Month: March 2018

Student Start Up

The Fostoria Area Chamber of Commerce is seeking students in grades 6 through 12 interested in starting or expanding a summer business.  The Chamber’s Student Start Up was designed to provide students with the real world experience of starting an actual business and expose them to an alternative to being an employee.

“We want to build a community that welcomes entrepreneurs and provides the tools and resources needed to be successful.  Through our Student Start Up program we can encourage young entrepreneurs and potentially plant the seeds for start-ups in our community now and in the future.” Sarah Stephens Krupp, Chamber/Small Business Director

Through a grant from the Henry H. Geary Jr. Memorial Foundation, the Chamber will fund 10 Student Start Ups in 2018.  Each successful applicant will receive $200 to start or expand their business.  All applications must be received by 4:30 p.m. on April 26 and successful applicants will be notified by May 10.  As a bonus, successful applicants are eligible to receive a $100 bonus if, at the end of the season, they submit a photo of themselves engaged in business as well as a report to the Chamber office no later 4:30 p.m. on August 30.  Applications are available online at www.FostoriaOhio.org/SSUP or can be picked up at the Chamber office, 121 N. Main St. in Fostoria.

“We have kept the application process very simple, as we do not want to hinder student participation with a lot of complicated paperwork.  The application is a brief questionnaire about their business and a cash flow forecast.”  Chamber staff will check in with each student business throughout the course of the summer to lend support and check in on their progress.

The Fostoria Chamber’s Student Start Up program is available to all Fostoria area students, including students attending Fostoria City Schools, St. Wendelin, Arcadia, Hopewell Loudon, Elmwood, New Riegel  and Lakota.

For more information on the members, benefits and programs of the Fostoria Area Chamber of Commerce call 419-435-0486 or email Sarah@FostoriaChamber.com or visit www.FostoriaOhio.org.

More information

Application and Brochure

Fostoria Area Visitors Bureau To Host Barn Quilt Painting Workshop

Saturday, May 12^th

Register early as space is limited.

The Fostoria Area Visitors Bureau is hosting a half-day barn quilt painting workshop on Saturday, May 12^th.  The workshop will be held from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. in the BANKquet Hall at the Towne Square Arts and Business, 125 South Main Street. The workshop will be conducted by Suzi Parron, who is a teacher, lecturer and author of two books: “Barn Quilts and the American Quilt Trail Movement” and “Following the Barn Quilt Trail”.

Outdoor barn quilt squares have been growing in popularity across the country in recent years. The first quilt trail was created by Donna Sue Groves in Adams County, Ohio to honor her mother’s love of quilting.  In talking with friends and neighbors, Donna Sue realized that the project had wide appeal and could also be beneficial to the community to foster tourism and economic development. Instead of a single personal tribute, she worked with the community to create a “clothesline of quilts,” which began with an Ohio Star dedicated in 2001.

Locally, the Fostoria Area Visitors Bureau wants to capitalize on the success of the Hancock County barn quilt trail to create a future tourism draw throughout Fostoria. There are more than 86 barn quilts in the Hancock County barn quilt trail. Many of the barn quilts have a Fostoria address so we want to create a “connector” trail to link and encourage growth of the trail to move into other counties. The Mennel Milling Co. and Independence House both installed barn quilt squares last year.  In addition, the downtown mural that the Fostoria Community Improvement Corporation commissioned on South Street last year includes a barn quilt to help kick-start the concept in Fostoria.

You can join the barn quilt movement by creating your own painted quilt block during the workshop. Attendees will begin with a pre-primed 2’ x 2’ board, which is a perfect size for mounting on smaller buildings. Step-by-step instructions will be given on how to draft, tape and paint a barn quilt square. Suggested patterns, paint, foam brushes, colored pencils and other tools will be provided. Attendees are asked to bring a yardstick or 24” ruler, a pencil, a blow dryer and painter’s tape. The yellow or green “Frog tape” brand works best, but blue Scotch brand is also acceptable. You will leave with a finished quilt block or with one last color, which will be provided, to complete at home. For more information on the local barn quilt painting workshop, including a registration form, click here.

Pre-registration and payment is required in advance. Attendees are encouraged to register as soon as possible as space is limited. You may contact Michele Cochran, Community Development/Tourism Director at 419-435-7789 or development@fostoriachamber.com with any questions.

Suzi travels full-time by RV, conducting workshops and speaking to quilt guilds, libraries, civic organizations—whoever would like to learn more about barn quilts. Suzi stumbled across her first barn quilt in 2008. She immediately looked for a book with more information on barn quilts and found that none existed, so she decided to write one. Quilt trail founder Donna Sue Groves provided lots of contacts and background information.  After two years of weekends and summers off while teaching, Suzi finished the book, “Barn Quilts and the American Quilt Trail Movement”. The book follows the quilt trail across 27 states as it expanded and tells dozens of stories of those who have created barn quilts. Within two years, so many new quilt trails had merged that Suzi felt another book was in order. She set out again and traveled to California and back, visiting quilt trails. As a result, her second book, “Following the Barn Quilt Trail”, was released in May of 2016 and includes over 130 photos from across the country and Canada.  More information on barn quilt trails is available from Suzi’s web site: http://www.barnquiltinfo.com

Reineke Ford in Fostoria-Customer Appreciation Event this Saturday

Stop out for Reineke Ford in Fostoria’s monthly customer appreciation event on Saturday, March 10th, between 11 am and 2 pm, at 1303 Perrysburg Rd.  Bill, Pratt, and the rest of the Reineke team will be grilling hot dogs, hamburgers, with all the fixings! You will have a chance to win a few great prizes as well! We look forward to seeing you rain or shine!

Come help us celebrate the Opening of  Forte Music Studios new location

Join us in celebrating the opening of the new music lesson space for Forte Music Studios. Director, Jody Strong and her team of talented instructors invite you to an open house and ribbon cutting to showcase their beautiful, new space.

The open house will be held from 4-6 p.m. with a 4:15 ribbon cutting in suite 211 at 125 S. Main Street in downtown Fostoria. Light refreshments and musical performances will be provided.

Forte Music Studios offer private lessons in piano, violin, guitar, voice and drums. Rates start at $15 per lesson. For more information visit the website and follow Forte on Facebook.

Event Invitation