Amador County Chamber News

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Bragging Rights - your Chamber worked hard in 2009

Like many small businesses, we don't take the time to stop and smell the roses. With a struggling economy and an uncertain future, our daily efforts are full-time endeavors to attain our goals, to maintain our status, and to retain our customers. It is difficult to find the time to reflect on our accomplishments and to reward ourselves with pride and satisfaction.

We are often asked, "What does the Chamber do?", and we respond with the generic manual script of benefits and advantages of Chamber membership. That, in itself is impressive, but there is so much more that goes on in the 'world of Chamber'. And in 2009, we saw many changes, added networking events and programs for our members, increased website visibility and access for our members and community, partnered with local groups and organizations to help and support their needs in these challenging times, and renewed many former member relationships as part of our 2009 goals.

We really don't blow our own horn. And we should. We want to share with you how valued your membership is and how we put it to work for you. Here is a handful or our accomplishments, partnerships and benefits achieved in 2009:

Chamber Mixers - We saw some of our best-attended mixers in 2009, with an increase in membership
Continued partnerships and commitments with various groups and organizations like Interfaith Food Bank, and their drop-off location businesses
Support Our Troops - New "Support our Troops" campaign for locals and visitors to send cards of thanks to our servicemen and women.
Ribbon Cuttings for new Amador businesses, relocations and satellite offices, like the Historical Society in Jackson, and Volcano Communications in Ione.
Amador County Fair booth partnerships with local business and groups to design the best representation of our beautiful community to all fair visitors
Gold Rush Development - The Chamber Board of Directors proudly endorsed the Gold Rush Development in Sutter Creek
Golden Nugget Awards Dinner - In partnership with the Jackson Rancheria, we keep Margaret Dalton's dream alive by honoring Amador County's unsung heroes every year. This has successfully become one of the county's most prestigious and sought after awards.
Business Person of the Year - The Chamber recognizes Amador County's successes with an annual dinner for our leading business people, in appreciation for their commitment to the community through hard work and achievements. This sold out affair truly honors those who have given back while going forward.
Roast & Toast Dinner - Our first roast in appreciation of the Chamber's Director of the Year was held to thank Jack Mitchell, Ledger Dispatch publisher.
Amador County Chamber of Commerce Trade Show Mixer - In partnership with Jackson Rancheria, our second annual trade show was again a sold-out affair for member vendors. This venue offers a one-of-a-kind community interaction for our chamber members, giving them an opportunity to show off their business, their services and their benefits.
Media Relations, local and regional - Our symbiotic relationship with the Ledger-Dispatch has been a boon for our members, and has proven to be a key to the success of communication through technology; we partnered with KCRA 3, Sacramento in featuring our local attractions, and popular nuances of Amador County; we maintain ongoing correspondence with the Sacramento Bee, Sacramento Magazine and the Stockton Record, and have recently entered into a program with CBS. We are their first contact and we refer and recommend.
New county maps - We produced new maps to include our newest developments and growth in our county
New enhanced website - The chamber's website now offers 'everything Amador' to visitors, providing a hub for connections to all our government offices, clubs, organizations, events, lodging, attractions, history and historical sites and so much more. The site offers online membership, E-blast payments, calendar submissions and so much more. This resource is the first stop to visiting Amador County.
New Online Newsletter - The newest feature to the website was our online newsletter. Emailed to every member each month, as well as hundreds of subscribed readers, our online newsletter allows for online reading or printed material. Advertisers receive the benefit of worldwide exposure and their ads remain on the site in the archives sections for years.
Visitor Alerts - Our new emailed visitor alert blasts are sent to chamber members, organizations and even local law enforcement to notify them of upcoming groups. Our notice gives us the opportunity to give our guests a proper welcome to Amador County.
Member-to-Member program - The Chamber Member-to-Member program is going strong and has seen an increase in member participation.
E-Blasts - Chamber members now have the privilege of sending our news and information through the Chamber E-Blast Program. Thousands of recipients are reached through a Chamber E-Blast.
Facebook and Twitter - Who isn't on Facebook, and who knows what Twitter really is about? Anyway, we jumped on the social network bandwagon in 2009 and plan to really promote and market in 2010.
Over 4000 Referrals - Our new membership software enables us to keep track of our referral count, and we try very hard to post them as we give them. We were surprised to see over 4000 referrals given out over the year, when it is virtually impossible to post every one of them. In fact, we were estimating we probably only record about 30% of them.
Student Project Assistance - California's 4th grade curriculum includes California History, and specifically The Gold Rush. Students must prepare a report and project based on research. They must gather information from almanacs, newspapers and periodicals and the Internet. Our new website has provided thousands of students the data they need about Amador County history.

These are a smattering of achievements your chamber has accomplished in 2009. We thank every member and every person that has been instrumental in attaining these. Just wait until you see what we have planned for 2010. That's coming next month!