CHAMBER NEWS
January, 2015
w w w .C he r o ke e I o w a C ha m be r . c o m
2015 CHEROKEE CHAMBER
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Dave Wilberding, President
PSS Inc.
Jared Koch, Vice President
Cherokee State Bank
Amy Loughlin, Secretary/Treasurer
Underground Clothing
Darla Struck, Past President
Western Iowa Tech C. C.
Jan Morton,
Gasthaus
Michelle Murphy,
Mazurek Law Firm
Brian Lauck
Lauck Aviation
Todd Bevard
Letsche’s Bike Shop & Radio Shack
Denny Paltz
Northwest Realty
Mike Reynolds
Jackson Recovery Centers
Terri Brown
Bixenman Insurance
Amber Thorson
Burkhardt & Dawson, CPA
Stephanie Zarr
Delta Properties
Julie Hering Kent
Executive Director
Vicki Menke
PT Office Assistant
The New Year is here and your Chamber of Commerce is off to a busy start.
There is a lot of information on upcoming events in this newsletter and you will want to
get those dates on your calendar.
2015 Chamber Dues information has been mailed. We have worked hard to keep
within our budget and keep costs down, but to keep up with rising expenses, the board
has implemented a minimal 2% increase to dues for 2015. We will continue to pass
along a 5% discount to businesses that pay their dues in full by February 1.
A common question I am asked is “What does the Chamber do for ME?” I could go
over the 2 page fact sheet that lists the advantages of membership, but you have seen
that before. There are a lot of things we do at the chamber that you may not see, but
are helping your business nonetheless. For example, we receive phone calls daily from
people who want the names or phone numbers of businesses, or want to know where
they can find “this” or who does “that”—and we refer them to YOU. We sell Cherokee
Chamber Bucks weekly—in fact we sold $38,000 worth in 2014. That is money that
can only be spent with YOU. We work with families who are relocating to Cherokee,
and with travelers who are planning trips to our community. We attend state and regional meetings to learn what is happening in other communities, and stay updated on
legislative issues at the state and federal level, and bring that knowledge back to
Cherokee.
Instead of asking “What does the Chamber do for me?” ask yourself “How am I
involved in the chamber?” Are you reading our monthly newsletter and weekly e-mail
blasts? Do you use our Chamber website? Do you attend Chamber Coffees? When
was the last time you recorded a chamber chat? Have you brought us items to include
in the Welcome Bags for new residents? Have you volunteered to help with Chamber
events? Have you called the chamber for help or with questions or to tell us how you
are growing your business? While none of these things are required for your Chamber
membership, they do bring more value to your membership.
Remember, your membership dues are not a donation, they are an investment in your business, your chamber and in your community. Thank you for
your support in 2014 and please let us know what we can do for YOU in 2015.
Happy New Year!
Julie Hering Kent
“Chamber Chat”
Cherokee Chamber of
Commerce Coffee
Fridays at 9:30 AM
January 2—NO coffee
January 9– Chamber Annual Meeting
At City Hall Chambers
January 16— Loft 101
January 23—OPEN
January 30—CIC at New Building—
201 W Main
KCHE (92.1 FM or 1440 AM)
Every Tuesday morning
at approximately 8:20 A.M.
(Pre-recorded on Monday)
January 6—Jazz and Blues Festival
January 13—OPEN
January 20—OPEN
January 27—OPEN
Cherokee Chamber of Commerce - January, 2015
Contact: [email protected] Phone: 712-225-6414
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CHAMBER ANNUAL MEETING
Chamber Coffee
Friday, January 9, 2015
9:30 AM
Cherokee City Hall
Chambers
The Cherokee Chamber of Commerce will
hold their 2015 Annual Meeting as part of the
weekly Chamber Coffee:
•
All Members of the Cherokee Chamber of
Commerce are invited
•
Hear updates from the Board of Directors
•
Provide input to the Board of Directors
for 2015
According to our Chamber
By-Laws, an Annual Meeting is
to be held each year, open to the entire
membership. We hope you can JOIN US!
Did you know…..
In 2014, The Cherokee Chamber of
Commerce sold over $38,000 in
Chamber Bucks. That is a $4,700
increase over 2013 and $8,300 over
2012! This is money being spent in
YOUR Chamber Businesses.
Thank You to those of you who use
Chamber Bucks throughout the year
as employee incentives and bonuses, and in clever promotions
through your business.
Let’s all work to continue
promoting the use of
Chamber Bucks in 2015.
Join the Northwest Chapter of the
Iowa Archaeological Society
What’s on the Menu
at a Prehistoric Plain’s Village?
Wednesday, January 7
At 6 PM at the Sanford Museum
Dr. Landon Karr , Assistant Professor at Augustana College, will be presenting on his research of
animal use at prehistoric villages in the Great
Plains region. He has recently been studying the
Brewster archaeological site, just outside of
Cherokee.
Please Welcome These New
Individuals to Our Community
Pat Evans
Jackie Miller
Roni Johns
Elizabeth Schuck
David Stinson
Andrew Barriger
Julia & Merle Waples Jr.
Kiel & Kirby Stephens
Jadeyn Pender & Michael Paeper
Brigette Schreiber & Kerwin Van Houten
Are You Still Receiving This Newsletter via Snail Mail?
The Chamber is busy updating mailing lists and email addresses to better serve
you and reduce costs. If you are currently receiving a paper copy of this newsletter
but would prefer to receive it via email in .pdf format , please give the Chamber a
call or email us so we can update your info.
49¢
Thank you!
