Author: Tillamook Chamber

Photo by Tillamook County Pioneer

By Justin Aufdermauer
Executive Director

Saturday was our annual Community Awards Banquet and fundraiser at the Tillamook County Fairgrounds. It was a packed house as more than 400 people came out to celebrate with us and all of our Community Award nominees.

Each year it feels like this event gets more and more recognition from the community and we look forward to seeing everyone and enjoying a phenomenal meal prepared by over a dozen of our most recognized restaurants, and all coordinated by Chef Nelia Seratista of Pacific Restaurant. Nelia was gracious enough to work the evening in the kitchen all while being nominated for Citizen of the Year.

We also had a robust silent auction with donations from 75 local businesses, and it was exciting to watch as folks tried to outbid each other on their favorite items. Overall we had one of our most successful oral auctions, and I can’t thank Brett Hurliman enough for once again being our auctioneer and crowd pleaser. I must also thank our dedicated team of volunteers who pulled the whole thing off; this wasn’t just an effort by our Board and staff, and together we easily put in a couple hundred hours. Thank you to local Boy Scout Troop 582 for being our floor service and tear down crew for the eventing; and to Bridgett Kinne, Ken Phillips and Emily Critelli for being spectacular bartenders.

The entire evening was one of high emotions. We were sadly aware of Tommy Flood’s passing and had a moment of silence in his honor. The Schooner crew honored him well by carrying out a flawless paella in what I dub as “Tommy’s insanely large paella pans.”

We also handed out our first ever Program of the Year award to the Shop with a Cop program, which received a resounding standing ovation from the crowd. This program is in its 15th year in Tillamook and has helped more than 650 children have a merry Christmas by taking them shopping with a police officer. The community pride for this program was electric, and it was a well-deserved win.

Ken Werner was awarded Citizen of the Year out of a lengthy list of 10 nominees. Ken delivered a heartfelt speech thanking his community for taking a chance on him all those years ago and helping him build his legacy. Both Werners Beef & Brew and Werner Brewing Co. received nominations in other categories, and I think we can all agree that we wouldn’t be enjoying either of these businesses without the foundation that Ken Werner has laid.

Our other winners included the Blue Heron French Cheese Co. for Business of the Year. Not only do they provide a world-class visitor experience, their community spirit is tangible. The love and support that the Pastegas have bestowed on Tillamook County is a testament to their long term commitment to both our visitors and our citizens.

Madeline’s Vintage Marketplace took home Small Business of the Year, due in part to their resilient and positive attitude when faced with both the highway construction project and then a building remodel that forced them to relocate for the summer. These ladies provide impeccable customer service and create a storefront that sets a high bar for the rest of our downtown retailers.

And finally, Development Project of the Year went to the Highway 6/101 Realignment project. In the end, I think we can all understand and agree that despite the hardships of the last three years the investment in our city was well worth it, and the economic stimulation is already positively impacting our business owners. While there are still kinks to be worked out in the project, I hope in the upcoming year we can lay down our negativity and embrace the worthwhile improvements.

Thank you for celebrating with us! We look forward to another tremendous year.

By Justin Aufdermauer
Executive Director

It’s been awhile since I’ve introduced our Chamber Board members here. We’ve been blessed with committed board members who go the distance for our organization. They are involved in projects and aren’t afraid to roll their sleeves up and work.

At our last board meeting of the year we appointed our executive committee and are thrilled to have Kaylan Sisco serving as our Board Chair and Natalie Rieger as our Vice Chair. AS you probably know, Kaylan is the CEO at the Tillamook Family YMCA, and Natalie has just started a new career as the store manager at Roby’s Furniture in Tillamook. Kayla Seaholm is our past Board Chair and Jeff Simpson is serving again as Treasurer and Secretary. This is Jeff’s second year on our board, making him one of our newer members. Jeff is a Tillamook native and works as an accountant at Simpson & Rosener CPA.

We’ve also added two new board members just in the last couple of months giving us a full roster.

Beau Pullium is the Director of Quality Assurance for Werners Gourmet Meat Snacks, where he oversees food safety and quality of the plant and products produced there. Beau grew up in Tillamook before leaving for several years, and upon returning wanted to find a way to give back to the community that gave so much to him.

When asked why he joined the Chamber Board he said, “I really wanted to be a part of something that makes a difference in the community… It seemed like the natural thing was to get involved with an organization that provides opportunity to have my hands in many different services.” Beau added that he gets to be on a team that cares for the community and really makes a difference.

Beau has served on staff for the Oregon Association of Student Councils for 11 years, which provides the methods for youth in the state to sharpen their leadership skills. He has also been a volunteer for Tillamook Outdoor School for several years, and teaches food science to 6th graders. Beau brings patience, humor, leadership and strong community roots as well as an eagerness to participate and learn to our Board of Directors.

His introduction to the Chamber began when he approached us to see if we would have interest in starting a Young Professionals group in Tillamook. This has been part of our vision for some time and we are excited that he has stepped up to spearhead one of the Chamber’s newest programs: the Young Professionals of Tillamook.

“I think that it is so important for professionals especially those that are younger and new to a professional position to have an outlet to socialize and give to the communities in which they live,” he said. “ Historically Tillamook has not been a place for younger professional people to reside. With this group I intend to change that.”

Beau is on our Community Engagement Team at the Chamber and said he is looking forward to finding ways to help keep everyone excited about living in Tillamook. We are thrilled to have Beau on our Board and all the energy and professionalism he brings to the table!

We’ve also added Joanna Stelzig to our board, and I am excited to introduce her and her goals for the Chamber next month. Stay tuned.

By Justin Aufdermauer
Executive Director

Over the last two weeks we have introduced the nominees for Business of the Year, Small Business of the Year, Program of the Year and Development Project of the Year. Our final category for the Community Awards is a big one – Citizen of the Year. We received the most nominations for this category and the group of nominees showcase a diverse background and continued commitment to Tillamook County. We are fortunate to have every single one of these people living in our community and making it a better place.

For Citizen of the Year, the nominees are:

Brooklyn Bush: Brooklyn teaches agriculture at Tillamook High School and heads the Tillamook Chapter of the FFA. She was nominated for helping shape the people who will live and work here and fostering the agriculture heritage in Tillamook County through teaching, community events and her continued service.

Tim Carpenter: Tim, who serves as the Fire Chief at Oceanside-Netarts Rural Fire Protection District, was nominated for his ongoing leadership and commitment to rescue efforts in Tillamook County, and his hospitality toward local efforts and events by opening up the Netarts Fire Hall as a community space.

Tom Connaughton: Tom has been a key player in downtown Tillamook for more than 30 years. He was nominated for the example he sets for other business owners, his positive attitude, and his ability to keep the best interest for Tillamook at the heart of everything he does.

Wayne Cook: Wayne started his business Cook Land Surveying in 1978 and since that time has raised five children, supported the Tillamook School District and Tillamook Athletic Department and been involved in other community organizations such as the Oregon Hunters Association and the Tillamook Gun Club.

Andrea Goss: Andrea is a volunteer at heart, and has served as coordinator and helper for several programs in our community including but not limited to the CARE warming center, Master Gardeners, CASA, the OSU Extension and the Kiwanis Club of Tillamook. She was nominated for continuing to give and enrich our community through her leadership, participation, coordination and passion.

Nelia Seratista: Nelia, co-proprietor of Pacific Restaurant in downtown Tillamook, was nominated because of the support she lends to all kinds of nonprofits and organizations by hosting their events and offering her expertise. She has also been an instrumental partner in the success of the food cart court, Flavors on First.

Kimberly Theobold: Kimberly works for Adult Protective Services and was nominated for going above and beyond to serve the aged and at-risk population of Tillamook County. She works tirelessly to meet the needs of the vulnerable and always looks out for the family of her clients.

Jon Wehage: A forester for the last 22 years in Tillamook County, Jon was nominated for the many hats that he wears in the community, including his role on the Tillamook Working Lands and Waters Cooperative, 4H youth programs and the Junior Livestock Auction Committee, and as a board member for the Tillamook County Fairgrounds.

Ken Werner: Co-owner of Werner Gourmet Meat Snacks Inc., Ken was nominated for his generosity and commitment to supporting local. Under Ken’s direction, Werners Gourmet Meat Snacks donates an extraordinary amount annually to local charities, events, schools and non profit organizations. He also offers a fundraising program that benefits the schools, and on Veteran’s Day offered free meals to veterans at Werners Beef & Brew.

Ed Wortman: The former Chief of Police in Rockaway Beach, Ed was nominated not only for his time spent with the police department where he increased the number of officers on duty, orchestrated the purchase and remodel of the police station, and created the Volunteers in Police, but also for opening the International Police Museum as a way to create a sense of mutual respect between officers and citizens.

Tickets for this event are selling rapidly, and I encourage anyone who wants to attend not to hesitate in purchasing tickets. For more information, please call our office at 503-842-7525 or email info@tillamookchamebr.org.

