Chamber Vision August 2014 | Page 6

6 August 2014 Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau Chairman’s Corner Greetings and welcome “back to school” or as some call it August.  As we continue through the dog days, your chamber is busy gearing up for more big activities leading the way to a better, stronger Emporia. Ron Thomas Chairman of the Board First let me thank all of the board members who participated in our first Thanks for Shopping Emporia First Campaign.  Local shoppers were all smiles as they received chamber gift certificates and were given thanks for patronizing chamber businesses (checkout the photos on the chambers Facebook page). In an hour, over two hundred dollars was put back into Chamber businesses.  It feels good to give! The second annual Twinkies Festival was a huge success.  The Flinthills Mall parking lot was jammed with families (nearly 500 people) enjoying the many festivities.  Thanks to all of the sponsors and volunteers who made this great day possible.  The Twinkies Festival committee led by Jose Feliciano did an awesome job and a large shout out to Hostess for providing loads of great product and Twinkie the Kid.  It’s events like this that pull a community together and Hostess Emporia (the companies flagship plant) with their major expansion is a super thing to celebrate! There is no time to nap with a slew of ribbon cuttings, a day at the Capital in Topeka, Hornet Rally Swarm the Nest, EASCAR  and Business Symposium all coming soon. Please keep checking the Chambers website as staff is doing a great job with updates and photos. There are many good things happening in our community and as I hear it more on the way which leads me to say...It’s a great day in Emporia. Thank you for your membership and if you have any comments or suggestions on how the Chamber can better serve you please contact staff or me. Have a great August!