Cherokee Chamber of Commerce - January, 2015
Contact: [email protected] Phone: 712-225-6414
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Phone Books Available
At the Chamber Office
Chamber Dues
Pay your Chamber Dues
in Full by
February 1 and
SAVE 5%
Remember to check us out on Facebook - just
search “Cherokee Chamber of Commerce” and remember to click
SCHEDULE YOUR
CHAMBER COFFEE
AND CHAMBER CHAT FOR 2015
Chamber Coffee’s are a wonderful time to network and a
perfect time to display and show off what your business
has to contribute to our community. We only have 50
weeks of Chamber Coffee’s and over 200 members...so
PLEASE make sure you call TODAY and reserve your
date. Don’t assume that if you had the same time last year
you are on the calendar for the new year.
It is also time to schedule Chamber Coffee’s for 2015.
Please call Julie at the Chamber Office to reserve your
date.
Call 225-6414
to schedule your Chamber Coffee
and Chamber Chat!
2015 Chamber
Officers
Congratulations to our 2015 Chamber of Commerce
Officers:
President—Dave Wilberding
Vice President—Jared Koch
Secretary/Treasurer—Amy Loughlin
Past President—Darla Struck
The red Iowa Heartland
Regional Directory
produced by Colorlyne Directories
Is available at the Chamber Office.
There was an issue in getting the books delivered
to some sections of Cherokee, and businesses or
individuals who did not receive one are invited to
pick a book up at the Chamber of Commerce.
It’s Crazy Days
in January
Retailers, have been asking for a January Clearance
Event, so here it is.
“Jingle Bell Shop”
With us
January 15—17
In Cherokee
Shoppers who present $50 in sales receipts dated January 16 or 17 will be admitted FREE to the Jazz and
Blues Festival Jam Session on Saturday, January 17.
CHEROKEE RETAILER MEETING
We will kick off 2015 by getting our Retail businesses together to discuss issues concerning them. Some agenda items
will include:
• Discuss how Holiday Open House and Christmas Promotions went this year;
• Determine dates for our 2015 retail promotions including
Crazy Days, All Girls Getaway, and Holiday Open
House;
• Discuss fundraising to cover promotion expenses;
• Identify other promotions the chamber should be working on
Meeting will be held Wednesday, January 28
5:30 PM
Cherokee City Hall Chambers
Cherokee Chamber of Commerce - January, 2015
Contact: [email protected] Phone: 712-225-6414
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Cherokee County Ag Show
Tuesday, February 10 - 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
WITCC, 200 Victory Drive
in Cherokee
9:00 AM: Vendor booths open
9:30 AM: ISU Pesticide Training
2:00 PM: Bill Northey, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture
Free Lunch served from Noon to 1 PM
Sponsored by area financial institutions
Bill Northey, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture
Bill Northey is a fourth generation farmer from Spirit Lake, Iowa
who grows corn and soybeans. Northey returned to Spirit Lake
to farm with his grandfather after graduating from Iowa State
University in 1981.
He is serving his second term as Iowa Secretary of Agriculture
after being reelected in November of 2010.
As Secretary, Northey has committed to traveling to each of
Iowa's 99 counties every year to hear from farmers and rural
residents with a stake in the future of agriculture. These meetings allow him to listen to their needs and better lead the Iowa
Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship as it seeks to
serve the people of the state.
His priorities as Secretary of Agriculture are advancing science
and new technologies to better care for our air, soil and water
and reaching out to all Iowans to tell the story of Iowa agricul-
Sponsored by the Cherokee Chamber of Commerce
Agri-Business Committee
Questions call Cherokee Chamber of Commerce: 712-225-6414
www.CherokeeIowaChamber.com
Cherokee Chamber of Commerce - January, 2015
Contact: [email protected] Phone: 712-225-6414
4
January, 2015
Sun
Mon
Dec 28
Dec 29
Jazz Mtg
5:00 PM
Rotary
4
5
Tue
Dec 30
Wed
Dec 31
Thu
1
2
Chamber Chat—
Chamber of
Commerce
18
3
\
6
7
8
9
10
Chamber
Coffee—
City Hall—
Chamber
Annual Meeting
Rotary
11
Sat
Chamber
Coffee –
NO Coffee
Chamber Chat Jazz & Blues
Festival
Country Jammin’
1:00 - 4:00 PM
Sanford Museum
Fri
12
13
14
Fairboard
Meeting
Lions
Rotary
Chamber Chat—
Open
Chamber Board
7 am
Ag Committee
Noon
19
20
21
15
16
Chamber
Coffee Loft 101
Ribbon Cutting
17
Jazz Festival
Crazy Days in January
22
23
24
Chamber
Coffee - OPEN
Chamber Chat—
OPEN
Rotary
25
26
Public Planetarium Program
2:00 PM at Sanford Museum
27
Chamber Chat—
OPEN
Rodeo Mtg
6:00 PM
Rotary
28
29
Retail
Meeting
5:30 PM
30
31
Chamber
Coffee—CIC
At New
Building—
201 W Main
Lions
Cherokee Chamber of Commerce - January, 2015
Contact: [email protected] Phone: 712-225-6414
www.CherokeeIowaChamber.com
5
416 West Main Street
Suite 1
Cherokee, IA 51012
Cherokee Chamber of
Commerce
Mission Statement
“TO PROMOTE
POSITVE GROWTH FOR
THE ENHANCEMENT OF
OUR COMMUNITY”
Cherokee Chamber of Commerce - January, 2015
Contact: [email protected] Phone: 712-225-6414
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