July/August 2010
The Official Publication of the
RED HOOK AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Hardscrabble
NEWS
Proudly serving the Northern Dutchess Region for 50 years
Good For Business. Good For The Red Hook Area.
Upcoming August Event
WHAT’S
INSIDE
President’s Message
Monthly Chamber
Breakfast Meeting
Business Spotlight
Welcome Our
New Members
Events Calendar
Northern Dutchess
Exposure
August 19, 2010
7:30am-9am
Many informative articles
to help your
Red Hook Golf Club
business grow!
Our speaker this month is Ben
Traudt, Dutchess County
Legislator, District 20—Red Hook.
Tivoli
Thank you
Rhinebeck Savings
Bank for their
continued support of
the chamber and
providing office
space at no charge.
Member pre-registration fee: $5
Member fee at door: $7
Non-member fee: $9
Sponsored by Red Hook Golf Club
Register online at
www.redhookchamber.org, via
[email protected], or
contact our office at 845-758-0824
Message from the
MessagePresident
from the
Chamber
Chamber President
s our summer is heating up, so are
our upcoming events. Our valued
members of The Red Hook Chamber of Commerce have voiced
their enthusiasm for breakfast meetings,
mixers and other special events and we
have listened.
We will be having our monthly breakfast in August at The Red Hook Golf Club. Stay after
breakfast and play a round of golf. It is so important for
our members to connect with each other and we recognize the need and purpose of the Red Hook Chamber to
help contribute to building strong business relationships
in Red Hook and its surrounding areas.
Whether you come out to a breakfast meeting, after
hours business mixer, special event, or join one of our
committees, we want you to realize the Chamber is all
about you and your business. We need your participation. Let's talk about your business and get to know your
current and potential customers. Meet fellow business
owners. Grow your business. The possibilities are endless if you join and become part of our team. Every
month you can expect a breakfast and we would like to
see you there. It’s a great way to start your day and get in
touch with hot local topics that matter to all of us.
This October, The Red Hook Chamber of Commerce
will be partnering with The Rhinebeck Chamber of Commerce and Bard College to present the first of its kind
business/career expo in the Northern Dutchess area. All
businesses are invited to showcase and be a part of this
event. As a business vendor you can represent your business on a large scale and reach out to those seeking employment or a potential customer you may not be able to
normally reach. We expect a high attendance and it will
be a well publicized event.
Our website is really an extension of your business so
please take advantage of our “Hot Deals” section. Let
your customers and clients know your special deal by
reaching all our members and visitors at
www.redhookchamber.org
Summer is about relaxation and vacation but you should
always stay on top of business. We are here to help
you and will make it easy. Looking forward to seeing you
at our next event and enjoy the summer.
Best Regards, Ed Pruitt
Hardscrabble
NEWS
Page 2
Officers
Edward Pruitt
President
Rhinebeck Savings Bank
Luigi Coppola
1st Vice President
Coppola’s Italian American Bistro
Michelle Martin
2nd Vice President
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
Kevin Zulch
Treasurer
Kevin J. Zulch Accountant
Tax Consulting and Preparation
Services
Chamber Events Calendar
Pastor Tom Theilmann
August 19, 2010– Monthly Breakfast Business Meeting. Red Hook Golf Club.
7:30am—9am. Speaker: Ben Traudt, Dutchess County Legislator. Fees are $5
Recording Secretary
United Methodist Church
Directors
Tania Amrod
Director of Marketing,
Communications & Publicity
Chronogram Magazine
Chris Clark
Director of Bus. Develop.
Sprague and Killeen
Vivian Mandala
Director of Events
Garden Gate Landscaping
member (pre-registered), $7 Member at door, $9 non-member. Sponsored by Red
Hook Golf Club.
September 15, 2010– Monthly Breakfast Business Meeting. Montgomery Place.
7:30am—9am. Speaker: County Executive William Steinhaus. Fees are $5 member
(pre-registered), $7 Member at door, $9 non-member. Sponsored by Sprague &
Killeen.
October 5, 2010– Northern Dutchess Exposure: A Career Fair and Business Expo.
Co-sponsored with Bard College and Rhinebeck Area Chamber of Commerce.
Noon—6pm. See page 6 for sponsorship and exhibit space registration form.
July/August 2010
Page 3
Hardscrabble
NEWS
Page 4
Membership
Dues
We value your
membership!
Please remember
that membership
dues for July/
August renewals
are due. You can
expect a notice being sent to you in
the mail. If you
have not yet paid
your dues, or have
any questions
about your membership, please call
the Chamber at
758-0824.
The Red Hook
Area Chamber of
Commerce is striv-
A Fun-Filled Day For The Family In Red Hook
By Tania Amrod
Recently acknowledged as one of the top ten towns to live in The Hudson Valley, it’s no secret that Red Hook’s
family friendly reputation is not only a great place to raise your family but it’s also a fun place to visit.
