Lisa Busche of Waterloo is the August Think Monroe County First “Super Consumer” drawing winner. Busche has won a $125 gift certificate to Schaefer Farms Nursery, 4611 Kaskaskia Road, Waterloo.
Her entry was drawn at University of Illinois Extension-Monroe County, 901 Illinois Ave., Waterloo.
September’s Super Consumer will win a $100 gift certificate to Agnes Ross, 113 West Gundlach St., Columbia. The gift certificate can be used at Agnes Ross’ online store or at the store in Columbia.
For or more information or to donate a prize, please contact U of I Extension Community and Economic Development Educator Nora Feuquay at 618-939-8681 ext. 309/ nfeuquay@illinois.edu.
Watch your local newspapers--The Monroe County Independent, The Republic-Times, and the Monroe County Clarion --for coverage on winners as well as the next Business Spotlight Feature on our participating businesses.
Monday, August 30, 2010
TMCF POWER MONTH Winners Announced
Monroe County-The Monroe County Economic Development Council (MCEDC) is pleased to announce the Blue, Red and White Ribbon winners in the Think Monroe County First (TMCF) POWER MONTH drawing held Sunday evening at the close of the Monroe County Fair. Consumers brought in more than $335,000 in receipts during the Fair week event.
Jennifer Rethwisch of Wartburg won the Blue Ribbon prize, valued at more than $8,000 from more than 70 Monroe County businesses. Rethwisch won the top prize after submitting 13 entries. Visit www.thinkmonroecountyfirst.com for a complete list of businesses and the prizes.
“I do three-fourths of my shopping in Monroe County because I think it’s very important to keep it local. I’m very elated and thankful that I won especially since the guy in front of me had about 300 entries. I didn’t think I had a chance, but one of the Think Monroe County First workers reminded me that it only takes one to win.”
John and Alice Kuehn of New Athens are the recipients of the Red Ribbon prize, a $1,000 gift certificate to The Market Place in Columbia. The Kuehns’ entries were based on the purchase of a new car made in Monroe County in July.
Gay Lea Mund-Roush of Waterloo won the White Ribbon prize, a Craftsman 6.75 ft/lbs. torque 4-in-1 Briggs and Stratton Yard Vacuum valued at $750 from Sears in Waterloo. Mund-Roush, like Rethwisch, won on the submission of 13 entries.
Local consumers were allowed one chance in the drawing for every $100 of receipts they presented for purchases made in Monroe County. The receipts had to be dated from July 1 until 8 p.m. closing night of the fair.
“This was our second year for the drawing, and we feel it was once again a great success. The TMCF committee decided to have three prizes instead of just one for our second year and we were excited that our local business community stepped up to the plate and made sure all of the prizes were valuable,” said Nora Feuquay, U of I Extension-Monroe County, Community and Economic Development Educator.
“The POWER MONTH event was designed to reward local consumers for their purchases within Monroe County and to bolster the local economy during the month of July, and I think by bringing in more than $335,000 in receipts we achieved our goal,” added Feuquay. “It’s an important part of increasing and sustaining public awareness on how important it is to every resident of Monroe County to keep our local dollars local.”
Shannon Zarek, MCEDC member and part of the Think Monroe County First committee, said consumers and the local businesses should feel proud that in this economy Monroe County is faring better than some of our surrounding counties in sales tax revenues. “I think that in large part, that is thanks to the Think Monroe County First program that strives to keep the shop/spend local message on our consumers’ minds. We thank all of the local businesses that support TMCF.”
For more information on the Think Monroe County First program or the Monroe County Economic Development Council, visit their websites at www.thinkmonroecountyfirst.com and www.monroecountyedg.org or contact Nora Feuquay at 618-939-8681, ext. 309 or nfeuquay@illinois.edu.
Jennifer Rethwisch of Wartburg won the Blue Ribbon prize, valued at more than $8,000 from more than 70 Monroe County businesses. Rethwisch won the top prize after submitting 13 entries. Visit www.thinkmonroecountyfirst.com for a complete list of businesses and the prizes.
