Chamber kicks off year

Acadian Chamber Members’ Luncheons are near

The Acadian and Francophone Chamber of Commerce of P.E.I. (CCAFLIPE) will kick off its new year of activities with several launchings, unveilings and presentations during its Members’ Luncheons.

“All members of our Chamber as well as all other people interested in P.E.I.’s francophone business world are graciously invited to attend these free luncheons, which will be held at 12 noon Monday, Jan. 25, at the Centre Belle-Alliance in Summerside and Tuesday, Jan. 26, at the Carrefour de l’Isle-Saint-Jean in Charlottetown,” says Chamber spokesman Martin Marcoux. “It would be a great pleasure to welcome you to this luncheon and to offer you a light lunch.”

He says the Chamber will take advantage of this event to launch its annual membership drive as well as its calendar of events for 2016.

“This year, we’ll be offering a series of lunch-and-learns, workshops, business mixers and social events to help feed our members’ entrepreneurial spirits,” he said. “Several of these learning, networking and sharing events will be organized in collaboration with the Wellington Rural Action Centre or with our other partners, such as the Collège Acadie Î.-P.-É., CBDC Central PEI, some of the schoolcommunity centres or other Chambers of Commerce.”

The Acadian Chamber will then announce the list of finalists of its entrepreneurial awards.

“We’ve received a record of nominations for this year’s competition. We’ll announce the cream of the crop of the deserving candidates who will be competing for our six awards,” says Marcoux. The names of the winners will be announced during the Acadian Entrepreneurs’ Gala next March.

The CCAFLIPE and the Wellington Rural Action Centre will then announce an important partnership that they’ve worked out to help the Greater Summerside Chamber of Commerce deliver one of its entrepreneurial programs to French-speaking business people throughout the province.

Luncheon participants will then hear brief presentations on the PERCÉ summer internship program, the Dragons Contest (which offers a $10,000 first prize) and the Wellington Rural Action Centre’s services.

Before wrapping up the luncheons at about 1:30, organizers will draw for door prizes.

Registration for these free luncheons is required. Contact Velma Robichaud at 902-8543439, Ext. 228, or at velma@rdeeipe.org no later than Jan. 20.