Fort Macleod and District Chamber of Commerce elected new directors Thursday, Back row, from left: Josh Beusekom, Brian Nelson, Tony Walker, Domiec Holwerda, Chelsie Wolff, Eileen Moses and Henk Vanee. Front row: Jody Litle, Jessie Sennyah and Emily McTighe.
Fort Macleod and District Chamber of Commerce elected new directors Thursday, Back row, from left: Josh Beusekom, Brian Nelson, Tony Walker, Domiec Holwerda, Chelsie Wolff, Eileen Moses and Henk Vanee. Front row: Jody Litle, Jessie Sennyah and Emily McTighe.
Domiec Holwerda will lead the Fort Macleod and District Chamber of Commerce in the coming year.
Holwerda was elected president Thursday during the Chamber’s annual general meeting.
Elections dominated the agenda of the meeting in the board room at Young Parkyn McNab.
Josh Beusekom was elected vice-president and Brian Nelson was returned treasurer.
Chamber members decided to give the duties of secretary, which Nelson has also held the past two years, to new administrative assistant Kristi Edwards.
“If there is no administrative assistant, the position will go back to being a director,” said past president Emily McTighe, who chaired the annual general meeting.
The Chamber also elected new directors, including Scott Norlin, Henk Vanee, Jodi Little, Chelsie Wolff, Emily McTighe, Eileen Moses, Anne Barnes, Tony Walker, Sharon Lecocq, Jessie Sennyah and Brent Feyter.
Following the elections, Chamber members reflected on the work of outgoing president Terry Daniel.
“I would like to thank Terry for all his hard work for the Chamber,” McTighe said. He’s done lots. He will be missed.”
In his final report, Daniel noted the Chamber continues to organize the annual antique sale, Citizen of the Year awards program Moonlight Madness, the Christmas light contest, the business window decorating contest, Christmas shopping spree and election forums.
The Chamber is also involved with organizing the Santa Claus Parade, administers the summer street cleaning program and co-ordinates flower barrels on Main Street.
Over the past four years the Chamber has established a Web site and e-mail address, hired an administrative assistant and has set up an office which is now in the Main Street Office.
The Chamber has advocated on behalf of businesses in Fort Macleod, making three representations to council that resulted in the tax gap being lowered and the machinery and equipment tax being waived.
Membership in the Chamber over the past four years has grown to 90, from 51 members.
A town-wide garage sale, buskers in the Devonian Walkway, Junior Achievement courses, the Taste of Fort Macleod event, a Dale Carnegie course and New Year’s Eve party are other new initiatives.
The Chamber also co-ordinates a committee charged with recruitment and retention of doctors in Fort Macleod.
“For those thinking the Chamber does nothing for them, take a look at what we are now doing,” Daniel added. “All of the activities that have been added came directly from ideas presented by members.”
