By: Pam Rumer, Vice President of Business Development
​Oceanside Chamber of Commerce, North County San Diego

In light of Oceanside Mayor Jim Wood’s announcement that he will resign as of January 1st, the Oceanside Chamber would like to take a moment to thank the Mayor for his service to our great City.

Mayor Wood served our community with passion and commitment, first through his many years at the Oceanside Police Department and then in his role of governing our City.
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We are truly grateful for Mayor Wood’s service and his love for our community and we wish him all the best as he focuses on health and family.

By: Pam Rumer, Vice President of Business Development
Oceanside Chamber of Commerce, North County San Diego

​The Best of OCEANSIDE Community Guide and Business Directory serves as an essential reference and resource guide for the City of Oceanside. In demand year-round by residents, new move-ins, tourists, newly licensed and long established businesses, and military personnel, this unique, must have guide serves everyone with an interest in the City of Oceanside.

Professionally written stories include lovely photos, well researched information, features highlighting the history of Oceanside; tidbits about Oceanside beaches; highlights from the thriving arts and culture scenes; an overview of Oceanside’s health care facilities; and prominent local educators, training tomorrow’s workforce. 

Cal Fire has announced a Lilac Fire Community meeting tonight (12-9-17) in Fallbrook. Meeting will start promptly at 7pm.  Download Flyer. 

 EVACUATIONS
CalFire announced that the mandatory evacuations in Oceanside will not be lifted today and will be reassessed Saturday morning due to continuing red flag wind conditions and smoldering fire areas.  Evacuation orders are still in effect and the map area has not changed since last night at 10:00 p.m. 
 
SHELTERS
The shelter at Oceanside High School has reached capacity. 
People seeking shelter should go to the gymnasium at Palomar College.  The address is:
1140 W. Mission Rd.
San Marcos, CA 92069
This is a pet-friendly facility for small animals (e.g., cats and dogs).
The Del Mar Fairgrounds is open for large animals.
 
CURRENT MANDATORY EVACUATIONS:
Areas north of North River Road to Camp Pendleton
Areas east of Douglas Drive to Fallbrook and Oceanside City limits
Areas east and north of Oceanside Municipal Golf Course
Areas east of Melrose between N. Santa Fe Bobier
Areas east of N. Santa Fe Drive
Areas east of College between North River Road and the 76
 
A reverse 9-1-1 call has been placed for those residing in the mandatory evacuation areas as well as the Oceanside Police Department using vehicles and a Public Announcement System.

​CITY OF OCEANSIDE FIRE CONDITIONS UPDATE
 
EVACUATIONS
Evacuation orders are still in effect and the map area has not changed since last night at 10:00 p.m.
The shelter at Oceanside High School has reached capacity.  The Red Cross is now handling operations at the Oceanside High School Shelter.  People seeking shelter should go to the gymnasium at Palomar College.  The address is:
1140 W. Mission Rd.
San Marcos, CA 92069
This is a pet-friendly facility for small animals (e.g., cats and dogs).
People should be alert and be prepared to move if emergency personnel give notification.  You should self-evacuate if you do not feel safe.  The Del Mar Fairgrounds is open for large animals.
 
Overnight, the fire entered the City of Oceanside at Via Puerto del Sol near Lago Grande Drive area at Oceanside’s eastern border.  The fire was held at Precious Hills Road but this can change at any moment. 
 
CURRENT MANDATORY EVACUATIONS:
Areas north of North River Road to Camp Pendleton
Areas east of Douglas Drive to Fallbrook and Oceanside City limits
Areas east and north of Oceanside Municipal Golf Course
Areas east of Melrose between N. Santa Fe Bobier
Areas east of N. Santa Fe Drive
Areas east of College between North River Road and the 76
 

by Marcy Browe
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​One of the first questions I hear from families in preparation for their photoshoot is “what do we wear in our photos?”
I love this part of the process!! Here’s what I share with the families who have booked me for their photos, hope this helps you too!
Make sure you look like a cohesive group.
I never recommend that everyone wears all the same thing (white tops with khaki pants all around, eh hem, no thank you!) But you do want to look like you’re coordinated.

• Choose a color palette: earth tones, neutrals, bright colors, or jewel tones are examples of a palette
• Patterns are fine, as long as the clothing adheres to the color tones the group is wearing

With credit to San Diego Stand Down Founders, Robert Van Keuren and Dr. Jon Nachison who started their stand down thirty years ago in San Diego, Tom Cowan believed that North County should follow in that proud tradition of serving veterans in our community. After spending over a year talking to people and getting like minded veterans to adopt his idea for a Stand Down in the North County Area, The North County San Diego Veterans Stand Down (NCSDVSD) was established as a 501 c 3 charity.
 
Our first stand down was completed in January of 2017 at Green Oak Ranch in Vista.      The VA Medical and Benefits teams, provided an opportunity for our veterans to receive needed services. The Green Oak ranch staff allowed our men and women to eat and sleep in a safe environment and help get their lives back together. We could not have done this event without the North County community pulling together and helping us provide food, clothing, legal services and volunteers who made our veterans feel like the community was behind them.