By Justin Aufdermauer
Executive Director

Saturday was the deadline for the Community Awards nominations, and you guys really outdid yourselves! We had a record-breaking number of nominations come in this year! It appears the simplicity of the online form is doing the trick.

However it seems like the most seemingly visible category got forgotten: Development Project of the Year. We have received one strong nomination in that category, but there is so much more development that has happened in the last 12 months that deserves recognition. Remember – this is a county-wide award and not limited to Chamber members or those projects within the City of Tillamook.

Now, I know that at the end of the year it can be hard to remember exactly what all has happened this year because some things feel like they’ve been a part of our lives forever. Here is a little refresher:

The Tillamook Creamery’s new visitor center officially opened to the public. While this establishment has been a part of our county for decades, the newer – and bigger – facility has an expanded viewing section, interactive farm displays for both adults and children, an expanded menu featuring local ingredients, an outdoor seating area and so much more.

The Flavors on First Food Cart Court had its grand opening. I know it’s hard to believe that this was once an empty parking lot, but that goes to show you what you can accomplish in a short amount of time. This food cart court has grown to five food carts and a covered seating area and is giving downtown so many more options for lunch, dinner or just a snack.

The downtown highway project wrapped up in October, complete with new sidewalks, paving, landscaping, street lights, parking, a more visually-appealing Hoquarton Slough walking path and an eye-catching Second Street Plaza right in the center of downtown. Yes it was a trying time for all of us, but downtown has never looked better and I think we’re all enjoying the new aesthetics and better traffic flow.

Food Roots opened their FarmTable storefront this year, and is selling locally-grown foods and other products made right here in Tillamook. Now shoppers have a place to go year-round that supports local farmers and artisans and strengthens the local economy. We also got our very own Dutch Bros this year, Tora Sushi Lounge took up a vacant space in downtown, Sand Creek Dental built a beautiful new building and even the Tillamook Family YMCA is getting a facelift for the first time in years. And we can’t forget the latest restaurant & tap room to hit the scene from a family who has won awards in the past: Werners Beef & Brew officially opened in 2018 and if you haven’t been yet, they’re serving both delicious food and craft beer on tap and also have all your favorite local snack products for sale.

As you can see, we’ve had our fair share of development in the last 12 months, and we would love to be able to recognize these amazing projects during our Community Banquet. Please take the time to go online and nominate your favorite 2018 development you have seen within Tillamook County! We will leave the form open until Dec. 14th. 

Last week we started sending out invitations to the Banquet, which will take place on January 19, 2019. This year’s theme is ‘A Night in Portugal’ and our entire staff is busy with the planning – including collecting auction items, finding volunteers, creating decorations and ensuring that – as always – this Community Banquet is one of the best events of the year. If you would like tickets, or have a donation item in mind for the auction, please contact our office at 503-842-7525.

By Justin Aufdermauer
Executive Director

Happy thanksgiving everyone! I hope you have a wonderful day planned to enjoy all there is to be grateful for. In my house that definitely means enjoying a turkey dinner and spending quality time with family.

We have another tradition here in Tillamook that happens the Saturday after Thanksgiving called Small Business Saturday. This nationwide movement encourages folks on the day after Black Friday to shop small when doing their Christmas shopping. Our downtown district has really taken this concept and run with it, and all over town on Saturday you’ll find great deals and a full day of family friendly events.

The Chamber has helped coordinate and market these events to encourage participation. Here is a quick rundown of events taking place this Saturday:

Gingerbread House Building Competition at YoTime: Join Yo Time and friends this Small Business Saturday for the second annual Gingerbread House Building Competition! This was so fun last year that YoTime is more than excited to be hosting it again. Teams of four-ish (more or less, no big deal) are invited to register for the competition ahead of time. Each team is asked to bring $10 or a gently used sleeping bag, tent or tarp as an entry fee, which will be donated to CARE to assist folks in need this winter. Basic gingerbread house building supplies will be provided, but teams are encouraged to be creative and are welcome to bring their own supplies for personal touches. Teams are asked to arrive at 1 p.m. on Saturday, and the contest will kick off at 1:15. The building window will last 45 minutes, at which point a winner will be determined by audience applause.

Cooking Decorating at the Social House Cafe: The Social House Cafe has been under a renaissance of late, and this is an opportunity to check out the new direction of the familiar restaurant if you haven’t already. The cookie decorating will be happening all day, and promises to be fun  – and delicious – for the entire family.

Letters to Santa at The Dutch Mill: The only thing better than getting your requests in to the Big Guy before the Big Day is getting a complimentary ice cream cone! Children are invited all day to come write and mail their letters to Santa (The Dutch Mill will have a mailbox on hand that ships directly to the North Pole) and they’ll get a free ice cream cone for participating. Plus, rumor has it they’ll have some food specials that day as well so this might make a good stop for lunch.

Holiday Pop Up Market on Third and Main: The Tillamook Revitalization Association is hosting a holiday pop-up market inside the Beals Building on the corner of Third and Main from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. They will have vendors (some of which you haven’t seen since the Tillamook Farmers Market) selling all kinds of hand-made, locally crafted goods that make perfect Christmas gifts for family, friends or yourself.

Wreath Fundraiser on  Second Street Plaza: Tillamook Early Learning Center is having their second annual wreath sale fundraiser, and is teaming up with Small Business Saturday! Pre-order your local handcrafted wreath ahead of time for pick up by contacting TELC Board CHair Julie Hurliman at (503) 913-3869 or jahurliman@msn.com. There will be a limited number of these beauties for sale on SBS, but you’ll want to stop by and scoop yours up early if you don’t get a chance to pre-order.

Brunch and Bloody Mary Bar at Pacific Restaurant: Chefs Nelia and Phil have begun plotting what will be guaranteed to be a memorable meal – just what you need to gear up for a lovely day in downtown Tillamook! Reservations are not required; stop by anytime between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m  for a world class buffet and a tour of the Bloody Mary Bar. Pacific Restaurant will also be offering an all day special on gift cards: purchase a $100 gift card for only $80 (not valid to use on Small Business Saturday).

We hope you’ll come downtown and join us downtown to support these establishments and start the Christmas shopping season off right. It’s also the perfect opportunity to enjoy our new sidewalks, parking spaces, landscaping and wonderful new curb appeal of downtown.

To make sure you are in shape for a full day of shopping after the big feast, be sure to join Tillamook Motor Company at the corner of Fifth & Main for the annual Tillamook Ford Turkey Trot on Friday the 23rd ! Walkers will travel down 5th to Carnahan Park and back. The trot starts at 9 a.m. with an entry fee of one can of food (or more) that will benefit the Tillamook County Food Bank.

These events and more information about activities, specials and sales on Small Business Saturday are available on the Tillamook County Small Business Saturday Facebook page, or contact our Downtown Event Coordinator, Sierra, at sierra@tillamookchamber.org

By Justin Aufdermauer
Executive Director

Throughout the year there are always times when it seems like there are so many projects in the air and none of them are wrapping up. This has been one of those months; however in this past week it seems like we are starting to see that shift a bit. Two projects that we’ve been working on at the Chamber wrapped up in that kind of way that makes you sigh a sense of accomplished relief. One of these projects you’ve no doubt noticed by now: the brand new City of Tillamook Wayfinding signs that have been installed at each entrance to town.

These signs were made possible thanks to a partnership with the City of Tillamook and funding through the Visit TIllamook Coast transient lodging tax dollars. We managed the project from start to finish, including planning, design, placement and installation. It was exciting to see them being installed in conjunction with the completion of the majority of the downtown highway project. These signs add a nice uniformity to both our downtown and all four corners of the City of Tillamook, utilizing our Dairylands branding strategy that gives both residents and visitors a sense of place while they enjoy our town. We couldn’t be more proud of how they turned out and tip our hats to the partner agencies that helped bring it about.

The second project that just wrapped up is the Tillamook Coast Tide Books. For years now the Tillamook Chamber has bulk ordered custom tidebooks at Coast Printing for our business community so they can hand them out affordably. In fact, we’ve done it long enough that most people had no idea the Chamber was the one responsible for the tide book in their pocket. This time we decided to switch it up a bit. Thanks again to another partnership with Visit Tillamook Coast, we are now able to offer all businesses the first 100 tide books free of charge, and any additional at only $10 per hundred. This partnership fits perfectly as Visit Tillamook Coast continues to manage tourism by informing and educating visitors as they come to enjoy our slice of the Oregon Coast.

Tide books won’t be here until January, but we are taking orders if your business would like to stock up! While the design and printing is a service we offer as the Chamber of Commerce, we do not limit their distribution to Chamber members. So please feel free to contact out office at 503-842-7525 or info@tillamookchamber.org if you’d like to reserve a bundle.

As always, these tide books are adjusted for our Tillamook Coast beaches, which comes in handy for our fishermen, crabbers, clam diggers and tide poolers.

