Belle Fourche Chamber July 2023 Newsletter

NEW & RENEWING MEMBERS HAPPENINGS!

NEW MEMBERS:

RUSHMORE PARKING LOT STRIPING

EDWARD JONES - SHANNON ROLANDO

RENEWING MEMBERS:

Too Tall’s Café &Catering

Belle Fourche Arts Council

Center of the Nation Concert Series

Belle Flowers & Design

Reptile Garden

CLICK ON THE MAGAZINE TO VIEW ONLINE!

www.bellefourchechamber.org

2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President Matt Kreutz, Mid- America Travel/Crossroads

VP of Communications | Angie Besler, Albany Farms

Secretary & Treasurer Cassie Pannone, Highmark FCU

Sheila Hodge, Pete’s Clothing & Hodge Bootery

Jade Larson, Tri-State Chiropractic

Nikki Hoyme, Monument Health

David Pruitt- Pooter Q BBQ

Rachel Woodroof- Beam Financial

Heidi Parker | City Council Liason

Wendy Bowers Economic Development

Miranda Gallagher | Executive Director

Brianne Bonnet | Membership & Events Coordinator

509 Grant St | Belle Fourche, SD 57717

Office Hours: 9am – 4pm M-F

(605) 892-2676 | events@bellefourchechamber.org

CENTER

EVENTS AND HAPPENINGS IN TOWN!

OF THE NATION FOUNDATION

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

President- Fallon Hendricks

Nikki Hoyme

Rachel Woodroof

Audrey Pruitt

Cadie Hackenbary

Miranda Gallagher | Executive Director

@Center of the Nation Foundation

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE CENTER OF THE NATION FOUNDATION?

To provide financial support for the educational and community development activities and programs of the Belle Fourche Chamber of Commerce. To promote and develop the economic, civic, cultural and social welfare of the citizens of Butte County, South Dakota through educational programs. To conduct educational programs to encourage the development of small business enterprises in Bute County; To establish technical education programs which will better qualify residents for employment in Butte County; To promote the development of tourism in Butte County through education programs; To promote the use of new technologies, businesses, and education support in Belle Fourche Chamber of Commerce Members.

The Belle Fourche Chamber of Commerce serves to promote our members, the commercial, civic, and general interests of the city of Belle Fourche, and our trade area. As a voluntary organization our aim is to represent and advocate for our members and the business community as a whole. We are not a civic club, a charitable organization, or department of city government. We are a private, non-profit, taxpaying corporation focused on improving the community and businesses of Belle Fourche. We’re compromised of people — people just like you, who realize that we can accomplish more collectively than individually.

JULY MIXER!

Join Us at Lynn Jackson Attorney and Barker Law Firm July 20th for our July Chamber Mixer!

S.W.A.P. (Social with a Purpose) Schedule

July 20th- Lynn Jackson Attorney and Barker Law Firm

August 17- Grant Street

September 21st- HighMark Credit Union

October 19th- TBA

November 16th -Non-Profit Mixer

December 21st -TBD

SWAP Chamber mixers will be held on the 3rd Thursday of each month.

VISITOR PACKETS

- The Belle Fourche Chamber has had multiple requests for Visitor information from all over. We recently sent one to France and Belgium. Year to Date we have sent our 25 visitor packets.

If you would like to have an item in the packet, please contact our office.

BOARD POSITIONS AVAILABLE

We currently have two board positions open on the Belle Fourche Chamber board of directors.

If you are interested in being on the board of directors, please contact Miranda by emailing her at director@bellefourchechamber.org.

SCHEDULE A MARKETING BUSINESS VIDEO!

Schedule a marketing business video with our intern Ethan Staley. Own the marketing video for a low cost price of $300 and use it yourself to market your business. This is a limited offer as summer is coming to an end in just a few weeks.

Check out one of Ethan’s videos by visiting https://fb.watch/ltBfZyj4KI/.