Today, Oceanside Chamber announced that its facility is running on 100% renewable energy thanks to San Diego Gas & Electric’s new EcoChoice program. The new, environmentally-friendly program is available to all residents and the Oceanside Chamber is hoping to set the stage for a more sustainable future.
 
By signing up for EcoChoice, participants can increase the amount of renewable energy powering their businesses or homes all while reducing their carbon footprint and their impact on climate change.  

This summer, the Oceanside Chamber, along with MainStreet Oceanside and Visit Oceanside are taking on the task of helping Google provide coverage of local gems that are not accessible through Google's Street View program. The Oceanside team is utilizing the Google Trekker program to highlight many of Oceanside's "off-street" features such as the beach, pier, bike paths, Pier View Way Undercrossing, Artist Alley Pedestrian Promenade and the Oceanside Harbor.

On July 12th, the Oceanside Chamber held its annual Awards & Recognition Luncheon to honor over 100 local businesses for their support of the Chamber and community. Dozens of members were recognized for their Chamber membership anniversaries of 5, 10, 15... all the way up to 65 years of membership, celebrated by Orco Block & Hardscape. The Chamber also recognized the excellence of our local business community with the following awards: Small Business of the Year, Education Partner of the Year, Non-Profit of the Year, Green Business of the Year, Citizen of the Year and Elected Official of the Year. 

On Wednesday, June 12th, nearly 200 community leaders came together for the Oceanside Chamber's Annual Oceanside Heroes Reception, presented by Tri-City Medical Center. The community recognized members of the Oceanside Police Department, Fire Department, Lifeguards and Oceanside Unified School district for their outstanding contributions to the well-being of the City of Oceanside.

In early May, the Oceanside City Council voted to transition from at-large council elections to district elections in order to avoid a potential lawsuit threatened under the California Voting Rights Act.  
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Numerous community meetings and public hearing took place during May and June in order to provide for community input into the districting process. The Chamber was represented at each of the meetings and has been a strong voice for the business community in the process.

With the Race Across America (RAAM) about to begin, the Oceanside Chamber wants to take a minute to offer our best wishes to Team Oceanside! To follow Team Oceanside's progress over the coming days and support their efforts to raise funds for Rady Children's Hospital, please take a minute to visit their website and Facebook pages...
https://oceansideraam.com/
https://www.facebook.com/TeamOceansideRAAM/
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On May 20, 2017, the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce held its 16th Annual Operation Appreciation. An estimated crowd of 4,000 - 5,000 active duty military family members were treated to a day of food, entertainment and family activities. 

Opening ceremonies were attended by Congressman Darrell Issa, Col. John Polidoro, SgtMaj Ernie Rose, Oceanside Deputy Mayor Chuck Lowery, Oceanside City Councilmember Jerry Kern and San Marcos Mayor Jim Desmond.

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With all the exciting new development taking place in downtown Oceanside, you may be surprised that are still many great parking options available within walking distance of most of the key downtown attractions.

Thank you to our friends at MainStreet Oceanside for sharing this video with us!

The Oceanside Chamber recently sent a letter of support to the Oceanside Planning Commission encouraging the opportunity for residents and business owners in the South Morro Hills area of Oceanside to put together a community vision plan centered on the concept of agritourism.

According to Chamber CEO, Scott Ashton, “the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce recognizes that the 3500 acres of South Morro Hills agricultural land is a unique and valuable asset for Oceanside. The possibility of creating agritourism opportunities in this community is exciting and compelling and the Chamber wants to do whatever possible to give this vision a chance to develop.” Some of the possibilities discussed for the farmland have included bed & breakfasts and boutique hotels.
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Along those lines, the Chamber’s Board of Directors voted last month to support a window of time of 24 months for a community vision plan to be developed for this area.  During this period of time, the Chamber’s intention is to not support individual projects proposed for this area.
Chamber staff and volunteer leadership will continue to remain engaged with the property owners and city leaders during this time period.

By Glen Newhart, MBA, CFRE (Certified Fundraising Executive)

It’s tax season, and while you’re thinking of it, it’s the perfect time to create an action plan for charitable giving in 2017. While you have until the end of the year to make donations, if you start researching and planning your donations now, you’ll have time to make thoughtful contributions that benefit both you and your community all year-long.
 
Here are three charitable giving tips that will warm your heart and your wallet:
1. Look local
While there are many highly visible national societies focused on specific diseases and international disaster relief, don’t overlook opportunities to give close to home. When you give close to home, your dollars stay in the community and you can see your dollars in action. Donating to a community hospital foundation, local wildlife habitat restoration or youth development group will make a positive impact on your community that you’ll benefit from for years to come.
 
Local organizations don’t always have the same advertising budgets as national nonprofits to reach you, so you may have to do a bit of research to find them. The IRS provides an online tool to identify organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible charitable contributions and you can narrow it by the community you live in. Search for “Exempt Organizations Select Check” online or visit: https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/.

