Chamber still needs volunteer help; announces grand marshals
by Peter Jakey, Managing Editor
Members of the Onaway Area of Commerce conducted their annual meeting over the weekend at the Forest Township Hall.
Special awards were presented to local leaders in the business community and it also was announced that former Brewbaker?s Furniture owners Jerry and Kathy McConnell would be this year?s grand marshals of the Fourth of July parade.
Chamber executive director Bev Brougham presented an overview of the many chamber functions and emphasized the need for more volunteers to keep the organization running in the future. Brougham said Saturday?s meeting was attended by a small representation of community supporters and members.
?TONIGHT YOU will determine who will be the grand marshal of our terrific Fourth of July parade,? Brougham told those in attendance. ?But you will also determine whether or not the chamber will continue past our March 31 membership year.?
Board member Lee Ann Neelis said the problem isn?t fiscal, it?s physical. ?You are here because you are interested in your community,? said Brougham. ?But you represent less than half of the businesses in the area. A small chamber cannot function without the full support of the entire business community.?
Brougham said the chamber?s role this year would be an important one with the ?streetscape? work taking place. ?There are concerns about how it will affect our downtown,? she said. ?We need a chamber to help visitors get around in our town and minimize the inconvenience caused by necessary renovation to our main street.?
The chamber promotes Onaway outside the confines of western Presque Isle County and along the eastern shoreline. ?We bring people to this town to visit your business,? said Brougham. ?We bring people to the area looking for a good place to retire. We bring people to this town looking for an inexpensive place to live, raise a family and hopefully start a business. We bring people (tourists) to pay to enjoy what we enjoy for free.?
THE ORGANIZATION also networks with other chambers and is involved in the nationwide ?Pure Michigan? campaign. They?ve also promoted businesses for recognition outside of the area, recruited special entertainment, kept the Web site updated, as well as producing a business directory, chamber brochure and snowmobile map.
Brougham said volunteers respond to 500 to 1,000 phone calls annually from people asking for information about the area. ?Just in the past week, the chamber sent out information to 15 to 20 people looking for lodging for summer fishing trips from two separate groups from Ohio,? said Brougham.
At the March meeting
The newly elected board of directors includes, Connie Gibson, president; Becky Crawford, secretary; Mandy Crawford, treasurer; as well as trustees Josh Tierney, Dawn Welklin, Jim Gibson, Bryan Madison, Ryan Howell, Denise McDonald and Joan Moran. As part of the festivities, Tom?s Family Market was honored as business of the year.
The Bo$$y Award was given to Mike and Denise Parrott of Parrott?s Outpost. More details will be presented in next week?s Outlook.