Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Local Economy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Cottage Grove Chamber highlights membership growth, events and 'Pardon Our Dust' campaign
Summary
The Cottage Grove Area Chamber of Commerce reported steady membership retention, new events and a downtown promotion aimed at sustaining business during street construction.
Cameron Wright, chairman of the Cottage Grove Area Chamber of Commerce board, told the council the chamber finished 2024 with a high member-retention rate and new programming aimed at downtown businesses during construction.
Wright said the chamber has a roughly 90 percent member retention rate and added 34 new members in 2024; he described a current total “right around 250 members.” He credited one full‑time staff member — Georgia, the chamber’s visitor‑center lead — and a volunteer board for organizing an expanded schedule of events including concerts in the park, trick-or-treat on Main Street and new fundraising and networking events.
Georgia and other chamber leaders described several programs aimed at keeping shoppers downtown during a long construction season. The Pardon Our Dust, We’re Open During Construction stamp card asks shoppers to collect six stamps from participating businesses from River Road to Highway 99; completed cards are entered in weekly drawings for $500 in gift certificates to participating merchants. The chamber reported 17 stamp cards returned in the first week of the promotion.
The chamber also is exploring a Guinness World Records attempt tied to downtown activity; Georgia said the full, supported record attempt would cost about $18,000 but that the chamber is investigating a smaller, lower‑cost option.
Wright described the chamber’s Business Plan Challenge, which drew 21 initial entrants and 12 pitch-event presentations. He said the chamber and partners awarded $25,000 in cash prizes and another $5,000 in in‑kind prize packages to support new entrepreneurs. The chamber captured strong community volunteer involvement in running those programs, Wright added.
The council recognized longtime community volunteer Jim Gilroy with the chamber’s 2024 Distinguished Service Award; Gilroy accepted the recognition and thanked family and fellow volunteers.
Chamber leaders asked council members to attend events and to consider volunteering at the visitor center, which they said is currently seeking volunteers.
