1811 - 20 Street, Box 981, Didsbury, Alberta T0M 0W0 ... Phone 403 335 3265 ... E-Mail: info@didsburychamber.ca
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             Town of Didsbury 
Chamber |
ABOUT THE CHAMBER Strategic Plan | Become Involved | Meet the Council | Years in Review
MISSION - The Didsbury & District Chamber of Commerce is a community-based volunteer business organization, whose purpose is to support, promote, nurture, and educate for the improvement of our business community.
The Didsbury Chamber has an active membership of about 75 businesses. In an effort to provide services that enhance the community, the Chamber strives to provide a resource base to businesses and citizens within the Didsbury community.
In the summer of 2005, the Chamber hired Interactions Inc. to help us review the Mission, Vision, and Core Values as we put forth a firm Strategic Plan for 2005 - 2007. Goals have been prioritized over the next three years and a timeline has been developed. The Strategic Plan is currently being implemented and is available to download here. If you have any comments or would like to take on one of the tasks outlined, please contact the Chamber office. Many hands make light work.
Strategic Plan - Requires Acrobat Reader - 85K
CORE VALUES - Integrity, Fiscal Responsibility, Commitment, Leadership, Reliability, Accountability, Diversity, Excellence, Unity
VISION - Didsbury & District Chamber of Commerce ... a key resource unifying Didsbury’s thriving business community.
Please peruse the contents of our website, and check out the accomplishments and strides the Chamber has made in recent years to promote the business community in the Town of Didsbury. If you have any questions at all, please contact any of the Board members. By becoming a member of the Didsbury & District Chamber of Commerce, you give your clients or customers the peace of mind that your business is recognized through the town as well established and known for its quality business practices. |
Reasons to become involved in your Chamber of Commerce:
Please feel free to contact any of the Council members below.
2007 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
August found us hosting the Merchant's Pancake Breakfast on the rodeo weekend. We moved it from Sunday morning to Friday morning which proved to be a great improvement and brought much bigger crowds.
The Chamber hosted two Political Forums, one for those running in the Municipal election in October, and one for the Provincial election in February. Both were very informative evenings for all who attended and we had a full room each night.
The rest of the time in September and October was spent getting ready for the Small Business Week Gala and collecting nominations for the Small Business of the Year Award and the People's Choice Award. We had the Popovich Family for entertainment along with our annual silent auction in conjunction with Ducks Unlimited. The evening was a great success and fun was had by all. Congratulations to Didsbury Pharmasave, the recipient of the Small Business of the Year award, and the Didsbury Municipal Library, the People's Choice.
November had us hanging Christmas lights and decorating our businesses in preparation for our Country Christmas promotion. This is one of the largest events of the year for our downtown businesses, with Santa Claus visiting at the train station. Overall the evening was successful.
December brought our annual Christmas Party enjoyed by all as we were treated to a great dinner by the Elks of Didsbury, and some fine entertainment by the Mountain View Choraliers.
January we were gearing up for the Rosebud Run Sleddog Classic and praying for snow. Everything was done and in place, but unfortunately this year the snow did not come and the Classic had to be cancelled. We hope for better luck next year for this great event.
February also saw the Chamber, and more importantly the Trade Show Committee in full swing gearing up for our biggest event of the year, the Didsbury Trade Show. We were sold out a month ahead of time this year and as usual it was a great success. Following the Trade Show, the Chamber Council started preparing for year-end, with the preparation of budgets, the financial review of our books for the year, and the seeking of volunteers to assume positions on the Chamber Board of Directors.
Special thanks again to all of the committee chairman, the 100s of volunteers and especially to the executive members who have worked extra hard this year to make this a very successful year for the Chamber. We are in the black and our actual income was higher than our projected budget.
2006 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
We started the year with the biggest media event to hit Didsbury -- the Rosebud Run Sleddog Classic! That event was on the front page of the Didsbury Review for six months, as we waited and waited and waited for the snow to arrive. It was an incredible event that is putting Didsbury on the map with Travel Alberta, and around the world.
In April, we saw the biggest event the Chamber hosts, the Didsbury Trade Show. Another 10% increase in attendance, great support from the volunteer groups in town, more exhibitors than before ... just another terrific show all-around.
Following our move to the train station came some landscaping and the new sign at the corner, letting everyone know where the Chamber of Commerce office is. We really enjoy the visiting with the businesses downtown that the central location offers
We held another very successful Pancake Breakfast, thanks in no small part to the gang from Custom Touch Homes, AG Foods, and James Carpenter CIR Realtors. And of course, nobody flips flapjacks like the gals from ATB Financial.
We partnered with the Town of Didsbury when they hosted the Alberta Urban Municipalities meeting this summer, sponsoring a Poker Rally for the delegates that was, according to them, second to none.
