Chamber News – August 2023
Welcome
- Financial Report – Amanda Peel – unable to attend meeting.
- Old Business —
Chamber directory – Meeting with Brand It Marketing Wednesday – August 9th
Mercer County Leadership Class – Scholarship awarded to Shelley Muhlenkamp 😊
WCSM – Commercials — content and/or record? Ashley Stetler has agreed to take care of this for the Chamber – we will be advertising Fall Festival event.
Surveys — received 2 Committee agreed to award each business a gift certificate –
Wabash Communications and Brand It Marketing.
We appreciate the feedback — We need to do a better job of communicating what is going on within the Chamber. We will send monthly minutes / post them on the website and will look to add quarterly meetings with all members and look at making a return of the Chamber banquet.
- New Business – Rocktober Festival – Lacey with many updates from the Main Street Committee meeting that was held on Sunday – August 5th. Committee will be meeting again on Thursday – August 10th at 5 pm to further discuss plans. Event will take place on Saturday – October 28th beginning at 1 pm with a Vendor market (1 – 5pm) , music (1 – 7 pm) , kids games (3 – 6 pm), photo booth, a haunted ‘house’, and tractor rides to the park and back.. Will encourage kids to dress up for the afternoon while playing games and walk the vendor market for some special treats. Vendors will sign up with Amy Noll. Cost $25 per spot.
Brooke and Shae will take care of marketing / flyers etc. Chamber board agreed to help with music and look for a caricature artist. All other proceeds will help promote the event or be saved to benefit future events. Small fees will be charged for the games, haunted ‘house’ and the tractor rides.
Chamber Board and Market Street can’t do this alone — It’s a Chamber sponsored event and we need members / businesses to get involved — whether it be a donation, sponsor a kids game, sponsor a game and volunteer to work the game, provide prizes — other ideas welcome.
Come out and show your Rockford Spirit – and get involved.
Food trucks have been contacted – First Financial – hot dogs and water, Deaf Dog Coffee, Fork in the Road, Dream Dippers – hopefully hear from RCO to go and might look at Grandma German Kitchen.
Library will be having crafts, Rockford Eagles Chili Cook-off, and New Horizons will be having Trunk or Treat and possible meal.
Looking at street closings — Columbia and Main Street to the East. Will contact TuWay and Mercer Landmark about providing ‘festival guest’ parking.
We have some signage that can be revamped for the event — sample given to Lacey.
Will ask Fire Department and Park to post information on the community signs.
Next Chamber Board meeting – Thursday, September 14th at 8:30 am —-
All events / participation to be finalized by this date.
