Chamber prepares for annual banquet

Next on Cheyenne County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Glenna Phelps-Aurich’s list is sending out annual membership renewal notices, followed quickly by preparations for January’s banquet.

To become a member of the chamber Phelps-Aurich said that it’s as easy as filling out an application and paying member dues.

The director said that the chamber exists primarily to do everything they can to help Cheyenne County businesses grow.

“Our goal is to help businesses in any way that we can to network and grow their business,” Phelps-Aurich said. “We do that by advertising and by promoting them with things like trainings that they or their employees will find useful.”

“Our mission is to provide an environment for businesses to grow,” she said.

There are 268 members of the chamber and over a dozen different committees within the chamber that members can choose to serve and be involved in.

Even though chamber officials is not holding a membership drive this year when they send out renewal notices this December more businesses are always more than welcome to join, Phelps-Aurich said.

“If we hear of a new business or someone that would be interested in joining we go and visit with them,” Phelps-Aurich said.

After membership renewals, Phelps-Aurich said that the chamber is focusing efforts on the upcoming Cheyenne County Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet.

The banquet will be held on Jan. 24, at 5:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn and Conference Center.

All members are invited and a dinner will be served along with recognition of the member businesses, as well as the outgoing board of directors and the in-coming of the new ones, Phelps-Aurich said.

Awards will also be given out for different categories like new business of the year, citizen of the year, supporter of the year, board member of the year and community leader of the year.

Phelps-Aurich said that entertainment would be provided at the banquet as well. Gordy Pratt, a stand-up musical comedian will be performing.

To attend the banquet members must reserve spots, Phelps-Aurich said.

Tickets are available now and can be purchased by calling or emailing the chamber for reservations. Members can buy individual tickets or a table of 10. Another option is also to sponsor a table, Phelps-Aurich said.

There is a fee to sponsor a table and the member gets to provide 10 gift items to be spread around to the different tables. The gifts are mixed around the room so that everyone has something to take home, Phelps-Aurich said.

“The banquet is to celebrate the accomplishments of the previous year and to look forward to 2013,” she said.

After the banquet, the events that the chamber members are looking forward to are their annual Ag. Appreciation Dinner and their “Girls Day Out” in the spring.

Another event that the chamber members hold is an iPad user group every two weeks put on by the technology committee. The meetings are open to the public and are about sharing information tips about iPads and new applications.

“I think it helps for people that are looking to get one to evaluate what they want, and it depends on what they are going to use it for. There are a lot of new apps that are shared to help people that they wouldn’t usually find themselves,” Phelps-Aurich said.

Chamber members also offer a Leadership Cheyenne County Class each year.

The classes are one day a month for nine months, and each day has a theme. The next one will be Legal and Law day, Phelps-Aurich said.