“I do three-fourths of my shopping in Monroe County because I think it’s very important to keep it local. I’m very elated and thankful that I won especially since the guy in front of me had about 300 entries. I didn’t think I had a chance, but one of the Think Monroe County First workers reminded me that it only takes one to win.”
John and Alice Kuehn of New Athens are the recipients of the Red Ribbon prize, a $1,000 gift certificate to The Market Place in Columbia. The Kuehns’ entries were based on the purchase of a new car made in Monroe County in July.
Gay Lea Mund-Roush of Waterloo won the White Ribbon prize, a Craftsman 6.75 ft/lbs. torque 4-in-1 Briggs and Stratton Yard Vacuum valued at $750 from Sears in Waterloo. Mund-Roush, like Rethwisch, won on the submission of 13 entries.
Local consumers were allowed one chance in the drawing for every $100 of receipts they presented for purchases made in Monroe County. The receipts had to be dated from July 1 until 8 p.m. closing night of the fair.
“This was our second year for the drawing, and we feel it was once again a great success. The TMCF committee decided to have three prizes instead of just one for our second year and we were excited that our local business community stepped up to the plate and made sure all of the prizes were valuable,” said Nora Feuquay, U of I Extension-Monroe County, Community and Economic Development Educator.
“The POWER MONTH event was designed to reward local consumers for their purchases within Monroe County and to bolster the local economy during the month of July, and I think by bringing in more than $335,000 in receipts we achieved our goal,” added Feuquay. “It’s an important part of increasing and sustaining public awareness on how important it is to every resident of Monroe County to keep our local dollars local.”
Shannon Zarek, MCEDC member and part of the Think Monroe County First committee, said consumers and the local businesses should feel proud that in this economy Monroe County is faring better than some of our surrounding counties in sales tax revenues. “I think that in large part, that is thanks to the Think Monroe County First program that strives to keep the shop/spend local message on our consumers’ minds. We thank all of the local businesses that support TMCF.”
For more information on the Think Monroe County First program or the Monroe County Economic Development Council, visit their websites at www.thinkmonroecountyfirst.com and www.monroecountyedg.org or contact Nora Feuquay at 618-939-8681, ext. 309 or nfeuquay@illinois.edu.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
June Super Consumer
LaVerne Schutt of Waterloo is the June Think Monroe County First “Super Consumer” drawing winner. Schutt has won a $150 gift certificate for an in-home interior design consultation from Final Touch, 119 South Main Street, Columbia.
Her entry was drawn at Sears of Waterloo, 1349 Jamie Lane, Waterloo.
Remember in July, there will be three Super Consumer Winners at our Monroe County Fair Power Month Event.
Consumers who make purchases from July 1 to August 1 at Monroe County businesses can turn in their receipts during the Monroe County Fair, July 25-August 1, for a chance to win one of three big prizes.
This year’s drawing will feature a Super Sized Taste of Monroe County Blue Ribbon Prize made up of products and services donated by as many local businesses as participate, as well as a Red Ribbon ($1,000 value) and White Ribbon Prize ($500 value).
An ongoing list of the prizes will be posted on the TMCF website, www.thinkmonroecountyfirst.com, during the months of June and July. Consumers are only eligible to win one of the three prizes.
Consumers will be awarded one chance for every $100 of purchases made with any Monroe County businesses from July 1 to August 1. Receipts can be combined to reach $100.
To enter the drawing, consumers must present their receipts between 5 and 8 p.m. any evening during fair week (July 25th – Aug. 1st) at the Think Monroe County First Booth in the Commercial Building. Receipts must show the name of the Monroe County business where the purchase was made.
No photocopies or reproductions will be accepted and receipts will be stamped when verified. Entry forms must be filled out by hand at the TMCF booth. If you do not plan to attend the fair, you may send your receipts with someone else to enter for you.
For or more information or to donate a prize, please contact U of I Extension Community and Economic Development Educator Nora Feuquay at 618-939-8681 ext. 309/ nfeuquay@illinois.edu.
Watch your local newspapers--The Monroe County Independent, The Republic-Times, and the Monroe County Clarion --for coverage on winners as well as the next Business Spotlight Feature on our participating businesses.
