Chamber volunteers get busy with new projects
BECCA SOCHA EL CAMPO CHAMBER PRESIDENT

El Campo has many things going on. We have seen business improvements, along with new development.

NewFirst National Bank and the Shoe Department will open soon in the strip center across from Subway. El Campo Eye Center is building a new office on the Loop. Budget Inn has been painting and fixing up the outside and is now known as Ricebird Inn. Both Mary Johnson and Larry Russell State Farm Agencies have planted new flowers. IBC Bank is new inside the HEB store in the area where the film department was formerly located. Country Pets LLC owner Debi Ammann has opened a new dog grooming and care center on W. Norris just behind the Exxon station. New signs can be found at Gene's Wrecker Service, Cellular One and YK Communications.

I know I am behind on this one because I was at Pincher's in January when they were painting the outside and now it is completely painted bright yellow and looks awesome. It really stands out from the highway.

El Campo is definitely on the radar. We are being contacted about new growth. In the Chamber office on a daily basis we have representatives who come in and represent all sorts of businesses and scout our area to see what would be best in our area. Individuals are looking for business ideas to build on that would target the needs of both adults and children in El Campo. So if anyone has any suggestions on things they would like, give me a call and I will pass it on.

As many of us watch the news, it's depressing to learn about the failing economy our nation is suffering from. On the other hand, as for our small community of Wharton County and El Campo we are not. El Campo is up 4.03 percent in sales tax over last year ($38,397) Keep shopping locally. Remember it all goes back to improving our community. I know one thing I think would make a huge impact in the town is repainting all the curbs and parking lanes. The other day I was coming back to work and saw this being done at Firehouse Bar & Grill and went back by after they finished. What a difference it made. Can you imagine how bright that would be while driving through El Campo ? What a spring clean-up that would be.

The Chamber has several committees busy with projects. Membership committee members Andy Musgrove, Stacy Romo and Sallie Wilkins are working on a survey to go out to members asking what they would like the Chamber to do for them. Jake Brodsgaard has set up a committee and volunteered to work on a plan for a festival for our town. Jay Saucedo is chairman of the tourism committtee and is working on entry signs for all parts of town. The new Experience El Campo magazine is available for anyone to pick up at our office or at the display stands at Mikeska's and Prasek's. We also send them out to surrounding Chambers within an 80 mile radius to put on their display stands.

Our Chamber is gearing up for the 13th Annual Membership Appreciation Crawfish Boil on Monday, May 12 at the Civic Center. We are having Lady D and the Zydeco Tornadoes play this year.

Our membership continues to grow daily and we are very proud of the accomplishments the Chamber has been able to do with the help of so many members. We currently have 754 members. We are the largest nonprofit 501 C-6 group.

As a director for the Chamber I feel very blessed to see so many volunteers making El Campo a better place to live. I know volunteers of the Heritage Center have been working hard to finish that facility located in the com- plex of Boy's & Girl's Club, Northside Education Center and the El Campo Branch Library. What a great opportunity this will give the 55 and older group, to be able to come daily and be a part of the Heritage Center and all of its activities.

Look at the remarkable attractions El Campo has: El Campo Museum, El Campo Aquatic Center, El Campo Boy's & Girl's Club, Heritage Center, Northside Education Center, Wharton County Library, Showplace III, Silver Wings and El Campo Bowling Center.

We had a presentation at our last board meeting regarding the El Campo Little League, which is in the process of doing renovations. I hope anyone who can will make donations to this group to achieve their goal. In the early days El Campo was very fortunate to have many volunteers contribute time in building the park and maintaining it. It is now utilized by 753 children of all ages and needs upgrades just as anything does over a period of time. This volunteer group has 23 board members who all work for our children or grandchildren. Please jump on the band wagon and help them give our baseball program the quality of life our children deserve.