 By Chelsea Bray- Elle A. Design
This year has been a challenge and this holiday season proves to be as well. We know things aren’t the same as they usually are but that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on what makes this season so special. We came up with a list of things to do this year to help keep the holiday spirit alive and to help you spread some cheer. 1.Send Christmas cards to family you can’t visit this year We may not get to see everyone this year for the holidays, but you can still send some holiday cheer by sending custom cards to them in the mail. Include updates about the year and get the whole family to sign them for an extra personal touch. 2.Decorate cookies with candy from Carmazzi’s Candy and General Store Making cookies is a great activity for all ages! You could make sugar cookies, gingerbread cookies, or even a gingerbread house. All the candy you could need for decorating can be found right in Urbana at Carmazzi’s Candy and General Store. 3.Volunteer at Caring Kitchen Volunteering during the holidays is a great way to spread cheer and to help others have a great holiday too. You can volunteer with the Caring Kitchen in Urbana with meal preparation, serving, and clean up. They also take donations all year long! 4.Donate toys for dogs and cats to Barely Used Pets Rescue Don’t forget about our furry friends this time of year. While they are waiting to find their forever homes the amazing people at Barely Used Pets in Urbana are keeping them warm and happy this time of year. You can donate food or toys to the shelter to give the animals an extra special holiday. 5.Drive around a see the lights caravan style A fun way to get together with family while staying safe this holiday is to see lights around town caravan style. Everyone stays in their own car, but you can all experience the joy and magic of twinkling lights. Be sure to stop by Hemisphere in Mechanicsburg first for a cup of coffee or hot chocolate! 6.Make a homemade gift Making the holiday season extra personal this year will make it feel like you are closer than ever, even if you aren’t together. Try your hand at making a homemade holiday ornament to send to a loved one to let them know how much they mean to you. 7.Leave out treats for the delivery drivers (and Santa) We all know that Santa loves cookies and milk but don’t forget about all the amazing delivery drivers that come to your house almost every day! Prepackaged treats and bottles of water will give them that extra boost and let them know you appreciate all their hard work of delivery all your gifts in time for the holidays. 8.Have an ugly sweater themed dinner night at home You don’t have to have a party to don that ugly sweater hanging in your closet. Select a night of the week to get dressed up with your family, in your most festive gear, and enjoy a family favorite meal together. 9.Put together a holiday jigsaw puzzle The holidays are all about enjoying time together. Find a winter themed puzzle that you like and spend time together completing the puzzle. This is a great way to relax, work together, and make memories that will last a lifetime. 10.Choose old toys to donate a local thrift store This is the time of year for giving. If you have any gently used toys that are still in good condition, there are plenty of places you can donate them where another kid can treasure them for years to come. Funds aimed to help small business hit by pandemic
“Our local economy has been negatively impacted with the Coronavirus and our small businesses are some of the hardest hit,” said Marcia Bailey CEP Economic Development Director. “These funds are an expense reimbursement grant and will help get the businesses through this difficult time”.
To qualify for the grant program, businesses must:
Some examples of eligible reimbursable expenses include:
Businesses that have received funding for expenses arising from the pandemic cannot submit the same expenses for reimbursement under the CARES Grant for Champaign County Small Businesses. “We are so appreciative of our small businesses and although there is great uncertainty, Champaign County is hopeful that businesses receiving these grant funds will successfully persevere through the COVID-19 pandemic.” Bailey said. Applications and grant guidelines are available on the CEP website www.cepohio.com or www.champaignworks.com/CARESGrantChampaignCounty beginning November 24, 2020. Application deadline is December 1, 2020 at 5:00 pm. Due to the short application period, we recommend you apply as soon as possible. In order to assist you, please send your questions to info@cepohio.com. Businesses are also encouraged to visit https://businesshelp.ohio.gov for additional assistance. Governor DeWine announced CARES Act funding through the State of Ohio for small business and others that have been impacted financially by the pandemic
To further help support local businesses and organizations during the holiday season the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce is launching a “Keep the Cheer Here” fundraiser. Purchase an item from the Champaign County Visitors Bureau Online Gift Store and when checking out, simply fill in the name of the Champaign County business you would like to support. $10 for every item purchased will be sent to that organization or business and you get a nice, soft tee or item of your choice to represent Champaign County!
