minutes

Goals for the year

This was also written in January anticipating the new year and reviewed by board members but not officially adopted. So this is 80% Miles words (This report is a presidents report as required by our laws and by-laws not a board report)

So far our yearly goals discussed by the board are---

#1 Update a list of all ‘real’ business people in the area who we wish to contact as having a working business- something useful to update each year . a current list from the city and other sources is not up to date .Many have moved, given up the business etc. (update , Thursday, March 17, 2005, Annette with the help of a few board members edited a list of almost a hundred names down to about 60) This would be the number of business’s who might benefit from joining us.)

#2 Create a computer copy of all our business for all board members to have and new copies made each year so board members have access to data needed to complete their projects or answer questions from members. This includes minutes- agendas- brochures letters sent- projects – web site- emails replied to etc This is not ‘official’ but useful data. (In the past one file box of information has been passed around – been misplaced, disorganized, not always available to the people who need information. In this new computer age most of us on the board have computers and most information now originates on a computer. It should in theory not be a big deal for each board member who keeps a chamber file in their computer- to copy that to a disk so we can all share the data. In this way any of us could print up copies of adds, fliers, membership forms , have the letterhead-logo to do correspondence etc.

Yearly accomplishments to continue as a tradition

Starting with the new year in Jan: organized by the month so we know what subjects to address at which board meetings

Throughout the year maintain web site Miles and Annette. Answer internet and other correspondence Miles Annette Diane

Also have representation at the Nenana Wellness weekly meetings. (Miles usually attends to give a Chamber report – look out for Chamber interests and get information to bring back to the Chamber members )

Jan—Nominating committee of 2 to for nominations for board members to be dealt with by March membership meeting

Feb—working on March membership meeting by doing yearly mail outs to all business people – this is our yearly membership drive.

March—work on general meeting in the form of a potluck dinner at Senior center for the purpose of celebration – reviewing the year- dissemination of info and getting new members.

Table at tripod days Civic Center table shared by Diane and whoever else will do this – Miles fills in when he can set up near by. put out mugs literature etc to promote chamber and encourage membership, answer questions.

April - May – preparation for summer – review open market opening – work on or replace banners- if needed and decide on any new banners. Decide on any summer advertising if budget allows . Look at market tent and signage for repairs or replace, decide on any market policy changes – ensure lot will be ready and clean

June start weekly open market . A booth at river days. Banner up at River days (Banner up all summer ? Weekends?)

During summer- Highway clean up –banner up and down

July open market each week 4^th of July feed –something simple Marylyn source for food and other items Chamber buys through store. (Diane’s property? ) Use of our tent (Christine?) Who will do this? Bob gets items from town if needed Miles help set up . This is one of our few fund raisers.

Aug open market each week. Think about pictures for birthday calendar

Sept Work on birthday calendar review names get a report(Marilyn) contract with Diane to get new print price decide how many etc Decide on pictures used – a price etc. Annette will do picture work. Wrap up Open market- store tent and sign (Miles)

Oct Welcome dinner – Just a community fun time welcoming new people followed by fund raiser dessert auction. At civic center simple potluck –decorate with Virginia pumpkins-- pay for a clean up.

Nov—set up at Xmas bazaar

Dec Review year- look at our accomplishments think of new goals or changes review budget begin thoughts for new year –the nominating committee Think what to do for hosting Highways meet in (what year—‘soon’ need to start planning!) Review mission statement – review by-laws (or do this after new people on board after nominations elections?)

Send someone to Highways companion meet each year

What we will probably not do

Until we get more members and have more time we will not put on any workshops. We will not arrange for any guest speakers except for at the march dinner –possibly the welcome dinner –probably not

There will no longer be an awards banquet till we feel up to it

There will be no fund raisers except those mentioned

There will be no membership drives except the yearly mail outs for member dinner in March

There will be no effort to seek grants unless someone volunteers

Any other projects duties added will be ‘considered’ but the one proposing needs to be the spearhead and driving force behind the proposal. This looks like a full agenda and we should be happy if we can do the above to the best of our ability. Lets not burn out.

Last years accomplishments summed up

Birthday Calendar The year started with the new updated birthday calendar. The choice of having Mary Dimentief on the cover turned out to be a nice show of respect as she passed away and was one of the most respected members of our community.