I would also be remiss if I didn’t take this opportunity to remind folks to make their nominations for the 2019 Community Awards banquet. The form has been simplified even more this year, and is available online at tillamookchamber.org/nominate. The four categories are Business of the Year (10 or more employees); Small Business of the Year (10 or less employees); Citizen of the Year; Development Project of the Year; and Program of the Year. These awards are another project that we manage at the Chamber, but we do not make the nominations nor select a winner. These awards depend on the community taking a little time out of their day to nominate a business, project or person that they feel goes above and beyond for Tillamook County and deserves a pat on the back. I believe if we all take a moment, we can pretty easily come up with an idea or two for each category.

Each nomination will receive a personal invitation to the Community Awards Banquet on Jan. 19 at the Tillamook County Fairgrounds. We would also love for you to join us there, so please call our offices at 503-842-7525 to inquire about tickets.

By Sierra Lauder
Director of Events & Downtown Promotions

Last week, we gathered on a rainy afternoon on the Second Street Plaza with Sen. Betsy Johnson, Congressman Kurt Schrader, Mayor Weber and a variety of other community leaders and cut the ribbon on the highway project completion. It was a celebration of how far we’ve come as a downtown –  but before you call my office pointing out all the things still not finished with this project, let me offer you a metaphor:

Last Sunday morning I laid out the single biggest threat in my parenting toolbox: clean rooms by 4 p.m. or we’re shutting off the internet. Because my boys know that I am an inhuman robot with zero empathy for their Fortnite fascination they scramble. As we approach 4 o’clock they start to indicate that they’ve successfully finished their job. Some might even say they are “substantially complete” with their project.

Even if you don’t have kids, you have been a kid and you likely remember that the first “I’m done” of room cleaning is simply the beginning of the end. There is still a variety of inspections and things that were missed in the initial pass though, plus some negotiating about tasks that were implied but perhaps not clearly outlined…

This is really the perfect metaphor. The original project completion date that was projected as October 16^th was pushed back to the end of October. The problem with the term “completion date” is that it implies a certain finality- almost as if a person could expect that the project was, in fact, complete.

The reality is that the project completion date is only the date that all of the items within the contract have been submitted for consideration. This is when my boys call me up to examine the room for the first time. There will still be another hour of pointing out missed socks under the bed and the water glass on the nightstand, (plus whatever is beside that water glass that may or may not have once been an apple core…)

That’s where we are now. There is a variety of details and finish work that are still underway that will continue past the completion date. Why have a completion date if it isn’t completed, you ask? The completion date sets the clock on the warranty. Once the project is agreed upon as “complete,” the contractor is still responsible for things like the maintence and life of the plants for one year from that date. While we will still see work after completion, it will mostly be repair or touch up work. Because there are so many contractors and jurisdictions involved, even the task of completing the “punch list” that captures where the dirty dishes are tucked and the cracks must be repaired is time consuming.

Some might still be skeptical of a ribbon cutting prior to completion, but as the rain sets in and the days grow shorter, I say “Let’s Celebrate!” The ribbon cutting last week doesn’t absolve anyone of cleaning up those last stinky socks, but it does give the community a chance to celebrate our beautiful new sidewalks and embrace the fact that downtown is open for business this holiday season.

Thank you to everyone who came out for this ceremonial act of cutting the ribbon. I hope that, even though the rains have returned with full force, you still get out  downtown and enjoy what we’ve all been waiting so long for!

By Justin Aufdermauer
Executive Director

Take a look around; what do you see? It might depend on where you are standing, but from our front window at the Chamber I see new sidewalks, brand new parking spaces and – most recently – new trees and landscaping gracing nearly every corner of our new downtown. Take a quick walk and you’ll see new businesses selling everything from farm-fresh produce to unique t-shirts and even pottery. Walk even farther and you might stumble upon the nearly-complete Flavors on First food cart court with its new covered pavilion, or the beautifully-renovated Sue H Elmore park overlooking Hoquarten Slough.

And that’s just downtown.

We would be remiss if we didn’t mention the brand new Dutch Bros. north of town, or Sand Creek Dental office at the south end.

I always like to take a moment this time of year and remind our readers about the growth we’ve experienced in the last 12 months, and all the reasons why we love living here. And while I can’t mention everything in this column, I hope it spurs a discussion amongst yourselves about the changes and improvements you’ve witnessed in 2018, and encourages you to pick your favorites and nominate them for our annual Community Awards.

We’ve made the nomination process much more simple this year; just go online to www.tillamookchamber.org/nominate, pick a nomination category, a recipient, and tell us why. It could be a single sentence, or a well thought out essay about why a business or person made an impact on your life and the community in 2018.

The categories this year are Business of the Year (eleven or more employees); Small Business of the Year (ten or less employees); Developmental Project of the Year; Citizen of the Year – and new this year Program of the Year. A lot of amazing work happening in the county that doesn’t quite fit into the other categories but deserves recognition. That’s where Program of the Year comes in to play; maybe it’s a program from a local non-profit, a specific event, or a volunteer that makes a large impact through a single initiative.

All nominations are due by Dec. 1 so we have time for the selection committee, comprised of prior year’s award recipients, to review applications and make their decisions.  Any and all businesses, projects, and people in Tillamook County are eligible, and nominees will be honored at the annual Tillamook Area Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet in January. You can remain anonymous as the person nominating if you wish, and if you would like to attend the ceremony in January you can request an invitation on the online form.

There is no limit to how many businesses, projects, and people you can nominate. Tell us everything great you see happening all around you in Tillamook County!

By Justin Aufdermauer
Executive Director

After a marvelous summer, fall is finally here. I think the change in weather is welcomed by many of us, as well as the new routine of taking kids to school and grabbing an extra jacket before leaving the house.

Fall also means its time to launch Downtown Sweepstakes 2.0.

Last year was our first time trying this new shopping incentive to encourage people to come downtown and spend a little time and  hopefully a little money. It started as a way to mitigate the effects of construction that many of our downtown business owners were feeling, and worked similarly to an old-fashioned cash mob but extended the shopping period over several months.

When we had this hair-brained idea last year, we had no idea how well it was going to take off, or how many people it would bring downtown. Over the course of the sweepstakes last year we had 1,493 entries; this year we’re hoping to see more 2,000.

And while the construction project is on track to wrap up this fall, we still want to encourage people to enjoy our newly remodeled downtown area, so we’re launching Downtown Sweepstakes 2.0.

The rules are simple, and similar to last year: Whenever you shop downtown between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, bring in your receipts to the TIllamook Chamber to be entered into a weekly drawing. You can enter once a day. Each week a downtown business will sponsor a giveaway and we will draw from that week’s tickets to pick a winner. Then, every ticket will be entered into a grand prize drawing of $1,000 shopping spree in downtown Tillamook, sponsored again this year by US Bank. The more you shop, the better your odds are of winning the grand prize. It’s that simple, and it’s that fun.

So if you go out to breakfast at The Rendezvous, gift shopping at Sunflower Flats, or pamper yourself with a pedicure at Shear Bliss, bring us your receipts. The possibilities are endless but each time you shop – for special occasions or the things we do on a regular basis – you could be entered to win all kinds of amazing prices right in time for the holidays. Then, after the holiday rush has passed and we start settling into a new year and a new routine, one lucky winner will have $1,000 extra dollars to enjoy in our downtown.

Let’s celebrate the end of the construction and the beautifully remodeled downtown by spending time here and enjoying the new sidewalks, the newly planted trees and foliage, the renovated Sue H Elmore Park and walking trail through Hoquarten Slough, and reminding our downtown business owners why we love it here. You can follow along with the sweepstakes and all of the weekly drawings by following the Tillamook Area Chamber of Commerce facebook page.

By Justin Aufdermauer
Executive Director

Local food such as Tillamook Creamery dairy products, Werner jerky products, and Pelican microbrews have been a long standing staple of things that Tillamook stands for. What many may not know, however, is that in recent years there has been an incredible shift in the food culture. This shift is made up of chefs, business owners, fishermen and farmers who are passionate about sustainable practices, and sourcing local ingredients. It’s such a huge part of who we are that Visit Tillamook Coast launched the North Coast Food Trail earlier this year to showcase the wide variety of restaurants, farms, breweries, markets and more that are bringing the bounty of Tillamook County and the North Oregon Coast to consumers.

The Tillamook Farmers Market is a stop along this food trail, as our many of our vendors because they are growing and producing food items featured in several of our local restaurants and stores. And at the end of this month, we will be celebrating all things food related at the Crave the Coast foodie festival.

Under the event tent in Garibaldi, some culinary masters  – about 40 to be exact – will gather in one place to showcase the incredible bounty our area produces. From fresh seafood, world-class beer – guests will be entertained by  renowned chefs and local business owners with cooking demos, samples, tastings and be inspired to create their own culinary dishes that support our local producers.

