Museum of East Alabama’s 20th Birthday
The Museum of East Alabama celebrated its 20th birthday on Friday, July 17. The celebration lasted from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m. and refreshments were served while the band Whistle Stop Pickers played music for everyone. At The Museum of East Alabama, old pictures, dolls, Indian artifacts, a Mardi Gras ball gown, typewriters, a one of a kind tape recorder from 1938 and hundreds of other items hold a history that the staff is ready to tell. You can see Opelika’s history first hand on 9th Street in the heart of downtown Opelika. One interesting item in the museum is one of only two tape recorders known to exist that was made and used by the Germans in World War II. The other tape recorder, its twin, is displayed behind glass in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C. John Parker, a volunteer for The Museum of East Alabama, said that the museum has an orthopedic surgical instrument set that came off a battleship from World War II. It is an original item and one that Parker finds most interesting. Two replica fire engines are currently in storage because of the limited space in the museum, but Parker hopes to one day have them on display in a vacant lot near the museum. Opelika has not always had a museum to showcase what has been donated from East Alabama residents. It was not until 1989 that John T. Harris and his wife Eleanor Harris founded the museum that displays artifacts from as early as the1800s. The Museum of East Alabama is not only a place where the history of Opelika can be learned, but it is a community of people who share the museum’s story. At the
museum, “People can learn their history, and it will help them appreciate what they have now,” Harris said. Fellowship at The Museum of East Alabama is one thing that Joe Dean, a regular visitor of the museum looks forward to, as well as seeing what new items have been donated or what new displays have been set up. “I think the future is based on the past, and Opelika has a real interesting past,” Dean said. Treasures are often expensive, extravagant things, but they can also be as simple as a tape recorder, an Indian artifact or a replica fire engine. Some people’s treasures are memories, others are pictures, but for the people involved with The Museum of East Alabama, people are the greatest treasure. Opelika’s history matters, but what matters more is the people that are making history. “People are the best thing,” Parker said. The museum is a nonprofit organization that welcomes volunteers and encourages visitors. To learn more, call The Museum of East Alabama at 334-749-2751or visit www.eastalabama.org.
Membership Director for Opelika Chamber of Commerce Jill Robinson Jill Robinson currently works as the membership director for Opelika Chamber of Commerce where she has been employed for two and a half years. Robinson used to work for LifeSouth Blood Center in Opelika as an Ambassador, and she joined the Chamber’s staff when Wendi Routhier, Opelika Chamber of Commerce president, noticed how comfortable Robinson was working with new members. Routhier explained that the Chamber was in need of a membership director since their current one, Tipi Miller, had moved to the Keep Opelika Beautiful position. Routhier encouraged Robinson to apply for the job if she was interested. Robinson prayed about the opportunity and she not only applied, but landed the job and has been a part of the Chamber ever since. Robinson wears many different hats that she changes throughout the week or even the day depending on what events are going on and which deadlines must be met. Robinson is in charge of the Golf Committee, the Business Over Breakfast Program, the Ambassador program, the Opelika Christmas Parade and she is also involved in the Connections Leads Group. The variety of not being tied to one single thing makes Robinson’s job fun. “I have the option to not be stuck behind a desk,” Robinson said. Ribbon cuttings, meetings with members and answering people’s questions through phone calls all keep Robinson’s job busy and constantly changing. The Annual Golf Tournament is one event that Robinson begins planning and making preparations for in January. The tournament takes place the first Tuesday of each May and as head of the Golf Committee, she has many responsibilities. Obtaining door prizes, creating the teams and planning the overall event are just a few tasks Robinson must complete. Her hard
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work pays off because this tournament is one of the top fundraisers for the Chamber’s Sponsors Program for high school students. Robinson is also involved in Business Over Breakfast where breakfast, guest speakers, prizes and networking take place. Robinson buys gifts for the speakers, coordinates with possible speakers to set up a day that they can come, and she sends out invitations to the members. The whole process usually takes about a month to prepare for and Robinson makes sure that the topics covered are relevant to the community and helpful to the people attending. Governor Bob Riley, Congressman Mike Rogers, economists and previous Auburn Defensive Coordinator Gene Chizik are just a few of the past speakers at Business Over Breakfast. Robinson is pleased to see that current members take the time to introduce themselves to the new members and get to know them. This makes networking occur quickly and leads to effective business transactions. The Business Education Group is another activity Robinson helps to oversee. This group helps businesses with business etiquette through seminars. These give the business people the tools to understand the upcoming technology, like social networking sites such as facebook. The seminar may deal with banking, real estate or creating a website for their company. Robinson sets up days to meet with everyone on the committee to decipher what seminar can best serve Chamber members. When Robinson meets with possible new members she goes over what the benefits of joining the Chamber are and explains how the Chamber is there to serve them. Robinson also describes the different activities and education the Chamber offers. Robinson lets them know that they are making an investment in their business, and she relates to people one on one by inviting them into her office to “sit a spell,” so she can learn about the business’ struggles or
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concerns. This gives her the opportunity to suggest they hold a certain seminar or access the Chamber’s contact or demographic information. “I have to identify what the business is and what their needs are so that I can know what tool to give them,” Robinson said. By following through with potential members and accommodating them, new members join regularly. She is relating to Chamber members well because Robinson has received postcards and letters thanking her for taking the time to talk to them. The stresses of the poor economy have affected some of the Chamber members. People who were financially stable are now struggling and can no longer afford the Chamber’s membership fees. This is a tough situation because now, they are missing out on the benefits that the Chamber offers. Another stress in Robinson’s job is figuring out how to best educate Chamber members and provide them with the most helpful and accurate information available. Time management is an important skill Robinson has had to master. Since she does a lot of coordinating, planning and contacting, Robinson must allot enough time to each aspect of her job equally so that no committee or event fails to receive the time and attention required for success. Robinson definitely puts in her share of work. “Typically, I work more than 40 hours a week, and I’m OK with that,” Robinson said. Although Robinson spends a lot of her time working as the Membership Director for the Chamber, she also spends time with her husband Stacy and their two daughters Gracie, 8 and Molly, 18 months. Robinson and her husband enjoy riding his Suzuki Bandit 1250 motorcycle and before their daughters were born they spent a lot of time riding their horses. Now that they have children, the Robinson’s take their girls out on Lake Harding in their boat. They will celebrate their 13th anniversary this July.