Whether your interests are historical, sports-oriented, musical, artistic, culinary, nature related or you just want to
have some good, old-fashioned fun, Red Hook is the place to go. Nestled east of the Hudson River, north of
Rhinebeck, this charming hamlet is a wonderful treasure to explore and is easily accessible to the New York State
Thruway and the Taconic Parkway.
Founded in 1860, Bard College is a cultural institution and an integral part of Red Hook. Every year, The Fischer
Center and Bard Summerscape presents Family Fare at Spiegeltent. With Family Cirkus to Dog On Fleas, this
summer spectacular will surely not disappoint children of all ages. Budget friendly ticket prices and a wellrounded calendar of events are welcoming to families seeking world-class entertainment. If you’re hungry, eat in
at Spiegeltent which offers causal fare like burgers from the grill and gourmet ice cream, just some of the tasty
items on the menu. For more information, please visit www.fishercenter.bard.edu
The kids can’t decide between miniature golf and bowling? They don’t have to when visiting Ro-Lin Lanes. With
20 bowling lanes, 18 hole miniature golf course, arcade and snack bar, there’s something to do for everyone, all in
one place. For more information, please visit www.rolinlanes.com
Combining scenic beauty and an amazing landscape, Montgomery Place is a historical landmark that is a must-see
for the entire family. The picturesque gardens make it a delightful place to stroll while viewing the Hudson River
and Catskill Mountains. Fresh, luscious fruits grown on the estate are sold at the Montgomery Place Orchards
Farm Stand. This 200 year landmark set on 380 acres is a great way to spend the day exploring indoors and out.
The mansion is an education in architecture and tours are available. Admission to the grounds is free. For more
information, please visit www.hudsonvalley.org
Get that picnic basket ready and visit the Red Hook Recreation Park. A fun place to picnic and play, the park has
playgrounds and tennis courts and a swimming pool. Cool off, play and have a fun day, all in one place.
For horse lovers, Hidden Hollow Farms is a family friendly farm riding center, offering lessons to kids who love to
play and ride. Located on Milan Hollow Road in Red Hook, a list of Hidden Hollow Farm’s programs is listed on
their website, www.hiddenhollowridingcenter.webs.com
ing to bring our
Don’t forget the dog! Poet’s Walk Park is set on 120 acres with amazing Hudson River Views and is dog-friendly.
With a beautiful pavilion overlooking the Hudson River, this park is breathtaking and great for a healthy walk.
members more
value for their
Although there might be a line, it’s well worth waiting for the delicious ice cream that’s served up at The Holy
Cow and the prices are a bargain. Don’t forget to stop at 7270 South Broadway for a cold, summertime treat.
membership.
Exciting events and
benefits are on the
way and we don’t
want you to miss
out!
Renew Today!
With comfortable, retro sofas, there’s homemade fudge, desserts and coffee at Taste Budd’s at 40 West Market
Street. Stop in on a Saturday afternoon at 2:00 PM and listen to some great, local live music while enjoying the
sweets.
Pick your own fruits and vegetables at Grieg Farms. What could be more fun than getting the family together to
pick out healthy, delicious produce to bring home or snack on, along the way? With an on-site bakery, that also
stocks fresh and frozen foods, who can resist? Grieg Farm is on Pitcher Lane in Red Hook..
There’s enough to keep the kids busy and entertained in Red Hook and just spending one day is not enough time
to really experience all that Red Hook has to offer. It’s all the more reason to keep Red Hook as a place to go
back and re-visit.
July/August 2010
Page 5
Advertising
Deadline
Exercise & Heat
By: Jane Hamann, ACE-certified personal trainer
Summer has hit the Hudson Valley with full force. As summer kicks in, people will be spending more
time outdoors. Keep these following tips in mind while working or exercising outdoors.
1. Time. Avoid exercising outside during the heat of the day, which is usually between 10:00am and
4:00pm. If at all possible, try and do your workout in the early morning or later in the evening
when the temperatures are lower and the sun is not as strong.
2. Dress. Wear lightweight, loose-fitted clothing that will allow the heat to evaporate from you skin.
Choose light colors, as they don’t absorb as much heat as darker colored clothing. Always wear a
lightweight hat or visor and sunglasses to keep the sun out of your eyes.
3. Sunscreen. Wearing sunscreen will help you avoid getting sunburn, which is not only painful,
but can prevent your skin from cooling off and rob your body of necessary fluids and nutrients. It
will also help protect you from the damaging ultra violet rays that can damage your skin. Apply it
15-20 minutes prior to going out and re-apply every 30-40 minutes.
4. Water. Drink lots of water. As you sweat, you risk dehydration as your body loses water. Besides
drinking the 6-8 glasses of water recommended daily, drink 4-8 ounces every 15 minutes while
exercising outside. If you are exercising longer than an hour, add a sports drink to replace the
salt, potassium and other electrolytes your body loses as you sweat.