Many years ago you may recall the Taste of Tillamook event – a favorite for many. While Crave the Coast began as a simple conversation to recreate this food festival, it has grown exponentially to include guided tours, live cooking demos, and the largest selection of vendors and producers on the North Oregon Coast. It’s garnered attention from both regional and national media who are showcasing the Tillamook Coast as a premier agritourism destination. We are proud to be a major sponsor of this event, which also inspired us to revitalize the ‘Chef’s Table’ at the Tillamook Farmers Market. From now until the end of the season you can catch local chefs doing what they do best – creating mouth watering masterpieces from ingredients grown and made right here in Tillamook, and available for sale at the Tillamook Farmers Market. So far we’ve enjoyed Nelia with Pacific Restaurant and her homemade mozzarella; and coming up we will have demonstrations from The Offshore Grill in Rockaway Beach and Garibaldi Portside Bistro, as well as LaNicia from Coastal Soul serving up some classic fried green tomatoes.  Check the Tillamook Farmers Market Facebook page for dates, times and more information about these cooking demonstrations, sponsored by Visit Tillamook Coast and Crave the Coast.

To wrap up, if you don’t have your tickets yet, visit cravethecoast.org and purchase them today. It’s only $30 to get inside and gain access to some of the best chefs the west coast has to offer, and opportunities to learn and get to know those who are cultivating and nurturing the abundance of harvest our area has to offer.

By Justin Aufdermauer
Executive Director  

The recent bouts of rain have been a nice relief from the wildfires of summer, and sure make it easier to start picturing the cozy, inside gatherings of fall and winter next to a fireplace or wrapped in a warm sweater. While I am also looking forward to kids going back to school and the fast-pace of summer slowing down just a bit, I can assure you there is still a lot happening in our town before summer officially parts ways.

This Saturday from 9 am- 3 pm is the city-wide downtown garage sale, hosted by the Tillamook Revitalization Association and the Tillamook Headlight Herald. Second Street between Main and Ivy will be closed to traffic so those interested can bring in tables and items they’d like to sell. It’s a great way to either clean out some much needed space before the rainy season hits, pick up a few new things to redecorate with, or even find unique pieces that will make great holiday gifts. From clothing, to furniture, to fabrics and decor pieces, it’s a one-stop-shop garage sale.

If you’d like to rent a table space, reach out to either the Tillamook Headlight Herald or Sky at Lucky Bear Soap Co. Each 10×12 space is only $15.

The Tillamook Farmers Market is still underway on Laurel Avenue between First and Third every Saturday from 9am- 2pm. The last day of the season is Sept. 29, so there is still plenty of time to find your favorite produce (tomatoes are in season, btw) and enjoy the plethora of talented artists, crafters, designers and producers that we have here in Tillamook County. There’s also some really fun and talented musical acts coming up this month, including the always-popular Buffalo Kitty, ZuhG with an encore acoustic performance on Sept. 1, and local favorite Eric Sappington with his soulful tunes. Hopefully your calendar will lend itself to a leisurely Saturday on Laurel, where there is plenty of great food and music to wile away a few hours and enjoy the company – making stocking your produce drawer as much about the experience as the exceptional local produce.   

While you’re checking your calendar, make a note about the upcoming Third Annual Oktoberfest in the Dairylands on the Second Street Plaza from noon to 6 p.m. on Sept. 8. Pacific Restaurant will again cater this year’s event with authentic German-style cuisine, and participants will be entertained with local and professional polka bands and dancers. New this year is the artist celebration of Route 6 brought to you by Art Accelerated, so there will also be artist booths and exhibits to enjoy. Because this event is a fundraiser for the Monday Musical Club of Tillamook, every penny raised goes to supporting local music scholarships as well as bringing professional concerts to Tillamook multiple times per year. Tickets to Oktoberfest in the Dairylands are available at the gate or at the Monday Musical Club of Tillamook’s Facebook Page.  The cost for entry is $10 and includes a commemorative mug for adults, admission for those under 21 are free. The combination of authentic Swiss and German music and dance make this a fun and entertaining family friendly event.

And of course, Sip + Shop and Art Walk will resume later in September, making sure there is plenty to do for both locals and tourists while the sunshine is still upon us.

By Justin Aufdermauer
Executive Director

Drum roll please… It’s official: The Chamber is headed to Portugal on March 15, 2019. And we’d love for you to come with us!

The 10 day trip includes hand picked hotels, guided tours from local experts and plenty of time to explore on your own in each of the four cities we will be traveling to. We’ll arrive in Porto and after getting settled into your hotel, you can take some time to venture out on your own before that night’s welcome dinner.

Then the next day we’ll venture on a sightseeing tour of Porto with a local guide – including the medieval Old World Ribeira District and the picturesque Douro Riverfront. We’ll get to see first hand the city’s many iconic architectural structures including the Baroque-style Clerigos Tower.

After you’ve experienced the local guided trip, our next day in Porto is yours to do with as you wish; go explore new areas or go back and spend more time in a spot that piqued your interest the day before. Try a new restaurant or enjoy a glass of wine (or port) on the Riverfront.

On our fifth day in Portugal, we’ll head south to explore Coimbra on a guided walking tour of the city’s chapel and the country’s very first university. Then you’ll have an evening to yourself to explore Evora. The next day will include a sightseeing tour of Evora, one of Europe’s oldest inhabited cities. We’ll pass by the remains of a Roman temple, take a tour of a cork factory and take a stroll through the Chapel of Bones.

As the tour progresses, we will stop by the seafaring towns of Lagos and Sagres and enjoy the white-sanded beaches and stunning views of the sea from the Sagrass Fortress. We will also tour Lisbon, Portugal’s capital city, with several stops along the way including museums and monasteries that honor and depict the city’s maritime heritage. There’s actually so much to see and do in Lisbon that we’ve built in an entire day to go exploring by yourself before we head home.

If you hadn’t noticed, this trip is built with a lot of time to explore by yourself, creating a balance of guided tours and exploration days so you can spend time on your own without feeling like you’re missing out on another aspect of the trip. As always, there are options to add additional excursions for an extra cost – like dinner and a show in Lisbon, or or a float along the third longest river on the Iberian Peninsula that passes underneath some of the most iconic Old-World bridges in existence.

On August 10th registration will officially open for the Portugal trip. If you register within the first 30 days, you’ll get a $100 early registration discount. There is a $450 deposit to hold your spot on the trip, and you can even set up a payment plan with the travel company to break up the total cost of the trip between August 10th and the departure date.

We’ll also be hosting an informational gathering to provide travel details and answer questions around mid-August. Stay tuned and we’ll announce the time and location of that meeting when it’s locked down.

We’re limiting the size of this trip to less-than 40 people so we are really encouraging folks to register early so they don’t miss out on this opportunity. If you have questions, we’d love to talk to you more about this trip and send you some additional information. Call the Chamber office at 503-842-7525.

by Sierra Lauder
Executive Director

Less than six months from now, the Highway Project will be all wrapped up! Last week, the night paving efforts gave us a huge boost toward that finish line, with passes of base layers and a final top layer that brings us to grade throughout the northern portion of the project. It takes a few weeks for that new asphalt to be ready for permanent striping, so we will be navigating in to mid-July with the “sticky stomps” guiding us through the area.

The bulk of the remaining work is along downtown Main Avenue, between First and Fourth. Work will continue through summer to get new sidewalks constructed and make way for the wider lanes and safer street parking, as well as the bioswales that serve a dual purpose for storm water capture and filtration while creating the required parking buffer at intersections. The planting of the bioswales and street trees will take place this fall. Work in the downtown area will, at times through the summer, require a lane closure that will take southbound Main down to one lane. This will certainly have traffic impacts during our busiest season, but arrangements have been made to concentrate work Monday through Thursday during the early part of the day with a priority to get all lanes open by 3pm, recognizing that congestion peaks during the late afternoons and on weekends.

If you do not get the weekly Highway 101/6 Project Update Newsletter, it is not too late! You can call the Chamber Headquarters at (503) 842-7525 or email me at Sierra@tillamookchamber.org, and we’ll sign you up. We do our best to use that (mostly) weekly email to send out updates on the timeline and focus of work and try and keep folks up to date on what to expect as the project progresses.

I’ve recently received several inquiries about the old Shell Station property that sits on First between Pacific and Main. ODOT acquired the property after the project had officially started and it became clear that the new highway pattern made negotiation of tanker trucks for fuel delivery on the property unreasonable. As a part of the project, ODOT has removed the underground tanks, and is currently working with DEQ on some monitoring prior to receiving a “No Further Action” statement on the property. ODOT has a protocol for how these properties are transitioned post-project. Within the agency, the property is assessed and offered to state agencies and then to local municipalities prior to being released for private purchase. This is not a fast process. The ODOT assessment does not begin until the project is completed (this fall), and then it will likely take some time to go through the steps of offering it to other potential owners.

