Chamber Ambassadors

Ambassador.  am-bas-sa-dor.  (noun)  *a person who acts as a representative or promoter of a specified activity.  By definition, the word  ambassador describes a dedicated person, who champions a cause or specific activity.  Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors do this and so very much more.
               At any given time, there is a group of our Chamber Ambassadors working behind the scenes to insure that all of our Chamber produced events run smoothly.  Ambassadors are the ones we can call at the last minute to stand by the door and greet people as they come in, or serve cold beverages on hot summer evenings.  They are helping the Chamber of Commerce with everything from choosing the entertainment for our Summer Concert Series, to answering the phones in the office when things get busy. 
               The Chamber Ambassadors are treasured members of our team.  No agenda, asking nothing in return, this group of Chamber members, both women and men give freely of their time and talents, to promote all that our Cheboygan Area Chamber of Commerce has to offer, not only to businesses, but to the community in general. If you where to ask any one of them “Why do you volunteer so much?”  They would answer with something like, “Why don’t you?”  These go getters are people with full time jobs and young families, they are empty nesters and entrepreneurs, they are retired business owners and new members of our community who want to be involved.   Our Ambassadors are a diverse group of individuals who know how to work together to get the job done.
               Not only are the Chamber Ambassadors the “Welcome Wagon” for new businesses in town, they are the ones who vocalize the importance of having these new businesses in Cheboygan and encourage the community to consider these places for their services and products.  They are the first ones to contact new business owners to offer support, they are standing outside their front doors with red ribbon and huge scissors in all types of weather announcing to the community that this place is officially open for business, and they help these new Chamber members network so that they have the resources they need to grow their business and reach or exceed their goals.
               Helen Keller once said, “Alone we can do so little, together we can do much.”  This holds true for many organizations, especially for our Chamber of Commerce.  With two full time staff members, and seasonal interns, the Chamber staff relies on our Ambassadors to help us accomplish so much more than we could do on our own.  When it’s time to dig the trenches for our many Chamber produced events, the Ambassador team is there with ideas, suggestions and a “whatever you need” attitude, that allows us to accomplish things on a scale that wouldn’t be possible without them.  Just this past week we have had several ribbon cuttings and a major event in the State of the Community Breakfast.  Soon we will begin forming committee’s for the Chamber’s largest events that are still months away.   Our Ambassador Troops always fall into in formation and roll up their sleeves to get to work on whatever project is at hand.  From our Annual Chamber Dinner and Awards to Business After Hours to Waterways Festival to The Business Expo to The State of the Community, these volunteers work hard planning and executing some of the biggest events in Cheboygan County.
               Now you may be asking yourself, “What makes these Chamber Ambassadors so different from any other organizations volunteers?”  Well, I can’t think of an non-profit organization that runs without volunteers, and I can’t compare one to another.  But I can tell you that many of these Chamber Ambassadors also volunteer with and belong to other non-profit organizations and still manage to follow through with all their commitments and promises to not only their families, businesses and employers, but also to each and every one of the organizations that they donate their valuable time and talents to.  These Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors are truly gems in our community.  They work tirelessly to make sure that we all have outings and events to enjoy with our families, they understand the importance of business relationships and work to promote development in our community, and they are genuinely kind hearted people that just make living, working and relaxing in Cheboygan fun!
               If you have ever thought about joining an organization that does all of these things and many more, no need to be the business owner, you can be an enthusiastic employee of a Chamber Member, you just need to want to be involved.  If you are a business owner, the Chamber has memberships tailor made for everyone.  From large Corporations and small businesses, to non-profit organizations and retired individuals looking to stay involved with the economic future of Cheboygan, we’ve made it easier than ever to join us and help the Cheboygan Area Chamber of Commerce Lead, Engage, Advocate, Develop and Support our area businesses and organizations.  Each Monday in the month of October the Cheboygan Area Chamber will be having open houses all day for people to stop by and learn more about what the Chamber does for the Cheboygan Area.   Stop in and see us, we’d love to meet you!