Schedule a time with Ethan by emailing marketing@bellefourchechamber.org or look for the Marketing Opportunities email.

My team and I have been working away these past few months on getting things moving faster with our strategic goals we set at the beginning of the year. Here are a few updates.

* The printed Directory is currently being designed and set to be printed in August. If you have not sent in your form directory listing one of my interns will be reaching out to you to gather that information from you.

* Mentorship Program- We are finalizing the documentation for this program and we are starting to look for Mentors who would be willing to support other Chamber business owners in building

* Governmental Affairs- Our current President Lee Capp has taken this job on to help keep our members informed of any city updates that could affect your business.

* Networking Opportunities - We highly encourage our members to attend other members Ribbon Cuttings, Open Houses, and Mixers. These events are a great way to network with others in our community and share information on services you offer. Our S.W.A.P. Mixers are held on the 3rd Thursday of each month.

My team and I will be providing business score cards again in the next six weeks to our members. These cards are for your information and to help you understand the marketing opportunities that you may be missing out on.

LOOKING FOR MENTORS!

“We strive to PROMOTE our members by providing opportunities for their success & aim to provide tools, resources & infomation to help our members be sucessful.”

We’ve Had a Busy Month in June of Ribbon Cuttings!

Welcome to the Chamber!

K&K Teulu LLC

Made in the Shade

Too Tall’s Cafe & Catering

Prairie Hills Pharmacy

Crazee Cow Ice Cream

Chamber Ribbon Cuttings will be scheduled and held the 1st Monday of each month.

River fest recap!

The weather may have postponed our event but it didn’t stop us from having an outstanding River Festival event this year.

The Great Frog Hunt Winners: Kendall Page & Selene Walker

Battle of the Bones BBQ Contest Winners

1st Place: Papa Smoe’s BBQ

2nd Place: & People’s Choice Smoke Wagon BBQ

3rd Place: Smo-King Butt Rubbers

The Shriner sold 350 ducks and raised $1515 for NAJA clown patrol Hospital Children’s Fund.

THE OPRY HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR 2023. THANK YOU.

River fest coloring contest winners!

BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT PROPOSAL

Greetings!

For years some in our local business community have had ideas and concepts to improve our marketing, business, and economic growth for Belle Fourche. The problem has always been funding.

Municipal funding is limited and too controlling for independent businesses, as is any government funding. How do we fund our Future?

A Voluntary Business Improvement District (BID) would allow those businesses who want to participate to fund improvements that the Business Improvement District Board itself would direct. In a “Voluntary BID” you are allowed to join at a specific time, but you can leave at any time.

Those who want to participate would be eligible to serve on the Board of Directors that would conceptualize projects “Great and Small” that would be eligible for funding. But you have to belong to serve on the board!

Funding could be based on different factors. One set fee; a linear foot fee, multiplied by a determined dollar amount, are some examples. For a period of time money would be collected through the City of Belle Fourche and held there until the board made a request for a project.

Projects could be as small as funding for flowers or banners on light poles, a Visitors Center, marketing the community or as great as an indoor arena!

With the many meetings and many groups that desire to have Belle Fourche push forward and to increase sales tax numbers year around, for the benefit of all of us, I believe this is something we can all get behind and support. It is part of belonging to something greater than oneself!

Other communities use a BID to their benefit and advantage. It is flexible and can be used on a wide range of community projects!

A district could be city wide or a specific area of a community. It could encompass only the hospitality industry or include all in different Business improvement Districts.

I ask you to keep an open mind to discussing the future of our business community as we push forward for a greater Belle Fourche. If you have any questions, feel free to call or text me at 605-210-0274. (Clark Sowers Cell phone) We will be promoting this through ambassadors who will explain the basic principles and answer your questions.

Thank you for your time and consideration and feel free to email me at bhlaundry@midconetwork.com.

Sincerely,

Clark Sowers Belle Laundry and Dry Cleaning.

This is a great opportunity for our business community to come together and move forward together.

Clark Sowers