D.R. Horton Celebrates Opening at Red Hawk

The skies cleared and the rain stopped last Wednesday in honor of D.R. Horton's ribbon cutting celebration at Red Hawk on So. Hill.  Chamber members gathered to tour the new model homes and cheer on the D.R. Horton sales team.  Danny Altizer, area sales manager and Puyallup resident, reported that home sales for D.R. Horton are exceeding expectations.

Congratulations to everyone at D.R. Horton for opening another new home division in our area. If you haven't seen the new homes at Red Hawk, take a few minutes this weekend to stop in an say hi.  The development is located new Gem Heights at 165th and 78th.  They'll be glad to give you a tour of some of their new homes.  

Puyallup and Sumner Businesses Included in Shop Local Campaign for Pierce County

Denise Dyer, Pierce County Economic Development Director
showcases local products for holiday shoppers in Puyallup and Sumner.

 "Shop Local" took on a whole new perspective this past week as the Chamber and City of Sumner worked with Pierce County to showcase the abundance of items local shoppers could purchase for holiday gift giving.  Look for the ad in the Tacoma News Tribune in the coming days.  Many thanks to Denise and Pierce County for the opportunity to remind residents to Shop Local!

We even found a St. Bernard named Violet
at Sumner Vet along with Seahawk Pet Gear.

We want to acknowledge and thank all of the local businesses that participated in this ad campaign:

Aveda – Bath and body products

Sportsman’s Warehouse – Opard daypack, Red Wing Irish Setter Boots, Binoculars, Electronic earmuffs

Johnson’s Jewelers – Handcrafted necklaces and jewelry

So. Sound Running – Brooks Infinity Jacket and Nike Structure 19 running shoes

Something Blue – Rhinestone and pearl braclets, necklaces and jeweled sash

The Cheese Shoppe – Custom cheese trays of imported and domestic cheeses

Dog Daze – Pet toys and treats

Arista Pasta – Bread sticks and balsamic vinegar

NAPA Auto Parts, Sumner– Seahawk and UW car mats, Screwdriver sets, Blue Fuel car battery charger and electronic battery chargers

Bonney Lake Bicycle Shop, Sumner - Pink Electra Cruiser

Simple Tidings & Kitchen – Farm to table Calendar, Chirpy top wine spout, Gurgle Pot, Stonewall Donut Mix, All American Donut baking tin, Santa Apron, dishtowel set

A Picket Fence – Brighton Jewelry, Toms shoes, Vera Bradley handbag, 

Hobo bag clutch, holiday burlap sack

Old Cannery Furniture Warehouse – Kuka teal retro side chair, industrial floor lamp, bejeweled decorator pillows

Keurig – Single Cup Brewer

Dillanos Coffee Roasters – coffee beans

Mt. Rainier Coffee Company – coffee beans

Puyallup Valley Jam Factory – Gift pack variety jams, jellies, syrups

Craft 19 - Mocha

A Good Book – hard and soft cover books

Sumner Veterinary Hospital – Seahawk pet wear, plush toys

Windmill Gardens – Pointsettia pots

Country Barn – Canvas purse

MCE – Seahawks knit cap, socks and leg warmers

Kristi’s Country Store – Wax and paint

Off the Beaten Path – Paint

Junkers Nest – Dish towel

Sugarbabies – Stuffed bunny

Jubilee Naturals – Honey and cookbook

Petersen Aquatic Center Opens at YMCA in Sumner

Saturday, December 5th, heralded the much anticipated opening of the Petersen Aquatic Center at the YMCA in Sumner.

Now boasting a whopping 12,000 membership roster, the Gordon Family YMCA in Sumner is exceeding all expectations for registered members.  

The opening on Saturday was an emotional one for the Petersen family, and the community, as they honored mother, wife and friend, Arlene Petersen, whom the aquatic facility was named for.  Arlene, a well known and respected member of the Sumner community, as well as a resident of Lake Tapps, was a passionate advocate for teaching children to swim.  One of the Petersen grandchildren is now working as a lifeguard at the new YMCA.

Many thanks to the Petersen family for their support of this facility and for seeing this community project through to it's completion. 

 

Arlene Petersen at the Classy Chassis Car Show
in downtown Sumner sporting a homemade Rhubarb Pie.
You are missed, Arlene.

Santa and North Pole Welcome Local Public Officials

The North Pole at the Fair was a cheery venue for Chamber members to meet our local public officials during the holiday season.  Located in the Red Gate Building, just inside the red gate at the Washington State Fair and Events Center, photographer and business owners, Steve and Tristan James, have created a magical Christmas experience for kids of any age.

Guests and officials were invited to sit on Santa's lap for holiday photos and several were spotted whispering "official" requests during their photo shoot.  While we're not sure Santa can solve all the budgetary issues for local jurisdictions, it was fun to see the increasing surprise on his face after each whispered request.

On behalf of our Chamber Board of Directors, we want to thank our local public officials for making the time to meet and talk with our business members and for their service to our communities.

We also want to thank Santa and Steve and Tristan James for opening their North Pole venue to host our event. The North Pole at the Fair is open until December 24th.  Register online at northpoleatthefair.com.  

FYI, some of our guests want to come back next year Santa......hint, hint!

SSCCLC Legislative Breakfast at Emerald Downs Slated for January 8th

Mark your calendars for Friday, January 8th, to join the Puyallup Sumner Chamber of Commerce at the annual South Sound Chamber of Commerce Legislative Coalition breakfast. 

The biggest business breakfast in the region, local Chamber representatives will be thanking "Transportation Champions" in the legislature for their work on the 2015 Transportation Package and report on business successes in the region during the past year. SSCCLC representatives will also share a preview of the Coalition's 2016 Legislative Priorities.

Register today!

2nd Annual Extreme Tree Lighting at the Fair a Spectacular Success

The second annual Extreme Tree Lighting at the Washington State Fair and Events Center on December 2nd was a winter wonderland success with even more people attending the ceremony this year. Visitors to the Victorian Country Christmas Festival sang Christmas carols during the program and watched the new fireworks show with Santa and Mrs. Claus.  After the lighting and fireworks show, Santa bounced North Pole beach balls into the crowd as they enjoyed Beach Boys Christmas music.

It was great fun to see the familiar faces of Fair staff, Karen LaFlame, Karen Baskett, Debbie Baker, Tracey Wittenfeld, and more, as they passed out cocoa, coffee and cookies near the photo booth before lighting the tree.

The 185 foot "Extreme Tree", the tallest structure in Puyallup, now sports almost two miles of lighted cable and nearly 10,000 lights.  Check it out when you drive by the Fairgrounds, or anywhere else downtown.  You can't miss it!

Local Businesses Sponsor Annual Turkey Drop at JBLM

Once again many of our local businesses rallied to deliver frozen Turkeys to the troops stationed at JBLM before the Thanksgiving holiday.  

Our Chamber appreciates the work of Carlene Joseph, Harborstone Credit Union, Todd Wivell, Msgt USAF, and Dave Radcliffe, The Old Cannery Furniture Warehouse, for their unending support of this annual trek to our local military installation for Operation Turkey Drop.  Their heartfelt pledge of time and resources ensures that our partnership with the military remains strong, and that visits to the base are full of holiday cheer and good wishes.