We really want to give you substance in our newsletters, but when we hear about some of the chicanery in the “membership drive” business, we have to pass on to you the consensus of what our Chamber clients think of us. That’s why the above quote is important enough to lead off this newsletter. We post all of the comments we receive on our “Quotes” page on www.chamberconnect.com. If someone were to give us a negative report, we would pass that on too. So far, we haven’t received any like that, and we pledge to all to conduct our Membership Events in a manner that would be a credit to the Chamber, the volunteers, and the community.

NETWORKING DEPT: A tip of the hat from all Chambers to the Crystal Lake (IL) Chamber for creating an annual mixer that combines networking and community responsibility.

This month the Chamber will put on its 6th Annual Hat Mixer to benefit pediatric cancer patients at the Children’s Memorial Hospital. This hospital is the #1 pediatric hospital in Illinois and the #3 in the nation for innovative treatments.

The HAT MIXER was started by a child, THOMAS MARTIN, and continues in his memory.

First held in 1999, the Hat Mixer raises funds to help children with cancer. Particularly this event is held to directly affect the quality and enjoyment of life of the lives of the sick children and their families. The sponsors and attendees agree that a moment of happiness, and a smile, in the midst of months or years of darkness is priceless.

One (or more) new hat for a boy or girl is the ticket to get into the mixer. Whether it is a ball cap, a Dr. Suess hat, or a commodore's hat, it doesn’t matter. A new hat for a kid undergoing chemotherapy is a wonderful gift.

The Chamber gets a number of sponsors that pay anywhere from $100 to $5,000 for the food and entertainment. Prizes are accepted by raffles and silent auctions, and ALL profits go to the Children’s Memorial Foundation.

It is a great networking mixer and an even greater cause.

Want more info?

Try www.hatmixer.com

CHILDREN DEPT: IT’S ANOTHER GIRL! Jimmy and Melissa brought another beautiful baby girl into the world on May 5, 2004. Big sister Morgan was with Melissa at the time of birth and excitedly called her dad to tell him that she has a sister (6-1/2 pounds, 20 inches). Jimmy and Lorraine were working with the Independence, Missouri Chamber at the time and didn’t expect little Calista Kelly before the weekend. Maybe that’s why Melissa sent me a bunch of cute jokes about precocious children. Here are just a few of them: ON TRUTH: A woman was trying hard to get the ketchup to come out of the bottle. During her struggle the phone rang so she asked her 4-year-old daughter to answer the phone. "It's the minister, Mommy," the child said to her mother. Then she added, "Mommy can't come to the phone to talk to you right now. She's hitting the bottle."

ON NUDITY: A little boy got lost at the YMCA and found himself in the women's locker room. When he was spotted, the room burst into shrieks, with ladies grabbing towels and running for cover. The little boy watched in amazement and then asked, "What's the matter? Haven't you ever seen a little boy before?”

ON POLICE: While taking a routine vandalism report at an elementary school, the police officer was interrupted by a little girl about 6 years old. Looking up and down at the police uniform, she asked, "Are you a cop?" "Yes," he answered and continued writing the report. "My mother said if I ever needed help, I should ask the police. Is that right?" "Yes, that's right," he told her. "Well, then," she said as she extended her foot toward me, "would you please tie my shoe?"

ON SCHOOL: A little girl had just finished her first week of school. "I'm just wasting my time," she said to her mother. "I can't read, I can't write, and they won't let me talk!"

(On a personal note, this editor thought Calista a familiar name and did some research. The name popped up on over 80 pages on google, almost all of them referring to actress Calista Flockart. Not satisfied and being a sci-fi and astronomy nut, I dug a little more and found out that Calista is derived from Greek kallistos meaning "most beautiful". In Greek mythology Kallisto was a nymph who was loved by Zeus. She was changed into a she-bear by Hera and subsequently became the Great Bear constellation. This was also an ancient Greek personal name. In addition Calista is a moon of Jupiter. So, Melissa and Jimmy, when you change Calista‘s diapers, and she “moons“ you, just remember you are looking at a “most beautiful“ tush!)

RETENTION DEPT: Are you supposed to lose 50-80% of your new members after a Membership Event? This may happen in a membership drive, but not in a Membership Event! Just read what these two Chambers have to say:

"Our retention is going great. Our Chairman of the Board gave a challenge to us to retain 80 percent, and we have done that so far. We have a couple of weeks left in our collection process so the test of time is at hand. What is our secret? In addition to our regular

programming, we do the Prime Time Event, a six-month check up phone call, an Operation Thank You just prior to invoice time, mail invoices with dynamic packet, and follow-up with a phone call, another phone call, and yet another phone call, and another ...." explains Diane Probst, President/CEO, Rockport-Fulton Area Chamber of Commerce.

Exciting times in the Southwest Valley Chamber of Commerce - our growth continues and our retention this year is a phenomenal 98.7%. Our last member drive was January 2003 - high numbers of those members still abound! So much for the myth about failing to retaining members from a drive. Sharolyn Hohman President/CEO

Goodyear, AZ

AHEAD OF THE CURVE DEPT: After the recent Richardson, Texas Membership Event, Lorraine received a very nice letter confirming why we ask potential clients to check our later references rather than those three years old or older. The letter in part reads : “…...It is very hard to believe that it has been five and one half years since I have personally had the opportunity to experience a membership event produced by Your Chamber Connection. As I participated in the numerous steps leading up to the event and the event itself, I noticed several changes that you and your staff have implemented in the program.

Adding another layer of leaders in the form of team captains and new awards for volunteers are just a few of the changes I noticed from the event you produced for my chamber in 1998. While some seem more subtle than others, each change represented a significant improvement over what has been done in the past to energize volunteers, streamline the process and produce in the final analysis a total positive event for both new and current members for the Richardson Chamber of Commerce.

This is a strong indication to me that you and your team are not willing to rest on your laurels. Instead you are continually improving the program, using the best practices of past events, and always looking for new ways to increase the value of your program for your clients………..”

Paul R. Bendel, CCE

Senior Vice President,

Programs & Communications

(Ed. Note; You have to think out of the box to stay ahead of the curve.)

WHAT HAPPENED DEPT: Something happened during the Richardson, Texas Membership Event, and we are not sure why. We are delighted with the results but wish we could understand what occurred so that we can make sure it happens at every Event.

Unlike other companies, we make up to 4 personal visits to the Chamber to make sure everybody is on the same page. Our 1st visit to Richardson was to make sure all involved understood the objectives. The staff’s 1st job was to recruit strong, high power Event chairs. Our 2nd visit was with these chosen chairs, and it was here that we started to have doubts. They didn’t appear to buy in to the concept that high energy and fun would produce the desired results. Were we working with stuffed shirts in business suits that had too high an opinion of themselves?

Our 3rd visit was with the recruited team captains. This group was a little looser, but once again we were worried that the big city mentality might prevail. They would feel they were too busy to have fun and would want to just do the job and get back to work.

Our 4th visit was the Membership Event itself, and we couldn’t have been more wrong worrying about the volunteers. They had a ball! The teams decorated their own tables and let their hair down.

Then came the post-Event party and roast. Instead of less than 50% participation, we had more than 70% show up, and they really got into it. The cheering, the razzing, the laughter were fantastic. Best of all the camaraderie of the chair groups was infectious. The winning groups hugged each other, cheered for the other groups, and laughed at themselves and each other.

We are still not sure where or how the turn around happened, but to see these community leaders go from dignified and reserved at their first meeting to hair down, howling at the roast was unbelievable. They all came together to have a good time and support a good cause, their Chamber of Commerce.