May 30, 2006
What’s next in CANYS programming—you decide!
The CANYS Board needs you to answer three questions about a potential Summer Membership Meeting in August.
Small Business Health Plans update
The very same day CANYS participants in New York Day in Washington were meeting on Capitol Hill, the U.S. Senate voted on a procedural motion that stopped the progression of Small Business Health Plan (SBHP) legislation—S. 1955, the Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act. Analysts say it is uncertain whether the Senate will consider this legislation again this year. Senator Enzi (WY), who proposed the legislation, will reportedly attempt to re-work the bill to attract the support necessary to win a future vote.
As noted by the U.S. Chamber, this is the first time in 11 years that small business health plan legislation was debated on the U.S. Senate floor. The vote to end debate and avoid filibuster was 55 to 43—only five votes short of the 60 votes needed to end a filibuster.
Additional bill information can be found at this Library of Congress (THOMAS) link: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:SN01955:@@@L&summ2=m&
On the Map winner launches Talking Street project
The Staten Island Chamber has announced the launch of its grant-winning project to promote tourism and put itself “On the Map!” From the chamber’s press release:
Talking Street’s™ latest mobile audio tour – Staten Island Ferry: Bridging the World’s Harbor, is a completely new and entertaining way to explore the Staten Island Ferry, New York Harbor and Staten Island. With expert interviews, eyewitness accounts, historic audio and more, this is the first-ever cell phone and audio walking tour in Staten Island and the third tour in New York City. Narrated by award-winning actor Paul Sorvino and in partnership with the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce, Council on the Arts & Humanities for Staten Island (COAHSI), Downtown Staten Island Council and the Staten Island Museum, the tour will be available beginning June 1. To preview the tour, visit www.talkingstreet.com/tours.php?tourid=sid
The tour, which begins aboard the ferry and continues on to points of interest in the St. George area, allows visitors to experience the incredible story of New York Harbor and Staten Island’s very important place in it. Tourists and Staten Island Ferry riders will learn, firsthand, about many of the top sites along the Staten Island Ferry ride.
It’s as simple to use as an audio guide in a museum – except you use your own cell phone, iPod, MP3 player or PDA. Just choose a stop and listen to an audio segment about the place where you’re standing. You can enjoy the tour in any order you want and at your own pace – in a single day, or over the course of a week. There are 16 stops, and each lasts about two minutes.
The Chamber received a $10,000 grant from the Chamber Alliance of New York State (CANYS) last March. It was one of three recipients of the “On the Map!” destination-marketing grant. The Chamber’s role in securing initial funding was instrumental in forming the partnership that followed with COAHSI, the Staten Island Museum and the Downtown Staten Island Council. Each partner’s mission includes the goals to broaden their audiences and build economic development through tourism initiatives.
Together RX Access could help your members' employees
The free-to-get and free-to-use Together Rx Access™ Card could
provide your members’ employees with meaningful savings on their
brand-name prescription products. Enrollment is simple and straightforward.
Participants must not have prescription drug coverage or be eligible for
Medicare.
The program includes more than 300 brand-name products prescribed to treat
depression, hypertension, high cholesterol, allergies, asthma, arthritis,
diabetes, and other common conditions. Savings on a range of generic products
are also available.
To request a free enrollment kit that you can distribute to your members,
call (800) 842-0283 or email TogetherRxAccess@Grassrootseffort.net.
For more information about the program, go to www.TogetherRxAccess.com.
Tell us about it
Rob Robinson at The Otsego County Chamber needs your help: "1) Any Chamber that has a formal, contractual relationship with their governmental agency to provide and/or manage the IDA and/or Economic Development activities - would you please share those agreements with The Otsego County Chamber? 2) Any Chamber that has a rate card for banner (or other) advertisements on their websites, would you please share them with The Otsego County Chamber?" e-mail Rob at rob@otsegocountychamber.com
The CANYS Chamber Connection is taking a summertime hiatus. Look for the next issue in late September.
Got a question you’d like to ask other CANYS members? Job opening in your chamber? Great idea you’d like to share? Send it to maggie.moree@bcnys.org.
