8A COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL NOVEMBER 1, 2017
CHAMBER NEWSLETTER
Our Mission: Th e Cottage Grove Area Chamber of Commerce promotes economic vitality through
advocacy and collaboration with its members and the larger community.
Director’s Note
Th e Board of Directors for the Cottage Grove
Chamber of Commerce will soon gather for their
annual strategic planning retreat. A great deal of
time will be spent discussing the current status of
the Chamber as well as if any changes in our mission
and focus should be made. As a group, we’ll look
at organizational goals from the past year and talk
about our successes and our failures. Our calendar
of events will be reviewed to see if, or when new
events and educational forums can or should be
added and where we might be trying to do too much.
Finally, we’ll establish our budget for the year and
make some hard decisions about what we want to
do, what we should do and what we are actually able
to do. Th e ultimate purpose of spending this time
Travis Palmer,
together is to review and revise the Chamber’s plan
Executive Director
for how to support businesses and foster a stronger
economy in Cottage Grove.
We strongly encourage all of our chamber-member businesses to provide feedback to our board
members about how the Chamber of Commerce can help establish a stronger and more diverse business
community. If you like what we are doing, please tell us and tell other businesses owners so they too can
join the Chamber and support the ongoing economic development of Cottage Grove. If you have ideas
about how we can improve, please contact the Chamber offi ce or one of our board members and let us
know right away. If your business is not yet a member of the Chamber and you want to talk about how
to shape the future of Cottage Grove’s business community, our staff and board members would love to
speak with you about how to become a member and get involved. If, your business has been struggling
to grow, it may be time to take a good, hard look at your business plan and make some decisions about
how you want your business to move forward and how you want to see the community develop.
I want to thank all of the businesses and individuals who support the local economy through their
membership in the Cottage Grove Area Chamber of Commerce. It is those who show up, and those
who speak up, whose voice and ideas will be heard. Please pick up our directory or visit our website at
www.cgchamber.com to see a complete list of our members and thank them for making Cottage Grove
a better place to live, work, and conduct business.
CHAMBER NEWS
During this season of Th anksgiving we want to off er a Special Th anks to the following businesses for
their expression of confi dence over the years through continuous support with their membership of
25 years or more!
Army Corps of Engineers
25
Auto Art Body & Paint, Inc.
27
Banner Bank
35
Birch Avenue Dental, Inc.
35
Bob Baysinger
31
Brad’s Cottage Grove Chevrolet, Inc.
25
Carl’s Jr.
26
City of Cottage Grove
25
Coast Fork Nursing Center, Inc.
29
Cottage Grove Ranger Station
31
Cottage Grove Sentinel
35
Dot’s Trophy Shop
36
Emerald People’s Utility District
33
Farmers Insurance Group
26
First American Title Insurance Company
35
Giff ord & Giff ord LLP, Attorneys at Law
27
Grace Olson
32
Hoyer Accounting
28
Jim’s Point S Tire and Auto Service
32
KNND 1400AM
30
Lane Community College Cottage Grove Center
31
Les Schwab Tire Centers
35
McDonald’s Restaurant
32
Northwest Community Credit Union
35
Northwest Natural
35
Pacifi c Power
30
Pacifi c Yurts, Inc.
35
PayneWest Insurance
35
PeaceHealth Cottage Grove Community Medical Ctr
31
RG Media Company
35
Smith-Lund-Mills Funeral Chapel & Crematorium
51
South Lane School District
35
South Lane Wheels, Inc.
29
Starfi re Lumber Company
Th e Flower Basket & Gift Boutique
Umpqua Bank
Weyerhaeuser Company
Wildish Sand & Gravel Co.
33
33
35
35
25
Board Member Election Results
Th e Cottage Grove Area Chamber of Commerce is a nonprofi t membership organization 501 (c) (6).
Th e role of the Board of Directors is to advise, govern, oversee policy and direction, and assist with
the leadership and general promotion of the Cottage Grove Area Chamber of Commerce so as to
support the organization’s mission and needs. All nonprofi t boards are responsible for setting policy.
However, members of “working boards” such as ours are responsible for implementing the policy as
well.
Reaching out to our members seeking those who will serve on the board for a two year term begins in
July each year. A slate of candidates is presented to the board by the nomination committee. Because
we are a membership organization, our members have the right to petition additional names of
candidates to serve on the Chamber Board. As there were no petitions fi led, board nominations are
closed and the nominated slate of candidates was declared elected by the Board of Directors at the
October board meeting. Th ose who will serve for the 2018/2019 term are:
Cassie Barrong – Oregon Aviation Historical Society
Bret Munk – Canna Closet
Lloyd Williams – South Lane Television
Ryan Giff ord – Giff ord & Giff ord, Attorneys at Law
A special thanks to you for your commitment to our community and assisting in our goal to make
Cottage Grove a better place to live and do business!
