MV Chamber Holds Annual Mixer

By VERNON ROBISON

Moapa Valley Progress

The Moapa Valley Chamber of Commerce held its annual opening mixer on Wednesday, January 23 at the Old Overton Gym. Chamber members gathered to socialize together, meet the incoming Chamber board of directors and discuss the upcoming year of Chamber activities.

The 2019 Chamber President, Vanette Christensen, who is a co-owner of Xtreme Stitch in Overton, introduced herself and the other members of the board. These included Vice President Pam Duvall, branch manager of Washington Federal Bank in Overton; Secretary Lois Hall, co-owner of Cal’s Auto Repair in Overton; Treasurer Bret Staley owner of Moapa Valley Chiropractic; Past President Marjorie Holland; and board members Lisa Hanks, representing Simplot Silica, and Jeff Jones, owner of Town and Country Auto Sales.

Christensen expressed appreciation to Sugar’s Restaurant and Lin’s Marketplace in Overton for providing food for the event.
Christensen said that she and the new board had set a few focus areas for the Chamber in 2019.

The first of these was to build community confidence in the Chamber of Commerce institution. “The Chamber of Commerce is not just a networking to build our individual businesses, though that is one of its benefits,” Christensen said. “But it is also an outreach to the community to serve and build the Moapa Valley.”

Christensen pledged that the board would be proactive and engaged; and that her door would be open to anyone who had concerns or problems with the Chamber organization.

A second focus was to increase business to business cooperation in the community. “We live in a small business environment here so we have to stick together and build one another up,” Christensen said.

Christensen also said that she would focus on improving the monthly membership meetings. “We have traditionally had low turnout to those meetings,” she said. “But I would like to offer something valuable and educational to small business owners. I’d like to see some continuing education take place there.”

She also floated the idea that membership meetings be held at different times each month. Traditionally these meetings have taken place at the lunch time hour during the business day. But she proposed to hold some of them in the evenings or even on Saturdays from time to time.
“Hopefully by mixing things up a bit we can draw more people to these meetings,” she said.

Christensen introduced the organizers of two upcoming community events to present their plans.

Local JustServe.com coordinator Larry Griffiths talked about a Community Resource Fair planned for Saturday, February 23 at the Clark County Fairgrounds Fine Arts Building. The event is meant to showcase a number of agencies and organizations that offer low- or no-cost services in the state of Nevada.
“Currently we have 28 vendors who will set up booths and present information from federal, state and local agencies,” Griffiths said.

Griffiths stressed that he needed community volunteers to help with the logistics of the event.
“So far I’ve got a total of four volunteers and I am two of them,” Griffiths joked.
Those wishing to volunteer can sign up at JustServe.org or call Griffiths at 702-397-8440.

Moapa Valley Revitalization Project member Jean Gottschalk then gave a brief presentation about an upcoming bicycling event being planned in the community. Gottschalk said that the event is being promoted to urban areas of Las Vegas and St. George, Utah to draw visitors to the local community that day.
“It is intended to promote the Moapa Valley as an outdoor tourism destination,”

Gottschalk said. “People who like to ride bikes, usually like the outdoors. So the idea is that if we bring them in with a bicycling activity, they might come back for ATV trails, or the Lake, or Valley of Fire or whatever else.”

The event, being called “The Loop at Moapa Valley,” would take place on Saturday, March 23 and would feature an 18-mile bicycle course loop. The course would begin at either of two designated parking areas including the Logandale Fairgrounds and Lin’s Market parking lot. Maps will be provided and participants can set out and follow the loop, as an informal bike tour of the community.

Stops will also be set up along the way where businesses, organizations or individuals can promote their products, services or other aspects of the community. Providing a vendor spot along the trail is free, Gottschalk said. But those interested would just need to register in advance to do so.

Gottschalk also explained that volunteers were needed to help with logistics on event day.

Information for vendors and volunteers is available at the event website at theloopatmoapavalley.com.