The October Gala was another successful salute to Small Business in Didsbury. The Chamber was honoured to present the "Small Business of the Year" Award to Murray Elliott of the Didsbury Review, the local newspaper that has served the community for more than 100 years. We had another outstanding holiday season, with the downtown decorations cleaned, sorted and hung in plenty of time for Country Christmas.
The Local First awareness campaign is in full swing now, giving the general public a chance to know that we sincerely believe in shopping locally ... first. More and more businesses are sporting the Local First window decals and showing their customers that Didsbury businesses stand together to encourage shopping local first to strengthen our community. The Chamber is doing its part in helping business in Didsbury grow.
2005 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Chamber volunteers took part in various training sessions, including e-mail tips and report filing. Food handling courses through the Calgary Health Region were taken by more than 50 Chamber volunteers and business owners. The Chamber incorporated a consent agenda to streamline meetings, and the big one ... moving our office to a higher profile location in the historic Didsbury Train Station. Our Grand Opening in May saw many elected officials from throughout the County enjoying coffee and cake in the new main street office we share with Didsbury Seniors Supports and the Town's Visitor Information Centre. The extra space and location are ideal for the Chamber of Commerce.
The Chamber worked diligently this year forming a strong and workable relationship with the Town of Didsbury, discussing ways to develop the economy of the region and enhancing communication between the two organizations. These discussions culminated in the introduction of a Brown Bag Lunch program which is still being fine-tuned as we enter 2006. We have started the groundwork for a relationship with the Didsbury High School and Didsbury Agricultural Society, hosting a Pancake Breakfast on the Sunday of the local fair and rodeo. Evaluations on both these initiatives will determine their future.
An important part of all our work is the final evaluation where volunteers discuss the success, budget, and value of any program. This is a major component of the Strategic Planning sessions that were held over the summer, where various members of the community hashed over what exactly they wanted out of their Chamber. It was an intensive three day session culminating in a three year plan the Chamber Board of Directors are incorporating with each event or activity they host.
Some time was put into the development of a Local First campaign. The Chamber itself has adopted a Local First philosophy, making all its purchases from Chamber members first, Didsbury businesses next, County, Province, and so on. Certainly a challenge, the campaign continues as the Chamber works to develop a shopping philosophy for itself and its member businesses.
The October Gala was another successful salute to Small Business in Didsbury. The Chamber was honoured to present the "Small Business of the Year" Award to Joelle and Gerard Fournier of For Trees Company. The year ended with Country Christmas, great fun for the entire family, and a chance for businesses to showcase their holiday spirit.
2004 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
In 2004 Chamber members enjoyed some exceptional speakers (Bob Clark about the joint municipal plans, Sergeant Tonn covered the drug scene and business vandalism, Robert Wigg talked about residential and commercial developments in town, Kim Betchel shared information on PIPA, Greg Fox gave developments on highway signage).
We hosted the best organized political forums in the County. We set policies and put forth updated bylaws. The 2004 Trade Show was the most successful yet. Along with our hugely successful Small Business Week Gala, we were honoured to present the first Small Business of the Year Award to Didsbury AG Foods. We met with the Town of Didsbury regarding many issues including the Business License Bylaw, downtown parking, Land Use Bylaw, and Chamber office locale. The Alberta Minister of Transportation met with our representatives regarding the highway tourism signage initiative. We entered a float in the Didsbury Parade, and Country Christmas was a glorious success with the business district of our community adorned in decorations of the season. It has indeed been a busy year for the Didsbury Chamber of Commerce.
The Chamber is always open to new initiatives. We know there are retailers with some great ideas - join the Chamber and let us help you bring them to fruition. Working together we can accomplish so much!
2003 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Surviving the growing pains that often accompany volunteer organizations, the Didsbury Chamber selected a new executive in the late spring and hosted a Strategic Planning Workshop. New goals and objectives are being implemented as the year progresses. Meetings are fun again!
In October, the Didsbury Chamber held its first Small Business Week Gala, with long-time Chamber member, Bill Cowan, in attendance as Honourary Chairman. Businesses supported this new venture wholeheartedly, and our fall banquet is destined to become an annual event.
Country Christmas, promoted by the Didsbury Chamber, takes place the last Friday of November. Merchants volunteer their time to decorate the downtown main streets of town, and their stores, with an "Old Tyme Country Christmas" theme. Fun for the whole family!
We conclude 2003 as a group committed to serving the interests of its members, and to promote free enterprise, for the benefit of the economic environment of the Town of Didsbury and surrounding area.
Home | About Us | Location | Local First Campaign | Strategic Plan | Links Member Directory | Membership Benefits - Join the Chamber | Member Homepages | Member Newsletter Events | Didsbury Trade Show | Small Business Week Gala | Country Christmas & Light Judging Bookmark our website: www.didsburychamber.ca |
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Didsbury had a Board of Trade in the early years, a merchant's organization that promoted the business community. The first Chamber of Commerce meeting was held in January of 1962, organized to represent all interests in the Didsbury area, including industry and business, tourism and economic development, as well as the social well-being of the community.