Throughout this time there is unlikely to be any alterations to the property as we see it, meaning that even though ODOT has removed the tanks, they will not be removing the building, canopy, or signage. The City of Tillamook is following the process closely, and the Beautification Committee specifically has made a commitment to keep discussion and updates regarding this property as a standing agenda item. Beautification meets the second Monday of the month at 4:45 at City Hall and is open to the public.

It’s also worth pointing out here that north of the Shell property in the “gore point” (triangle shaped area between the lanes of traffic) a new parcel of property has been created that will be owned and managed by the City of Tillamook. That area has been plumbed to accommodate a fountain, although funding has not been secured yet to build or install a fountain. In artist renditions of the project, that triangular area is often depicted with trees and greenery, and the fountain option and planting are all City goals that can and will likely move forward regardless of the timeline or future of the old Shell property.

By Justin Aufdermauer
Executive Director

It’s another jam-packed weekend in downtown Tillamook as the 61st annual June Dairy Parade rolls into town. This event needs no introduction, as our community has always been fantastic about getting out early and setting up to watch one of the longest parades in the state. There’s live music, performances by local dancers, creative floats… You never know what you might see.

This year’s theme is ‘Party in the Pasture’ and there will be awards for First, Second and Third prizes in each of the different float categories:

To clear up any confusion about the parade route, it will be exactly the same as last year. I’m sure you recall that we reversed the route last year and started at 11th and Main and ended at Goodspeed Park. That was a trial run to see if the change in direction would help open Highway 101 quicker and get traffic moving. Traffic congestion has been a major issue in years past and what we learned was that we were able to get the highway reopened almost an hour sooner than what we considered “normal.”

We did originally think this year we would have to route the parade up Fourth Street to avoid the open construction zone and the risk of parade watchers in these areas. However, the construction zone is fluid, as we know, and it turns out we will be able to turn on Third Street from Main like last year!

The festivities of the day don’t end with the parade; the Tillamook Farmers Market will be open from 9 – 2 that day on the corner of Laurel and Second Street. If you came out for our opening day last weekend you saw what a renowned success it was! The live music was phenomenal, the vendors all had beautiful displays, and there was a wonderful mix of product. The prepared food and baked goods were out of this world! It’s definitely worth stopping by again this weekend, or come by for the first time if you haven’t been yet, to see what all the fun is about. I hung out for the entire day because there was so much going on and so many people to see that I didn’t want to miss anything. Our farmers and artisan vendors really knocked it out of the park and came prepared for a fantastic opening day.

This Saturday the Market will have a live steel drum band playing at 10 a.m. on the Courthouse lawn, and then Driftwood Combo will be entertaining guests with their jazzy tunes starting at 11.

And, of course, after the parade the Tillamook Revitalization Association is hosting live music that will be fun for the whole family on Second Street in front of Lucky Bear Soap Co. and will have some fun games for kids. Over at Werners Beef n Brew they will be hosting a flag ceremony right after the parade and will be open for lunch.

But wait, there’s more! That evening starting at 4 p.m. the Tillamook County Rodeo is having their first Hooves n Hops events at the Fairgrounds. Several breweries will be offering tastings in the Sue Durrer Dairy Barn during the rodeo, and a ticket to Hooves n Hops will get you in for the tasting and the rodeo – so the fun doesn’t have to stop! Hope to see you at one or all of these fun events on Saturday!

By Justin Aufdermauer
Executive Director  

I haven’t taken a moment to talk about how much we love our new Headquarters in awhile – Probably because we’ve been here a year now and “new” might not be the right word anymore. I will say that our building has served us and the community well, and individuals and groups of people are continually taking advantage of the casual meeting spaces, hot coffee and plethora of information available to them. We are also serving visitors to our area who are greeted by a warm and welcoming space where they can learn more about the area and discover new things to do, places to eat, and adventures to try. Being downtown has helped draw people into the Visitor Center who might not otherwise have stopped by.

But… If there’s one thing I don’t love about our new building it would be the front façade. Fortunately, we’re getting a facelift! We were just awarded a TLT Facilities Grant from Tillamook County to redo the front façade and bring back some of the historical context of the building. Once the new sidewalks in front of our block are completed (and of course weather permitting), we will remove the awning that has some structural issues and Dave Clooten Masonry will be doing a brick overlay to replace the worn, outdated tile and stucco currently on the front. The vision is that removing the awning will help brighten up the space and better showcase the Visitors Center from the highway, and the brick will bring back that historical downtown look, while helping to match the outside with the industrial farmhouse look we’ve created on the inside.

Now here’s where things really get interesting: our neighbors to the north, the Dutch Mill, also received a grant to redo their front façade. And, we are working with Kitty’s Food and Spirits to get them a similar grant and what that might look like. Then to the south of us, Torra Sushi Lounge is opening soon and have plans in the future update the outside of their building. Ours will be the first revamp that visitors and residents will see, spurring this callous of change across the entire block. I believe these new sidewalks and updated buildings are going to completely change people’s experiences as they drive – or walk – through town.

We are very thankful to the Tourism Advisory Committee that reviewed and selected our application for recommendation to the Board of Commissioners, and of course to the Commissioners for approving the Chamber for this grant. It will go a long way in helping us welcome visitors and provide quality information to everyone who walks through our front door.

The front faced is not the last piece we need to do on the Chamber space, but we’re getting close. Eventually we will redo the rear entrance façade, and we are also planning to add more office space and a private conference room to the upstairs.

Stop in and see us!

By Justin Aufdermauer
Executive Director

If you’re reading this and you’ve been thinking about attending the 5th annual Cork & Brew Tour happening on June 15 — this is your friendly reminder to get your tickets sooner rather than later. We’ve already sold close to half of the available tickets and more keep walking out the door every day.

Each year this fun downtown event draws in new people and those who have been “touring” with us for the last five years. And while the structure remains the same, there is always something new and different to experience that makes it worth coming back for again and again.

It’s hard to believe it’s been five years since we put together a downtown “pub crawl” as a way to engage the business community and give community members and tourists something fun to do on a near-summer weekend that was traditionally kind of quiet and underutilized.

We sold 100 tickets our first year, not really sure what the response would be or how well the night would play out. Right away people were telling us, “We want to come back and do this again next year.”

Similar to last year, the tour will begin at 4:30 p.m. at a Launch Party at Pelican Brewing’s Bottling Warehouse on the corner of Front Street and Grove Avenue. The party will feature live music, brewery games, appetizers and beer on tap. Then, “tourists” will leave on a self-guided tour through downtown businesses to enjoy beer and wine tastings paired with food from some of the area’s most renowned restaurants. Be sure to dress for the weather, as it’s been known to sprinkle on us in the past and there is a fair amount of walking involved from business to business. Of course you don’t have to make it to each stop if you don’t feel like it, and are not obligated to have a tasting each time. However those who get their passport signed at each participating stop and turn it in at the end of the night (thank you Art Accelerated for hosting the passport drop off again this year) will be entered into a raffle.

Tickets are $45 per person and can be purchased online at www.corkandbrewtour.com or at the Pelican Taproom, Sunflower Flats or the Chamber’s headquarters. This event does sell out, and no tickets will be sold at the door.

Oh, and I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that this year’s beer and wine line up includes Pelican Brewing Co., Werner Brewing Co., 2 Towns Cider, Fort George Brewing, Blue Heron French Cheese Co., Nehalem Bay Winery, and Provincial Vineyards. Follow our event on Facebook where we will be releasing more wine, beer and food pairings as we get closer to the event.  

And, following the Cork & Brew Tour is the season opener of the Tillamook Farmers Market on June 16 and the June Dairy Parade and Festival on June 23. It’s a busy month here at the Chamber and we hope you’ll come out to one or all of these events and spend time enjoying downtown with us.

By Justin Aufdermauer
Executive Director

Thank you to everyone who came out for our Cinco De Mayo party on Saturday! What a great turn out of our community members coming to enjoy food, music and support the Tillamook Farmers Market.

Thank you to Pacific Restaurant for hosting and feeding over 200 people. And thank you to the Tillamook Country Smoker for sponsoring the live music. Los Probadores Di Michoacán brought the house down with their Norteno music. It was definitely a night to remember.

We also had some wonderful raffle prizes donated by our incredibly talented vendors who are returning for the upcoming season. Thanks to these partnerships we were able to raise more than $4,000 to support the Tillamook Farmers Market this year! For our first fundraising-event since we took over, I would say that’s pretty successful.

So what exactly were we fundraising for? This will help support the programs we offer at the Market each year. You may not know, but our Market offers a dollar-for-dollar match of up up $10 per day to SNAP customers. The Market has offered this SNAP match – called Double Up Food Bucks – for the last two years while it was funded by a grant from the Oregon Dept. of Agriculture. However, the program was defunded after the 2017 season and Farmers Markets like ours had to decide if they wanted to continue to offer this match, and how they would fund it.  Last year, more than 200 SNAP customers at Tillamook Farmers Market purchased nearly $4,500 in local produce We’ve been able to partner with Food Roots to keep it going for the 2018 season, thanks to support from grants and local donations.

