14 CHAMBER WORKPLAN 2010 January 2010 A note from the Executive Director Havre PRIDE Dear Chamber Members and Community, During the past year many volunteers worked to accomplish the goals set forth by the Chamber Board and the Chamber’s committees. Twenty different events and projects were organized by the Chamber, through the work of the Board or the Chamber Committees. The Chamber Board is made up of 16 volunteer business leaders, all of whom commit a substantial amount of their time to guiding the Chamber in a way that best benefits the membership and the community. Eleven committees make up the backbone of the Chamber. Events planned by the Chamber Committees are designed to promote the business community as well as the whole community. Many of the Chamber’s most visible projects include: Leadership High School, Festivals Days, Havre PRIDE, the community Holiday Celebration, the Ag Appreciation Banquet, the Big Money Ice Fishing Derby, Kicks @ 6! and S.A.T.U.R.D.A.Y. Market. All of these projects require the help of hundreds of volunteers, plus a significant level of hands-on time and commitment to accomplish the Chamber’s Mission, “sponsorship of programs which stimulate economic growth and civic development.” The volunteers who serve in leadership positions in our Chamber — from the committee chairs and members, to the Board of Directors, are civic entrepreneurs. Civic entrepreneurs are people who apply all of the traits we associate with business entrepreneurs — vision, leadership, risk-taking, perseverance and personal sacrifice — to better the quality of life in our community. These civic entrepreneurs bring together the individuals and groups whose participation and cooperation are necessary to continue to keep the Chamber strong and moving in a direction that looks to the future. Civic entrepreneurship involves bringing together community businesses and government leaders and persuading them to cooperate for the greater good of the community. In short, community entrepreneurship involves being both a facilitator and a catalyst to on-going community economic and business development all the while still pursuing a career or running a business. Our Chamber leaders are civic entrepreneurs in the highest and best sense of the concept. Each of us makes a difference in the life around us each day! We need to continue to use that gift into 2010 to make Havre an even better place by getting involved and taking part. (Debbie Vandeberg is Executive Director of the Havre Area Chamber of commerce.) Debbie Vandeberg Spring Havre PRIDE clean up. Courtesy photo