Mt. Juliet Chamber Blogs

Each week I have the opportunity to use a few words to share my thoughts with our community. I hope you enjoy reading this column as much as I enjoy writing it.

As I was thinking about the very important role that each of us play in our Community, I began to liken it to that of a bicycle or other tire with spokes. You may be asking yourself what in the world they have in common, but when you stop to think about it there are many similarities. Obviously the bigger you are the bigger tire you need to get you around. The bigger the tire, the more support you need and the more crucial each spoke becomes. And the more tires used to pull the same load, the easier the load is to carry. Granted, in the Old West a wagon might have only needed a dozen spokes. But, thinking about how large we are getting, how many people now depend upon us, the speed at which we are moving, I would suggest to you that we need really strong and reliable tires.

Our (Chamber) tire is made up of nearly 600 strong and reliable spokes (Member Businesses) and we are all working towards a common and united cause; to make our community a desirable place to live, work, and raise a family. Other tires needed to help us achieve our mission might include such things as; the school system, our youth sports, our Senior Citizen Center, our local governments, our many churches and other places of worship, our neighborhood associations, and the list goes on and on. As like most other tires, we need to keep it filled with air; in our case that is an array of valuable programs and services which help our customers to keep moving forward. As like any other tire, when the air gets low the load seems heavier and in some cases can literally grind to a stop. Looking forward, there are a lot of great folks evaluating our current assets and opportunities in order to be as prepared as possible for the future growth which is sure to follow.

At the Chamber, our leaders, volunteers, members, and staff are also preparing for the future with even more programs and services being put into place for the benefit of the entire community. If you have any thoughts or suggestions, questions or concerns, you are encouraged to share your ideas. Call, email, or even better yet, stop by to let us know what you think we can do to make sure the tire stays full.

The Chamber of Commerce is working hard to make sure that all of the tires in the community are working together and pulling the load in the same direction. We have to help insure that there are enough people pulling the wagon in the desired direction in order to make it as smooth of a ride as possible. Each of you is making a huge difference in your community by supporting the Chamber of Commerce and our member businesses. Your past, present, and continued support are crucial. Together we are going places that none of us could go alone. And as for the Chamber Tire; well, we are really on a roll…I’m available 24/7 at www.mtjulietchamber.com. See you right here next week! Follow Mark on Twitter @MJChamber or Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

I had an awesome Mother’s Day sitting in my porch swing talking to my youngest daughter for about three hours in the morning and then meeting up with my youngest son and my oldest daughter and grandkids for a picnic at the lake that afternoon. We had a great day of fresh air, sunshine, laughter and stories.

At the end of the day, I was extremely happy, but terribly exhausted. I also had a horrible case of sunburn on my face, which looked as red and tight as a juicy, ripe tomato. Plus, it was painful! I felt feverish and just plain “blah.” And you know what? Several days later, my nose peeled! I don’t remember peeling from sunburn since I was about 12 years old. Remember those old Coppertone billboards - the one with the little girl on the beach with her dog? Those were promoting suntan oil/lotion, not sunscreen. And as a kid at the beach, I remember many summers where my shoulders would literally blister and then those blisters would ooze and pop. It’s horrifying to think about that now!

I’ve been much more careful in my adult years about applying sunscreen. I’m not sure what happened on Mother’s Day except maybe I just didn’t realize how fragile my winter skin was or how strong the sun was on that particular day. We’ve had so much rain this spring that it was glorious to spend the day in the sun. But, I felt totally convicted when I read an article a few days later stating that May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month. This was like a kick in the pants!

According to the article, one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of their lifetime, even though this lifestyle disease is highly preventable. What preventive measures can we take? Seek the shade during mid-day hours when the sun is strongest; don’t burn in the first place since a person’s risk for melanoma doubles if he has five sunburns at any point in life; avoid tanning beds since UV radiation from tanning machines is known to cause cancer and the more you tan indoors, the higher the risk; cover up with clothing, which can be your most effective form of sun protection - the more skin you cover, the better; use UVA/UVB sunscreen with an SPF of 15 every day, higher for extended outdoor activity and remember to reapply if swimming or sweating; and last but not least, examine your skin periodically to check for suspicious moles.

