Greetings from Return to Roots!

In this issue:

• Help Return to Roots Help You!
• First Annual Southwest Virginia Business Showcase & Job Fair
• VIRGINIA RECLAIMS CNBC's "TOP STATE FOR BUSINESS" TITLE
• Return to Roots Sponsorship Opportunities
• Make a Significant Impact!
• Send Us Your Success Stories
• Purple Shirt Brigade
• Entrepreneur Express
• Job Quest

Help Return to Roots Help You!

Our mission is to encourage people to join the Southwest Virginia community through the processes of promoting communities, advertising careers, and establishing businesses.  We pursue our goal through the website, direct mail, news media, and social networking to inform employers and job seekers of the opportunities within Southwest Virginia.

Because Return to Roots is managed by a non-profit organization, we routinely apply for various grant-funding to help cover all of our expense requirements.  Recently, we were awarded a matching grant of $50,000 as a result of our efforts, which requires us to raise $50,000 on our own.  Consequently, we are looking to you to assist us with our fundraising labors.  This allows us to double the grant value and generate $100,000 for Return to Roots!

Matching grants can be interpreted in several different ways.  Generally, awarding matching grants shows that the organization believes in the cause, but wants to see how others in the community feel about it.  This is our opportunity to show that our local businesses support the mission and efforts of Return to Roots.

We would appreciate donations in the amounts of $25, $50, $75, or $100.  Your donations will go towards continuing to make the Return to Roots program operable, and because we are a non-profit organization, your donation would be tax deductible.  We are accepting donations through both click-and-pledge and personal checks sent through the mail.  Please make checks payable to Virginia Economic Bridge and include ‘Return to Roots’ in the memo field.

We thank you for your support and promise to continue to promote the region as best as we possibly can.

Mailing Address: Return to Roots c/o Virginia Economic Bridge P.O. Box 3768 Radford, VA 24143

Click Here to Donate Online

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Return to Roots Hosts the First Annual Southwest Virginia Business Showcase & Job Fair

RADFORD, Va., July 28, 2009 - Return to Roots is hosting the First Annual Southwest Virginia Business Showcase & Job Fair in the Grand Hall of the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, Saturday, August 8, 2009 from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. This event is being held in conjunction with the Virginia Highlands Festival, which runs from July 25 to August 9, 2009 in Abingdon, Virginia.

Over the past three years, Return to Roots has consistently worked to promote the economic development of, as well as the lifestyle enjoyed in, Southwest Virginia. Hosting this event is an enormous way to highlight both aspects at once.

Sponsors of the event include Alpha Natural Resources, CGI, Dominion, and eTechSecurity, with limited space still available for other companies and organizations to occupy.

As a Virginia Highlands Festival Affiliate Partner, our event will be included in the three-week period of outreach directed at the 270,000 visitors planning to attend the festival. The Southwest Virginia Business Showcase & Job Fair will also be targeted towards approximately 24,000 students attending the colleges of Southwest Virginia.

Businesses and organizations are encouraged to register for the event before the scheduled deadline of July 31, 2009. Registration forms and additional information can be found on our website, www.ReturnToRoots.org. If you have any questions or need further assistance, you can contact Carl Mitchell, Program Manager, at (540) 731- 6800, or via email at cmitchell@vebinc.org.

VIRGINIA RECLAIMS CNBC'S "TOP STATE FOR BUSINESS" TITLE
Commonwealth rises from No. 2 spot to garner second top ranking in 3 years

RICHMOND – Governor Timothy M. Kaine today announced that for the second time during his administration, CNBC has named Virginia its "Top State for Business". This best-in-the-nation ranking was based on a wide range of factors, from workforce quality to broadband infrastructure, and reaffirms that Virginia has what it takes to emerge from an economy turned upside down ;Virginia received CNBC's top ranking in 2007 and was ranked second in 2008. This is the fourth time in the last month that Virginia has received national acclaim as a top place to do business.

"This recognition shines an international spotlight on the Commonwealth, distinguishing Virginia as a stellar business location—an especially important distinction in the current economic climate" said Governor Kaine. "This designation, and others before it, demonstrates that our efforts to recruit quality jobs, prepare our workforce, and invest in education and innovation are necessary and effective steps to ensure a prosperous future for Virginia."

Read More...