Her entry was drawn at Sears of Waterloo, 1349 Jamie Lane, Waterloo.
Remember in July, there will be three Super Consumer Winners at our Monroe County Fair Power Month Event.
Consumers who make purchases from July 1 to August 1 at Monroe County businesses can turn in their receipts during the Monroe County Fair, July 25-August 1, for a chance to win one of three big prizes.
This year’s drawing will feature a Super Sized Taste of Monroe County Blue Ribbon Prize made up of products and services donated by as many local businesses as participate, as well as a Red Ribbon ($1,000 value) and White Ribbon Prize ($500 value).
An ongoing list of the prizes will be posted on the TMCF website, www.thinkmonroecountyfirst.com, during the months of June and July. Consumers are only eligible to win one of the three prizes.
Consumers will be awarded one chance for every $100 of purchases made with any Monroe County businesses from July 1 to August 1. Receipts can be combined to reach $100.
To enter the drawing, consumers must present their receipts between 5 and 8 p.m. any evening during fair week (July 25th – Aug. 1st) at the Think Monroe County First Booth in the Commercial Building. Receipts must show the name of the Monroe County business where the purchase was made.
No photocopies or reproductions will be accepted and receipts will be stamped when verified. Entry forms must be filled out by hand at the TMCF booth. If you do not plan to attend the fair, you may send your receipts with someone else to enter for you.
For or more information or to donate a prize, please contact U of I Extension Community and Economic Development Educator Nora Feuquay at 618-939-8681 ext. 309/ nfeuquay@illinois.edu.
Watch your local newspapers--The Monroe County Independent, The Republic-Times, and the Monroe County Clarion --for coverage on winners as well as the next Business Spotlight Feature on our participating businesses.
Monday, May 17, 2010
TMCF Power Month Offers Consumers 3 Chances to Win
Prizes Sought from Local Businesses
Monroe County-The Monroe County Economic Development Council (MCEDC) is beginning to gear up for the second annual Think Monroe County First (TMCF) POWER MONTH. Consumers who make purchases from July 1 to August 1 at Monroe County businesses can turn in their receipts during the Monroe County Fair, July 25-August 1, for a chance to win one of three big prizes.
Think Monroe County First is an ongoing campaign aimed at educating consumers in all forms to the real and valuable rewards associated with spending locally, as opposed to out of town or over the internet. Local businesses help support our local economy in the form of sales tax revenue, property tax revenues, jobs, spending, charitable contributions and more.
During the month of July, MCEDC hopes to once again bolster the local economy by offering a “Super Sized Taste of Monroe County” drawing. Last year, consumers had the chance to win a prize worth more than $7,000 with items from more than 50 Monroe County businesses. More than $500,000 in receipts were presented.
However, this year, consumers will have three chances to win. This year’s drawing will feature a Super Sized Taste of Monroe County Blue Ribbon Prize made up of products and services donated by as many local businesses as participate, as well as a Red Ribbon and White Ribbon Prize (TBD). An ongoing list of the prizes will be posted on the TMCF website, www.thinkmonroecountyfirst.com, during the months of June and July. Consumers are only eligible to win one of the three prizes.
Consumers will be awarded one chance for every $100 of purchases made with any Monroe County businesses from July 1 to August 1. To enter the drawing, consumers must present their receipts between 5 and 8 p.m. any evening during fair week (July 25th – Aug. 1st) at the Think Monroe County First Booth in the Commercial Building. Receipts must show the name of the Monroe County business where the purchase was made and may be combined to reach the $100 requirement.
No photocopies or reproductions will be accepted and receipts will be stamped when verified. Entry forms must be filled out by hand at the TMCF booth. If you do not plan to attend the fair, you may send your receipts with someone else to enter for you.
The council is also in need of prizes from local businesses for the drawing. For the Blue Ribbon prize drawing, the prize may be valued at any amount the business chooses. Our goal is to create an amazing prize made up of many products and services that are available right here in Monroe County. For the Red Ribbon and White Ribbon prizes, we'd like to offer an item of at least $1,000 and $500 value respectively. It could be something like a flat screen TV, a gift certificate to a local hotel/B&B along with dinner for four at one of our fine restaurants. You will be listed as a donor in the ongoing marketing of this campaign as well as at the fair. We would like to have all prizes committed by the first week in July for advertising purposes. Your business does not need to be a “participating business” in the Think Monroe County First program to donate a prize to the fair drawing.