Nenanaopoly This was a game we spent a lot of time working on , reviewing figuring out how to make happen. In the end we decided not to follow through. The response from the community did not indicate this would be a successful venture, but we did end up with a very nice painting (that was the cover) of a Nenana scene by Alice Sharrock

Web site Throughout the year the Nenana homepage spot on the web was paid for at $29 a month. Emails were replied to. Many tourist these days search the web when planning their itinerary, resulting in tourist inquires. One such inquiry has resulted in one permanent Nenana resident who moved here from PA after finding out site! It has had over 30,000 visits and this homepage offers links to all Nenana business and organizations. Annette and Miles worked on some new banners and pictures

Open Market This was a new project for 2004 season and all summer each Saturday the Chamber put on an open market offering the opportunity for people to set up and sell about anything they had. Much time was spent discussing what to set it up for –just a farmer market? Just a Saturday market? We worked out the land agreement with the city and got a prime spot by the Taku Chief boat at the entrance to Nenana. Signs had to be made on a small budget. Tents had to be acquired. We had several issues come up we had to work out like what to charge and how big spaces should be and a couple of issues to deal with. In general we feel this is something we wish to continue and hope it grows. Several tour busses stopped and people asked questions –including the drivers – who all got to meet a few of our business people who were set up. The Spencer’s and Virginia Young were especially enthusiastic about the market.

Senior Olympics We had the plan to sponsor a footrace for senior Olympics and spent time on this- especially Christine. It was heartbreaking when there was to much smoke and the whole event was called off . We had invested a lot of time and money. It had looked like a good thing to promote and help with. One positive spin off- the outhouse set up for the race was considered handy for swimmers at the pond!

Signs Throughout the summer the ‘Welcome to Nenana’ banner was across the road Gene Jensen with Diane are most responsible for getting the sign up and down. Christine Shields made a new one to hang under this for the open market. . This main banner was designed to have other banners hung underneath it such as ‘River Days’ ‘4^th of July’ "iron dog race’ ‘Open market’ are just a few of the signs made to hang to promote Nenana events. Each organization is responsible for providing the small banners but so far the Chamber has done this.

Highways Companion meeting The Chamber has been sending representatives of our community to this annual event. I personally consider this the single most important event to attend in terms of the most bang for our buck – accomplishing the most for our community business people. This addresses tourism in the biggest way possible. The purpose of the meet is to gather representatives of all the communities along the highway system and get us to share and work together on tourism. We get to meet with the most influential people in tourism in the state including railroad ship cruises, the parks, the airlines, owners of lodges, Princess etc. We all exchange brochures for our visitor centers, and pass out any cards, brochures our members hand us to distribute. We get statistics of all kinds from surveys done on tourist habits. We discuss chamber fund raising and methods that work – what business people want from chambers in general and such. So a lot of information is exchanged that is then passed out and shared with communities. As a result of Nenana’s strong support of this group Nenana will be the host community I think it is in 2 years . We can expect about 80 people to attend and spend 2-3-maybe 4 days in our community. This will include a whose who of important people in tourism. There is nothing we can do greater then this for Nenana when it comes to tourism. This meeting could put Nenana on the map when it comes to tourism. The biggest question now really is –do we want tourism in Nenana? Showing key representatives along the road and connected to tourism that Nenana is a great place- could help us a lot but if these people leave with the feeling we are a dead end place filled with people who do not care –this could set tourism back 20 years (in my opinion) In put on this subject from members and the community is critical. If you want tourism or do not want it speak up!

4^th of July The Chamber set up a food stand in Diane’s front yard. This was the biggest success ever. In the past we had tried to put on good meals of ribs. It had been a lot of work and cost and not a lot of good results (Well at least once it worked but Endil gave it his personal touch and Roughwoods had a secret source of quality ribs) But this past year we decided to offer simple food- hot dogs hamburgers pop, and this seems more what people respond positively to. This is one of our few fund raisers.

Welcome dinner We put on our annual welcome dinner. This is a community potluck designed to introduce ourselves and welcome the new people in our community. We have changed each year the exact way we set this up and hope each year it gets better. Business people have the opportunity to put up a poster advertising there business or organization. The hope is the new residents will be introduced and hopefully seek local business out as an option to going to Fairbanks. Also we simply want to be a friendly community that cares about it’s new residents. Believing a happy community results in good business for everyone. This even has with it an annual desert auction and once again this proved to be a successful fundraiser.

Crucial Conversations sponsor A class was offered in Nenana by the folks who wrote the national best seller ‘Crucial Conversations’ mostly brought about by magistrate Paul Verhagen. The coarse helps teach people how to deal with stressful situations in an acceptable manner, in all aspects of our lives. The Chamber put up $100 to help someone take the coarse. The money was put in a pool with other donations and those who ran the class decided who would most benefit from this coarse who didn’t have the money. The Chamber felt this is of concern to us because healthy economics depends on us as individuals and organizations being able to meet- communicate, work together.

Letter of support A letter of support to the Nenana Racing Association for the race track project was written voted on approved and given to the Racing lions at a crucial time when they needed community support in order to get funding.

Remaining in existence Yes oddly this is one of the greatest accomplishments of all.

All the money we have to work with is supplied out of the pockets of local people through membership or fundraisers. Much of what board members do is ‘work’ and not ‘fun’. It is easy to wonder why we give up time with families friends and just personal time , to work on projects that seem sometimes so thankless. Many of us have simply burned out. The good news is we have managed to stay together and do some things that I think we can be proud of.