Mobridge Area Chamber News

We wish you a Prosperous and Happy New Year! January 2014 Edition TABLE OF CONTENTS: 1. Ice Fishing Expo & Tourney 2. Director's Desk Editorial The mission of the Mobridge Chamber of Commerce is to provide community leadership that encourages and works for economic growth in business, industry and tourism; thereby enhancing the quality of life in the area we serve. The Chamber will represent the interests and advancement of its members while promoting responsible principles in the conduct of business and government. 3. MEDCO News 4. Guest Editorial by Robert & Cheryl Maisch 5. Holiday Festivities & Membership Reminder 6. 1st Quarter Events & Member Holiday Celebrations 7. What's next for 3B? 8. Chamber Board, Staff & Committee Information 9. Calendar Mobridge Area Chamber News Chamber Tourism Committee Takes the Ice Volunteers on the Mobridge Area Chamber of Commerce's Tourism Committee are currently gearing up for their 13th Annual Ice Fishing Expo and Tournament. The Expo will be Thursday, January 9 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday, January 10 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Scherr Howe Event Center. A panel of local fishermen will address a variety of issues Thursday at 7 p.m. On Saturday, January 11, 500 2-man teams will compete for over $175,000 in prizes. Even if you aren't a fisherman in the tournament, you can participate in the event's fantastic raffles. The first raffle is for a prize package worth more than $14,500. It includes a Bobcat UTV, Clam Ice House, Vexilar Flasher and Strikemaster Auger and tickets are $20 each. The drawing for the prize package will take place at the weigh-in January 11. The second is the Best Seat in the House Raffle. The winner gets front row seating for 2 in La-Z-Boy recliners, a cooler filled with beer of their choice, 5 raffle tickets for each prize table and two free meals from the food station. Tickets are $10 each. This drawing will be held on January 10. You need not be present to win either raffle, and tickets may be purchased at the Mobridge Area Chamber. If you have any questions, please give us a call at 845-2387. 1

New Possibilities in a New Year I always get excited about starting a new year. It's like moving to a new town or a new job--full of unknown opportunities and potential. It comes with an ability to reinvent yourself and reassess your priorities. I'm a planner by nature, so my favorite tool to take with me in to a new venture is... an evaluation of the old venture. From the Director's Desk Haden Merkel Executive Director That probably sounds boring, but just think about the Annual Banquet as an example. We had a 25% response rate on the little evaluations at every place setting this year (which is really good). On a scale of 1-4, 1 being poor and 4 being excellent, the dinner and entertainment scored highest (3.4 and 3.6 respectively) while the social hour, bar, and meeting needed more improvement. Thanks to guest comments, we've realized that giving each table two wine tickets and having guests pick two complimentary bottles of wine--in their favorite varieties--will make for happier attendees and less waste. Other ideas we'll implement include printing a schedule of events on the tickets, adding a coffee station, and having more bartenders during social hour to shorten lines. We are also using evaluation to improve other areas of our work. Many members have returned 2014 surveys about their experience with the Chamber and how we can improve our service to them. We now record how many information requests come into our office, from which states, and for what kinds of information. We'll use the findings to inform outreach efforts and compete for grants. Many of our businesses rely on revenue from visiting sportsmen. We are working with leaders like the State Wildlife Division and Game, Fish, and Parks to analyze and evaluate data of interest to local businesses. How can we improve access to our resources for tourists and optimize those resources through targeted habitat protection? These are questions we can answer and then act on. Evaluation gives us feedback on how we can to improve. Venturing into 2014, I encourage each of you to look at the opportunities and possibilities open to you, your business, and our community. What evaluative information can you use to improve and how can the Chamber help? Please share your vision with us. We support you, and together, we can accomplish great things in our community! Wishing you a year of realized potential and seized opportunities, Haden 2

Michele Harrison Director The Mobridge Economic Development Corporation will again be participating with the State of South Dakota at the annual Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade Show (SHOT Show) in January. In 2013, the Governor s Office of Economic Development and 11 cooperating South Dakota communities produced 71 new leads from this show which is the largest and most comprehensive trade show for all professionals involved with the shooting sports, hunting and law enforcement industries. It is the world s premier exposition of combined firearms, ammunition, law enforcement, cutlery, outdoor apparel, optics and related products and services. The SHOT Show attracts buyers from all 50 states and more than 100 countries. Because of South Dakota s hunting friendly atmosphere and because of our business friendly tax structure, companies in this industry are beginning to look at relocating from less desirable states and your MEDCO Board of Directors want to make sure that Mobridge is made visible to these entities. I will be working diligently at this trade show to make sure attendees understand the amenities that the Mobridge area has to offer. 3