5. Take it easy. Pay attention to your heart rate and/or your rate of perceived exertion. When you
are exercising or working in heat, your body increases blood flow to your skin in an effort to cool
off, which results in less blood for your muscles and a higher heart rate. Go slow and take it easy.
Happy summer!
Advertising in the
Hardscrabble News is
available to members
of the Red Hook Area
Chamber of
Commerce.
For more information
please contact us at
845-758-0824 or
[email protected]
Ad deadline for next
issue is August 15th.
Hardscrabble News is
published to provide
news and information
to the members of the
Red Hook Area
Chamber of Commerce.
Hardscrabble News
strives to publish a full
range of articles on
Chamber events,
member news, profiles
of area business and
informative practical
information on running
a business. We
welcome articles from
members on general
business topics using
their areas of expertise.
The opinions and points
of view expressed in
this publication are
those of the individual
writers, who are
identified by name
unless otherwise
indicated.
Hardscrabble
Page 6
NEWS
July/August 2010
Page 7
Business Spotlight
Montgomery Place
ontgomery Place, a grand 380-acre
estate along the Hudson in Annandale-on-Hudson, is open with an
expanded public programming
schedule this year. A circa 1802 historic
architectural landmark designed by Alexander Jackson Davis featuring an expansive landscape influenced by Andrew Jackson Downing, Montgomery Place was
the home of Janet Livingston Montgomery. It is a rare intact example of Hudson
Valley estate life.
The grounds are open free of charge daily from 9-4pm. (No pets, please.) The
estate’s main house is open for tours ($10 per person) Thursdays through Sundays through October 31,
from 11-4pm. Group tours with advance reservations, student group visits, wedding receptions, and
other private events are available by appointment seven days a week.
Ray Armater, site director at Montgomery Place, is particularly excited about Montgomery Place’s
upcoming Antique Car Show on Sunday, September 12.
The site, which includes 380 acres of landscape, orchards, trails and gardens, is owned and operated by
Historic Hudson Valley, a private, non-profit education and preservation organization. Montgomery
Place is the organization’s largest site by acreage and number of buildings. Over its 23 years of ownership, HHV has invested more than $24 million in the property.
Historic Hudson Valley owns, restores, preserves, interprets, and promotes historic landmarks of national significance within the Hudson Valley for the benefit and enjoyment of the public. It operates
an integrated network of six historic sites of national distinction: Kykuit, the Rockefeller Estate; Washington Irving’s Sunnyside; Van Cortlandt Manor; Philipsburg Manor; The Union Church of Pocantico
Hills; and Montgomery Place.
For information: www.hudsonvalley.org, 845-758-5461.
Welcome To
Our New
Members!
3B Fitness
Art Carlson
Painting
Patricia Cortese
Brad Hamann
Design
Stanley Roscoe
Watertight
Plumbing and
Heating
Hardscrabble
NEWS
Page 8
Reaching Out!
Did you know you can
post job openings and
hot deals for your business on the Chamber’s
website?
You can also add community events, links to
your own website and
other personalized
information.
If you haven’t already
done so, log into the
“member” section of
our website, and explore how you can
reach even more
individuals.
Have you visited the
Chamber’s Facebook
page yet? Become a fan
today by clicking the
“like” button on our
page at
www.facebook.com/
pages/Red-Hook-AreaChamber-ofCommerce/112337522111
638 or simply by
searching for “Red
Hook Area Chamber
of Commerce” on Facebook.
DO YOU LIKE PEOPLE?
DO YOU LIKE PARTIES?
DO YOU LIKE RED HOOK?
IF YOU ANSWERED YES TO ANY OF THE ABOVE, WE NEED YOUR HELP!
THE RED HOOK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAS SEVERAL UPCOMING EVENTS
AND WE ARE ASKING OUR CHAMBER MEMBERS TO BE A PART OF OUR
SPECIAL EVENTS COMMITTEE.
YOUR TALENT, TIME AND DEDICATION AS A SPECIAL EVENTS COMMITTEE
MEMBER WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED!
PLEASE CALL THE RED HOOK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OFFICE AT
(845) 758-0824 OR EMAIL US AT [email protected]
Upcoming Community Events
July 11– Music in the Park Series. 3pm. Abrahams Park. Stringmasters
July 23— Tavern Nights at Elmendorph Inn. 7pm-10pm. Live Music, beer, soda, snacks and pizza by
the slice. $10 adult, $5 child.
August 13 — Music in the Park Series. 7pm. Abrahams Park. Rhinebeck Legion Band.
August 20— Tavern Nights at Elmendorph Inn. 7pm-10pm.