We also partner with OSU Extension to help educate youth on healthy eating choices. OSU Extension is bringing their Food Hero program to the Market this year, which means food experts, fun games and chances to win prizes – plus handing out $2 vouchers to kids under 12 so they can purchase their own fruits and vegetables each week. We’re hoping this year to reach at least 20 kids per week and keep them coming back each Saturday to get their fruits and vegetables.

Some other benefits of the Farmers Market that we fundraise for include the live entertainment each day, and this year we are bringing back the popular chef demonstrations – where local chefs can show off their skills using ingredients directly from Market vendors. And as the season draws near, we are planning more activities and special days to bring people downtown and support our local farmers and artisans.

If you’d like to get involved, there are a number of ways to help support the Market as a sponsor. We’d love to showcase your business or organization as a partner for healthy food, local farmers, and supporting downtown. We are still accepting sponsors for a variety of activities and incentives, including music and the kids programs. Our sponsorship packages include high quality signage at the Market, your logo on our website, and regular “shout outs” on Facebook. With hundreds of people visiting the market every week, it’s a high volume opportunity to reach a lot of people and showcase your community pride.

If you’re interested in being a Market supporter, reach out to Sayde Walker at sayde@tillamookchamber.org.

by Justin Aufdermauer
Executive Director

As you’re reading this, Sierra and I have embarked on the Chamber-coordinated trip to Ireland. We’ll be back by the end of April, along with everyone who chose to travel with us to the Emerald Isle.

And while we might only be in the middle of April (happy Tax Day everyone), we are in full-on event planning mode at the Chamber – even while we’re in Ireland.

First on the docket is the fifth annual Cork & Brew Tour: an early-summer event that has become a favorite for businesses and residents alike.

If you’ve never been, consider a night out on the town enjoying coastal beers, Oregon wines and foods prepared by local vendors and chefs. Each stop features a different pairing of wine, beer and food for guests to sample. You don’t have to make every stop; that’s up to you how many you want to enjoy, but every completed passport that’s turned in at the end of the evening is eligible to be entered into a drawing for some great local prizes.

Last year was our first time throwing a more extensive launch party on the Pelican Brewery Bottling Warehouse floor with games, live music and beer and food. We’re excited to be partnering with them again for the launch party, which begins at 4:30 until 6:30. Show up at anytime during that time to get your bracelet, passport and tasting glass.

We’re also partnering again with Art Accelerated, who will be staying open late to collect completed passports and offer water and coffee.

I remember when this was just an idea being tossed around the table about a simple way to get the community downtown, and now here we are five years later and it has grown into not only a town favorite, but also one of the biggest community events we have the pleasure of hosting. The Cork & Brew Tour isn’t a fundraiser for the Chamber; business sponsorships and ticket sales help secure the beverages for each location and help with the expenses of the Launch Party. Our goal with this event is simply to give people something fun to do before the summer really kicks off and that promotes our downtown businesses.

You can get your tickets either online at corkandbrewtour.com, or by this Friday we will have tickets available at the Pelican Taproom, Sunflower Flats and the Chamber Headquarters. This event sells out every year, and we do not sell tickets the night of, so if you plan on going you have to buy your tickets ahead of time.

As we get closer to the date we will announce the beer, wine and food line ups as well as our partnering downtown businesses. Plan to come hungry and stay late.

June is also the start of the Tillamook Farmers Market season on June 16, and the 61st annual June Dairy Parade on June 23. We are still taking parade entry forms online at junedairyparade.com, as well as nominations for this year’s Grand Marshal. Be sure to get those forms in before their deadlines. If you have any questions, you can email Tammy at info@tillamookchamber.org or call 503-842-7525.

By Justin Aufdermauer
Executive Director

You may recall a few months ago we put out a Request for Proposal for a photographer to capture the places, faces and adventures that Tillamook has to offer. Our board agreed to hire Tillamook local and Chamber member/photographer Courtney Beeler with Swiss & Dot Photography for the job. So it is very likely if you own a business in the Tillamook area, you’ll probably see Courtney over the next few months as she begins fulfilling that contract.
This photography project will be a vital asset in marketing the community and business of Tillamook through our social media channels and websites, as well as for visitor guides, brochures, and other collateral pieces. Tillamook has gone through quite the growth spurt since the last time we had a professional photographer capture images of the community, and we want to accurately showcase what a day or a weekend in Tillamook looks like. Photography is a powerful story-teller and the right photos can enhance community pride and also entice visitors to learn more about who we are and discover the many activities and experience we have to offer.
We’re also wrapping up our Share with Others Campaign, and those marketing pieces will be headed to the printer by the end of next week. If your business signed up (or even if they didn’t) we will be delivering a variety of posters and table tents you can use to remind customers to “check in” on social media. The fact is that people are already reviewing and recommending businesses to their followers via a number of social media platforms, but this campaign will also encourage everyone to use the same hashtags so business owners can easily see, share and respond to those candid reviews. This is the first comprehensive social-media marketing endeavour in Tillamook County that spans multiple businesses and cities.
Both of these projects were made possible with grants we received from Visit Tillamook Coast, the recipient of the tourism promotion dollars from the Tillamook County Transient Lodging Tax.
While we are on a roll with those two, we were also awarded a grant from the Tillamook PUD to update the lighting in the Chamber Headquarters, which will only enhance the usability of our space. Those lights are ordered and the work is scheduled for this May!
A lot of the work we are able to do is dependant on community support and grants, and it is excited to share with our readers when those grant applications have been a success and we can move forward with the work that needs to be done.
Just a reminder that on April 15th, Sierra and I are leaving for Ireland with the Chamber tour. We will not be back in the office until the 30th, however Tammy and Sayde will be available if you have any questions. If you’re on Facebook, follow the Tillamook Chamber of Commerce on Facebook, and we will be sure to post pictures of our journey in case you want to follow along – or sign up for our weekly newsletter at tillamookchamber.org.

Looking for something to do on Cinco de Mayo? Why not join the Tillamook Chamber of Commerce and Pacific Restaurant at their Tillamook Farmers Market Kick-off Party.

Tickets are $20 a piece, and will get you inside the door to enjoy an authentic Mexican-style buffet, live music and great company. Drinks will be available for purchase at the bar.

All proceeds from ticket sales will help support the Tillamook Farmers Market.

“This is our first year managing the Market and we want to start the season off in a fun way,” noted Sayde Walker, the Director of Communications for the Tillamook Chamber of Commerce; also serving as the new Market Manager.

While enjoying food, music and drinks, guests will also get an early glimpse of this year’s vendors at the “pop up market” display. Participating vendors include Brickyard Farms, Oregon Coast Lavender and Food Roots. Each will have a sampling of products for sale to help support the Market operations.

“We want to get people excited for the Market season, and what better way to do that then feed them food and show off some of the amazing, high-quality products that you can find for sale every Saturday at the Farmers Market,” said Walker.

The Chamber will also raffle off a gift basket filled with sample products from the Market.

The evening is also a good opportunity to find more literature on some of the programs and incentives the Market offers both youth and adults, and discover ways to help support sustainable, healthy food choices for our community.

More information about the event can be found on the Chamber’s Facebook event page, as well as the Tillamook Farmers Market Facebook page. Tickets are available April 5 at Pacific Restaurant or the TIllamook Chamber of Commerce Headquarters.

By Justin Aufdermauer
Executive Director

These last few weeks we’ve made some great strides in prepping for the Tillamook Farmers Market Season. By the time you are reading this, applications for vendors should be available online at www.tillamookfarmersmarket.com, along with the 2018 Vendor Handbook.

If you are a past vendor, or have always wanted to try vending at a Farmers Market, I would encourage you to read over the Vendor Handbook and consider joining us for the summer.

Applications will be available until May 1 so you have a little over a month to submit your application, and any necessary license or certifications.

So what’s different this year? For one, the application is a form you fill out directly on the website. No more printing out and mailing a piece of paper. (However, if you prefer to do it this way or don’t have access to internet, we will have copies available at our office or we can send you a paper application.)

Secondly, we are opening up the capacity for secondary farm vendors – these are vendors who didn’t actually grow or make their product, but purchased it directly from a farmer who did. In previous years, the Tillamook Farmers Market only allowed fruits and vegetables as secondary farm products, but in order to add some diversity to the Market we are opening that up to all farm products.

What’s a farm product?  Fruits, nuts, vegetables, herbs (in pots, dried or cut), flowers and plant starts, nursery trees, shrubs and other plants, cheeses, dairy-based foods, seafood, meat, poultry, honey, eggs and grower- or artisan-made value-added/preserved foods and dry or baked goods.

Of course, priority will be given to those vendors who grew or made the product themselves, with even more priority to those grown or made in Tillamook County, but we understand that not all farmers have the ability to spend every Saturday at a booth, so if someone else is able to take on the vending aspect and work out that arrangement with the farmer, we are happy to offer them a booth. All the official guidelines, requirements, and priorities are available online in the Vendor Handbook.

