Trending
By Daniel J. Heitzenrater
President and CEO of the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce
Volunteers make things happen here in Chautauqua County - and often it's big things! For example, this weekend is the Mayville Winter Festival at Lakeside Park on Route 394 in Mayville, and none of it would have been possible without volunteers. In fact, the entire effort was driven by volunteers this year, with some staff support as the event drew closer.
We will not try to name all of the individuals or groups that helped to make the Winter Festival a reality - the first since 2020 - for fear of omitting someone. But the entire event, from constructing the ice castle to soliciting sponsors and vendors to setting up tables and parking visitors has all been led and implemented by volunteers. Community members, business leaders, school students, and others all pitched in to make the event a reality. We couldn't be more proud and our hats are off to all of them!
The Chamber of Commerce, like many other nonprofit organizations, is led by volunteers. We have a small paid staff that keeps the office functioning, manages the day-to-day business, and makes sure that our member businesses can access the services they need and rely on to help manage and improve their businesses. But the Chamber of Commerce relies a great deal on volunteers. Our Board of Directors is made up of local volunteers, and all of six Community Chamber Committees in Dunkirk, Fredonia, Hanover, Jamestown, Mayville-Chautauqua, and Westfield-Barcelona are all made up of volunteers. These crucial volunteer groups not only set the agenda and the tone for projects the Chamber takes on they also tackle the hands-on work to get things done and juggle some outstanding community events.
New volunteers are always welcome. If you are a businessperson looking to get involved in programs and events that help to drive traffic into your business, the Chamber of Commerce may be just the right volunteer opportunity for you. Perhaps you want to volunteer for the annual Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament at Peek'n Peak in August, or any one of the wide variety of events hosted by our Community Chambers throughout the county all year long. Please contact us to participate or get more information. Email office assistant Carrie Swanson at cswanson@chautauquachamber.org and she will direct you to just the right person.
Congratulations to all of the volunteers who donate their time, effort, creativity, and expertise to make great things happen in Chautauqua County!
JAMESTOWN COMMUNITY CHAMBER SALUTE TO THE FINEST IS MARCH 14
The Jamestown Community Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce its list of award recipients for Salute to the Finest 2022! Each year Salute to the Finest pays tribute to local businesses and organizations that are making a difference in the local community - through service, filling vital needs, or by helping to create the unique flavor of the city by providing unique and special merchandise, foods, or other products.
This year's award recipients are as follows: New Business of the Year, ART Cloth + Craft; Young Business Leader of the Year, Linnea Carlson; Manufacturer of the Year, Support Enterprises; Restaurant of the Year, HotSpot CafÈ; Retailer of the Year, Dot's Gift Boutique; Service to Humanity Award, UPMC Chautauqua; Pride of Jamestown Award, Roger Tory Peterson Institute; Legacy Award, Lind Funeral Home; and Business of the Year, Shults Auto Group.
Salute to the Finest will be held Monday, March 14 at the Lakewood Rod & Gun Club. The evening will include a cocktail hour from 5-6pm with assorted hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar, and the program will begin at 6pm. The cost is $25 per person. Registration is open online now through the Chamber's events calendar at www.chautauquachamber.org.
APPLY NOW FOR SMALL BUSINESS MARKETING GRANTS
Businesses with 50 or fewer employees in Chautauqua County can apply for a marketing grant, thanks to a collaborative effort of the County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency, the Small Business Development Center at Jamestown Community College, and the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce. Together, our organizations have announced a small business marketing grant program through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds received by Chautauqua County. Grants of up to $10,000 per business can help tell your story and invest in a broad range of improvements and initiatives. Interested businesses should begin with the Small Business Development Center at JCC. To learn more or to apply visit www.sbdcjcc.org.
Manufacturers with 500 employees or less may also be eligible for funding to conduct an ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) assessment which may help attract and retain employees. Insyte Consulting is also a partner in this important workforce development effort.
DOORS OPEN JAMESTOWN IS MARCH 5
Fourteen local attractions will take part this year in Doors Open Jamestown, scheduled for 10am-4pm Saturday, March 5. Doors Open is a free admission day at local museums and attractions. Participating attractions are Audubon Community Nature Center, Busti Grist Mill, Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame, Fenton History Center, James Prendergast Public Library, Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum*, Lucille M. Wright Air Museum, Martz-Kohl Observatory, Marvin Community House*, National Comedy Center*, Northwest Arena, Reg Lenna Center for the Arts, Robert H. Jackson Center, and Roger Tory Peterson Institute. Asterisks denote those that will require advance registration.
The Marvin Community House will take pre-registration by phone at (716) 488-6206 or by email to marvinhouse1@outlook.com.
Advanced online pre-registration will be required by the National Comedy Center and Lucy Desi Museum at ComedyCenter.org/DoorsOpen. Pre-registration for both museums opens on 2/22/22 at 2:00 pm, with limited availability due to health and safety protocols.
This year, the Doors Open scavenger hunt will be done via text message. When you visit a participating attraction, look for the text keyword for that attraction and use your mobile device to easily submit an entry. A number of local Chamber member businesses will also offer keywords, giving you even more chances to win when you make a stop for lunch or shopping part of your Doors Open agenda for the day. The more keywords you submit the more chances you'll get to enter. The Chamber of Commerce is assembling prize packages featuring ShopLocalCHQ gift cards and merchandise from the local attractions.