NEW YORK: This is the 15th edition of the Thanksgiving tradition in this column, as we review that list of things for which the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce is thankful this year.
As should be the case every year, the hundreds of chamber volunteers who’ve given us their time and talent this year are top of the list for 2015. There is quite literally no chamber, no program of work, no accomplishments without the people who invest themselves in their community through the framework provided by this organization.
Volunteers give thousands of hours to chamber events like Columbus Days or Red, White, Kaboom!, to specific projects or programs, to chamber committees working on a variety of issues, or to help in numerous other ways that make the chamber work. Leading that charge is the Chamber Board of Directors, who provide the vision and leadership that any organization needs to continue.
The Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce is deeply grateful to more than 800 businesses, organizations and individuals who have chosen to become members. By combining into one organization, all of us together can make an impact on our common mission to improve quality of life and enhance the opportunity for business to succeed.
Without question, the community of Columbus has as much to be thankful for this year as virtually any time in our history. Completion of two of the legs of the Quality of Life Centers in the East-Central District Health Department and Wellness Center are two game-changes for the region. Right alongside them, you see progress every day on the new Columbus High School, which will include the STEM Academy. And behind the scenes, progress continues just as strongly on the Columbus Public Library.
Those are just the projects under the QOL Centers banner. Beyond those, we see new retailers, new viaducts, new housing, new trails, new medical specialties, expansion of the Pawnee Plunge and other city services … frankly, we’re in the midst of an extraordinary few years.
So again, the chamber says thanks … to all those listed above and the many who aren’t. Happy Thanksgiving from the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce.
Of course, if it’s Thanksgiving that means that Black Friday and Small Business Saturday are this week. The chamber provides one of our major promotions to promote those businesses on Saturday, as we mark national Small Business Saturday with the kickoff to the Columbus Holiday Giveaway.
Saturday morning Columbus Bucks will be on sale from 8 a.m.-noon at Santa’s House in Frankfort Square. For every $50 you buy, you get $5 free money in Columbus Bucks up to $500! Then, participating merchants will give you another 10 percent off your purchase, so you get 20 percent more buying power with Columbus Bucks at select merchants on Small Business Saturday! You can see the list of participating merchants on the chamber website.
The reason the chamber promotes the purchase of Columbus Bucks is pretty simple: We all have to make the choice to shop here first if we want local stores, shops and businesses to continue operating. It really is that simple. Certainly the same holds true if you are interesting in expanding those shopping choices as well … we impact those future decisions by our own choices in shopping today.
