Association's former members welcomed to county chamber

The Columbia County Chamber of Commerce is welcoming about 20 Grovetown businesses that recently became members after the Grovetown Merchants Association dissolved.

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Those new members are invited to learn about the chamber on Tuesday at the Grovetown Membership 101 presentation.

The presentation is put on monthly as a way for new members to learn about all the networking events, such as SuCCess Columbia County and Business After Hours; educational and special events it puts on, including the pre- and post-legislative breakfasts; and the advocacy services it provides, said chamber President Tammy Shepherd.

They'll also learn about volunteer opportunities, how to use the chamber Web site to post job openings and find products and services provided by other chamber members.

"The meeting is basically what we do here every month called Membership 101," Shepherd said. "This year alone, we had 135 people representing 113 companies attend Membership 101."

The Tuesday presentation, which is scheduled for 9 to 10:30 a.m. at Grovetown City Hall, is aimed at the Grovetown businesses that were absorbed from the Merchants Association.

Grovetown businessman Sonny McDowell founded the association in 2007, and the group persuaded the city council to fund the 2010 Initiative -- a plan to improve the city's commercial corridors. Once the initiative passed, the association went inactive.

After he was elected to the city council in 2009, McDowell tried to reactivate the group, but he said he no longer had time to lead it. No one else stepped up take over.

The chamber agreed to absorb about 20 dues-paying Merchants Association member businesses. Shepherd and some chamber board members visited those businesses on Wednesday to welcome them, invite them to the seminar and provide chamber information.

Shepherd hopes the Grovetown businesses owners will form a subgroup inside the chamber.

"We want them to know they can come do any (events or programs), but yet we want them to build that core of Grovetown to where they are helping to support each other and getting to know each other," she said.

Chamber leaders plan to hold semimonthly meetings at various Grovetown businesses to hear concerns from business owners, support them as a collective voice to governments and spread news, information and positive feedback.