meandering around mobridge FLYING THE FLAG A MARK OF RESPECT Guest Editorial By Robert and Cheryl Maisch (All Rights Reserved) According to 2011 Pew Research Center studies 33 percent of adults ages 18 to 29 have had an immediate family member (spouse, parent, sibling or child) who served in the armed forces. For adults age 50 and older 77 percent have had an immediate family member who served in uniform. Further, according to the Pew Research Center only half of 1 percent of the population served on active duty from 2001 to 2011. During WWII 9 percent served on active duty. Right now 19 percent of congressional legislators have served on active duty. The peak of congress members having had active duty was 80 percent in 1977. Flying the flag is one way to mark proper patriotic respect for our country and its veterans. Remember Old Glory and remember the official 2014 flag flying days. OFFICAL 2014 FLAG FLYING DAYS January 1 New Year s Day January 20 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day February 12 Lincoln s Birthday February 17 Washington s Birthday May 8 VE Day May 11 Mother s Day May 17 Armed Forces Day May 26 Memorial Day June 14 Flag Day June 15 Fathers Day July 4 Independence Day September 1 Labor Day September 2 VJ Day September 11 Patriot Day October 13 Columbus Day November 4 Election Day November 11 Veterans Day November 27 Thanksgiving Day December 7 Pearl Harbor Day December 25 Christmas Day 4

Santa & Scrooge Visit Mobridge The Make It Mobridge Committee of the Mobridge Area Chamber worked hard to come up with events that would keep shoppers in Mobridge this December. Although snowy weather but some crinkles in the original plan, the events went well overall. Holiday Festivities & Chamber Membership Reminder The Annual Parade of Lights was originally scheduled for December 6 and Santa Land for December 7. The parade was cancelled on Monday and Santa Land postponed in order to give local media a chance to get word out to the community. Impending bad weather and a resulting lack of participation were both factors in the cancellation (we only had 6 businesses sign up). The Committee is considering retiring the Parade of Lights and doing a storefront decorating/lighting contest among businesses instead for next year. Scrooge Night was the next event for the committee. Members wanted to see the old event resurrected. Scrooge Night falls on the Thursday before Christmas. Chris Bowie, employee of PIC, played a very ornery Scrooge, and the Chamber gave out $425 in Mobridge Bucks and quite a lot of chocolate coal to shoppers. A special thanks is due to local media for their extra dose of help with Scrooge Night this year. Chamber staff were not aware that local businesses offered special deals on Scrooge Night in the past, and the Dakota Radio Group and Mobridge Tribune realized this and helped notify businesses about the event and advertising opportunity in the 11th hour. To our businesses who had to act on such short notice, we apologize and will do it differently next year. Santa Land was postponed until Saturday, December 21. A special thanks to Duane Martin who hooked us up with Santa this year. The jolly Kris Kringle can be hard to find at times! We really appreciated his help--and the many children who visited the event loved being able to meet Santa in person. Thanks as well to Ted Ford for helping with set up and tear down at the Scherr Howe and for the MMA Thrift Store for their valuable partnership in the event. 2014 Membership Reminder Have you sent in your 2014 Chamber Investment yet? We really appreciate your support of our organization and hope to serve you again next year! Please contact the Chamber office at 845-2387 if you have questions about your membership! 5

Make It Mobridge Spices Up the 1st Quarter The Mobridge Area Chamber of Commerce's Make It Mobridge Committee met on Wednesday, December 11 at noon to discuss 1st Quarter Events for the Mobridge Community. Meetings are held once a quarter and open to the public. This quarter's meeting was held at Last Chance Bar & Grill. 1st Quarter Events & Member Celebrations The Committee came up with three different events they feel will improve 1st Quarter sales among Mobridge retailers. With holiday spending completed and tax season looming, the 1st Quarter tends to be a sluggish one for the community, and the Committee is hopeful that they can identify events that bring people to Mobridge in the future. The Committee is planning a Dog Days of Winter Sale for Saturday, Feb. 1 and Sunday, Feb. 2. The community-wide sale will work much like Scrooge Day. Member retailers should let the Chamber office know if they are participating in the event by no later than Wednesday, January 15 to be included in Committee advertising. Dacotah Bank employees wore ugly sweaters and donated canned goods to MMA in the spirit of Christmas! Larsen's Jewelry staff and friends welcomed Chamber members for an open house and plenty of holiday cheer on Friday, Dec. 12. Ideas for community events that day are welcome--one idea right now is a Blizzard BBQ Contest. Participating businesses would sponsor and host a BBQ contestant and customers would visit the businesses and vote for their favorites. The Committee is also planning to host a Valentine's Day Dance on Friday, February 14. The dance will be held from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the Scherr Howe Event Center. Popular love songs from the 50s and 60s will be played from 8-9 p.m., 70s and 80s from 9-10 p.m., and 90s to today from 10-11 p.m. Tickets will be $10 per person. Show your receipt from a participating local restaurant, dated that night, and get your tickets at 1/2 price! Finally, the Committee is planning a St. Patty's Day Pub Crawl with local bars. The Committee is going to be selling reusable pub crawl cups for $10. Participating bars will offer one free drink for everyone who comes in with their cup. They will also be having specials and events for the evening to ensure anyone who misses it will be green with envy the next day! Chamber Members Celebrate the Holidays Dacotah Bank's Ugly Sweater Contest was a blast and Larsen's Jewelry got in the spirit with a Chamber Member Open House! Check out their pictures in the left-hand column of this page-- thanks for sharing your holiday joy with us! 6

