Posted on
03/31/2022
at 11:44 AM
Earlier this week a young gentleman's name and face I hadn't seen in quite awhile appeared in my social scrolling.
About seven years ago, we devoted one of these weekly newsletters to philanthropy in youth and highlighted then-eleven-year-old Tony Neeley for the work he was doing to raise money for Food for the Hungry. In that newsletter, I said he would go on to do great things, and earlier this week I saw that he, along with a group of other GNSD students, was recognized at the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) Iowa conference. The group works to promote personal growth and leadership development through Family and Consumer Sciences education.
That young philanthropist I first met seven years ago (pictured above as an eleven-year-old) took away some awards from the conference, along with his peers. What a cool thing to be able to watch the youth of our community go on to excel in fun and exciting ways. We are lucky to be able to engage in their journeys, and hope they know that Grinnell will always be rooting for them, and will always be home if and when they choose to return.
--Rachael Kinnick
p.s. There are many ways to help support the youth in our community, including a couple fun new volunteer opportunities to assist with Mileage Club. Check them out HERE!
Posted on
03/10/2022
at 11:44 AM
Earlier this week we recognized International Women's Day, a day celebrated globally on March 8 to commemorate the cultural, political, and socioeconomic achievements of women.
We have incredible women in our community. They are business owners, entrepreneurs, community leaders, mothers, healthcare workers, daughters, teachers, artists, childcare providers and so much more. They are strong and courageous. They are often unknowingly mentors to other women, and are an inspiration to many.
I attended a meeting earlier this week which was predominantly filled with women, and a male counterpart called particular attention to the women in the room for their leadership, passion and commitment. I instantly thought of all the amazing women I get the privilege to work with on a regular basis, and it reminded me of this quote: 'Here's to strong women. May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them.'
So this week we salute the women in our community for their tireless contributions and efforts to make our collective community, country and world a better place!
--Rachael Kinnick
Posted on
03/03/2022
at 11:41 AM
We kicked off our fourth annual Membership Month celebration this week! All month long we celebrate by recognizing our current members with shout-outs on social media, features in our newsletters and a general 'thank you' to each of them for being members of our organization.
Throughout the month, we will recognize members by grouping them together, recognizing some of them via random 'holidays' and others in random orders. It is likely a business will only be recognized on one day, and not necessarily all the categories they may fit into - it is our goal to recognize each of our current members by the time we reach March 31.
We could not do what we do without our members - quite frankly, they're the reason we are here. Membership in the Grinnell Chamber of Commerce allows our organization to best support our business community, and helps fund our entire scope of work. Our members contribute in a variety of ways, and offer their input throughout the year to help guide our programming and planning.
We continue to be in awe of our business community, and we are grateful for our members each and every day. It is fun for us to be able to recognize and highlight them throughout this membership month, and I hope you'll follow along HERE.
--Rachael Kinnick
p.s. If your business isn't a current member and would like to join, simply send me an email or give us a call. If you aren't sure if your membership is current, give us a call - we would be happy to check on it for you!
Posted on
02/17/2022
at 11:40 AM
It's National Entrepreneur Week, and what better time to recognize our entrepreneurs for all that they do? An entrepreneur, by definition, is someone who takes on greater than normal financial risk in order to organize and operate a business. Entrepreneurs are passionate, hard working and visionary. Their vision becomes reality via commitment, enthusiasm and dedication.
Communities need entrepreneurs to survive and thrive. We are fortunate to have many entrepreneurs in our community, and we look forward to working with even more of you to help bring your dreams to life.
If you are considering a new business venture, reach out! We'd love to help you get your idea off center, and connect you with resources to help make it happen. If you are an active entrepreneur, thank you for taking risks which help make our community vibrant. We know you don't always hear it; thank you.
--Rachael Kinnick
Posted on
02/03/2022
at 11:39 AM
I'm always quick to tell my children what I learn every day - even as adults there's usually at least one thing, right? One of my children is getting to the age where they feel they surely know everything, so I'm quick to remind them that learning is a lifelong experience and passion.
Last month, I was able to complete my Institute for Organization Management Certification. Of course, covid helped delay the completion of this four-year program, but I'm proud to say I was able to obtain the certification in January. The non-profit management program, organized by the US Chamber of Commerce Foundation, is a professional development opportunity for chamber and association professionals to build stronger organizations, better serve our members, and become stronger business advocates.
I am grateful for a board and membership who believe in staff development and training. It is this type of commitment that allows our team stay up-to-date on trends in the industry, learn from experts and colleagues, and ultimately help improve our communities.
There's still much work to do, but I am thankful for the opportunity to utilize this program as part of my lifelong learning.
--Rachael Kinnick
Posted on
01/20/2022
at 11:38 AM
We're in the deep freeze today and it has me dreaming about warmer weather. Perhaps a vacation or even just starting a countdown until spring - I'm choosing to be the eternal optimist about winter this year and rather than dwelling on how cold it is, I'm going to look ahead to spring. Could someone please remind me of this in about a week when I've decided I can't handle one more winter day?! ;)
Before we skip through the entire winter, I want to remind you that Valentine's Day is just 25 days away! If you celebrate the holiday, I hope you'll find ways to share the love locally. Typically January is a pretty tough month for our small business retailers and restaurants, so any extra support you can provide would go a long way!
Just this morning we posted a number of special deals you can find at our locally-owned businesses to give you a little inspiration. Why not pick up a bouquet of flowers, a boutique experience, a new book, a gift card for dinner, a bottle of wine and/or some wonderful dessert from any of our restaurants? There is much to offer for the loved ones in your life this February; get your orders in early so our businesses can plan and staff appropriately!
Thanks for loving local with your purchases over the next few weeks!
--Rachael Kinnick