Chamber Board of Directors Retreat
We’d like to off er special thanks to Enhanced Members Cottage Grove Sentinel, Lane Electric, and
Pacifi c Power for supporting our annual Board of Directors Retreat. Th is meeting is of signifi cant
importance to the Chamber because it sets the course and the tone for how we will off er support to
the local business community. At the retreat our board members get an in depth look at the Chamber
Mission as well as the annual budget. Th ey look at the previous years’ successes and failures and
determine each committee’s goals for the upcoming year. We sincerely appreciate the time and
dedication that each of our board members brings to the table. Without their eff orts, the Cottage
Grove business community would not be what it is today. Th anks again to our sponsors, supporters,
and those who volunteer their time and knowledge to make this all possible.
Support Chamber member businesses and our local economy - “Shop Local and Shop Chamber
Members fi rst”! - With the arrival of fall, we are reminded of the season of thanksgiving and all
that we have to be thankful for. Th e Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce would like to send our
members a special thank you. Th ank you for participating in chamber membership, by doing so you
are also participating in the economic growth and development of the Cottage Grove community.
Aft er all, when you own a local business where are you generally doing business? Locally, right?
When asked to name our favorite restaurant, café, or shop, it is typically a unique Cottage Grove
shop with personal appeal. Our town is loaded with these types of businesses. Th e challenge is that
these local merchants rely on our business. Without us as shoppers they could close their doors. Th e
Cottage Grove Area Chamber of Commerce would like you to consider redirecting some of your
spending this holiday season. When local shoppers spend $100 in Cottage Grove, $45 of that revenue
actually goes back into the local economy, in the form of wages, rents, and materials. If we spend
that same $100 in Eugene little to none will come back to Cottage Grove. So let’s “Th ink Local” this
holiday season - Th ere is literally something for every shopper at our local businesses. In one day of
shopping you can support a myriad of businesses and meet the goal of your shopping needs.
Th e day aft er Th anksgiving is the biggest shopping day of the year. We encourage you to “Th ink Lo-
cal” and shop Cottage Grove for all your holiday needs!
Fall Tip: Protect your businesses and yourselves.
In the fall and especially in Cottage Grove, the leaves start coming down off the trees pretty fast. If the
sidewalk in front of your business starts collecting leaves, be sure to sweep or blow them off as quickly
and as oft en as possible. Leaves hide bumps and cracks in the sidewalk that may cause a person to
have a serious fall. Th ey can also get very slippery when they accumulate even a small amount of
moisture. It only takes a few minutes and removing leaves and other debris from areas where people
walk by your business not only prevents injury and potential lawsuits, but it also makes your business
look good and is more inviting to potential customers.
2017 Chamber Board of Directors, Advisors and Staff
Cottage Grove Area Chamber of Commerce
700 E. Gibbs • Cottage Grove, OR • P. (541) 942-2411
info@cgchamber.com • www.cgchamber.com
2017 Chamber Board of Directors:
Thank you for your hours upon hours of volunteer time, commitment, and service!
Offi cers
Candace Solesbee, President
Chloe Beckes, Vice President
Ruth Linoz, Secretary
Gary Manly, Treasurer
Joe Raade, Past President
Shampoo Dolls Salon
Jack Sprats
South Lane Wheels
Cottage Grove Sentinel
South Lane County Fire & Rescue
Directors
Cassie Barrong
Ryan Gifford
Dean Kruschke
Bret Munk
Layla Beth Munk
Shuana Neigh
Danny Solesbee
Don Williams
Lloyd Williams
Judd Van Gorder
Oregon Aviation Historical Society
Gifford & Gifford Attorneys at Law
Cascade Home Center
Canna Closet
CG Body Studio
Busterʼs Main Street Café
Five Flying Monkeys
Retired, Past Board President
South Lane Television
Carousel House B&B and Catering
Advisors
Tim Herrmann
Celeste Krueger
Richard Meyers/Mike Fleck
Garrett Bridgens
PeaceHealth Cottage Grove Community Medical Center
Pacifi c Power
City of Cottage Grove
South Lane School District
Visitor Center Volunteers:
Heidi Abbott, Dotti Bittner, Tara Sue Hughart, Susan Jeppesen, Suzy Kanich,
Marie Longfellow, Judd Van Gorder, Sharon Van Gorder, Penny Westling, Nolene
Wheeler.
Staff:
Travis Palmer, Executive Director
Beth Martin, Offi ce Manager
Mavis Bradsby, Bookkeeper
Jessica Baker, Membership
Developement Coordinator
Five Year Vision Statement:
Th e Cottage Grove Area Chamber of
Commerce promotes Cottage Grove as
a prosperous destination community.
Economic vitality is at the heart of
everything we do. As a resource for
businesses, we are the conduit that provides
advocacy, marketing, education, and
networking opportunities to over 300
members.