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Mornings unPHILtered - Chamber president urges: buy local
PEGGY CHAPMAN FOR BIZ
Peggy Chapman
    Tuesday's first guest on the "Mornings unPHILtered” show was Peggy Chapman. Chapman is president of the Statesboro-Bulloch County Chamber of Commerce and executive director of the Development Authority of Bulloch County.
    Chapman told host Phil Boyum about the Chamber program to promote local business by selling “checks” that can be redeemed at any local merchant. Formerly the chamber director in Cairo, N.C., her husband brought home a book about unusual ideas for Christmas gifts.
    One of them, which was built around gift certificates useable only in the town in which people lived, interested her, so she approached local merchants there who agreed to honor the “gift certificates” that would require money to be spent at their businesses.
    In Statesboro, the program has developed into “Gift Checks.” People use the “checks” at any one of more than 100 local businesses who participate in the program. The businesses are able to simply deposit them along with their regular store checks.
    Also, Chapman has been pushing for people to participate in the 3/50 program, which asks people to spend $50 per month at three local stores. She said that using these “gift certificates” will help push the program on to even greater successes.
    Last year more than $175,000 worth of certificates were sold. Since the check program started in 1999 Chapman estimated more than $1 million has been sold.
    Chapman encouraged local business to consider giving the checks to their employees for Christmas bonuses or gifts, and once again stated how much the local “check” program does to support local business.
    The second guest on the show was Lauretta Hannon, who was named the 'funniest woman in Georgia' by Southern Living Magazine in their October issue. She is the author of the book “The Cracker Queen: A Memoir of a Jagged, Joyful Life.”
    Today, Hannon will appear for a lecture in the Kennedy Auditorium at Ogeechee Technical College at 9:30 a.m. Hannon will talk about her life, how she came to write the book and what it takes to become an author.
    She plans to also meet with the students at Bulloch Academy where she will talk about writing. Hannon. Finally, she will be meeting with the members of the Student Government Association of the Ogeechee Technical College for a “Lunch With The Author” gathering.
    Hannon said the nomination by “Southern Living” as the funniest woman in Georgia was a complete surprise. She said writing comedy can be quite dangerous, as its very easy to insult people when you try to make light of strange situations. She said that comedy writing is also very satisfying, and gives one release from all of life's serious situations.
    A lot of times, sharing those experiences can set you free. She shared just how crazy her life has been: how her parents met at a moonshine stand; and then how she once lived with an albino Elvis Presley impersonator. Hannon told how she does radio shows on National Public Radio every now and then, in which she shares similar stories.
    
    “Mornings unPHILtered” airs live Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on statesboroherald.com and also simulcast on WWNS-AM 1240 on the radio. You also can listen anytime at BoroLive.com on statesboroherald.com
   
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