Sunburn looks bad, hurts, peels and inflicts wrinkle-inducing damage, which I certainly don’t need at my age! But mistakes happen, just as it did to me on Mother’s Day! The best defense once this happens? Get out of the sun! Sunburn tends to sneak up on us and can take a few hours for symptoms to develop - a touch of pink now may turn into a big problem later. Slather on a moisturizing lotion to soothe the skin after a cool shower. Drink extra fluids and take ibuprofen for a couple of days. Lastly, vow to do better and be more careful.

There was a time when folks who were looking for a career change or employment opportunities were fond of saying “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know”. To some degree or another that was often the case I would imagine. I’d suggest that even that is becoming obsolete and not nearly as relevant as it once was.

To many, it seems that the new adage is now more along the lines of “it’s not who you know, it’s who knows you?” To that end, the Mt. Juliet Chamber of Commerce is initiating a new program to help connect those seeking employment with those who have employment opportunities to offer. This program is open to anyone who wants to increase their circle or network of people (valuable contacts) who “know them”. This program is called Chamber CareerWORKS and is our latest effort to help connect people and increase the chances that someone will know you.

For those seeking employment, you are welcome to join us on the first and third Tuesday of each month. The program is compliments of the Chamber and a service we are providing to our friends and neighbors to increase the chances of finding employment in our community. These meetings will last about an hour or so and will be held in the meeting room at Courtney’s. The breakfast is “Dutch Treat” to help keep the cost to a minimum. For planning purposes and to assist our facilitators, we are asking for an advance RSVP to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Keep in mind that if your schedule will allow, you are welcome to attend each and every meeting.

The more people you meet and get to know, the more people that will know you! Simultaneously, we are now posting employment opportunities on our Chamber Connect page on the Mt. Juliet Chamber Website. These postings can be found under the Latest News tab on the drop-down menu bar. Keep in mind that this is a brand new program and is going to take a reasonable amount of time to become as useful and beneficial as we hope. If you do not find what you are looking for the first time you visit, please check back again soon. If you are a business owner in the area I’d like to extend a personal invitation to you to post your employment openings. There is absolutely no cost and all we ask is that once the position is filled that you let us know so we can remove the posting. Hopefully this will become a beneficial community employment resource. In order to make this program as useful and beneficial as possible, we welcome your comments, ideas, and suggestions. I’m available 24/7 at www.mtjulietchamber.com. See you right here next week! Follow Mark on Twitter @MJChamber or Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

There are many, many different things that go into determining the livability and quality of life in any community. One thing that comes to my mind is the strength and vibrancy of our local service organizations and civic clubs. These can range from non-profits providing for the needs of friends and neighbors, to those whose passion is protecting our pets and natural resources.

United Way of Wilson County provides funds and services to dozens and dozens of local agencies and organizations alone. I have long felt that we are a very blessed community due in large part to the hundreds and hundreds of individuals who give unselfishly to support these organizations. All work hard to use those resources for the benefit of others.

On top of that we have a large presence of our younger residents volunteering and serving others (and lots of times some serving up some great pancakes at their fundraisers too!) with their involvement in Boy & Girl Scouts. Just as we like to see new shopping, dining, and retail businesses open their doors and welcome us with perhaps previously unavailable products and services; it is equally as exciting to see new service opportunities in our community.

Most of us have grown up knowing of the Lions Club and the great work they do not only in Mt Juliet and Wilson County, but in many foreign lands around the globe as well. I would imagine many of us have generously donated our used and no-longer-needed eye glasses so that the Lions Club could then refurbish them for those less fortunate.

