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Batavia Business Beat: Batavia Chamber is giving back

Spring’s weather may seem to be a roller-coaster ride this year, but the Batavia Chamber of Commerce has been consistent in working to give back to the community. We recently awarded Inspire Scholarships to four Batavia Public Schools graduates and have launched the Grow Your Business Scholarship. Also in the works is a Batavia Chamber community fund to support beneficial projects in our town. We’ll share more about this in the future!

Business scholarship

Applications are open to Batavia Chamber members for a mentoring scholarship designed to bolster a business’s acumen across all areas of operation. Because one of the roles of the Batavia Chamber is to be a catalyst for business prosperity, the scholarship aims to assist businesses in developing the skills they need to thrive in all environments.

To ensure a successful program, the Batavia Chamber is partnering with the Fox Valley Entrepreneurial Center. The FVEC will assist in vetting eligible businesses, provide expert advice and contribute money to the Grow Your Business Scholarship fund.

The Batavia Chamber has donated $10,000 and the FVEC is donating the remaining amount to offer two scholarships for the program. To apply, submit the form by visiting fvec.org/bcoc-form.

For more information about the Grow Your Business Scholarship or Batavia Chamber membership, call 630-879-7134 or email margaret@bataviachamber.org. You also can text 478-CHAMBER.

Inspire Scholarship recipients

Batavia Public School District 101 graduated its Class of 2022 in a ceremony at Northern Illinois University’s Convocation Center this week. Among the graduates were the four recipients of Batavia Chamber of Commerce Inspire Scholarships. The four scholarship categories are motivated by the makeup of the Batavia Chamber of Commerce membership.

We are thrilled to announce that this year’s awards of $750 each go to:

· Inspiring Entrepreneurship: Corey Berg, who will attend Illinois State University.

· Inspiring Women in Business: Sofia Johnson, who is headed to Samford University.

· Inspiring Career and Technical Achievers: Bradley Beilfuss, who plans to attend Waubonsee Community College.

· Inspiring Contributors to a Batavia Chamber Business: Aisling McGrath, who will attend Bucknell University.

We wish our scholarship winners, along with all the top-notch applicants, much success as they continue their educational journey!

Ready ‘fore’ fun?

Our next major event – and one of the most popular - is less than a month away and the public is invited. Plan to join us for the 48th annual Chamber Classic Social Golf Outing on Friday, June 17.

Beautiful Orchard Valley Golf Course will be the host for this wonderful day of socializing, networking and golfing. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. It is a 1 p.m. shotgun start. The cost is $150 a person for lunch, 18 holes of golf with cart and a reception after golfing with awards and raffle pull. There are sponsorships available. For businesses, the outing creates the perfect opportunity to reward employees with a fun day out of the office, thank business associates and network with other business leaders from the area.

Visit the Chamber website at bataviachamber.org or call 630-879-7134 to register or sponsor this outing.

A quick reminder: the Batavia Chamber sells Chamber Bucks, which are good at more than 90 businesses. Stop by the office at 106 W. Wilson St. to purchase Chamber Bucks for dads, grads, teachers, coaches, thank you gifts or for your own use.