[ogWiFi] smARTown WIFI Network is now available in downtown Almonte.

[Tracey P. Lauriault]

*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mississippi Mills Chamber of Commerce gears up for October Business Award
Gala and brings downtown Almonte up to high-speed with smARTown WIFI Network

*Mississippi Mills, ON – September  23, 2009 ¬– The Mississippi Mills
Chamber of Commerce continues its momentum as it looks to its second annual
Business Awards Gala, Oct. 21. Awards applications are open for New Business
of the Year, Business of the Year, and Outstanding Community Supporter. The
Gala is the third major Chamber fundraiser, following on the heels of this
summer’s Golf Tournament and the spring Tree Campaign. Funds raised are
being directed to the now fully operational smARTown WIFI Network in
downtown Almonte, a series of YouTube promotional videos featuring business,
living, recreation and cultural options in Mississippi Mills, and a series
of business profile ads of Chamber members.

“Our marketing initiatives have created a lot of enthusiasm among our
members, and enthusiasm is infectious. The Business Awards Gala gives us the
opportunity to recognize the achievements of local businesses while
celebrating our recent successes as an organization,” says Mississippi Mills
Chamber of Commerce President Gerry Turcotte.

Craig Hall, President of Equator Coffee Roasters Inc. in Almonte will be the
guest speaker at the Chamber’s Business Awards Gala on Wednesday, Oct. 21.
The Gala will take place at the Almonte Civitan Club with festivities
beginning at 6PM. Tickets are $50 for individuals or $360 for a table of
eight. Tickets, registration, and award nomination forms are available at
Don’s Meat Market, Curiosities, Mississippi Mills Musicworks, and Watt’s
Cooking.

The Chamber’s sold out Annual Golf Tournament, held in August, raised $9,600
– an increase of 11.5% compared to last year. The Almonte General Hospital
also received $475 from the proceeds.

With the help and expertise of local residents and Chamber volunteers Rob
Flegg, Mike Caughey, David Baril and Nathan Rudyk, the smARTown WIFI Network
is now available in downtown Almonte. Businesses, residents, and visitors
have access to the free wireless smARTown WIFI service at a limit of 25
megabytes per person per day (which is enough for email and casual Web
surfing) and a connection speed of 100 kilobytes/second/person. Access is
provided throughout the downtown wherever possible. A computer's wireless
card or WIFI-enabled device should detect the smARTown WIFI signal
immediately. As with most public wireless Internet access, the smARTown
wireless connection is not secure and privacy cannot be protected. Since
July, the number of network users has increased 54% and the bandwidth usage
has almost tripled.

“What’s exciting about the smARTown WIFI Network in Almonte is that it puts
Mississippi Mills on the map alongside other much larger municipalities that
are offering WIFI networks,” says Turcotte. “Though access to the network is
presently limited to downtown Almonte, in time the network can grow to cover
a larger area.”

"Experience Recreation in Mississippi Mills” is the third in a series of
four two-minute videos focusing on the business, recreation, home, and
entertainment opportunities available in Mississippi Mills. Created by local
videographer/director Will Richardson and scriptwriter June Veenstra, the
new “Recreation” video, along with previously released videos on "Commerce",
and "Living", are available on YouTube and Vimeo, and free for local
businesses to include on Web sites, blogs, Facebook, MySpace and other
social networking sites. The videos have already attracted more than 1,200
viewers worldwide, and instructions on adding them to business and
individual Web sites, blogs and Facebook pages are now available at
http://www.mississippimills.com.

If you’re interested in finding out more about the Mississippi Mills Chamber
of Commerce, the next monthly “Mixer” takes place on Wed. November 25th from
6PM - 8:30PM at The Barley Mow Pub in Almonte. Guest speaker Peter Kielland,
inventor of the Scruzol multi-bit screwdriver/drill accessory (now available
in Canadian Tire!) will speak about bringing new products to life. These
events provide an opportunity for local business people to network, identify
new opportunities, and work together to build the town’s economy.

For more information on the Mississippi Mills Chamber of Commerce please
visit http://www.mississippimills.com.

To arrange an interview with President Gerry Turcotte, please contact:

Jennifer Noxon
Tel: 613-256-8809
Email: jenoxon at gmail.com

-- 
Tracey P. Lauriault
613-234-2805
https://gcrc.carleton.ca/confluence/display/GCRCWEB/Lauriault
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