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- The chamber is a
membership organization. It is sustained primarily by members'
dues. The organization is obligated to use its resources for the
general benefit of the members who finance it.
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The Mission Statement of the Chamber is a broad
mandate directed at all local residents:
- The Lyons Area Chamber of Commerce is a volunteer
membership organization supporting a thriving
business climate and an enhanced quality of life by
promoting the economic, social, cultural and
environmental sustainability of the Lyons area.
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- Membership is drawn from an area that
ranges from Longmont to Estes Park and from Berthoud to
Boulder - with downtown Lyons at its center.
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- Chamber Members from this service area
include nonprofits and commercial enterprises, in-home
businesses and national companies, cutting-edge high tech
outfits and low-tech personal service operations, sole
proprietors and C-corps. Several Members have no business
affiliation and join the Chamber as community-minded
individuals who believe in our mission. On average about 160
individuals and companies join the Chamber each year.
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- Chamber Members from this service area
include nonprofits and commercial enterprises, in-home
businesses and national companies, cutting-edge high tech
outfits and low-tech personal service operations, sole
proprietors and C-corps. Several Members have no business
affiliation and join the Chamber as community-minded
individuals who believe in our mission. On average about 160
individuals and companies join the Chamber each year.
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- The Chamber is governed by a selfperpetuating
volunteer board of directors.
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- The Board determines the
skill-sets necessary to implement Chamber programs and then
recruits new directors whose expertise meets those needs.
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- Chamber administrative functions are
outsourced to VisABILITY, located at 443 Main St. Under this
arrangement VisABILITY provides office, meeting and storage
space, computers and office equipment and as-needed parttime
services of 3 people. The staff maintains Chamber files
and databases and provides administrative support to
Chamber officers, committees and programs. Each month this
staff responds to hundreds of mail, email and phone inquiries
about Lyons. By outsourcing administrative functions, at a cost
of approximately $15,000 annually, the Chamber is able to
operate without an executive director or other staff.
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- The Chamber fiscal year is June 1
to May 31. Annual fiscal year revenue averages about $40,000
with annual expense at about the same level. On average,
member dues produce about $30,000. The Chamber beer tent
at the Annual Good Old Days has produced additional net
revenue that ranged from $3,000 to $9,000 in recent years.
The Chamber books are reviewed and validated by Brock &
Company, a Longmont CPA firm.
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- The Chamber is committed to
the concept of Economic Gardening. Briefly stated, economic
development initiatives traditionally incorporate recruitment of
new companies to a community. Economic Gardening uses an
entirely different and more modern strategy. It recognizes
that the most efficient and productive approach is to help
existing companies become more stable and successful.
Lyons Economic Gardening Group (LEGG), a committee of the
Chamber, is committed to mentoring relationships
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include:
- listings on
the Chamber's robust website with nearly 100,000 individual
site visitors per year; online links to Member websites and
company email addresses; listings in the print and the
downloadable, searchable PDF Visitors Guide to Lyons and the
surrounding community; access to membership contacts, and
mailing addresses plus the opportunity to have your marketing
materials eBlasted to Chamber Members. The Chamber also
continually generates stories about Lyons in area print and
broadcast media.
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include:
- include individual,
private and free face-to-face sessions with Chamber Members
who have specific expertise on topics like: Accounting; Product
Development; Real Estate Development; Marketing; Raising
Capital; Product/Service Presentation & Signage, and more.
This service is delivered through the Chamber's Economic
Gardening Group.
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include:
- two-hour
monthly networking Socials for fellow Members hosted by a
Chamber Member or group of Members. Typically beginning at
5:30 PM at a Member's place of business, Chamber Socials
feature plenty of food and drink and usually attract from 60 to
100 attendees. Chamber Socials provide the best way for a
group of community and business leaders to enjoy each other's
company, to be updated on Chamber and community issues, to
learn about the activities of other Members - and to informally
share information about their own business or organization. All
Socials are "Zero Waste" events.
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LYONS CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP
LEVELS