We are fortunate in MJ to have two Rotary Clubs and two more in Lebanon. Their mantra leaves no doubt what their mission is; “Service Above Self”. Rotarians and the great work they do have left an indelible mark on our community and that work continues today. Another service club in Mt Juliet is the Exchange Club. The Exchange Club is sponsoring (with the help of the Veteran’s Club and Del Webb) what promises to be an awesome event in MJ on Flag Day in June. I can’t wait to see what hundreds of American Flags look like when they are all flying proudly in row after row after row right in the heart of town!

And if that is not enough, there is more great news! As I write this there is a group of great folks working hard to start a new Kiwanis Club in Mt Juliet. Is now the time for you to consider joining a service club? Those interested in checking out the Kiwanis Club are invited to join them for lunch on Thursdays at Courtney’s. It is the perfect time to get in on the ground floor of a terrific club. These are but just a few of long list of wonderful organizations working hard every day to make our community so special.

For a list of local non-profit and information on how you can support their efforts, visit the Chamber website or email me. I’m available 24/7 at www.mtjulietchamber.com. See you right here next week! Follow Mark on Twitter @MJChamber or Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

I read recently that “you can’t shake hands with a clenched fist.” Apparently, Indira Gandhi originally spoke these words during negotiations over a border dispute in the early 1970s. When I read this quote on this particular day, it really stuck in my mind as a great motto for all of us in our everyday lives.

The book ‘Peace of Mind: Daily Meditations for Easing Stress’ mentions guests (twins) on a popular talk show who had cut off contact with one another. One twin related how her brother hadn’t talked to her for years even though they lived two miles from one another and they often passed each other on the street. On the show, the man told his sister that he stopped talking to her because he was mad at her about something and he wanted her to apologize, but she never did.

The author goes on to mention that staying angry at people, while it may not end a relationship, can severely damage your ability to connect with that person if you are not able to let go of negative emotions. While we can’t change the actions or behaviors of others that have caused us anguish, we can strive to reconcile the past with forgiveness in the present.

How can we let go of anger? Write a letter to vent your feelings, but don’t mail it. Or maybe simply remember good times with this person and identify their good qualities. Focusing on good instead of negative things can help you release your anger. If there is someone in your personal or professional life with whom you’ve experienced some conflict, be the bigger person and extend your outstretched hand, not your fist.

As far as I’m concerned, nobody says it better than The Eagles in their song The Heart of the Matter…“There are people in your life who’ve come and gone; they let you down, you know they hurt your pride; you better put it all behind you, ‘cause life goes on; you keep carrying that anger, it’ll eat you up inside; I’ve been trying to get down to the heart of the matter, but my will gets weak and my thoughts seem to scatter; but I think it’s about forgiveness…”

Ken Powers recently revealed plans for the next phase of the Providence West Development. This is located on the SW corner of SMJ Road and Adams Lane Plaza. The cornerstone of the next phase is set to be completed in the next few months.

Want to give you a bit of a recap from a recent ECD Committee Meeting that I am sure will be of interest to almost everyone with an interest in our community. There are a lot of exciting things happening in our community from those areas in the north on Lebanon Road, all the way thru town, and out to the areas even South of the Holiday Inn Express on S MJ Road.

The Mt. Juliet Chamber of Commerce recently organized our first “Sports Council.” This is a very exciting initiative and promises to help connect the local businesses with the many opportunities associated with the strong community support of youth and amateur sports. A steering committee was formed and has been meeting regularly for the last few months. We have already held two community wide meetings where anyone in the community was invited to attend and participate. 

Shortly after the horrific events of 9/11, a team of scientists, academia, business leaders, and professionals from Oak Ridge National Laboratory began studying various communities across the country. This program is what we now know of as CARRI, Community And Regional Resilience Institute. Their focus was trying to find the reasons behind how and why some communities rebound from adversity while others do not. They looked at communities that had suffered not only man made disasters such as 9/11, but also communities devastated by natural disasters and economic events (such as the loss of a major employer, closing of a military base, etc.).