Building Economic Vitality And Community

thriving community, one that will sustain our families, keep our businesses open year round, attract our youth to return, and attract a skilled, motivated labor force, we need to create a dynamic synergy between each part of our community so that the whole can grow. 

Further she said that these individual parts, our families, schools, youth, businesses, employees, non-profits, service organizations, and public agencies, need a means to make connections, communicate with each other, and collaborate.  And that the Board of Directors of the Chamber feel this is the most significant role the Chamber can play in our community. That by making connections and facilitating communication between the parts, and acting as Collaborators and Coordinators, the Chamber can take a leadership role in building the thriving community that we all need and want.

To that end, the Chamber has instituted several new programs as a means of connecting, communicating and collaborating.  First was the new vision for Chamber Mixers, now called Town Talks, whereby ideas, programs and projects can be shared between members of organizations and public agencies, and the community. 

The second is a joint partnership between the Chamber, the County of Plumas (Sherrie Thrall, Supervisor District 3), Feather River College, and the Alliance for Workforce Development to engage in Town Walks with Team Almanor.  Town Walks are simply that, a walk with community leaders to visit our Lake Almanor Basin Businesses and ask: How are you doing? Do you have any business climate concerns? Do you have suggestions for building a stronger business community?  Ask, listen, and follow-up with resources or possible needed action.  Two Town Walks took place in May, one went from Hamilton Branch to Canyon Dam, the second hit a section of Chester. Team Almanor looks forward to taking up walks again at the end of the summer season.

The third Chamber program to facilitate communication and collaboration will begin this Fall with Town Coffees. Town Coffees will be informal get-togethers around key issues for businesses, organizations or community.  The Chamber has several topics outlined for the Fall, with more coming as ideas fill out.  Discussion of these topics will include current research, along with available resources, and examples of how others have addressed them.  A few of the topics that will be offered are: Increasing Retail Sales, Using Social Media to Promote your Business, Employee Recruitment & Training, Marketing the Lake Almanor Experience, and A Town Plaza for Year-Round Activities, which Bryner called her “pet project”.