The 2018 National Western Stock Show is right around the corner, and Children's Hospital Colorado will again be the proud sponsor of Children's Colorado Ranchland.  Children's is seeking volunteers that are willing to sign up for a 3-4 hour shift during the show (January 6-January 21) to help staff the booth and hand out educational materials during the show.  Volunteers ages eight and older are welcome, so long as children are accompanied by an adult chaperone, and all volunteers will receive admission to the show.  For additional details, and to sign up, please contact Jennifer at jennifer.barksdale@childrenscolorado.org today!

Our friends at Paychex are helping to ring in 2018 with a special for SMDC members.  Switch to Paychex for your company's payroll needs and Paychex will provide you a special SMDC discount, as well as free W2s for 2018.  For more information contact Becky Ringenberg today!

Join us Wednesday, January 10th for a panel on holistic health, and hear from John Hanley of Body Mind Systems, Robyn Zagoren of Littleton Public Schools, and Sandy Priester of Lifespark Cancer Resources on holistic wellness initiatives, and how these initiatives are becoming the modern approach to employee wellness.  Register today! ​http://web.bestchamber.com/events/Workplace-Wellness-Speaker-Series-Holistic-Health-1565/details

You may be attending a lot of holiday parties this season, hosting a party, or your office may celebrate with festive treats. With all that extra joy, there may also be a little extra stress. An already over-stressed workplace can be even more hectic, with employees taking time off to be with their families, increasing the workloads for those left holding down the fort. 
 
Here are some tips to help get you and your employees get through the holidays with good health, good morale, and encourage them to look forward to working for you in the New Year.
 
1. Schedule Your Exercise or Wellness Breaks at Work
Your schedule will be very hectic this holiday season. Schedule your workouts just as you would any other appointment. Or Incorporate wellness breaks to give employees a chance to refocus, such as a walk outside or quick team yoga session. Work out at your desk! Try shoulder shrugs, arm swings and knee raises.
 
2. Swap Out the Sweets for a Spa Gift Card (YES Please!)
Edible gifts are popular, such as wine and chocolate, fruit displays, and baked goods.  Passes to area gyms or health clubs may be attractive to health-conscious individuals.  Gift cards can be purchased to sporting goods shops, spas, produce markets, health food stores, and various other places that encourage health. If your company gives wine as gift, opt for a spa gift card.
 
3. Just Say No
You probably aren’t aware how much extra food you consume just from people offering it to you. If you shop well for yourself, and stock your kitchen with healthy food options and snacks you’ll be prepared when that 3 o’clock sugarplum fairy comes knocking.  
 
4. Hydrate
Keep your water bottle with you at all times. You should be drinking eight, 8-oz glasses of water each day. One handy trick is to buy a 64 ounce water bottle. Fill it up in the morning and know that you need to finish it by the end of the day.
 
5. Team Work
Santa’s elves work as team to keep the morale high and productivity up! Motivate employees to work together as a team to share the workload and avoid some employees taking on too much extra work when others take time off.
 
Keep in mind that health is about body, mind and spirit. Incorporate advice about how to relieve stress, keeping a positive work/life balance, getting enough sleep, laughing and bonding with coworkers. The key is to go into the holidays with a plan!
 
These tips were gathered from numerous sources, along with tips from SMDC Staff:
CorporateWellnessMagazine.com
Active.com
TotalWellnessHealth.com
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To learn how you can incorporate a Workplace Wellness plan into your office, attend the Workplace Wellness Interactive Exchange this Wednesday, Dec. 13th from 7:30 – 9:00 am. More information HERE
 ​

Tim Jones, Director of Communications for First Rule Media, Spokesperson for the Job Creators Network and Tax Cuts Now movement. One of the most well known and influential free market conservative communicators in Missouri political and media circles, Tim Jones previously served as Speaker of the Missouri House. As the Director of Political Communications for First Rule, Tim brings a unique combination of experience as an accomplished executive level leader and legislator with national connections to the rapidly growing multi-state media, communications and government affairs powerhouses of First Rule and The Gate Way Group. Tim remains actively affiliated with the law firm of Doster Ullom & Boyle and is a long standing Chair of the Government Affairs Committee for the Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce.


