e-NEWS

Open to all members and future members. Please refer to our online Calendar of Events for chapter meetings and locations.

Tuesday, June 26: Security & Loss Prevention Association (SLPA) Meeting: Workplace Violence: Recognizing the Problem

Presented by Officer Mike Catron, Crime Prevention Specialist, Chesterfield County Police Department

Workplace Violence occurs daily. Do you understand the problem and the impact it could have on your company? To better understand this problem and to better prepare yourself to prevent or respond, plan to attend this informative meeting. more info >>

Location: Retail Merchants Association
5101 Monument Avenue
(804) 662-5500
Directions >>

Wednesday, June 27: Connect @ Cold Stone Creamery

Cold Stone Creamery is famous for ice cream made fresh daily, combined on a frozen stone with dozens of delicious mix-ins including everything from brownies to gummy bears and everything in between. All this goodness is placed in fresh made waffle cones that fill the ice cream store with the aroma of cinnamon. more info >>

Location: Cold Stone Creamery
409 Libbie Ave
Richmond, VA 23226
(804) 915-7643
Directions >>

Thursday, July 26: Preventive Health Screenings

Life Line Screening will be at RMA July 26 to give screenings to prevent Stroke, Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm, Peripheral Arterial Disease and Osteoporosis. With the use of Ultrasound and Doppler equipment, Life Line Screening can view your arteries to look for blockage, aneurysms and plaque build up.

Location: Retail Merchants Association
5101 Monument Avenue
(804) 662-5500
Directions >>

Cost:
• Complete Vascular Package: 3 Tests = $109 (Stroke/Carotid Screening, Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm, Peripheral Vascular Disease)
• Complete Wellness Package: 4 Tests = $129 (The vascular package plus an osteoporosis screening)
• New Tests: Complete Blood work package: 3 Tests = $99 (Complete Cholesterol, hs-CRP, glucose)

Pre-registration Required: Early appointments go quickly, so call today for your appointment: 1-800-324-1851 or Jill Dynia at 804-869-3078.

RMA News

Sponsor Announcement

We are very pleased to announce that Central Virginia Bank is the sponsor of Retail Merchants Association’s Connect@ events for 2007.

Retail Marketing Expo Set for August 7. Check out all the latest details at RetailMarketingX.com. Keith Gastrock (co-chair) from left, Brian Robertson co-chair exhibitors), Rudy Garcia (co-chair, marketing), Michael Guld (co-chair, exhibitors), Gardner Fields (co-chair, speakers) and Ron Fink (co-chair).

Be a Part of RMA’s $5,000 Shopping Spree Contest

Last Chance! Place your ad with the RMA logo in it in the Times-Dispatch’s DISCOVER RICHMOND special section, which publishes Sunday, August 5.

Readers enter the $5,000 Shopping Spree contest by counting how many RMA logos are in the section, so they are sure to see your ad!

DISCOVER Richmond is the annual, full-color guide to Richmond and the surrounding region that readers use all year round.

Advertisers in DISCOVER Richmond will be listed for one year on Discover Richmond.com, nationally recognized as one of the nation’s best local online guides.

NEW! Preventive Health Screenings Offered at RMA – July 26

NEW!! The RMA will conduct a 50/50 raffle at upcoming Connect@ events

Tickets will be sold for $5.00 each. Fifty percent of the proceeds will help support the RMA government advocacy role on behalf of its retail members. Fifty percent will go to the winning ticket holder.

Check Out Recent First Friday Forums on Retailmerchants.com

If you miss a First Friday Forum, you can get a summary by going to retailmerchants.com and clicking on the event.

Member News

Susie Galvez to Teach “Ladies Who Launch”

Susie Galvez, beauty expert, author, consultant and owner of “Hello Beautiful” skin-care line, will be teaching, “Ladies Who Launch” a four week workshop designed to help women at all stages of life clarify and expand their visions for a new or current business or creative project. The classes begin June 21. Call Susie Galvez at 804-364-7113 or e-mail her at sgalvez@ladieswholaunch.com for more information

Brief Case Blues Performing at the Downtown Capital Ale House Music Hall June 30, 2007 at 10:00 pm

These guys sound like the Blues Brothers, look like the Blues Brothers, and obviously have spent many a night dreaming about being the Blues Brothers. They will be traveling here to Richmond in the original “Bluesmobile.” Briefcase Blues is the longest-running tribute to the Blues Brothers, founded in 1983 (one year after John Belushi's untimely death) - and still going strong! Backed by a hot 8-piece show band (4 horns, 4 rhythm players), the stars of the show are J.W. Leggio (as Jake) and Lee Schwing (as Elwood), who faithfully re-create the Blues Brothers in true Belushi & Aykroyd style.
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FYI

American Cancer Society’s 2nd Annual Cure By Design event Postponed to August 18 th at Toad’s Place

American Cancer Society’s 2nd Annual Cure by Design event, presented by Bon Secours Cancer Institute, set to be held at Toad’s Place of Richmond at 144 Virginia Street on Saturday, June 9, 2007 was rescheduled for Aug. 18. Due to delays in the venue's final city permitting, Toad’s Place will not be available for Saturday’s Cure by Design survivor fashion show. The American Cancer Society, and presenting sponsor Bon Secours Cancer Institute, are committed to a partnership with Toad’s Place and will host the event on Aug. 18.

