Chamber balances budget

Friday, February 28, 2003

SIKESTON -- The Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce used its monthly luncheon meeting to provide some good news for its members.

During Thursday's monthly meeting, the SACC membership was informed, "it was a very successful year" for the Chamber by Jeff Partridge, the organization's secretary-treasurer. "We have a balanced budget with a bit of a surplus."

The financial statement provided by Partridge showed income of $184,744 while expenses totaled $174,353 for 2002.

Partridge attributed the positive numbers to community involvement and membership support. He said the board did not plan any dues increase for the coming year but would continue to use special events -- such as the barbecue competition during the rodeo -- as fund-raisers. Special events brought in $47,963 for the SACC in 2002.

Chamber president Debbie Glenn said she was pleased with the membership level currently at 546.

Benefits of membership, said Glenn, include the referrals made daily by the Chamber to those seeking information about the Sikeston area. The Chamber personnel logged in over 12,883 referrals during the past year ranging from questions about government and retail services to schools to real estate availability. In the past year the Chamber provided 4,228 maps of the area and gave out about 100 phone books monthly, she said.

Missy Marshall, executive director of the SACC, encouraged members to submit their nominations for the Chamber's annual banquet scheduled for April 10. Applications will be taken through Monday for Citizen of the Year, SACC Volunteer of the Year, Business of the Year, Small Business of the Year, Educator of the Year and Civic Group of the Year.

Also Marshall spoke about the Chamber's MAP testing awareness effort, which will be coordinated with Scott County Central Schools and Sikeston Public Schools on March 31. Members will greet students that morning, provide encouragement as testing begins and give away items to students.

"Those MAP scores are important to the school system and accreditation," said Marshall. "Also it says something to employers about what the future workforce will look like."

Those who would like to volunteer can contact the Chamber office.

Other upcoming Chamber and Civic events include:

· An antique appraisal show will be hosted by the Sikeston Depot from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 12 at the Sikeston High School Field House.

Tickets are $10 each and will go on sale next week. The buyer of a ticket will be eligible to have two items verbally appraised by a St. Louis appraisal company.

· March 7-8 will be the re-enactment of the Battle of Sand Ridge led by a re-enactment group from Sikeston. There will be activities at the Sikeston Depot as well as an encampment.

· The Kenny Rogers Children's Center Telethon is set for March 22 and 23 with the dinner auction planned for March 21.

· The next Chamber luncheon will be March 27 at the Jaycee Rodeo Grounds and will be the announcement of entertainers planned for this year's rodeo.

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