Chamber Banquet
The St. James Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce plans for a Chamber Banquet! We will be recognizing the 2023 Business of the Year and honoring members who have celebrated landmark anniversaries in 2023 (10 yrs, 15 yrs, 20 yrs, etc.). Our banquet will be held on Wednesday, February 7 starting at 5:30pm at Plaza Jalisco. Please contact the Chamber office for more information or if you’d like to attend! Tickets are $15 for members and $17 for non-members. Chamber members have been asked to nominate a deserving business for the Business of the Year award, and the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors will determine the final winner. We are excited to gather together to celebrate our members and hope that you will join us!
Not everyone is aware of what the Chamber of Commerce does for a community. The mission of the St. James Chamber of Commerce is to provide necessary resources through communication and support to our business community in order to enhance and grow the economic and educational growth of St. James. The Chamber aims to support our members, so that our members can be successful and thrive. When our businesses succeed, our community succeeds! In order for our Chamber to fulfill our mission, it takes a team effort. We rely on financial support in the form of membership dues and sponsorships, we depend on volunteer support for various events, and we need engagement from our members to communicate their needs and wishes.
There are many ways our members can be involved, beyond their financial investment. We currently have openings on our Board of Directors. Our board meets once a month to support, guide, and oversee the Chamber’s activities and finances. We also have other committees and ways to become involved. One example is the St. James Salutators, which welcomes new members and recognizes businesses that have recently changed ownership, have remodeled, moved, etc. We also have planning committees for annual events such as Hot Dog Days, the Rail Run, and the Winter Carnival. If you don’t want to be involved with planning, but are willing to volunteer at events, we are always looking for that as well. We encourage you to reach out if you are interested in serving our community in any of these ways, and we can try to find a role that will fit your availability.
The Convention and Visitor’s Bureau is a branch of the Chamber and plays in integral part in marketing and tourism in St. James. The CVB recently completed a revised Visitor’s Guide that highlights our wonderful community. This Guide will be made available at Rest Areas throughout the state, as well as several locations locally. Some other projects of the CVB include purchasing the snowshoes for the Super 8 (which people can check out for free!), the purchase of the kayaks and paddleboards for rent at the St. James Outdoor Pool, and the Welcome Kiosk located between the pool and campground. The Chamber and CVB also work collaboratively to manage the www.discoverstjamesmn.com website.
One of the most utilized aspects of the Chamber is the Chamber Bucks program. Chamber Bucks can be purchased at the Chamber of Commerce office (602 2nd Ave. S.), and can be spent at our member businesses. This is a great way for residents to ensure local spending. Again, when we support our local businesses and they are able to succeed and thrive, our entire community benefits!
We are energized by our members and their support. If you are interested in becoming a Chamber member, please contact the Chamber office at 507-375-3333 or by email at stjmnchamber@gmail.com.