Join us for business after hours

If you want a little crazy weather, ask the Gothenburg Community Development Office to plan the annual awards presentation event. At least that's been the case the past two years, and it proved true again in 2019. We've postponed our Business After Hours & Awards until Thursday, March 21, at the same time and same place.

There are still folks out there confused by the Gothenburg Community Development Office, Gothenburg Chamber of Commerce and Gothenburg Improvement Company. Are they all the same thing? How are they different? Why are there three? Let me explain.

The Gothenburg Chamber of Commerce is a membership organization designed to promote the businesses in town and growth of our community. We also work to make connections with new residents, plan events such as Harvest Festival, advertise our attractions to tourists and take a seat at the table whenever discussions warrant. It's a nonprofit organization run by 12 board of directors. That's just a snippet. It would take far too many characters to explain it all.

Gothenburg Improvement Company is an organization of stockholders who volunteer their time toward economic development. These range from recruiting new businesses and working toward business retention to leading efforts such as passing a school bond issue, developing an economic development sales tax plan and pushing the fundraising for a new YMCA across the finish line. Right now, GIC is heavily involved in new housing development and early childhood learning, on top of marketing the former Baldwin Filters building to find a new community partner. It is run by a board of directors made up of 16 community leaders and the tasks they take on vary as much as the talents each brings to the board.

And simply put, the Community Development Office is the umbrella. The Community Development Office manages the day-to-day operations of both the Chamber and GIC under one roof.

So when the Community Development Office has its annual awards event — this year in a Business After Hours format — both the Chamber and GIC come together to honor a few folks that make Gothenburg the fabulous community that it is. All of this year's award recipients exemplify "The Gothenburg Way." A few kind words and a pretty plaque seem small when compared to what these folks have done for the community.

The event is free and open to the public. No tickets and no reservations required. We'll have some hors d'oeuvres, a cash bar and lots to fun. I hope you'll join us to recognize what's great about Gothenburg.

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