At the February 15th Oceanside City Council Meeting, during the Mayor's Business Spotlight, the Oceanside Chamber was pleased to recognize Lori Boody of the American Cancer Society - Relay for Life as Chamber Member of the Month.

Lori has been a very active member of the chamber, rallying many of our local business community members to participate in Relay for Life Oceanside. In addition to her service to the Chamber and American Cancer Society, Lori has been a business owner for 26 years and a volunteer for numerous community organizations including Oceanside Unified School District, Oceanside Bond Oversight Committee, Oceanside Senior Center and the Oceanside Museum of Art.

Chamber CEO, Scott Ashton and Membership Director David Zumaya joined Oceanside Mayor Jim Wood in recognizing Lori. 

​The Oceanside Chamber of Commerce debuted its newest magazine "Camp Pendleton Celebrating 75 Years" at a launch party on January 19. A partnership of the Oceanside Chamber and Camp Pendleton Historical Society, the commemorative military publication was developed over a period of several months last year.
 
Hosted by the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce and Pacific Marine Credit Union, the event objective was to recognize and honor the Camp Pendleton Marine Corps base for its significant historical and ongoing contributions to the community over the past 75 years.  Invitees included the Oceanside Chamber's Board of Directors, military partners, press, Chamber staff, the Oceanside Chamber's military committee members and advisors, and those supporting local and national military efforts and armed forces including, Camp Pendleton, the Marine Corps, all those stationed at the base including Navy, Sailors, and Reservists.

Remarks by local VIPs, military dignitaries, and elected officials including CA Assemblymember Rocky Chavez, Oceanside Mayor Jim Wood, Oceanside Councilmember Jerry Kern, Colonel John Polidoro, Camp Pendleton Historical Society President Dick Rothwell and Oceanside Chamber of Commerce CEO, Scott Ashton, were recorded in a series of video snippets viewable in the Oceanside Chamber's YouTube Channel.

Packed with historical timelines, photos from the Oceanside Historical Society photo collection, and feature stories composed by local historians, and those knowledgeable in area history, including Paul Durrance, Cal Frantz, Bo Hellman, Faye Jonason, Lauren Kelly-Hill, and Bill Parsons. A preview of the "Table of Contents" denotes time frames covered include pre-Marine Corps base history from 1769 to 1942, through today. 

The stories detail the original land survey and acquisition, Major Generals, base statistics, natural resources, base housing, the arrival of Women Marines Aboard Camp Pendleton, the fascinating Navajo Code Talkers, Presidents who visited the base, Hollywood and Camp Pendleton, the Camp Pendleton rodeo, plus the celebratory dedication ceremony, complete with a visit by sitting president Franklin Delano Roosevelt "FDR" himself.

This is a true historical commemorative and keepsake publication that you and your family are sure to enjoy for years to come. Following is a partial list of the Oceanside Chamber's publication viewing channels: Oceanside Chamber publications, Chamber's ISSUU publishing channel, Chamber's Facebook publication channel (displays last twelve Chamber publications).

Oceanside Chamber of Commerce
(760) 722-1534
928 N Coast Hwy
Oceanside, CA 92054
​info@oceansidechamber.com

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The Oceanside Chamber of Commerce recently presented a check to WRC in Oceanside.  Proceeds were raised from their annual Holiday Mixer in December.  The funds were used to purchase gifts for mothers, and to cover holiday dinner expenses for the families in WRC’s domestic violence shelter. 
 
In addition to a monetary donation, the Chamber also collected dozens of new toys for WRC to pass out to the children that are in their program.  Chambers members were encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy to the Holiday Mixer and it was one of the largest toy drives in recent years.

Each Wednesday the Marine and Family Services office on Camp Pendleton holds a “Welcome Aboard Briefing” for service members who are newly stationed on the military base.
 
In August, the Chamber started participating in the briefings in order to provide the service members with information about Oceanside and to invite them to visit our community. Each member is given a tote bag with copies of Chamber publications and discount offers from dozens of local businesses.
 
One of the participating businesses is Hello Betty Fish House. “Hello Betty is extremely appreciative of the Chamber’s help in welcoming new recruits and their families to Camp Pendleton and raising awareness about our support for our military”, said Chris Wyman, Sales & Marketing Manager at Hello Betty.

​FedEx Ground held its official ribbon cutting at their Oceanside Facility today. Congressman Darrell Issa, along with State Senator Patricia Bates, Oceanside Mayor Jim Wood and Oceanside City Councilmembers, Jack Feller and Jerry Kern, were on hand to celebrate with numerous FedEx officials, including District Managing Director, Tim Weber and the facility's Senior Manager, Steve Hillman.

With more than 25 years of experience in the Chamber of Commerce industry, Scott Ashton has been named as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce, effective November 15. Ashton has worked at the Oceanside Chamber in a variety of capacities for the past 20 years, most recently serving as the Vice President of Business Development.

Ashton will replace David Nydegger who is retiring after nearly 19 years as CEO of the Oceanside Chamber. He will oversee the day-to-day operations of the Chamber including staffing, financial management and implementation of board policy and priorities.