Firm handling Michigan Soo gift certificates goes bankrupt

NEWS RELEASE

SOO [MICHIGAN] AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

************************* Sault Area Chamber of Commerce honors chamber gift certificates Ohio-based CertifiChecks, Inc., the vendor that provided Chamber Gift Certificates through the Sault Area Chamber of Commerce, unexpectedly announced via their website (www.certifichecks.com) they had ceased operations and were in the process of filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

The funds to pay for unredeemed certificates are no longer available. Hundreds of chambers of commerce and associations (including the Department of Defense) around the country used CertifiChecks.

The Sault Chamber has only just started to work with this company and had sold approximately $6,000 in chamber gift certificates in the past three months. The Sault Chamber has announced to its members they will honor the chamber gift certificates from their own resources. “The companies and individuals who purchased chamber certificates did so in good faith because they trust the Sault Area Chamber of Commerce,” said David Weber, president of the Sault Chamber. “We didn’t feel we could burden our members and our community with this type of hit during these current economic times. We are fortunate that the Sault Chamber remains in a position to be able to help our community.” “Our commitment to buying local remains strong,” Weber continued. “We hope to find a replacement certificate program soon that will keep dollars in our region and support local businesses." The 200 Sault Chamber members who currently accept chamber gift certificates are being notified by phone and e-mail today to continue to accept the gift certificates and redeem them to the Sault Chamber office instead of depositing them into their bank.

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