For or more information or to donate a prize, please contact U of I Extension Community and Economic Development Educator Nora Feuquay at 618-939-8681 ext. 309/ nfeuquay@illinois.edu.
May Super Consumer Winner
Melissa Fausz of Waterloo is the May Think Monroe County First “Super Consumer” drawing winner. Fausz has won a $100 gift certificate to Clark's Country Oaks, 110 S. Church St. Waterloo. The gift certificate can go toward their Amish, maintenance-free outdoor furniture.
Her entry was drawn at Chuck Pittman’s State Farm office, 111 North Market Street,Waterloo.
June’s winner will receive a $150 gift certificate for an in-home interior design consultation from Final Touch, 119 South Main Street, Columbia.
Watch your local newspapers--The Monroe County Independent, The Republic-Times, and the Monroe County Clarion --for coverage on winners as well as the next Business Spotlight Feature on our participating businesses.
To take the pledge to Think Monroe County First and for more information on the program visit www.thinkmonroecountyfirst.com or http://monroecountylocal.blogspot.com. You can also learn more about the Monroe County Economic Development Council at http://www.monroecountyedg.org/.
Another way to become involved is to contact U of I Extension Unit Educator, Community and Economic Development, Nora Feuquay at 618-939-8681 ext. 309/ nfeuquay@illinois.edu, or a member of the Monroe County Economic Development Council at 618-939-8681 ext. 216.
Her entry was drawn at Chuck Pittman’s State Farm office, 111 North Market Street,Waterloo.
June’s winner will receive a $150 gift certificate for an in-home interior design consultation from Final Touch, 119 South Main Street, Columbia.
Watch your local newspapers--The Monroe County Independent, The Republic-Times, and the Monroe County Clarion --for coverage on winners as well as the next Business Spotlight Feature on our participating businesses.
To take the pledge to Think Monroe County First and for more information on the program visit www.thinkmonroecountyfirst.com or http://monroecountylocal.blogspot.com. You can also learn more about the Monroe County Economic Development Council at http://www.monroecountyedg.org/.
Another way to become involved is to contact U of I Extension Unit Educator, Community and Economic Development, Nora Feuquay at 618-939-8681 ext. 309/ nfeuquay@illinois.edu, or a member of the Monroe County Economic Development Council at 618-939-8681 ext. 216.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Mokka Kaffeehaus Brings More Than Just Coffee to Columbia Social Scene
Columbia-By most accounts, Mokka Kaffeehaus in Columbia, IL has all of the usual suspects of the quintessential coffee shop. There’s the familiar and overwhelmingly wonderful aroma of freshly ground coffee, the hip music and the cozy nook to curl up with a book. Every morning, an eclectic gathering of locals descends upon their favorite spot for their caffeine fix; the hurried commuter, the soccer-mom, the laptop-fixated student cramming for a test or just a few folks watching, passing the time while enjoying a warm cup.
No matter how serene or relaxing a coffee shop can be there’s always someone deep inside the coffee producing machine working hard to make sure everyone starts their day off the right way; a motor if you will. Shannon Zarek is this machine’s motor, and she’s nearly always at full-throttle.
Since Zarek opened Mokka in the Marketplace Shopping Center in January 2008, nearby residents have been reaping the benefits of having a local café that not only serves a wide variety of tasty drinks and homemade eats but is also a driving force in promoting local businesses and is an active part of the neighborhood.
“I chose this location to be close to home and because I am raising my family here and wanted to be more connected and involved with my community,” says Zarek. “Before opening Mokka, I worked for 20 years as a corporate and tax paralegal at a large law firm in Clayton, MO. My husband and I decided to move to Columbia in 2002. We had friends in the area and really fell in love with it.”
