along with sales and giveaways like gift cards..." From a business publication based in Salem, OR, "...Many of the stores in Freeport will be opening for business at 12:01 a.m. for the first time. L.L. Bean is also handing out $10 gift cards to the first 100 shoppers and gift cards valued at between $10 and $500 to the first 350 shoppers after 2 a.m. While several Freeport shops will be open just after midnight, other stores plan to open at 6 a.m, 7 a.m. or 8 a.m. A listing of the store openings and discounts is available at www.freeportusa.com." Holidash.com, a shopping blog that is part of the AOL Living web family featured a direct link to our Moonlight Madness page on FreeportUSA.com see the article here. Our story about Santa starting Moonlight Madness on his vintage Harley-Davidson was picked up by HarleyDavidsonToday.com FMA continues to develop new Internet marketing efforts and continues to expand the promotion of its members to local, regional, national, and international markets. Watch for more news soon.
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December 2008
Executive Directors Message...
I hope this letter finds you well and enjoying the Holiday Season. Let me start with a huge thank you for your generous support, time, contribution and participation in our efforts to make this season successful in Freeport. I am happy to report a strong turn out for our first Girlfriend’s Getaway. Many of the lodging establishments reported an increase in occupancy and retailers reported an increase in sales to last year. We will definitely repeat this event next year and use the model during other times of the year as well (peak and off-peak). The Fashion Show was well received and attended. We had nearly 175 attendees. I have received positive feedback from all about the event. Attendees asked to be notified of future fashion shows and getaways. From start to finish I have been completely amazed and appreciative of the generosity of our Freeport business partners. Your willingness to participate through donations of product, place, time, and effort made this event successful and I am completely grateful to all of you. Thank you. Moonlight Madness was a fun and exciting way to jump-start the Holiday Season in Freeport. This was our first Black Friday shopping event and first Moonlight Fun Run! Those who participated were very excited about the run and very enthusiastic about early morning promotions. If the weekend event can be used as an indicator of what to expect for the holiday season –it looks optimistic! And we haven’t even had Sparkle Weekend yet! Let me take advantage of this venue to call your attention to two other important events that involved our Freeport Business partners. First let me congratulate Jonas Werner for the award and recognition he received from the Maine Disability Rights Center on October 23,2008 I have copied the quote from the MDR: At the Disability Right Center’s 8th Annual Membership Dinner on October 23rd at the Hilton Garden Inn in Freeport, Azure Café received the 2008 Business of the Year Award. The Disability Rights Center stated “We are pleased to present the Annual Business Award to Azure Café in Freeport, Maine because of their commitment to making their restaurant accessible to patrons with disabilities and therefore a warm and welcoming place for all members of the community.” I also extend a huge heartfelt thank you to the Werner Family and Azure Café team for their generous donation of time and talent on Thanksgiving Day. In concert with the Freeport Community Center, they hosted a complimentary Thanksgiving Day Feast for the 5th year and delivered meals to those who could not join the Center Festivities. I wish to recognize Jeanne Carpentier and the entire Hilton Garden Inn team for hosting the Harvest Lunch on November 21 for the participants of the 20th annual Maine Destination Day –a Portland CVB event. Jeanne welcomed the attendees with a warm reception and shared valuable information about Freeport and served a delicious lunch-all were pleased. It is with pride and appreciation that I share these stories with you and again am reminded of the privilege we share in working together in our Freeport community.
Please plan to attend our FMA Annual Meeting on December 10th at the Harraseeket Inn. I know this time of year is very hectic and we all have conflicting and competing commitments, however the topics of agenda are of particular importance to your business future. In addition to the usual functions of the annual meeting this year we will share our marketing strategy for 2009 and our Freeport Town Manager Dale Olmstead will present the Chamber of Commerce proposal for Freeport. I feel very strongly that it is important for our members to hear directly from the Town manager about his proposal for a Chamber of Commerce, including it’s goals, value, costs, funding sources, etc. During my short time in position I have heard a variety of chamber scenarios from numerous members and non-members; I have been asked many questions and heard many concerns about a chamber of commerce in Freeport. I believe that knowledge is power and this meaningful opportunity for you to hear directly from Dale and to get your questions answered will be helpful.
FMA is very effective at marketing Freeport as a destination and provides a wide variety of services to its members. We are continuing to expand that mission for 2009 and beyond. Once we have the knowledge we need, we will all be better equipped to form opinions as to the value of adding a Chamber for Freeport. We at FMA wish you all a safe and prosperous Holiday Season.
Myra
Sparkle Weekend, Northern Lights and Winter Sports Expo – a Holiday Events triple play this weekend in Freeport...
Holiday spirit (and Holiday shoppers) will be everywhere you look this weekend in Freeport. The 15th Annual Sparkle Weekend offers three full days of excitement beginning on Friday, December 5th with special sales events all day, leading up to the popular Sparkle Parade of Lights at 6pm. As you know, Sparkle Weekend is Freeport’s signature holiday event. It continues Saturday and Sunday December 6th and 7th, offering not only the Talking Christmas Tree and Photos with Santa, but also The Jingle Bell Run/Walk for the Arthritis Foundation, Free Hot Cocoa Stops, Carolers, Tours of Freeport’s historic B&Bs, The famed Tuba Christmas Concert at the Freeport Performing Arts Center – which is free to the public, free refreshments throughout town and much more. Also this weekend is the L.L.Bean Winter Sports Expo with a great selection of activities befitting the season, and the L.L.Bean Northern Lights Celebration is continuing as it does right through to New Years, offering more fun family events including free horse drawn carriage rides, L.L.Bear and more. Following the big results of last weekend's Moonlight Madness, projections are for a very busy town this Sparkle Weekend! To get event schedules for all of these events and more go to www.FreeportUSA.com and click on Holiday in Freeport or visit the Calendar of Events.
Sparkle Volunteers needed... Sparkle brings lots of shoppers to town, but with any event this size, volunteer helpers are needed and Santa’s got all the elves busy. FMA needs some volunteer helpers for things like Parade line up, The Talking Christmas Tree, hot cocoa stops, sign placement, ushers for Tuba Christmas at the FPAC, Santa photos, and so on. It’s great fun and great networking – the perfect way to make your business a little more noticeable to all. If you and or your staff can give an hour or two here and there to help us have a successful event, everyone would be most appreciative. Please contact the FMA office right away at 865-1212 or email Alison at awiest@freeportusa.com. Moonlight Madness brings droves of fun-loving shoppers to Freeport… At 12:01 am, Santa sounded the start of the first annual Moonlight Madness Shopping Celebration in Freeport, Maine with the distinctive deep rumble of his vintage Harley-Davidson motorcycle going down Main Street. Santa was in the lead of a “Fun Run” of sorts, with lots of jubilant shoppers following close behind. Hundreds of others were waiting in line for the momentary door openings at the L.L.Bean Outlet and dozens of other stores in this famous shopping village. Read the rest of the news story...
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