September 11 — Hudson Valley Wine and Food Fest. 11am—6pm. Dutchess County Fairgrounds.
Also, September 12 from 11am—5pm.
September 19 — Music in the Park Series. 3pm. Abrahams Park. Grass Fed.
September 25 — Tavern Nights at Elmendorph Inn. 7pm-10pm.
Every Wednesday through the end of September — Senior Walk Program . Meet at the pavilion at the
North end of the park (near Fruit Bud entrance) on Wednesdays at 10am for a walk around the Red Park.
Canceled for rain. Dogs must be leashed.
July/August 2010
Page 9
Advertising Ideas on a Small Budget
By Susan Jacksack, J.D.
To be effective, advertising must be interruptive—that is, it must make you stop thumbing through the newspaper or thinking about
your day long enough to read or hear the ad. Advertising must also be credible, unique, and memorable in order to work. And finally, enough money must be spent to provide a media schedule for ad frequency, the most important element for ad memorability.
Advertising Checklist:
 Communicate a simple, single message. People have trouble remembering someone's name, let alone a complicated ad
message. For print ads, the simpler the headline, the better. And every ad element should support the headline message,
whether that message is "price," "selection," "quality," or any other concept.
 Stick with a likable style. Ads have personality and style. Find a likable style and personality and stay with it for at least a
year, to avoid confusing buyers. Be credible. If you say your quality or value is the "best" and it clearly is not, advertising will
speed your demise, not increase your business. Identifying and denigrating the competition should also be avoided. It is potentially confusing and distracting and may backfire on you by making buyers more loyal to competitors.
 Ask for the sale. Provide easily visible information in the ad for potential customers to buy: location, telephone number,
store hours, charge cards accepted.
 Make sure the ad looks professional. If you have the time and talent, computer graphics and desktop publishing software
can provide professional-looking templates to create good-looking print ads. Consider obtaining writing, artistic, and graphic
help from local agencies or art studios who have experienced professionals on staff, with expensive and creative computer software in-house. Electronic ads (e.g., TV, radio, Internet) and outdoor ads are best left to professionals to produce.
 Be truthful. Whatever advertising medium you select, make sure your message is ethical and truthful. There are stringent
laws regarding deceptive practices and false advertising.
 There's an old adage that holds that at least 50 percent of all advertising is a waste of money. It's probably true—and if you
can figure out which half of your ad budget is useless, you'll save a bundle. But until you achieve this wisdom (which has so far
eluded most marketers), you'd be wise to continue advertising full tilt and not take a chance on eliminating something that just
might work.
Low-and No-Cost Advertising:
 Print attractive and informative business cards that include your logo and hand them out everywhere, consistently! If you
use letterhead stationery in your business, have it match your business card. Keep your identity as consistent as possible.
 Print up some gift certificates. These let your customers introduce you to new customers. Since you get paid up front for
the product or service, they are good for your cash flow.
 Brochures let you provide a lot of detail about your product or service. Simple three-fold brochure stock may be purchased
from mail order suppliers such as Paper Direct (800-272-7377) in small quantities.
 Flyers can be created very inexpensively on your computer, or by a local print shop. You can use as much color as you like,
with a color printer or old-fashioned colored paper stock. They can be used as bag stuffers or inserts to include with billings.
 Doorhangers are very effective and widely used by fast food and home delivery and service businesses. If you choose this
medium, use heavy stock so it won't blow off doorknobs and litter the neighborhood.
 Inserted ads include mailbox inserts and free-standing inserts. The science behind the mass distribution of inserts is beyond the scope of our discussion here. If you think that inserts could successfully reach your market, call one of the big distributors and learn how much it would cost you to try this kind of program. The industry leaders are ADVO (call 860-5203200, and they'll give you the local contact) and Val-Pak which is so big that you can find it under "V" in most local phone
books.
 Paper or plastic bags and packaging make economical billboards. Print your name, logo, and message on anything you
can, on all sides. Mailing labels are another perfect medium. Everyone who handles your mail will see your ad at no cost to you.
Copyright 1998, CCH Incorporated All rights reserved. This column was excerpted from Start Run & Grow a Successful Small Business, a new 683-page book from CCH Incorporated. To
order, call 1-800-248-3248 or visit the CCH Toolkit bookstore. The CCH Toolkit Web site offers "total know-how for small business." Visit the CCH Business Owner's Toolkit Web site at
www.toolkit.cch.com.
Good For Business. Good For The Red Hook Area.
The Red Hook Area Chamber of Commerce
was established in 1960. It is operated by
elected volunteer business members.
The Chamber was organized for the purpose of advancing the trade, commercial,
industrial and civic interests of the Red
Hook area.
RED HOOK AREA CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE
P.O. Box 254
Red Hook, NY 12571
Phone:845-758-0824
Fax: 845-758-0824
E-mail: [email protected]
www.redhookchamber.org