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Chamber is a bottom-up organization, not top-down

Someone called our office last week and wanted to know more about the executive roles of the local Chamber of Commerce.
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People are busy … and tired … just trying to keep their businesses going.

Someone called our office last week and wanted to know more about the executive roles of the local Chamber of Commerce.

How many hours of time are needed to be the president? How often are the meetings? How many events have to be organized?

Perhaps more people would be interested in re-kindling the soon-to-go-dormant organization if they knew more about the role, she said.

We told her it was a volunteer position. We told her the organization has been around for about 100 years — but not consecutively, as it has faced ebbs and flows, busy times and short breaks in its long history. We told her the executive roles could be demanding, but they could also be like spinning your wheels. We told her the board is only as effective as the membership.  And then we told her again that the board is only as good as its membership.

She left the phone conversation with probably not much more information than when she started — and that’s kind of the point.  The Chamber of Commerce can be lead by the most passionate, community driven volunteer in the region ... but if there’s no interest, there’s no interest.

The most recent president of the organization has taken a bit of flak for her comments at the recent AGM that saw practically no local business involvement.  She used words like “pathetic” and “shameful.”   She was upset because she was one of those volunteers who puts her heart and soul into something — and when the response is like banging up against a brick wall, well — she tells you how it is.

Kind of the way we explained to the caller last week.

The Lac La Biche and Chamber of Commerce is only as good as its membership’s involvement. And if the members don’t want to get involved, or can’t get involved because they are trying to steer their businesses through a minefield of economic challenges, well then that’s the way it is.

The Chamber should take a break. It really should. It won’t be revived by a passionate volunteer until the community is ready to do its part to sustain it and provide guidance to the volunteers who will try to run it.

The next crack at the AGM, or the meeting that will  set the organization into a perhaps much-needed hiatus, is Monday, October 28 at the Ramada Hotel meeting room starting at 7 pm.

Show up ... or don’t. 


Rob McKinley

About the Author: Rob McKinley

Rob has been in the media, marketing and promotion business for 30 years, working in the public sector, as well as media outlets in major metropolitan markets, smaller rural communities and Indigenous-focused settings.
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