Sean C. Morgan
Of The New Era
The Sweet Home Chamber of Commerce is looking for volunteers to help put on the Christmas Parade and its annual Awards Banquet.
For now, the director position has been cut, although Director Carla Claasen is working as a volunteer. Funding for a state mentoring program used to operate the Chamber also has been cut.
“Money is tight,” Claasen said. “However, it is tight this time of year every year. We send out our invoices in December for the following year’s membership dues.
“Although our membership is up from 2004, so are our expenses. Besides regular increases, this is the first year we have had any paid staff (since the departure to Darcie Vanderyacht several years ago).”
The chamber office has been run in the past few years by a work mentoring program through the state. Last year, the chamber had three people in the office and was able to be open full time and on Saturdays in the summer, Classen said.
“After this summer, that program was cut from the state budget,” she said. “I had been working 20 hours a week until recently when I moved to volunteer status. I have maintained the 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. office hours but haven’t been able to get out much to see the members.”
The fact that the chamber has been able to pay for a director for 10 months of the year shows the chamber is doing better financially than recent years, Claasen said, but times tend to get tight in July before the chamber receives tourism money from the city’s transient occupancy tax and again in December when the chamber awaits dues from members.
The chamber bills in December because some members like to pay at the end of the year for a last-minute tax write-off while others prefer to wait until the new calendar year to pay, Claasen said. The chamber has a couple of outstanding bills due but will take care of them after revenue begins coming in, she said.
Todd Branson, vice president of the chamber Board of Directors, said the board intends to re-instate Claasen as a paid employee after funds become available.
To run a vibrant and successful chamber not only takes money and membership, it also takes a lot of volunteers, Claasen said.
“Thanks to Monica Sanders and Rachel Graham, who have started volunteering on Tuesdays, I have one day that I can get out in the community,” she said.
“Since I am fairly new to the community, most of the people I know are already on three or four other committees. The bottom line is I could use help in the office, and with a strong volunteer base, we could put on some new chamber programs.”
A key volunteer position Claasen said she would like to fill is a volunteer coordinator, someone who knows the Sweet Home community well and could contact volunteers and potential volunteers.
Nominations are open now for the 2006 Chamber Board of Directors, Claasen said. Nominations will run through Dec. 10, and candidates will be showcased in the Timbergram newsletter on Dec. 15. Candidates must be current chamber members and willing to commit to monthly board meetings.
Anyone interested in serving on the board or volunteering at the office can contact the chamber at 367-6186.
The chamber is working on this year’s annual Christmas Parade. The theme is “Rockin’ Christmas,” following the theme chosen for the annual performance of the Singing Christmas Tree.
Parade applications are due back at the chamber office no later than Nov. 29.
The parade will begin at 11 a.m. on Dec. 3 at 18th and Long and travel west to 10th Avenue. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be this year’s grand marshals, and they will be available for photos from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. courtesy of State Farm Insurance.
The tree lighting ceremony will be at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 3 at East Linn Museum. Last year, new LED lights were purchased for the community by the chamber, city of Sweet Home and Community Foundation.
Individuals who would like to help decorate the tree this year should contact the chamber at 367-6186.
Plans are underway for this year’s annual awards banquet, and nomination forms will be available in December. The banquet will be held at the Boys and Girls Club on Feb. 11. This year’s colors will be blue and gold. The theme is “Celebrate Oregon.” Last year, more than 400 persons attended the awards banquet and party.
Claasen had the help of the state mentor program planning these two events last year, she said. This year, she doesn’t and could use volunteer help to put them together.
“I feel like we’re moving positively,” Claasen said. “The reason I’m staying on as a volunteer is because I believe in the chamber and what it can do for the community.”