What exactly is a chamber of commerce?

I'm always glad when someone asks that question. It's a chance to talk about who we are and what we do.

We are first and foremost a business organization that serves its members. We have 420 members; serving as a resource for their success is our top goal. We do this by providing learning, networking and promotional opportunities. We make sure our members communicate with each other and we try to provide benefits that impact their bottom line.

We are also a community organization in that we look for opportunities to work with our member businesses to create the kind of community that's a good place to live and work. Often this involves coordinating special events, like the upcoming Aurora-MACC Run and Walk, which give people a chance to get out and get fit - together.

Our summer concert series is another example: It provides entertainment in what are arguably two of the loveliest natural settings in our community: Menominee's bayshore and Marinette's riverfront.

Much of our work involves bringing people together and creating a sense of pride in community. It is that pride that propels others forward to create other opportunities, like farm markets and art fairs.

It's a joke among seasoned chamber staffers everywhere that chambers hand out maps. We do that and we do it with pleasure! Every time someone new visits our office to learn about our community, we have another chance to make a friend.

Often, people are surprised to find out a chamber is not part of the government. We are not funded by tax dollars but by membership investments, special events profit and management contracts. We often work with government officials, but we are not attached to city, county, state or federal governments in any way.

If you have any questions about who we are and what we do, please contact me. I love to talk about what we do and how we are changing to better meet the needs of our members and the community.