Chamber welcomes three new members

We'd like to welcome new Linton-Stockton Chamber of Commerce members.

First is Camp Refuge. Camp Refuge is located at R.R. 3, Box 695 near Redbird SRA. They have cabins available for rent.

If you need some extra space for visitors, contact them at 847-2681 or visit www.camprefugecabins.com.

Second is a new friend of the Chamber, Ron Bush. Ron has recently retired from the Linton-Stockton School Corporation and wants to remain active and involved in our community.

And lastly is Goody's. Goody's will be reopening its retail store in Linton at the end of March. Watch for additional details as that date approaches.

* The Indy Boat, Sport and Travel show continues through Sunday, Feb. 28. If you are planning to visit the Expo, please be sure to stop and say hello to our volunteers working the Chamber booth.

The booth is located in the travel section of the Expo. Reports are the attendance has been good at this year's Expo and there seems to be plenty of interest in Redbird, Goosepond and the Greene-Sullivan State Forest.

* Don't forget that Marsh Madness Bird Festival will be March 5-6 at Humphreys Park in Linton. Tickets are $10.

Call Friends of the Goose Pond at 847-2681 for more information.

* The Linton Freedom Festival events kick off on Saturday, March 13 with the Scholarship Pageant. We have six young ladies, all seniors at Linton-Stockton High School, who will be competing for the title of Linton Freedom Festival Queen.

The pageant will be held at the Linton-Stockton High School auditeria. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the pageant begins at 7. This is open to the public.

We encourage everyone to come support these young women.

* Also on March 13, the Psi Iota Xi presents "Steppin' Out in Style" -- a brunch and fashion show -- at the Linton First Baptist Church. Doors open at 10 a.m. and brunch begins at 10:30 a.m.

Tickets are $10 and available from any Psi Iota Xi member or by calling Donna Smith at 847-4837.

* INDOT is having a food drive through Feb. 26. All canned goods will be given to the Linton Food Pantry. Any food can be dropped off at the INDOT office on 12th Street or at the Chamber office.

* Do not forget the Census is fast approaching. The census is mandated by the U.S. Constitution and required by law. It is a form that takes less than 10 minutes to complete.

Federal law completely protects the personal information you share during the census. The information is kept confidential for 72 years. Census data is used to distribute Congressional seats to states, to make decisions about what community services to provide, and to distribute well over $300 billion in federal funds to local, state and tribal governments each year. The number of Greene County residents counted will determine our federal and state funding for years to come.

The impact of not being counted? Greene County may lose $300 per person, per year, for anyone not counted in the 2010 census. In today's economy it is more important than ever to be counted. The more state and federal dollars the county receives, the less needed from residents to pay for county services.

"Stand up and Be Counted" for the benefit of your community. Please alert your neighbors and elderly family members that census workers will not be coming to their door until this summer and only if they have not returned their forms through the mail service. When they come to a door they will not be asking for any personal or financial information and all census takers will display an ID badge.

Cheryl is the executive director of the Linton-Stockton Chamber of Commerce. She can be contacted by telephone at 847-4846.