Chamber welcomes new board


Antoinette Heier, Chamber Executive Director (standing), speaks with a large gathering of Chamber members about some possibilities for showcasing their businesses and activities for Hazen. The Chamber meeting featured several new faces, as well as several new board members hoping to take a role in the community.

By Daniel Arens

As the Hazen Chamber of Commerce members met last week to vote for the board for 2022, they found a large number of new names and faces hoping to contribute.

Five board positions were up for election during the meeting, which was held at Pour Me last Thursday. Of the five, only one (Lisa Rott with WRT) was an incumbent who has previously been serving on the board. The four new board members are Jessica Hill (Pour Me), Kim Folkerts (Home Instead), Sarah Flath (Coteau Properties Co.) and Rita Wright (Promiseland Designs).

The election showed an outpouring of interest in getting involved, both from new businesses in Hazen and from older businesses and organizations hoping to get more active.

“Seeing all these people interested in being on the board and all the faces here, it is encouraging,” Chris Sailer, Chamber Board President, said. “It’s people wanting to do things, wanting to help, who work to help, who show that they care.”

This change in Chamber board leadership came even as the Chamber members discussed plans to enliven the community. One of the main topics of discussion at the meeting was holding a winter event.

Lynn Beyer, L’Bee’s Catering, brought the subject up, saying she would like to see some kind of a Christmas party held this year. She recalled the success of the 2019 party held at the Hazen Golf Course clubhouse, with different people dressing up.

“I want to do something,” Sailer agreed. He said having another party held at the golf course would give an opportunity for people to check out the clubhouse, now that it has been remodeled.

More discussion followed on what date would work best, leading Rott to suggest holding off on the party until January or February, when things are usually pretty dead around town.

“December gets busy fast,” Rott said. “It would be nice to have something in those months.”

Several further suggestions were raised about what kind of things could be done to make the party a success. This included different options for activities, the possibility of doing sledding or tobogganing and whether to make it a family or adult event, or even hold different events.

No decisions were made, but it was agreed the Chamber members would remain in touch via email, while also putting together a committee to hash out the details of a winter event for Hazen.

The Chamber members also celebrated a successful Trail of Treats. Pour Me was a new addition to the Main St. festivities, and Hill said she received a lot of positive feedback from the community on the haunted house she held in the back of the building.

“My employees really went all out, and we had a blast here,” she said. “So many people came up and thanked me after.”

Other businesses also said they had a strong turnout at this year’s Trail of Treats, and Heier pointed out next year’s event will be held on Halloween itself.

Heier looked forward to some other upcoming events, including the Holiday Hoopla Walk Around. Businesses have the opportunity to be creative and do their own thing to help draw people in.

A couple changes will take place this year, including Santa Claus being at The Union Bank rather than at WRT, as the latter continues with its renovation project, and The Union Bank has been a strong sponsor of the visits from Santa in the past. Another new addition is Coteau Properties doing a “Letters from Santa” event, when kids have the opportunity to write letters to Santa and maybe get a special response.

Heier said she will participate in an upcoming Community Health Needs Assessment survey with other local leaders in determining some of the major needs in community health. She also discussed the special legislative session held this month, and pointed out Nov. 27 is Shop Small Business Saturday, although she urged people to make it a “Small Business Season” rather than just a day.

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