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Story Archives: Ferriday, Vidalia chambers to merge in 2011
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Ferriday, Vidalia chambers to merge in 2011
The Ferriday and Vidalia chambers of commerce have decided to stand together and form a parishwide chamber to be known as the Concordia Parish Chamber of Commerce.
The decision was made after representatives of both chambers and Concordia Economic Development Executive Director Heather Malone reviewed completed surveys and discussed the suggestions provided by the memberships. The survey revealed that 100 percent of the respondents favored a parishwide chamber. Based on that response, the consortium decided to form the Concordia Parish Chamber of Commerce for the year 2011.
Ferriday Chamber President Liz Brooking and Vidalia Chamber Director Jamie Burley said this will give both organizations time to research other area chambers to form an organization that will service the parish community with "fairness and equality across political lines." The two chamber boards plan to work together throughout 2010 to form an organizational structure that is representative of the entire parish, they said.
Brooking and Burley stressed the belief of both chambers that this joint venture "will build bridges." The majority of survey participants "felt that other communities within the parish without a chamber would be join once they see that the parishwide organization is being formed to benefit the entire area."
One responder commented that "several joint board meetings and possibly a panel discussion of all officers at a joint meeting would need to take place so all members could ask questions and all of these points could be discussed in a formal format in front of all memberships so that we won't have any "surprises." Another stated, "It's time to break down barriers!"
The general concern expressed was that the parish organization needed to concentrate on working for the entire parish and not any specific designations.
Brooking and Burley said the chambers are ready to take on the task of bringing both chambers together and are expecting support from the surrounding community. They encourage the public to voice their opinions and ideas to help make the chamber more successful.
"We have all heard the saying -- 'no man is an island' -- and most of us are aware of its truth. Now, more than ever, we must all set aside our individual egos, rivalries and feelings of skepticism so that everyone in our parish can move forward and cultivate a prosperous, sustainable way-of-life," said Brooking.
Burley said there would be a few "nay-sayers" and that she's hoping people will take a hard look at what the chambers are trying to accomplish: "We will have people disagree and even possibly some that will leave the organizations. However, I can't help but feel that they will see the positive outcome and jump right back on board."
Said Heather Malone: "We are too small of a community to divide our resources between multiple organizations that have the same mission/goals. We need to prove to the community that 'United we stand-Divided we fall." |
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