Several new designs have been added including “Home for the Holidays” that will only be available for a limited time. Access the store by going to https://ccvisitorsbureau.itemorder.com/sale For more information contact the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce at 937-653-5764 or email info@champaignohio.com.
In addition, the Chamber will be releasing local gift guides to promote local businesses this holiday season. Follow along on the Chamber’s Facebook page or online at champaignohio.com for local gift ideas.
Shopping local is crucial to the economic success of our community and this year is even more important. Avoid large crowds and ensure your money stays in your community this season by shopping local Funds aimed to help small business hit by pandemic
“Our local economy has been negatively impacted with the Coronavirus and our small businesses are some of the hardest hit,” said Marcia Bailey CEP Economic Development Director. “These funds are an expense reimbursement grant and will help get the businesses through this difficult time."
To qualify for the grant program, businesses must:
Businesses that have received funding for expenses arising from the pandemic cannot submit the same expenses for reimbursement under the CARES Grant for Champaign County Small Businesses. “We are so appreciative of our small businesses and although there is great uncertainty, Champaign County is hopeful that businesses receiving these grant funds will successfully persevere through the COVID-19 pandemic.” Bailey said. Applications and grant guidelines are available at www.champaignworks.com/CARESGrantChampaignCounty beginning October 30, 2020. Application deadline is November 13, 2020 at 5:00 pm. Due to the short application period, we recommend you apply as soon as possible. In order to assist you, please send your questions to info@cepohio.com. Businesses are also encouraged to visit https://businesshelp.ohio.gov for additional assistance. Governor DeWine announced CARES Act funding through the State of Ohio for small business and others that have been impacted financially by the pandemic.
 By Chelsea Bray: Elle A. Design Tuesday, September 29th is International Coffee Day. We want to use this day not only to celebrate coffee and how amazing it is, but to celebrate a local coffeehouse that makes top-notch coffee and has a story that everyone needs to hear. The Spotted Cow Coffeehouse is a unique location right here in Urbana, Ohio that employs people living with many different developmental disabilities. The owner, Bobbi, “envisions a continuous goal to build the lives of adults with disabilities.” The Spotted Cow Coffeehouse strives to help their employees build interpersonal skills, self-worth, self-esteem and give them a job they are proud to have.  As part of this process they not only want to teach their employees how to carry out their day-to-day tasks but to educate them on the origins of the coffee, products they carry, and how to prepare a great cup of joe. The result, as they put it, “adds a unique sweetness to every cup” and we couldn’t agree more. The drinks they serve are extra special thanks to the extra love, but also thanks to their amazing partners; Hemisphere Coffee Roasters and Downsize Farm.  Hemisphere Coffee Roasters is another inspirational local business, located in Mechanicsburg, Ohio. They have a huge passion for coffee, but also for helping people. They have built direct-trade relationships with the growers that produce their coffee beans to make sure they are being paid fairly and the income they receive will help their communities thrive. Their moto is “Good coffee doing good” and it really reflects in their business and even in the local relationships they build.  To fully paint a picture of all that The Spotted Cow Coffeehouse does for our community, we must also shine light on Downsize Farm, located in Woodstock, Ohio. At Downsize Farm they are fully devoted to the enrichment of the members’ lives. Their habilitation program for adults with developmental disabilities focuses on giving the participants tools and confidence to be part of their community. The family tie between The Spotted Cow Coffeehouse and Downsize farm is a story of love, family, happiness and heartbreak. With the guidance of her parents, Bob and Midge, and inspiration from her brothers, Eric and Levi, Bobbi has transformed a simple coffeehouse into a place that supports community members, gives people a sense of pride, and fosters daily opportunity.
Although currently you can’t stay inside to enjoy your beverage, you can still stop in and grab something to go at The Spotted Cow Coffeehouse. Feeling connected to the community is important to everyone and this year has made it a little harder to make that happen. If you have time, stop in for a drink and a quick chat. They also recently announced they are taking online orders - you can place an order here. We hope you have an amazing International Coffee Day and take a minute to thank those special people in your life, your baristas, for everything they do! The phrase you will hear over and over again at The Spotted Cow Coffeehouse is “We are victors, not victims” and we could not agree more. Go out and seize the day! |
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