Perhaps Zarek fell in love with caffeinated drinks while crunching numbers. Regardless, she has chosen to share this passion with friends and strangers alike. Open seven days a week, Mokka offers coffee, espresso-based drinks, frappes, smoothies, bakery items including gooey butter cakes, muffins, scones, sandwiches, salads and soups. Putting an interesting twist to the equation, they also have craft beer, wine and mixed drinks. They are open late on Thursdays and Fridays when there’s usually some sort of live music.
“Our most popular menu items (besides our coffee drinks) are the chicken salad and the Buffalo wrap,” says Zarek. “All the chicken we use at Mokka is white meat chicken breast and is baked. We even bake our own bacon. Everything is made from scratch.”
Zarek has teamed up with Kerri White, owner of Zettie’s Confections, to compliment her everyday fare. White is a resident of Columbia and makes luscious gourmet treats like ultimate chip cookies, pecan caramels, carrot cake and some special order cakes and candies.
This is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to local involvement.
“I am the secretary of the Columbia Play Commission, a board member for the Monroe County Economic Development Council and am the secretary for two subcommittees for the Economic Development Council: Think Monroe County First and Business Development,” says Zarek.
As you can see, the high speed motor Zarek possesses comes in handy. It’s this passion for supporting local business that really puts Mokka squarely in the spotlight. According to Zarek, she believes in the power of a shared sense of community to raise the standard of living for everyone involved, which is one of the reasons she is such a big supporter of Think Monroe County First, a shop/spend local program through the Monroe County Economic Development Council. She donated the January Think Monroe County First Super Consumer prize.
“I believe people honestly want to support their community and the businesses in it,” says Zarek. “Given a choice, people would much rather give to a local business then spend their money out of town. The businesses in our area support our schools, charities, sports organizations. They employ local residents and the people who own them actually live here, giving them a vested interest in the continued success of their neighbors.”
Mokka Kaffeehaus is located at 180 Columbia Centre in the Marketplace Shopping Center, across from the Columbia Post Office.
Hours are:
6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Wednesday and Friday (open later on Friday when hosting live music)
6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday
7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday
8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday
You can find them on Facebook, Twitter or visit them at www.mokkakaffeehaus.com. Contact Zarek at 618-281-6655 or mail@mokkakaffeehaus.com.
No matter how serene or relaxing a coffee shop can be there’s always someone deep inside the coffee producing machine working hard to make sure everyone starts their day off the right way; a motor if you will. Shannon Zarek is this machine’s motor, and she’s nearly always at full-throttle.
Since Zarek opened Mokka in the Marketplace Shopping Center in January 2008, nearby residents have been reaping the benefits of having a local café that not only serves a wide variety of tasty drinks and homemade eats but is also a driving force in promoting local businesses and is an active part of the neighborhood.
“I chose this location to be close to home and because I am raising my family here and wanted to be more connected and involved with my community,” says Zarek. “Before opening Mokka, I worked for 20 years as a corporate and tax paralegal at a large law firm in Clayton, MO. My husband and I decided to move to Columbia in 2002. We had friends in the area and really fell in love with it.”
Perhaps Zarek fell in love with caffeinated drinks while crunching numbers. Regardless, she has chosen to share this passion with friends and strangers alike. Open seven days a week, Mokka offers coffee, espresso-based drinks, frappes, smoothies, bakery items including gooey butter cakes, muffins, scones, sandwiches, salads and soups. Putting an interesting twist to the equation, they also have craft beer, wine and mixed drinks. They are open late on Thursdays and Fridays when there’s usually some sort of live music.
“Our most popular menu items (besides our coffee drinks) are the chicken salad and the Buffalo wrap,” says Zarek. “All the chicken we use at Mokka is white meat chicken breast and is baked. We even bake our own bacon. Everything is made from scratch.”
Zarek has teamed up with Kerri White, owner of Zettie’s Confections, to compliment her everyday fare. White is a resident of Columbia and makes luscious gourmet treats like ultimate chip cookies, pecan caramels, carrot cake and some special order cakes and candies.
This is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to local involvement.
“I am the secretary of the Columbia Play Commission, a board member for the Monroe County Economic Development Council and am the secretary for two subcommittees for the Economic Development Council: Think Monroe County First and Business Development,” says Zarek.