BlackFinn Has Opened

Are you looking for a new place to meet friends after work? Join them for Happy Hour and relax on the new outdoor patio overlooking the canal or at the bar watching the game on one of the many flat screen TVs.

Seeking Nominations for the 2007 Richmond History Makers

The Valentine Richmond History Center has again partnered with Leadership Metro Richmond to launch the 3rd annual Richmond History Makers — a program that annually recognizes, honors and celebrates everyday citizens and outstanding organizations making significant contributions to the greater Richmond region. The public call for nominations began May 1, with nominations being accepted until June 29, 2007, in five categories of distinction. Nomination forms and details are available online at www.richmondhistorymakers.com, at area First Market Bank branch locations, and at the Valentine Richmond History Center. An impartial panel of judges, all graduates of the Leadership Metro Richmond program, will oversee the nomination and selection process and notify honorees after September 4, 2007. Honorees and their accomplishments will be recognized at the 2007 Richmond History Makers Celebration, scheduled October 23, 2007 from 5:30 – 8:00p.m. at the Valentine Richmond History Center.

The Tuckahoe Jaycees Presents the Henrico County Independence Day Celebration

Celebrate July 4th and enjoy the Richmond area's most spectacular fireworks show at the Henrico County Independence Day Celebration. Presented by the Tuckahoe Jaycees, a community service and leadership training organization for people 21 to 40, the Celebration is a family-oriented, patriotic tribute to our nation's birthday. Held at Richmond Raceway Complex, the event will feature a 5K race and 1 Mile Fun Run in the morning, a car show, a kids' activities area, live music, food and refreshments and a HUGE fireworks finale. The celebration will also include a special ceremony honoring America's 400th Anniversary and the Armed Forces. Gates open at 3 p.m.

Want to increase your holiday sales while helping to prevent child abuse and neglect in Virginia?

You can with an innovative new shopping program called KidzKard to benefit Prevent Child Abuse Virginia and its local affiliate, Greater Richmond SCAN. We first told you about KidzKard last year, when the project was still in the planning stages. We are happy to announce that KidzKard is now in full swing and is currently recruiting merchants. KidzKard is modeled after a program that was developed in Dallas in 1993 by a domestic violence shelter and has since been used with great success by charities in 17 cities across the United States. Last fall, the same concept raised more than $200,000 for The Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. In Austin, Texas, a market similar to Richmond, a local charity there raised $80,000 the first year they used the program.

The KidzKard concept is simple. Shoppers purchase a KidzKard for $50, with all the proceeds going to Prevent Child Abuse Virginia. Shoppers will use their KidzKard for a 20% discount on merchandise at participating stores during the designated shopping week of Friday, October 26, 2007-Sunday, November 4, 2007.

Everyone benefits! KidzKard is a win-win-win program. Shoppers save money, Prevent Child Abuse Virginia receives much-needed funds and stores benefit from KidzKard’s advertising and PR, resulting in increased traffic during a traditionally slow retail week and jump-starting holiday sales. Plus, there is no direct cost to merchants to participate in KidzKard, other than offering the 20% discount.

KidzKard will be advertised on local television and radio stations and through on-screen ads at area movie theaters, including the Regal Westhampton and The Byrd Theatre.

The response so far by the Richmond retail community has been very positive. More than twenty stores have already signed on. But the deadline to participate is fast approaching. Merchant agreement forms must be returned to Prevent Child Abuse Virginia by July 31, 2007. To have a KidzKard packet and Merchant Agreement form mailed to you, please contact Linda Thomas at Prevent Child Abuse Virginia at 359-6166 ext. 309 and by email lthomas@pcav.org. You can also ask Linda about sponsorship opportunities.

Prevent Child Abuse Virginia (PCAV) is a statewide non-profit organization committed to preventing child abuse and neglect in the Commonwealth through parent education and advocacy. PCAV supports parent education through Healthy Families, a home-visiting program for new parents, and through 1-800-CHILDREN, a toll-free, 24-hour parent helpline. PCAV’s Hugs and Kisses play is performed by Theatre IV at elementary schools across Virginia and teaches children how to keep themselves safe from sexual abuse. Find out more about Prevent Child Abuse Virginia on their website at www.preventchildabuseva.org.

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