Chamber members join together for 2019 breakfast
Numbers of participants in the Polk County Chamber of Commerce grew as they all celebrated together and drew the winner of a $1,000 prize during their annual membership appreciation breakfast.
It turns out that April Welch, who just finished a stint helping out with the Chamber and the Development Authority of Polk County and just moved to take a new job, had the winning ticket for the Holiday gift card drawing.
Welch moved to Newnan to take on Dean of Students at West Georgia Technical College in past weeks, and wasn’t present for last week’s drawing. Chamber Executive Director Blair Elrod said afterward that Welch would be thrilled to have the prize and the funds to “pay her already promised to use tithes at church.”
Last Wednesday’s annual meeting also marked a changing of the guard for 2019, as Debbie Ross came on as the new board chair and replaced Elizabeth Walls, who served in the role in 2018.
Ross said to Chamber members during the breakfast she looked forward to the challenge of adding to the roles in the year to come along with preparing for the 42nd annual Homespun Festival and much more.
Elrod added in her address to the gathered Chamber members that her goal was to find additional value propositions for those who are part of the organization in 2019.
“We here at the chamber hold our annual breakfast as a way to celebrate
our members,” Elrod said. “Small business is the backbone of our county and we are proud that each of them has chosen Polk County for their business to call home.”
Elrod was able to announce during her remarks that Chamber membership grew in 2019 to more than 280 members, with only three businesses that dropped out and only due to their closure in the past year.
The Chamber also heard from Business Development committee chair Zach Thomas, Workforce Development and Education committee chair Katie Thomas, and Janet Ross, the chair of the Government Affairs committee.
Chamber members also welcomed new board members in 2019 and include Polk County Standard Journal Editor Kevin Myrick, Cedartown First United Methodist Church Pastor Reverend Mike Broome and Daniel Bevels, who heads up public relations for Polk Medical Center, Anna Vaagen of South Marble Coffee Shop and Victoria Raymond of H&R Block of Cedartown and Rockmart.