By Jim Milkule, Presidenty/CEO
Today marks my one-year anniversary as President/CEO of the Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce. During the past year we hosted 14 programs including State of the Burg and Leaders Breakfasts, and over 500 members attended these programs. We also hosted 111 events ranging from Ribbon Cuttings (95 this year) to Fun After 5s to the Food & Wine Festival. Our hallmark event, the Light the Night Christmas Parade will grace Main Street next week. The attendance at the past year’s events was nearly 34,000 with the significant majority of that number attending the 2023 Christmas Parade.
The Chamber also took on a fingerprinting operation for background checks. Since we began this service in mid-September, we have processed 366 individuals. We have provided this service to doctors, nurses, childcare providers, CDL holders and numerous other occupations that require a full background check by the State of Texas.
In addition to the events and programs, the Chamber manages social media feeds (over 9,000 followers) and an active website that includes our job bank. Soon the website will have a Housing Bank for our members’ new employees looking for an apartment or home to rent. Year to date, our website has had 45,000+ unique visitors. We also produce four newsletters: Weekly Member Newsletter, Weekly Update Newsletter, Monthly Governance Newsletter, and Quarterly Economic Newsletter. The newsletter distribution list has grown 10% year to date with nearly 2,100 subscribers.
It constantly amazes me that our slim staff along with a small army of volunteers are able to execute all the programs, events, social media, website and newsletters. We are also supported by two outside event pros who produce our Light the Night Christmas Parade and the Food & Wine Festival.
Now that small army! The front line are the Chamber’s Ambassadors. We have 15 Ambassadors who attend the ribbon cuttings, support events such as Fun After 5 by handling registration and assist at the annual banquet. These Ambassadors have logged over 850 hours of volunteer time year to date. After they help us “light the night,” they will have logged nearly 1,000 hours!
We are also blessed with numerous members who help with events, especially the Christmas Parade. As you can imagine, the parade requires more than 50 volunteers to set up, manage float line-up, work the After Glow Party and clean up after everyone has left Markplatz. These members who do this work easily add another 200+ hours to the volunteer total.
Then there is there is the Chamber Board of Directors, 13 leaders dedicated to our community. In addition to meeting as a board almost every month, the group volunteers at every Chamber event or program. Starting with setting up the annual awards banquet, helping staff with coffee breaks at State of the Burg, cleaning up after a Leaders Breakfast, setting up the golf course for the golf tournament, distributing water at the Food & Wine Festival, and putting in a full day at the Christmas Parade. They are truly a working Board!
With my anniversary landing the day before Thanksgiving, I am very, very thankful for our members and volunteers, our talented/energetic team, and especially our dedicated Board of Directors!
Have a blessed Thanksgiving!
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