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Robinson’s favorite part of her job, besides working with Chamber members, is working with the Opelika Chamber’s staff. “I’m very fortunate to work with people who have kids too. The position is family friendly and still a professional working atmosphere,” Robinson said. Robinson has a great relationship with her coworkers. “I couldn’t be luckier because they inspire me both professionally and spiritually,” Robinson said. Having lived in Opelika her entire life makes Robinson effective in her line of work. She attended the Opelika City Schools and graduated from Southern Union with her associate’s degree. Robinson is currently earning her four year undergraduate business degree online from the University of Alabama. Someday, Robinson hopes to walk the halls of her high school as a marketing teacher. Robinson has set prestigious goals for the future of the Chamber. She wants to increase membership and make the members aware that the Chamber has resources for members to take advantage of, even if it requires that she has to answer bizarre phone calls or look something up in the telephone book for them. Robinson desires to continue the work she is doing while building on the strong foundation that is already in place. “I may not always know the answer, but if I don’t I will find the answer and get back to them,” Robinson said.
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Hampton Inn & Suites in Opelika Wins the Wall of Fame Award With more than 1,600 Hilton brand hotels, the Hampton Inn & Suites in Opelika is listed in the top 2 percent for its excellent service and quality product. The Hampton Inn & Suites was also named to the “Wall of Fame” for the 1st and 2nd quarter 2009. To qualify for this prestigious award, the hotel’s overall guest satisfaction surveys are evaluated and scored. These surveys give the customers an opportunity to give feedback about the accommodations at Hampton Inn & Suites, and apparently, the hotel is doing a great job. “We have the opportunity and the responsibility to brighten a weary traveler’s day when they walk through our doors. A smile and a pleasant greeting may be all it takes,” Tom Hunt, president of PHD Hotels, said. “Providing top-notch accommodations and friendly service is a top priority for our hotel team members and one reason we remain highly competitive in our local market,” Amy Scott, general manager of Hampton Inn & Suites, said.
The Community of Opelika’s Savings Account The Community Foundation of East Alabama Inc. is a new foundation that will allow people in the community to impact the East Alabama area through donations of cash, real estate, appreciated stocks and other assets. The Community Foundation of East Alabama Inc. will replace Envision Opelika and positively affect the future generations to come. This organization will act as a savings account for future needs of the community as it builds and administers the endowment fund and monitors how donations are used. There are more than 700 community foundations in the U.S., but this is the first one to be established in East Alabama. The Community Foundation of East Alabama Inc. does not have a set list of charities to fund. Instead, it allows people in the community to support organizations of their choice that may not be sponsored financially yet and are in need. Donors are welcome to establish charities and recommend grants in their name. Barbara Patton, executive director of Envision Opelika said, “Envision Opelika was always seen as an organization with a limited lifespan. The Community Foundation of East Alabama will be around 200 years from now.” Sources: Jayson Hill, Reporter for Opelika Observer Article: “New Community Foundation of East Alabama unveiled by Envision Opelika” Dora James, Guest Columnist and Chair of the Envision Opelika Board of Directors Article: “Foundation will preserve resources”
Auburn/Opelika Named Marriott Hotel of the Year Opelika, AL – June 12, 2009- The Auburn Marriott Opelika Hotel & Conference Center at Grand National was named the number one franchise Marriott hotel in North America by Marriott International. This award is given after the hotel’s guest satisfaction, employee opinion surveys, market share and financial performance are evaluated. “This honor is a tribute to the hard work of our associates every day,” Jay Prater, general manager of the Auburn/Opelika Marriott said. This is not the only prestigious award the Auburn/Opelika Marriott has won. Golf World readers named it the number one location for public golf in the country, and the U.S. News & World Report named the area one of the 10 best locations to live in the country. In addition to Hotel of the Year award, the Auburn/Opelika Marriott won the Most Improved Market Share Excellence Award and the Spirit to Serve Our Community Award. The Auburn/Opelika Marriott served its community by raising money for the March of Dimes and United Way, which helped the Christian Women’s Job Corps teach people with disabilities new job skills. “Their efforts have even been felt across the globe with the 1,000 hats collected and distributed by the military to children in Iraq,” Prater said. ###
SBA Helps Businesses Get Back on Their Feet by Offering a New Loan Program Many once profitable small businesses are now hurting due to the economic downturn. The Small Business Administration is providing interest free loans up to $35,000 to qualifying businesses that need some help making payroll, paying off a previous loan or using the cash flow in another way to invest in their business to get it back on its feet. The loan is paid over a six month period and it can be paid back up to five years later. ARC loans are possible because they are made by commercial lenders who are SBA participants. These loans are available until Sept. 30, 2010 or until the funding runs out. For more information about ARC loans go to www.sba.gov/.