Newsletter

4th Quarter 2011                              Chamber@meltel.net                                 320-256-7174

"Things happen because people who care make them happen."

2012 Melrose Area Chamber of Commerce Membership Drive Begins

It is once again time to renew your membership for the Melrose Area Chamber of Commerce. Businesses will be receiving the application via email or US Mail by December 15. Thank you for your past support and we look forward to continuing to work with you in 2012.

Melrose Area Business Marketing QR Code Promotions

What is a QR Code? A QR (Quick Response) Code is a digital barcode that consumers can scan with their smart phone to direct them to a website. Recently you might have seen the QR Code appear in magazine advertisements, promotional merchandise and even on bananas at the grocery store.

The Melrose Business Marketing Committee will premier this new marketing strategy in the Melrose Beacon in advertisements on December 7 and December 14. Although there was a short turn around to get this promotion out for Christmas,  we will be doing another QR Code promotion on the first week in February.

What exactly will it look like? You business logo will be listed with a QR Code for people to scan on an advertisement with the other participants. This QR code will be unique to your business and will direct the user to either an advertisement on the Chamber's website or a YouTube Video that you have created with the help of the Chamber. You can choose if the user needs to show you the coupon or just mention it to get the discount or promotion you are offering.

The Chamber will market this list of businesses and QR Codes using various types of media including newspapers, posters, social media and more.

This promotion is free to chamber members to participate in.

Deadline to notify the chamber that you would like to participate is Monday, January 16, 2012, with deadline for materials on Monday, January 23, 2012.

Please call or email the Chamber with questions.

Melrose Area Business Marketing Meeting

Our next planning meeting for the Melrose Area Business Marketing Committee will be Tuesday December 13 at noon at Melrose Bowl. We will be discussing plans for next year and how the chamber can utilize tools such as Facebook, QR codes, text messaging and more. Come share you knowledge, ideas and expertise.

 Murder Mystery Dinner

Feb 10-11 Melrose American Legion

Our second annual Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre will be held on Friday, February 10 and Saturday, February 11 at the Melrose American Legion. The mystery this year will take place at a 20th class reunion and has been written by Herman Lensing and will be directed by Marit Elliott. Tickets are $20 per person and will include an Italian buffet, salad, breadsticks and dessert. Tickets will go on sale December 15. Contact the Chamber with any questions.

2012 Chamber Board of Directors

Congratulations to Paul Schiffler who was voted Treasurer and Stacey Austing Jacobson who was voted Vice President of the Melrose Area Chamber of Commerce.

Your 2012 Board includes:

President: Craig Schiffler- Melrose Bowl

Past President: Sara Weber- SD Promotions

Vice President: Stacey Austing Jacobson- Melrose Community Ed

Treasurer: Paul Schiffler- Hometown Insurance

Secretary: Sharon Blaskowski- CentraCare Health Systems

Thank you to Jackie Tschida from Dan Schmidt Printing, who served 3 years on the Board of Directors as Vice President, President, and Past President.

2012 Home Health and Family Expo

The 2012 Home, Health and Family Expo will be held on Saturday, March 31, 2012, at the Melrose Elementary School Gymnasium. Once again, the Expo will be on the same day as the Stearns Electric Annual Meeting and we continue to look forward to increased crowds because of this timing. We are looking for additional low cost or free entertainment options for the event, so please let the Chamber know if you have any ideas.

Quick Facts about the celebration

• July 5-6-7

• Thursday July 5 Pig Races, food and beverages

• Friday July 6 Crazy Days- sidewalk sales, medallion hunt and other events during the day

• Saturday Events start at 4pm, Parade at 7:30pm "Sweet Siren" Saturday 8:30-12:30, Fireworks, kids games and more! Events are still in the process of being planned. Our next meeting will be 11 am on Thursday December 15 at John Dough's Pizza. Please come and share your ideas.

• All food and beverages will be served by the Chamber

• Volunteers are needed! Please speak to your employees now about how your business could volunteer throughout the weekend.

  Ink Cartridges Recycled Here

Remember that the chamber is a source to recycle your used (name brand or not previously recycled)  laser and ink jet cartridges. We recycle them through "Funding Factory" and use the rewards to buy office products. Drop them off at the Chamber office anytime, or call and we will come pick them up. Thank you for participating!

 Rosy Bucks make great Christmas Gifts!

Recap of Events:

Rose Days: Rose Days took place on October 7 and 8. All 100 dozen preordered roses were sold during the promotion. This promotion raised $510. Thank you to Save Foods who ordered the roses and served as the pick-up location this year.

Halloween Parade and Party: The Halloween Parade and Party took place on October 31st. We had 265 children attend the party and receive a goodie bag with items donated by Melrose Chamber Members. This event is put on in conjunction with Great River Regional Library and Adley Creek 4-H.

Holiday Kick-Off: The holiday season was started off in fine style at the 2011 Holiday Kick-Off on November 25. We had great participation by businesses with special sales and promotions and there were many people out and about on the streets. Thank you to all who participated in any way. Parade winners included: Stearns Electric Association and CentraCare Health Systems in the business class and Sauk Rapids Royalty and Adley Creek 4-H in the non-profit class.

Holiday Cash Raffle: Thank you to everyone who sold and bought the $20 Holiday Cash Raffle Tickets. On the evening of the drawing the streets were buzzing with everyone dreaming of how they would spend their prize money. Winners of the Holiday Cash Raffle include:

Grand Prize- Briana Worms Melrose

2nd Prize-Betty Frieler Greenwald

3rd Prize- Joe Finken Melrose

4th- 13th

Tom Budde Melrose

John Schiffler Albany

Nathan Primus

Lisa Rahn Melrose

Jackson Mayers Melrose

Ron Hellermann Melrose

Sharon Arnzen Sauk Centre

George Jensen Melrose

Ashley Schiffler Melrose

Dale Lyon Melrose

Additional Prizes

$50 Rosy Bucks from Freeport State Bank Jonathan & Jenny Nietfeld Freeport

$50 Rosy Bucks from Freeport State Bank Luvern Ritter Melrose

$50 Visa Gift Card from Central Minnesota Credit Union Ruth Bertram Sauk Centre

Electric Grill from Stearns Electric Association Tina Heidgerken

Melrose Elite B-40 Coffee Machine from Finken Water Systems Ross Rademacher Melrose

1 year Subscription from the Melrose Beacon Pat Revermann Melrose

Poker Run Winners Include:

1st Place Daniel Arnzen

2nd Place Danielle Zierden

3rd Place Cheri Hinnenkamp

Holiday Hours

The Chamber office will be closed December 23-January 3rd.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Upcoming Meetings & Events

December 15     General Membership Meeting, Noon, John Dough's Pizza

January 19         General Membership Meeting, Noon, El Portal Restaurant

February 10-11   Murder Mystery Dinner

February 16       General Membership Meeting, Noon, Melrose Bowl

March 31           Melrose Home, Health and Family Expo