Champaign County Chamber of Commerce Featured Member of the Month

Recognizing our Featured Member of the Month for June: The Spotted Cow Coffeehouse

6/25/2018

In 2014, Bobbi Custer opened a coffee shop. But it’s so much more than that - to the people that work at The Spotted Cow, the coffee shop’s regulars, and to our community.

Inspired by her own family’s work as the owners of Downsize Farm, Bobbi has created a culture of empowerment and opportunity for individuals with developmental disabilities. Employees truly own their job, and are building interpersonal skills, self-worth, and self-esteem while learning valuable job-related skills. “They want to be contributors to our community, not just consumers,” Bobbi shares. The Spotted Cow Coffeehouse offers opportunities seldom found in other communities. Her innovation has led the Spotted Cow to receive the Better Business Bureau’s Spark Award, and the Ohio Secretary of State’s office highlighted the coffee shop in their June Business Profile focused on “Empowering Opportunities.”

And we haven’t even started on how great the coffee is! Bobbi partners with Mechanicsburg-based Hemisphere Coffee Roasters (our January 2018 Featured Member, coincidentally) to provide the best coffee in town. Pastries are baked onsite and paninis are made to order at lunchtime. The coffee shop plays well into the bovine theme - their sign advises passersby to “get calfeinated!”

Bobbi recently renovated the north end of the Spotted Cow’s building to open a 10-person conference room and casual seating area, which is available to rent. Both the Spotted Cow and Downsize Farm have big plans on the horizon, and we can’t wait to see all the exciting new developments!

Congratulations again to The Spotted Cow Coffeehouse!

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Announcing our Featured Member of the Month for May: Urbana Dental Smiles!

5/23/2018

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Housed in a historic building on South Main Street, Urbana Dental Smiles is the home of Dr. Jessica Kile and Dr. Marta Strembitsky. Offering everything from simple cleanings to advanced oral surgery using the latest technology, Urbana Dental Smiles is a one-stop shop for all of your dental needs.

Perhaps most notable about Urbana Dental Smiles is their expertly designed office on South Main Street. Jason Kile, the practice’s Business Manager, spent nearly a year studying dental office design and traveling across the country to see different office setups. His work paid off; the reception area feels like your living room at home and each exam room has windows looking out onto South Main or the green space behind the building. Each suite has a TV screen mounted on the ceiling for the patient’s TV show of choice, and Jason himself designed the cabinetry throughout the office.

We started our tour of the facility in the front foyer, where there are pictures of the building from 1928 and 1949. Both Dr. Kile and Jason are well-versed in the building’s history and worked hard to preserve the building’s historic elements. Once a courthouse, the building was later used by area Freemasons for their orphanage and nursing home - “as a way to serve their community,” Jason shared. We’re excited to see it’s serving the community in a new capacity!

Urbana Dental Smiles is a great team - and also a family! Jason and Dr. Kile are married with three children, and Dr. Kile’s brother Steven works alongside Jason and their staff. Visit their website to learn all about the team members and how Urbana Dental Smiles can serve you.

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INTRODUCING OUR March FEATURED MEMBER OF THE MONTH: CRSI

3/27/2018

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Congratulations to our Featured Member of the Month for March: CRSI!

We’re sure many of you have driven by the simple brick building at 1150 Scioto Street. Take a look inside and you’ll see great work being done by CRSI staff and individuals.

CRSI was established in 1976 as Champaign Residential Services, Inc. Since that time, CRSI has expanded its services into dozens of counties across western Ohio, with its corporate headquarters remaining right here in Champaign County.

Their logo features the phrase “Empowering You,” which embodies the mission and philosophy of CRSI: to support individuals with challenges so that they too can each have the opportunity to achieve a maximum level of independence, choice, and success. They have a proven record of establishing quality support systems for those at risk which enhance physical, intellectual, emotional, communication, vocational, and social skills according to individual needs, abilities, and choices.

Perhaps most noteworthy at CRSI is the atmosphere: it feels like one big family. Staff and individuals know each other’s birthdays, favorite sports teams – you name it.

We are proud to recognize CRSI as an important part of our community and our Featured Member of the Month this March!

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Introducing Our February Featured Member of the Month: Person Centered Services!

2/22/2018

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Individuals with disabilities want a place to call home, a place to work, and a community in which to socialize with their friends and family. Person Centered Services is dedicated to providing individuals with opportunities to be a part of their community. The PCS model works because it starts with individual empowerment, and the organization’s roots in local communities around Ohio afford individuals the chance to contribute and connect within those communities.

Established in Marysville, PCS has expanded to 11 additional counties, including Champaign County. They relocated last December to their current location on Twain Avenue in Urbana, where they serve 54 individuals by providing day services unique to each person. Volunteer groups go out into the community to help out at our local libraries and hospitals, though Assistant Director Kendra Troutman says the crews can’t wait until it warms up - they want to get back outside to their gardening! In addition to their volunteer work and day jobs, individuals enjoy group outings to the movies and other fun destinations.

Perhaps their most inspiring program is an initiative to help enrich the quality of life of adults with disabilities through travel and exploration. Empowering Life Without Limits (ELWL) empowers individuals to build friendships, conquer life skills that result in a sense of worth, and maximize their excitement and wonder of the world around them. One of the first individuals to see the benefits of this program was a Champaign County resident. She and a PCS staff member traveled to Florida, where she was able to see her sister again after 10 years. “They had a great time - they got to go to the spa, they went out to watch the dolphins, she and her sister had a really good time,” says Kendra.

Find out more about PCS at their website here.

The Champaign County Chamber is proud to recognize this important organization in our community as February’s Featured Member of the Month. Thank you for all you do for these individuals, and keep up the great work!

Nominate a Featured Member of the Month here.

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January Featured Member of the Month: Hemisphere Coffee Roasters

1/16/2018

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Champaign County Chamber Member of the Month

Congratulations to our January Featured Member of the Month: Hemisphere Coffee Roasters!

Nearly 20 years ago, Mechanicsburg residents Paul & Grace Kurtz had a vision to make a difference in coffee-growing communities. They founded Hemisphere Coffee Roasters in Mechanicsburg in 2002 and have since developed deep relationships with coffee farmers in East Africa, Southeast Asia, and Central America. They purchase the highest quality coffee and pay premium prices in return - it’s direct-trade coffee.

Direct-trade coffee is based on an open, honest relationship of trust between the grower and the roaster. Paul & Grace visit these farmers in person to learn about the costs involved in producing and transporting coffee, and they in turn pay fair prices that enable the whole supply chain to benefit.

Learn more about how an investment in coffee impacts the whole community in this video:

Coffee can be purchased at their roastery and retail shop in downtown Mechanicsburg or online at hemispherecoffeeroasters.com. In addition to fresh, whole bean coffee, you can also buy single-serve coffee pods or purchase green coffee beans to roast. They also have an assortment of coffee accessories and unique socially conscious merchandise (think jewelry and handmade cards) from around the world.

Thank you to Paul & Grace and the Hemisphere crew for your good works not only in our community, but in communities around the world! We’re proud to celebrate you as our very first Featured Member and wish you continued success.

For more information on how to nominate a Featured Member of the Month, click here.

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Recognizing our Featured Member of the Month for June: The Spotted Cow Coffeehouse

Announcing our Featured Member of the Month for May: Urbana Dental Smiles!

INTRODUCING OUR March FEATURED MEMBER OF THE MONTH: CRSI

Introducing Our February Featured Member of the Month: Person Centered Services!

January Featured Member of the Month: Hemisphere Coffee Roasters

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