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 What's Next for the 3B Committee? In July 2004, the City of Mobridge began to collect a sales tax from customers of all lodging accommodations, bars, and restaurants within Mobridge city limits. Resulting tax money can be used to 1) build, maintain, and operate civic buildings, and 2) promote and advertise the city, its facilities, attractions, and activities. (14-4-5) What's next for 3B? When the tax was being implemented, many 3B businesses felt the Chamber would be the best organization to look out for their interests. The City agreed that all proceeds of the tax would be distributed to the Chamber, which would then split it into three pots of money. Sixty percent would go to the Chamber for 3B tax uses, 30% would go to MEDCO, and 10% would be placed in a Chamber reserve fund for special needs. Ideally, the promotion and advertising of Mobridge and the upkeep of its civic buildings, would bring more tourism to Mobridge and increase gross sales for the same businesses charged with collecting the tax from customers. Although it's impossible to prove the Chamber's use of 3B funds is the reason for the increase, the total revenue generated by 3B businesses has increased from about $1.9 million in 2005 to about $2.8 million in 2012--what we think is a good sign! $3,250,000.00 $2,750,000.00 $2,250,000.00 $1,750,000.00 Year Total Revenue for 3B Businesses Year Total Revenue This means that in 2005, the Chamber's 3B Committee had a budget of about $34,300 to promote Mobridge (60% of the total collected), and in 2012, they had a budget of about $51,250. We have been using the additional funds to promote and advertise Mobridge. For example, with enough revenue to commit $20,000 to hard advertising (print, radio, online), we were able to apply for a matching grant from the SD Dept. of Tourism for another $20,000. We find out if we received the grant in early January. The Committee also agreed to donate $8,000 of reserve money annually to the pool project for the next 10 years--which is basically all the revenue 3B reserve generates. In 2005, the reserve brought in a total of $5,716.17 and in 2012 the total was $8,540.64. 7

Board of Directors Nicole Schneider, President Mobridge Regional Hospital 845-3692 Cindi Volk, Vice President Great Western Bank 845-7233 Brent Kemnitz, Treasurer MoRest Motel 845-3668 Chamber Board, Staff & Committee Information Karen Pfitzer Pfitzer Pest Control 762-3363 Jess Kraft Beadle Sales 845-3671 Jeana Sayler Dacotah Bank 845-3673 Jeff Jensen Jerry's Pawn & Gun Shop 845-3855 Staff Haden Merkel Luann O'Connell Executive Director Executive Secretary haden@mobridge.org luann@mobridge.org Chamber Office: (605) 845-2387 Fax: (605) 845-3223 Office Hours: Monday Friday 8:00 am 5:00 pm Committees North Central SD Economic Development 4 th Monday of each Month 4 pm Michele Harrison, Executive Director 845-5202 3B Tax Committee 1 st Friday of each Month Noon @ Pizza Ranch Haden Merkel, Chair 845-2387 Tourism Committee 3 rd Thursday of each Month 10:00am @ Chamber Rick Bolduan, Co-Chair 845-7277 Dawn Konold, Co-Chair 845-3654 www.mobridgeoutdoors.com Ambassadors/Ag Committee John Badgley, Chair 845-3664 Make It Mobridge Committee Haden Merkel, Chair 845-2387 8

January 2014 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Dec 31st, 2013 Kid's End of the Year Party A.H. Brown Library 1 2 Tourism Meeting Bridge City Coin & Stamp Club 3 3B Meeting 4 5 6 City Council Meeting 7 8 Chamber Board Meeting 9 Ice Fishing Expo 3pm - 8pm 10 Ice Fishing Expo 11am - 3pm 11 13th Annual Ice Fishing Tournament Moose German Food Buffet American Legion Meeting 13th Annual Ice Fishing Tournament Rules Meeting 12 Guys & Gals Dance at the Moose Lodge 13 14 15 16 Tourism Meeting 17 18 Laura Ernst performing at Scherr-Howe 19 20 City Council Meeting 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 9

Mobridge Chamber of Commerce 103 Main Street Mobridge, SD 57601 10