I don’t know about you, but I was devastated by the three downtown businesses closing. It reinforced to me how important it is that our Chamber focuses on business retention, planning and support. 

We’ve lined up several key players for the March luncheon to help you start, grow, or just assist with whatever challenges your organization might face. Clearwater Economic Development Association and Zion’s Bank will talk about their lending programs, while the Small Business Development Program will tell us about the services they offer to businesses of all sizes. There will be something for everyone. Please invite your friends, whether they are just starting out or have been going strong for decades—we don’t want any more businesses going under for lack of resources or technical support!

            We are also partnering again with Clarkston High School for summer recruiting. Perhaps you have internships, summer work, or jobs for recent high school grads; this is your opportunity to come on campus for info sessions and interviews with interested students. They will be held in April and May. lf you are interested in participating (there is no cost for this service), please contact our office at [email protected].

Business After Hours will be at our new Chamber of Commerce location this month! A big shout-out to our fabulous February hosts: St. Joseph Regional Medical Center and Happy Day Catering. We have also fixed (for the most part) the issue with benefit packages, so if you are still not able to login and use them, it is because your membership invoice is outstanding. And don’t forget to send your news and updates to [email protected] by the last business day of the month (ex: March 29th for the April newsletter). Thank you!

 And, did you know the World Atlas named us one of the 7 Best Towns in the PNW?  Go LC Valley! 7 Best Towns in The Pacific Northwest to Visit in 2024 – WorldAtlas