We’ve also updated the sponsorship opportunities for businesses and individuals who like to support the Market through financial donations. There are some fun new ways to get involved and keep the Market vital and inviting for locals and visitors. You can find more about that on the Farmers Market website, or just contact Sayde at sayde@tillamookchamber.org. She can answer your questions about being a sponsor.

And don’t forget, we are having a Farmers Market Kick-Off party on May 5 at Pacific Restaurant. Chef Nelia will be creating a fantastic Mexican-style buffet, the bar will be serving up their delicious cocktails, and there will be live music to round out the evening. Tickets will go on sale April 1 for $20 a piece, and all proceeds will support the Farmers Market. We may even have some cool Farmers Market Swag to give away to a few lucky raffle winners. Whatever happens, it will be a fun way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo and support our downtown Farmers Market. Hope you can make it!

By Justin Aufdermauer
Executive Director

We’re getting ready to roll out a new interactive social media advertising campaign that you’ll start to see at a variety of businesses and attractions around the Tillamook area. We’re calling it ‘Tell Your Story’ and the goal is just that: to encourage locals and visitors to share their stories and experiences via social media platforms.

One thing we know is that many people have a cell phones (duh!), and they probably have one or more social media accounts attached to it. And while they’re eating ice cream at the Cheese Factory, feeding the goats at the Blue Heron, or sitting down to eat a coast-to-table meal at Pacific Restaurant, we want to make sure that they’re sharing their authentic Tillamook experience by tagging our local businesses and places.

Here’s how it works: We will be visiting up to 50 Tillamook-area businesses and providing them with a variety of collateral pieces specifically-branded for this project. Each piece – whether it’s a poster for the window or a table tent – will have the business’s name and location and a unique hashtag associated with that place. That way, when people visit and want to share their experience with their social media followers (we all do it, don’t judge…) they will be reminded to give proper credit to wherever they are at. Research shows that people are more likely to use a specific hashtag if it is presented to them with a call to action.

Chances are, people are already sharing their experiences and stories, but we want to make sure that our business community has the resources and know-how to be able to check these social media “check ins.” They serve as a review almost, and a positive presence on social media can make a difference about whether someone chooses to stop there or not. It’s just as easy to look a business up in Instagram and peruse through photos and reviews as it is to look in up on Google (In fact, 35 percent of users use hashtags to search content). And whereas Google will tell you whether or not a place open and if they have a website, an Instagram post is coming directly from a customer who is offering an unsolicited opinion. That kind of word-of-mouth speaks volumes to a potential customer in this digital age.

What’s more, the research coming out of Visit Tillamook Coast is showing that the people visiting our area are millennials, road trippers, and Gen Xers who are looking for an authentic experience to engage with. They don’t want casinos and carnivals anymore. They want real people, real products, and real adventures and the best way to find them is by seeking them out via social media content. As more people trickle into our area and create this organic social media content, it will spread to people we would never be able to reach on our own.

So how will we track this endeavor? It’s pretty simple.  I would wager that with an intentional message targeted at visitors, we can capture hundreds of thousands of impressions on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms. Capturing these free experiences will bolster current and future visitors’ impression of what an authentic visit to Tillamook looks like, and creates continuity and volume for potential visitors to see. And what they’ll see is that Tillamook is not a ghost town – people have been here and this is what they took pictures of, this is what they said, and this is what they did.

If you want your business to be a part of this ‘Tell your Story’ Campaign, reach out to us at sayde@tillamookchamber.org.

By Justin Aufdermauer
Executive Director

These are some of my favorite times at the Chamber – when the type and amount of projects we are working on is so extensive we have to step outside ourselves and bring in more professionals to get the job done.

Last week we posted two Request for Proposals to our website and Facebook page seeking individuals and businesses to respond.

The first was for our Downtown Planter Program. The Chamber owns 60 planters located throughout downtown Tillamook that are in place to help beautify our town center. However, in order for these planters to be, well, beautiful, they need someone skilled and experienced in the knowledge of plants and coastal environment to take care of them. We are looking for individuals, businesses and organizations to send in their proposals and budget for a two-year commitment to take care of these planters and ensure they are looking their best at all times for both visitors and residents to enjoy. For a full description of the project and requirements, you can find the RFP at www.tillamookchamber.com/planters.

We also put out a second Request for Proposal last week looking for a professional/semi-professional photographer to help capture the faces, places and attractions of Tillamook. These photos will help us create a photo library to represent Tillamook well through local and visitor marketing. In order to move forward with authentic tourism marketing efforts, it is imperative we have the visual assets that will truly tell our stories and represent our businesses. If you are a photographer, or know one who might be interested, take a look at the RFP at www.tillamookchamber.com/photography.

I also mentioned last week that the TIllamook Farmers Market is in the process of finding people to fill positions on the Market Advisory Committee. So if planting flowers or taking photos doesn’t speak your language, maybe being part of a collaborative round-table discussion that helps propel the Market forward in a positive and sustainable direction is a better fit.

And the work doesn’t stop there. We are still actively looking for volunteers to work on a number of projects, from helping us in the office to stay open on Saturdays for visitors to projects that can be done at home like laying vinyl on our new membership plaques. It’s a fun environment to be a part of, and if you have no experience doing a specific project don’t worry, we offer training and all the resources you need to be successful.

There are lots of ways to get involved right now and help the Chamber continue living its mission to build community and grow opportunities for businesses and individuals. If you’d like to keep up with what the Chamber is doing and be the first to see our announcements, sign up for our brand new e-newsletter at www.tillamookchamber.org.

By Justin Aufdermauer
Executive Director

The anticipation that surrounds the annual Chamber Banquet is a little like Christmas. It’s exciting, there is a lot of work to do, and some of the details (or shall we just call them surprises) aren’t worked out until the last minute.

And then, just like Christmas morning, the moment arrives and it is nothing short of magical. Thank you to everyone who chose to spend their evening with us celebrating the businesses and people of Tillamook County that make this a great place to live and work. It was a wonderful evening to enjoy each others company, eat some delicious food, and reflect on how far Tillamook has come in a single year.

With a total of 22 nominees and more than 350 guests, it was one of our most successful awards banquet to date. And as I said at the banquet, I was very relieved that I wasn’t the one who had to decide a winner for each of the four awards categories, because each nominee has enhanced Tillamook in their own way.

Congratulations to Yo Time Frozen Yogurt for taking home the Small Business of the Year Award. This was Yo Time’s second year in a row to receive this nomination, and I think the reasons they walked away with the award speak for themselves. They have created a fun and welcoming space that never ceases to bring people downtown despite the ongoing construction. They’re open late for that special hang-out spot after a local sports game, and they are always eager to partner with their fellow business owners for fun, family-friendly events.

Werner’s Gourmet Meat Snacks snagged the Business of the Year Award for their continued dedication to Tillamook. Werner’s truly is a poster child for the old adage that with a dream and hard work you can accomplish anything. What started 23 years ago as a one-person operation in a garage has grown to a successful endeavor that employs more than 100 people and ships products all over the United States. Yet the Werners have always stayed loyal to their community and values by supporting local organizations, non profits, and offering free shipping to all Veterans.

The category of Development Project of the Year went to De Garde Brewery. You can’t miss the impact they’ve made on Tillamook County – particularly downtown Tillamook with their extensive remodel of the former Napa building. We can be proud to know that people from all over the world will be traveling to our downtown thanks to De Garde’s wildly-popular sour beers, and the challenge has been raised for the rest of downtown to open their doors and be an active part of this growing audience.

And finally, with eight nominees in the category of Citizen of the Year, the honor went to Sue Cudd. Sue cannot be described in a single word. She’s a scientist; a mentor; a community volunteer; and a business owner. Many of your probably know Sue in one of her many roles, be it the owner of WHiskey Creek Shellfish Hatchery or a dedicated Rotarian advocating and fundraising for impoverished communities in Guatemala. Her work with the AFS Intercultural Exchange program has helped connect our high schoolers with hundreds of different countries and cultures, leaving a lasting impact on Tillamook County as these young adults have grown up learning to respect and appreciate other cultures.

I would be remiss if I didn’t thank our 16 local restaurants who catered the entire event, and Chef Nelia Seratista  of Pacific Restaurant for being the coordinator. A few years ago we had this idea to bring in as many restaurants as we could instead of one single caterer, and it has helped make the Chamber Banquet a really unique event with amazing food.

We hope to see everyone again next year, and thank you for continuing to support the Chamber of Commerce.

By Justin Aufdermauer
Executive Director

As we continue to celebrate the businesses, projects and people who will be honored at our annual Awards Banquet on January 20th, I wanted to share more about each nominee and why they are a worthy nomination.