As you can see, the high speed motor Zarek possesses comes in handy. It’s this passion for supporting local business that really puts Mokka squarely in the spotlight. According to Zarek, she believes in the power of a shared sense of community to raise the standard of living for everyone involved, which is one of the reasons she is such a big supporter of Think Monroe County First, a shop/spend local program through the Monroe County Economic Development Council. She donated the January Think Monroe County First Super Consumer prize.
“I believe people honestly want to support their community and the businesses in it,” says Zarek. “Given a choice, people would much rather give to a local business then spend their money out of town. The businesses in our area support our schools, charities, sports organizations. They employ local residents and the people who own them actually live here, giving them a vested interest in the continued success of their neighbors.”
Mokka Kaffeehaus is located at 180 Columbia Centre in the Marketplace Shopping Center, across from the Columbia Post Office.
Hours are:
6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Wednesday and Friday (open later on Friday when hosting live music)
6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday
7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday
8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday
You can find them on Facebook, Twitter or visit them at www.mokkakaffeehaus.com. Contact Zarek at 618-281-6655 or mail@mokkakaffeehaus.com.
State Seeks Input from Local Businesses
Waterloo- On May 12, Monroe County businesses will have a chance to provide input to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (ILDCEO) on how the State of Illinois can help small businesses create sustainable jobs over the next few years.
The meeting, sponsored by the Southwest Region ILDCEO Office of Outreach in partnership with Monroe County Economic Development Council (MCEDC) and Community & Economic Development Department, City of Columbia (CEDD) will be at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 12 in the old courtroom on the second floor of the Monroe County Courthouse in Waterloo.
ILDCEO is working with the University of Illinois on an extensive research and data gathering process to determine whether developing a program to assist locally owned businesses is a good strategy to spur economic prosperity for Illinois.
There are 500,000 businesses with less than 50 employees in Illinois--if every small business added just one job, the unemployment rate would be lowered five points. To lower the state's unemployment rate by one percent, 100,000 jobs will have to be created.
At the May 12 meeting, business can:
Interact with senior staff from the ILDCEO Director's Office;
Help ILDCEO supplement their academic information by giving input on what local/small businesses need;
Offer creative local economic development ideas;
§ Help identify obstacles or share keys to success of small, local, independent businesses and potential entrepreneurs;
Participate in an important initiative aimed at developing new policies, best practices, and programs to help small businesses in Illinois.
Seating is limited, so advanced registration is required. RSVP by May 10.
To reserve a seat for this meeting, send contact information to U of I Extension Community and Economic Development Educator Nora Feuquay , nfeuquay@illinois.edu or 618-939-8681 ext. 309 or Paul Ellis, Director of Community and Economic Development City of Columbia at, pellis@columbiaillinois.com.
The meeting, sponsored by the Southwest Region ILDCEO Office of Outreach in partnership with Monroe County Economic Development Council (MCEDC) and Community & Economic Development Department, City of Columbia (CEDD) will be at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 12 in the old courtroom on the second floor of the Monroe County Courthouse in Waterloo.
ILDCEO is working with the University of Illinois on an extensive research and data gathering process to determine whether developing a program to assist locally owned businesses is a good strategy to spur economic prosperity for Illinois.
There are 500,000 businesses with less than 50 employees in Illinois--if every small business added just one job, the unemployment rate would be lowered five points. To lower the state's unemployment rate by one percent, 100,000 jobs will have to be created.
At the May 12 meeting, business can:
Interact with senior staff from the ILDCEO Director's Office;
Help ILDCEO supplement their academic information by giving input on what local/small businesses need;
Offer creative local economic development ideas;
§ Help identify obstacles or share keys to success of small, local, independent businesses and potential entrepreneurs;
Participate in an important initiative aimed at developing new policies, best practices, and programs to help small businesses in Illinois.
Seating is limited, so advanced registration is required. RSVP by May 10.
To reserve a seat for this meeting, send contact information to U of I Extension Community and Economic Development Educator Nora Feuquay , nfeuquay@illinois.edu or 618-939-8681 ext. 309 or Paul Ellis, Director of Community and Economic Development City of Columbia at, pellis@columbiaillinois.com.
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