As Speaker, Tim lead the way for passage of historic pro-business, pro-jobs reforms including the state's first income tax reform and reduction in nearly one hundred years. Tim championed reforms that salvaged the state's workers'​ and unemployment compensation systems and overhauled the state's criminal code for the first time in over forty years. Tim sponsored, co-sponsored and shepherded significant judicial system and tort reforms through the House as well as historic reforms in the areas of health care, insurance, telecom, labor law, intellectual property/patent law and privacy rights. Tim strengthened laws in support of governmental transparency and accountability, streamlined and simplified major processes in the judiciary, reduced taxation across the board for multiple industries and expanded scrutiny and oversight of the state's $27 billion budget.

As a practicing attorney of over 18 years, Tim distinguished himself as a fearless and successful litigator as a prosecuting attorney for the County of Nassau, New York, and further established his legal credentials in private practice, representing individuals and businesses in a variety of matters including business law and litigation, real estate, employment law, tax appeals, government/municipal law and regulatory matters.
 
Maya MacGuineas, President of Committee for Responsible Federal Budget, Head of Fix the Debt campaign. Her areas of expertise include budget, tax, and economic policy. MacGuineas testifies regularly before Congress and has published broadly. Once dubbed “an anti-deficit warrior” by The Wall Street Journal, MacGuineas comments often on broadcast news and is widely cited by the national press. In the spring of 2009 MacGuineas did a stint on The Washington Post editorial board, covering economic and fiscal policy. MacGuineas has worked at the Brookings Institution and on Wall Street. As a political independent, she has advised numerous candidates for office from both parties, and works regularly with members of Congress on health, economic, tax, and budget policy.
 
Dr. Richard Wobbekind, Executive Director of the Business Research Division and Senior Associate Dean for Academic Programs at University of Colorado Boulder, Leeds School of Business. As Executive Director of the Business Research Division his responsibilities include developing an annual consensus forecast of the Colorado economy and performing various economic impact assessments of the Colorado economy. Wobbekind also produces the quarterly Leeds Business Confidence Index for Colorado.
Rich is currently the president of the National Association for Business Economics. He also participates annually in the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank Regional Economic Roundtable and is a contributor to the Western Blue Chip Economic Forecast newsletter.
He is a member of the Governor's Revenue Estimating Advisory Committee, the Denver Regional Council of Governments’ Forecast 2035 Advisory Committee, the Colorado Tourism Office Education and Research Committee, the Boulder Urban Renewal Authority and the Boulder Economic Council.
For his efforts in community development and outreach, Wobbekind was awarded the 1997 University of Colorado Bank One Community Outreach Award. In 2006 he was awarded the Robert L. Stearns award for lifetime contributions in teaching, research and service.
Wobbekind teaches MBA students in macroeconomics, public policy, entrepreneurship and managerial economics. He has received three awards for teaching excellence from the students of the Leeds School. Wobbekind has lived in Colorado for more than 34 years and has spent much of his time studying the development of the Colorado and regional economies. He received a BA in economics from Bucknell University and an MA and Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
 
The panel will be moderated by, Pete Casillas, Market President & Publisher at Denver Business Journal.  Casillas’, 19-year career as a senior sales management and marketing executive, has developed a successful track record of revenue generation, team building, new product development, and change management, in roles of increasing scope and responsibility. His management style lends itself to innovation and sustained achievement, by building collaborative work environments, striving for high standards, and providing appropriate rewards. Casillas moderated the Economic Forecast Breakfast in December 2015.​

Did you know that one in six children are food insecure? Join IMMUNOe Health and Research Centers and Move For Hunger to help feed those in our community who are less fortunate.

Bring your non-perishable food items to South Metro Denver Chamber offices December 11-15!

​Learn Forward at CU South Denver and discover how to get more for your advertising spend at the EduTalks lunch program on Dec. 12. In this interactive seminar, explore myths in advertising, digital display pitfalls, social media truths and lies, and learn about programmatic media. Join a great discussion on what does and doesn’t work, and what we still don’t know. Enjoy networking with lunch, followed by the EduTalks program. SMDC members receive 20% off when you use code “SMDC” at checkout. Register today! http://bit.ly/2ymUbmk