A while back I wrote an article describing all the things the Commercial Club has to offer. Every business in Wanamingo is a part of the Commercial Club, because, after all, they are running a commercial business. This Club is responsible for promoting businesses in Wanamingo through 4 specific channels, if you will, plus they are involved with other events throughout the town. There is the 4th of July which consists of coordinating the events scheduled, Bouncy Houses, food vendors, and a large donation for the fireworks. The Commercial Club also takes care of paying for the posters, advertising, and more to make this a very special event. The Lions Club and the Fire Department also play major roles in the 4th of July events. They all work together to make this event as successful as they can. But even with all the support we have from them, the portion that they are lacking will be detrimental to the events. More of the events the Commercial Club sponsors are the Halloween Trick or Treat event which supplies the community with a free hotdog, bag of chips, and bottle of water along with the dressed up businesses to pass out candy, the Christmas in Wanamingo, and Settende Mai celebration which includes the city wide garage sale. They also donate to the After Prom Party for Kenyon/Wanamingo each year.
Sadly, many of the businesses in town are no longer owned or controlled locally. This is the way it is becoming in Small Town America. The lack of participants and donations are a symptom of a changing small town economy. This means that for a small town Commercial Club and/or local festivities to continue, there needs to be a change of guard and things have to be done differently. We need new volunteers that may not own businesses to either volunteer, or take on some of the activities.
Everyone is invited to come to the monthly meeting, which is held at JB's over lunch, and determined monthly as to when it will happen. If you would like to be on the mailing list let Beth Smith at Wanamingo Mutual know.
The Club has 4 board members who show up every time a meeting is held. These people are Beth Smith from Wanamingo Mutual, Todd Greseth from GMI Insurance, Tina Leininger from Workout 24/7 and Michael Boulton, our City Administrator. They would like to thank the members who pay the yearly Club dues of $75.00 a year. There were 10 businesses who have consistently paid over the years, some of which pay more than their share, just to keep things afloat. This past year, two of those businesses closed due to retirement, so there are only 8 businesses who are paying their dues.
Why was I asked to bring attention to this issue? There are several reasons for this article, but I want to focus on just a few so people get the idea of just what is at stake here. While it is a fact that businesses have a lot to pay for, and many are hard pressed to pay the extras involved in running a business, the Commercial Club is one way to get the word out about the businesses we enjoy here in Wanamingo. They help pay for the fireworks, the food on the streets at the events, they help organize who is in the parade, and other things that come up. How do they pay for these things? Out of the dues received from the businesses they serve. Now, here's the kicker..... only 8 out of the 47 businesses in town have been contributing to their dues these past years. A letter from the Commercial Club was sent out recently to all 47 members, in hopes of bringing in more money to fund the 4 events mentioned. The cost of these events are costing the Club more money than they are bringing in because of the lack of support they are currently receiving. Although this is hard to say, they need your support, because even with the Water Tower replica fundraiser, which will be held again this year, there is only enough money to fund the events for one more year, unless more businesses see fit to pay the dues. If the money is not there, neither will our celebrations have the money to continue.
Think about it............ the city celebrations always have a great turnout. Why? Because it is a great way to get out and walk around the town, seeing friends and neighbors, and partaking of what each one has to offer. It's FUN! This town is special in that so many of us have been here all or most of our lives, and we look out for each other. There is a camaraderie amongst us that is heartwarming, and with lots of new folks moving to town, it is a way to welcome them and show them that special feeling of belonging to a community.
This past year we lost our school site. It was a devastating blow to a lot of people here, and many businesses have wondered how the lack of a school in our town will affect the businesses as well as the growth of the town. Now imagine going without the celebrations as well. The fact is, we will not have the funds if we don't do something.
So, what can we do? If you own a business, and can pay the $75 membership without hardship, please consider doing so. If you do not own a business, but enjoy the celebrations, the Club accepts monetary donations of any size. If you want to be more involved in bringing the coffers up to snuff, come to the meetings with your ideas. Have an idea for a fundraiser to help pay for the things that make our celebrations possible? Bring your ideas to one of the board members mentioned.
This has gotten pretty serious, and I for one would love to see the Commercial Club thrive. Want a better parade? Contribute to that. Want more bouncy houses and fun for the kids? Contribute to that. Have a great idea? Share it. Have a bit of extra cash on hand? Share it. Every bit helps, Folks, and it is up to us to dig ourselves out of a hole that if it's not filled, will cause the loss of another important piece of our town. If you have anything to share that will help, the Commercial Club is all ears................ and thank you for considering anything you can do to help!