Business of the Year Nominees:

Tillamook Family YMCA: The YMCA has made great strides this year in tailoring to the needs of its members and our community. A few of their recent accomplishments include increasing their program hours to 100 per week; adding an electric swimsuit dryer; replacing the flooring in the locker rooms; and increasing staff training and qualifications. The Board, staff and Executive Director are diligent in their efforts to remain transparent, fiscally responsible and sustainable for the future. And, it must be working since 2017 saw more people utilizing the YMCA than any other year.

Pacific Restaurant: After an extensive remodel, Pacific Restaurant opened in November, right in the thick of the downtown construction. They’ve offered private events and high quality farm-to-table dining, helping revive the downtown business core during the tough winter months and supporting our local farmers and fisherman. Pacific Restaurant is always eager to help local organizations and nonprofits and have created not only a downtown restaurant but also a usable space for community efforts.

Roby’s Furniture: Roby’s has been a staple in Tillamook for years, but they’ve always been more than a furniture store; they are family. Their employees have a long-standing history with Roby’s Furniture, and each year they give back to the community in big ways through a variety of hands-on projects, including Habitat for Humanity of Tillamook County, Helping Hands Re-Entry Outreach Center, and our local school districts. Best of all, they recently decided to make Tillamook the home of their new flagship store, reinvesting in their commitment to our community.

Werner’s Gourmet Meat Snacks: Since 1994, Werner’s Gourmet Meat Snacks have been producing quality wholesale meat snacks right here in Tillamook and employees more than 100 people. Every year Werner’s donates thousands of dollars and products to help better our community. They sponsor a number of fundraising efforts each year, including the Care Bowl-a-Thon, Garibaldi Days, the Tillamook School District Backpack Program, Relay For Life and many more.  And, with an expansion in their future they will be creating more jobs for our community.

Small Business of the Year Nominees:

Yo Time Frozen Yogurt: Yo Time Yogurt has become a staple for families, young adults, and community members of all ages who want a fun place to gather. This last year they have placed an emphasis on hosting family-friendly events – like Family Feud and a Ginger Bread House contest – and providing a regular venue for local artists to perform. They’re more than just a frozen yogurt shop; they are a hub of community activity. And they’ve worked to not only improve their own establishment, but also improve our community.

Visit Tillamook Coast: In this year alone, Visit Tillamook Coast published its first guidebook – 25 Hikes on Oregon’s Tillamook Coast – and began work on an extensive and comprehensive agri-tourism endeavor. Through marketing efforts that utilize new and traditional media, Visit Tillamook Coast highlights local activities and attract visitors who are seeking an authentic experience instead of just another vacation. They awarded $100,000 in grants throughout the county to help promote Tillamook as a haven for people who like to be outdoors, enjoy our natural resources and farm-to-table dining and patronize our local businesses.

Local Dog House: The owners of Local Dog House have shown a continued investment in our community since they began as a booth at the Farmers Market. Even after the Second Street Market closure, Local Dog House has made a comeback, purposefully choosing to stay in downtown Tillamook and offer an affordable, family-friendly lunch option. The Local Dog House is also an avid supporter of our school district, and likes to give teens and young adults work experience.

Two Hats Ranch: For more than three decades, Two Hats Ranch has been a premier facility for nearly everything horse related – from training, boarding, riding lessons, breeding and veterinary care, they are a reliable and knowledgeable resource if you are a horse owner. They offer therapy riding lessons for children with special needs and specialize in educating youth about equine care. Owner Zoe has been an active 4-H participant for 50 years and they continue to support 4-H equine activities and foster a love of horses in children.

De Garde Brewery: Since its inception, De Garde Brewery has been putting TIllamook on the map with its internationally-recognized wild beers that bring people to our area from all over the world. And while the popularity of their beer speaks for itself, owner Linsey Rogers made the intentional decision to renovate an empty downtown building to be the new home of their tasting room, and help the revitalization efforts in our downtown core.

Habitat for Humanity ReStore: The ReStore in Bay City is more than just your average thrift store. It creates livable jobs; offers opportunities for people to job train and learn new skills; and directly supports the programs of Habitat for Humanity of TIllamook County, which offers affordable home ownership to qualified families and individuals. While our county grapples with the housing crisis, the ReStore is doing its part by offering quality furniture, and home supplies at an affordable price and directly supporting Habitat’s home builds that help strengthen and stabilize our community.

By Justin Aufdermauer
Executive Director

There’s an inclination that happens every November where we start to count the things we are thankful for in preparation for Thanksgiving. It’s a time of reflection and gratitude. The bustle of summer is over and the excitement of the holidays is only just starting to permeate throughout everyday lives, and we have time to pause and give thanks.

It’s been quite a year at the Chamber and there is much that I am thankful for. We have a capable and passionate staff, a dedicated board, and members who are engaged and eager to build our community into the best place to live and work on the Oregon Coast. We have watched the construction project from our front window and have kept our readers and newsletter subscribers up to date on what to expect as a way to mitigate any problems or confusion. We’ve planned a trip to Ireland that is almost sold out, and hosted a number of successful community events that brought together people and ideas and celebrated both. We’ve created a fun initiative to shop locally this holiday season, and have watched as our business community has reached across the aisle to support and help one another.

I am hoping that now our readers can channel this wave of gratitude and spend a few moments filling out nominations for our annual Chamber Awards. The nomination form is conveniently located on our website, www.tillamookchamber.com/nominate, where you simply select which award you’re making a nomination, answer four questions and hit submit. You can also upload any letters of support, or drop them off at the Chamber office during business hours.

The categories this year are Business of the Year; Small Business of the Year; Developmental Project of the Year; and Citizen of the Year. Any and all businesses, projects, and people in Tillamook County are eligible, and nominees will be honored at the annual Tillamook Area Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet on Jan. 20, 2018.  

Once again, there are dozens of qualified candidates that come to mind for each award. All you have to do is take a walk downtown, or drive down Third Street, to see some of the amazing development and community spirit we have in our great city. It almost seems impossible to pick just one.

However, in order for our awards committee to review the applications and have the plaques printed, we need all nominations and supporting materials submitted by Dec. 1, 2017. That gives you just over three weeks to make a nomination. The form is simple, and it will only take a few minutes of your time to consider who and what you are thankful for this year and let them know. You can remain anonymous as the nominator if you wish, and if you would like to attend the ceremony in January you can request an invitation. It’s a small gesture, but I can assure you it means a lot to those in our community who work tirelessly to provide us with goods and services that enrich our lives and sustain our economy. Just knowing that someone out there appreciates the work they are doing and took the time to say “thank you” is a great blessing this time of year.

We will announce the nominees next month – so until then, go over to www.tillamookchamber.org/nominate and fill out the form. There is no limit to how many businesses, projects, and people you can nominate. They will all receive an invitation to the banquet in January. And as always, thank you for your help in making this another successful Chamber event.

By Justin Aufdermauer
Executive Director

Fall is officially here. And I think we are all a little glad to see the rain, if only for some much-needed relief from the wildfires across the state. The first rain of fall always adds a refreshingly clean look to everything – like our town just took a shower to wash off all the summer dust. The leaves are also starting to change colors before they let go of the branches to make room for new ones next year. It must mean that it’s time to get ready for the next chapter.

Fall is when we always start prepping for our annual Chamber Awards Banquet. Even though the event doesn’t take place until January, our staff, board and volunteers spend a lot of time planning to get things ready. The most important piece leading up to the of the event, of course, is choosing the award winners in each of the four categories. But that can’t be done without your help first.

Each year the community nominates who and what they think deserve to win in each category. The categories are Business of the Year; Small Business of the Year; Development Project of the Year; and Citizen of the Year. A selection committee reviews the nominations and any letters of support, and makes their decision based on some additional criteria – like how the nominee adds to the quality of life in Tillamook, and does the nominee demonstrate future commitments to enhancing this quality of life. We have had some incredible nominations every year and are honored to be able to recognize and celebrate some of the accomplishments and outstanding businesses we have in our area.

This year, to make the nomination process as convenient as possible, we have added the form to our website. Now, instead of printing out the form and returning it to the Chamber office, you can go to www.tillamookchamber.org/nominate, pick in what category you are making a nomination, fill out the criteria and answer four simple questions then hit submit. You can also upload any supporting documents or letters of recommendation right there, or submit them at a later time. And, if you would like an invitation to the awards banquet in January, you can request one on this form. It’s that easy.

All nominations and supporting letters must be submitted by Dec. 1, 2017, to give the committee enough time to review and make their selection and have plaques created for the awards banquet.

Remember, it takes a lot of time, energy, dedication and hard work to have a business in our community, be a leader, or finish a project. They sacrifice a lot so that we can have the best quality of life – and this award ceremony is a chance to tell them thank you. Each nomination will receive an invitation to the banquet and, even if they are not awarded the award, they will know that they are appreciated and that someone took the time to make a thoughtful gesture and say thank you. So please, let’s all take a moment to visit www.tillamookchamber.org/nominate and give your favorite business, citizen, or project a virtual pat on the back.