Help for business damages
Pasco County wants to know about damages to business property to assist in getting resources to make repairs, according to a news release from the county’s Office of Economic Growth.
Please report your interior or exterior damages, including clean up costs, to either the mobile application, MyPascoapp, or the county website, at PascoCountyFl.net, where you can click on “Report Irma Damage.”
After completing the Pasco County survey on damage, also report damage losses to the State of Florida. If you need financial assistance, the state has activated the Emergency Bridge Loan Program. The business damage survey information will be used to help qualify businesses for the loan program.
The link to use for the state survey is tinyurl.com/yc4bx4tj.
The survey results will be shared among various state and local agencies to expedite appropriate disaster relief programs for affected businesses and to aid in determining eligibility for assistance from the bridge loan program. Please choose “Hurricane Irma” from the Event pull-down menu.
The state’s Bridge Loan Program provides short-term, interest-free working capital loans intended to “bridge the gap” between the time a major catastrophe hits and when a business has secured longer term recovery resources, such as sufficient profits from a revived business, insurance payments or federal disaster relief.
The loan program isn’t designed to be the primary source of assistance, which is why eligibility is linked to pursuing other sources. The program provides short-term loans from public funds, not grants. The expectation is that loans will be repaid from receipts from other sources of longer-term recovery assistance.
For information, and an application, visit FloridaDisasterLoan.org.
Federal assistance for businesses
Florida’s Virtual Business Emergency Operations Center is an online portal for private sector preparation, damage assessments and recovery.
Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration are available to individuals, businesses and nonprofit organizations. The loans can be used for loss and damages not fully recovered by insurance.
Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via the small business administration’s secure website. The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Nov. 9. The deadline to return economic injury applications is June 11, 2018.
Chamber job fair
Congressman Gus Bilirakis, The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce and Pasco-Hernando State College will host a job fair Sept. 21 from 9 a.m. to noon at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel. The job fair will be in conference room B-303.
For information, contact the chamber at or visit WesleyChapelChamber.com.
Lunch N Learn
A Lunch N Learn Business Forum is scheduled for Sept. 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce Don Porter Boardroom, at 6013 Wesley Grove Blvd., Suite 105.
Guest speakers will be Cedrick Farrior and Jose Martinez. They will discuss veterans and topics such as small business planning, taxation, and first-time homebuyers.
The cost is $15 including lunch. Registration is required, as seating is limited.
For information, visit WesleyChapelChamber.com, or call (813) 994-8534.
East Pasco Networking Group
The East Pasco Networking Group will meet Sept. 26 beginning at 7:30 a.m., at the Village Inn, 5214 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills.
The guest speaker will be Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley.
For information, contact Chairman Nils Lenz at or (813) 782-9491; or Vice-Chairwoman Vicky Jones at or (813) 431-1149.
Realtor Resource Alliance meet-and-greet
Realtor Resource Alliance will host a get-together where you can meet preferred vendors and establish key referral relationships within the real estate industry on Sept. 26 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at 33613 State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel.
This is an opportunity to meet a go-to plumber, a home inspector or air-conditioning vendor who can respond in emergencies.
Wine and appetizers will be served.
RSVP to , or call (813) 783-1515.
SCORE marketing workshop
SCORE Pasco-Hernando State College will host a “Back to Work” Shop 360 Degree Marketing in a 27/7/365 World on Sept. 27 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at the New Port Richey SMARTstart Entrepreneur Center, 4532 U.S. 19 in New Port Richey.
The workshop will be on how to handle the “Times Square Effect,” when prospects come across 16,000 brands, 4,000 ads and more than 175 emails daily. Find out how to cut through information overload to get your marketing word out.
For information, and to register, contact Sheila Neister at CatalystGetsResults.com, email , or call (727) 842-4638.
Head shot party
The North Tampa Chamber of Commerce will host a “Head Shot Party” Sept. 28 from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Brookdale Lutz, at 414 E. Chapman Road in Lutz.
Join the party and have your head shot taken for $10 by professional photographer Christina Sallustio.
Sponsorship opportunities are available for $25 per vendor.
There will be food, raffle drawings, vendors and a 50/50 drawing.
The cost is $10 to attend.
For information, contact Bethany Mis at ., or visit the chamber’s website at NorthTampaChamber.com.
Zephyrhills community awards
The 56th Annual Clearly Zephyrhills Membership Appreciation and Community Awards Banquet will be Sept. 28 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at St. Joseph’s Parish Center, 38750 Fifth Ave., Zephyrhills.
Florida Hospital Zephyrhills is the premier sponsor.
Individual tickets are $50. Group table tickets also are available.
For information, contact The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce at (813) 782-1913, or visit Zephryhillschamber.org.
Economic development briefing
The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce will host its monthly economic development briefing on Sept. 28 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Pebble Creek Golf & Country Club, 10550 Regents Park Drive in New Tampa.
Guest speaker will be Ross Halle, senior vice president of Avalon Park Group. He will discuss architecture and town planning.
The cost is $15 including lunch.
For information, contact the chamber at or visit WesleyChapelChamber.com.