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Return to Roots Sponsorship Opportunities

Return to Roots will begin implementing a sponsorship program that provides regional employers the opportunity to sponsor either the Return to Roots website or newsletter.  We will provide a variety of options and opportunities to display your graphics and information on our webpage, all of which will enable employers to further expand their outreach to job seekers all across the country.

Our sponsorship program is designed to further develop the exposure of employers in the Southwest region of Virginia by allowing employers to display their company to Return to Roots users in a variety of different ways, from homepage banners to feature articles in the job seekers' newsletter.

Information on sponsoring a logo, ad or feature article in the upcoming newsletter can be found below. 

Click here to see a visual depiction of each service

Sponsor your company or organization here, in the image space above. Refer to the table above for more information!

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Make a Significant Impact!

Will you help us by voluntarily participating in this brief 5 minute survey? Click here to access survey.
http://www.virginiaeconomicbridge.org/2survey/RTRSwVA_2009_Employer_Survey/

For contributing $250.00, you can become a member of the “Purple Shirt Brigade.” 

Below are some of the marketing benefits that stem from a $250 contribution:

Your logo will be featured on a separate 2009 Purple Shirt Brigade page on the Return to Roots website. It will be included on a Purple Shirt Brigade PowerPoint slide in the Return to Roots presentation that we will be delivering to every chamber and civic organization throughout the 21 counties and cities included in the Return to Roots region.

You will be acknowledged at the Return to Roots Executive Committee and Strategic Partners Meetings (comprised of 50 local business/civic leaders) during our updates each six weeks.

Lastly, you will receive a Return to Roots “Purple Shirt Brigade” Purple Long Sleeved T-Shirt.

To become a member, you can make check payable to: 

Return to Roots
P.O. Box 3768
Radford, Va. 24143

or contribute directly, via our website, www.returntoroots.org.

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A series of entrepreneurial business and management workshops are being held across Virginia to assist new business startups and existing small businesses!
These workshops are designed to provide information on available business resources and deliver practical, hands-on training covering key elements of business practice. Workshop segments will include information on how to start and operate a business, growing an existing business, marketing strategies, financing and available resources.

Upcoming Events

Bristol VA/TN Growing Sales Seminar

Location: Bristol, TN
King College Student Center

Date: Thursday, August 13, 2009
Time: 09:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Read More and Register Here!

Scott County Entrepreneur Express Workshop

Location: Scott County Community Services Building
112 Beech Street
Gate City, VA

Date: Thursday, August 20, 2009
Time: 09:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Read More and Register Here!

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"JobQuest" Broadcasts Good News, Optimism

The July 7 episode of "JobQuest" featured an exclusive interview with Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, who discussed economic issues and the challenges facing many Blue Ridge PBS communities.

(See the interview) Julie Newman, "JobQuest" host and executive producer, said the Kaine interview is an example of how Blue Ridge PBS and its partners are expanding the program and trying to help more people in need.

"We are reaching out to decision makers, like Governor Kaine, who have important information for job seekers," said "With greater use of social networking tools, such as Twitter, we are connecting more people to 'JobQuest' and all the helpful content that we have available on air and online."

Volunteer Tweeters (seen below) were live in the Blue Ridge PBS studio for the show, using Twitter.com to write online microblogs about the Kaine interview and other "JobQuest" content. Heather Jacobson, one of the "Blue Ridge PBS Tweety Birds," used a Twitter Tweetersconnection to find a new job after learning that her previous position would be eliminated.

"Using Twitter, I've been able to form personal and professional networks to discuss social networking and how they can enhance our marketing efforts," she said. "Having had the opportunity to live Tweet during 'JobQuest,' I was able to witness firsthand the power of social networking and Twitter. The response on the phones and in Twitterville was overwhelming."

During the July episode, Susan Geary, "JobQuest's" resume expert, continued her ongoing series with helpful hints about 'digital dirt,' showing viewers how to clean up their online profile that could keep them from being hired. Another special program highlight was a mock interview, helping decode common questions and develop effective answers. "JobQuest" also featured an additional 60 new job openings from across the region, and human resources experts were once again available at the "JobQuest" phone bank and chat room to answer questions.

"JobQuest" continues Tuesday, August 4 at 7 p.m. with another live, information-packed broadcast.


Email JobQuest at jobquest@blueridgepbs.org
 

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