The Temple Chamber of Commerce is excited to host the fourth annual Polar Texas Bottling Summer Sizzle “Seltzer”. The event takes place on Friday, August 16, 2024, in the Santa Fe Plaza, 301 Santa Fe Way, in Temple. This free, family-friendly community event is a fantastic way to end the summer ​and enjoy Downtown Temple.  It is an evening of live music, food trucks, an outdoor market, and fun for the entire family from 6:00 - 9:30 pm.
 
Polar Texas Bottling is bringing the “Chill” to Summer Sizzle “Seltzer” sharing their New England roots with Central Texas.
 
Founded in Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1882 by a savvy bartender, Denis Crowley recognized an opportunity in carbonation as Prohibition began to rumble in New England. He crafted what he considered the best-tasting bubble recipe and began selling sparkling beverages from a horse-drawn carriage.
 
Today, Polar Beverages remains owned and operated by the Crowley family’s fourth and fifth generations, under the leadership of President and CEO Ralph Crowley Jr. They are the largest independent beverage company in the United States. They are purveyors of premium quality sparkling beverages, including Polar® Seltzer, heritage sodas, and Polar Orange Dry®.
 
Food trucks and vendors for the outdoor market will be set up along Santa Fe Way and in the Plaza beginning at 6:00 pm. Live music by Members Only 80’s cover band will begin at 7:30 pm in the Plaza Greens. Lawn chairs or blankets are welcome to use while enjoying the music.
 
Members Only is a 80's cover band located deep in the heart of Texas.  Their high energy performances and love of 80's music make for an epic evening of singing and dancing.  Their musicianship is exceptional, and their vocalists have been called the songbirds of their generation.
 
Summer Sizzle “Seltzer” is proudly supported by Polar Texas Bottling, McLane Company, Hill & Wilkinson General Contractors, Reynolds Consumer Products, and Ludwick, Montgomery & Stapp, PC.
 
Polar Beverages invites you to sip into their world on August 16, 2024, at this free, family-friendly event. Vendor spaces are available for food trucks and the outdoor market. Visit templechamber.com/summerseltzer for more information.

​Despite the inclement weather, members of the business community turned out in full force for the Business After Hours event hosted and sponsored by Discover Downtown Temple on April 20.
 
Attendees were treated to an array of delicious food and beverages from local Downtown businesses, while networking and making valuable connections with fellow Members. The event was a huge success, thanks to the efforts of Discover Downtown Temple, who provided a warm and welcoming atmosphere for all.
 
If you have not visited Downtown Temple recently, now is the time as it is going through an exciting renovation and revitalization. Downtown Temple features unique architecture, boutiques, locally owned restaurants, museums, and nightlife. From morning brunch to evening drinks during a piano show, Downtown Temple has plenty to see and do. Discover and experience what downtown Temple is all about.
 
This After Hours is just one example of the many exciting events that the Temple Chamber hosts throughout the year, providing Members with numerous opportunities to connect with like-minded individuals, support local businesses, and contribute to the growth and vitality of the community.
 
If you missed this one, we captured the spirit, fun, and fellowship in photos for you to enjoy!

​Originally created in Port-au-Prince Haiti, The Starting Place offers a full scope of Midwifery care for pregnant people and newborn babies. Tara Livesay and Bethany "KJ" Johnson worked in Haiti for more than a decade accomplishing their goal to leave the clinic in good hands and move to Bell County to open a stateside location.
 
The name came from Livesay and Johnson creating their manual for their model of care. Livesay says she simply stated, “when there are so many needs and the problems are great, what better place to start than with mothers and babies?” And thus, The Starting Place was named.
 
The two business partners feel extremely welcomed and accepted into the community. Livesay says they, “Work in partnership with [local] care providers. Because they are so incredibly busy and their volume is high, they are grateful for our ability to serve low risk clients.” They are proud to see how impactful their postpartum care and support groups are.
 
Livesay & Johnson will never fully lose their ties to Haiti. They say the Midwives in Haiti inspire them, “they live in very difficult circumstances but still show up daily when they are needed for a birth. They put their lives on the line to help others.” A portion of every birth at The Starting Place Temple, is donated to their Haitian sister birth center, the Heartline Maternity Center.
 
The Starting Place has resources for those in all stages of pregnancy, from pre-conception to 12 weeks postpartum. They offer support groups and educational resources for those in the postpartum phase when depression and anxiety are common. These opportunities are offered to their clients and the general community, even if they prefer to deliver at the hospital.
 
Overall, The Starting Place prides itself on being an affordable option for excellent holistic care. They look forward to, “continuing to meet needs of the community and to evolve as the needs do.”