What is the chamber foundation?

For years we’ve been giving our members the option to make small donations to the Marinette Menominee Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation with their dues investment. We are grateful that so many have been so generous.

This generosity has funded scholarships for college-bound graduates in Marinette and Menominee counties. It has also created scholarships so that area non-profit employees and volunteers can attend the chamber’s Community Leadership Academy and funded a citizenship award for a deserving UW-Marinette student.

We will continue to give you the option of giving to the foundation when you renew your dues investment. We want to make it easy for you help us reward students for their achievements and train emerging community leaders.

Currently the foundation is working with a committee to raise money for the Twin Counties Free Clinic with the annual Holiday Charity Ball, set for Dec. 3 at Schussler's Supper Club in Peshtigo.

Because the foundation is a 501 (c) (3) organization, according the U.S. Tax Code, all donations are tax deductible. Our goal this year is to raise more cash donations as the free clinic, which helps uninsured and underinsured people in both counties access basic medical care, has experienced an increase in usage in the past several years.

The charity ball also includes live and silent auctions and many other opportunities to help the free clinic. Tickets are available at the chamber's office, 601 Marinette Ave. in Marinette.

Holly Meyer is event coordinator while Barb VanDeHei of Bay Cities Radio and Diane Becker of Stephenson National Bank & Trust are co-chairs. They are assisted by a hard-working committee, many of whom are affiliated with local health-care organizations.

Call us at 715-735-6681 for more information.

The Characteristics of a Good Volunteer

Within the definition of a chamber of commerce is the notion of working collectively to accomplish a goal.

We saw this recently at our July 10 Aurora-MACC Walk/Run, an event that requires the time, energy and talents of a great deal of volunteers. The beauty of this event is while a relatively small committee works very hard, beginning in January and ending in July, most of the volunteers are able to take small pieces of the event and do them successfully.

There were volunteers who helped with road markings, volunteers who served refreshments, volunteers who staffed the water stations and volunteers who help with cleanup. One volunteer delivered brochures all over Upper Michigan.

As a result, we had an especially well-run and implemented race this year, by all accounts, and the number of runners increased by 25 percent.

About six weeks later, it all came together again for our golf outing. Thanks to about 50 volunteers and the cooperation of Mother Nature, we showed 30 teams of golfers a good time.

The magic of people working together is happening right now as Holly Meyer, our program coordinator, works with the Holiday Charity Ball committee to raise money for the Twin Counties Free Clinic.

Obviously, we have some really wonderful volunteers at the chamber - about 200 of them. We have one person who brings wonderful ideas, bites off a small piece and gets it done, time after time. We have another volunteer who does unexpected small things that make a big difference - again and again. We have one who takes great pride in helping recruit new members. The list goes on and on.

Someone asked recently what the chamber looked for in volunteers. Here are some of the characteristics:

• A commitment to the project at hand. A commitment to the chamber as an organization is a big plus.


• Organizational skills and the ability to document facts, tasks and data.


• The ability to share the credit with other volunteers.


• A willingness to learn, to absorb new ideas and tackle new skills.


• A willingness to listen to another's point of view, and sometimes give up your own ideas to make someone else's ideas work.


• Respect for others and the ability to work in a team.


• High ethical standards. A good volunteer never does anything to put the chamber in a bad light.


• The ability to live up to promises or commitments in a timely manner. Or failing that, the ability to find a solution when this is not possible.


• Transparency. A good volunteer does not have a personal or hidden agenda.


• A cheerful disposition and positive outlook.

While the chamber has many opportunities for volunteers, there are still more in our community. Our friends at the Tri Cities Area United Way will host a Volunteer Opportunities Fair on Oct. 14 at NWTC in Marinette from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Visit us there and find a place for you!