Amite City Chamber of Commerce
101 S.E. Central Ave.
Amite, LA 70422
Phone/Fax: (985) - 748 -5537
E-mail: amitecoc@I-55.com

Amite Chamber of Commerce Newsletter

Articles:
Bringing In People
Last Month's Recap
This Month's Meeting
Be A Good Ecotourist
Chamber Golf Tournament
Spring Has Sprung



Bringing In People

A while back we had a speaker who talked about a small town in Florida that went from a fading entity to one that prospered beyond belief. This town was able to create  an economic infrastructure by utilizing their existing resources. These resources in turn, brought people into their town mostly to visit, and then some to take up permanent residence and create new businesses.

In talking with some of our Chamber members and with others who have lived around the country in small towns, the comment has surfaced multiple times that we need to find our niche to bring in people. Within these discussions it has also been noted that we should capitalize on the resources we have. As we are beginning to identify our resources and how we should utilize them to our benefit, we should touch on the "what", "why" and "how" of bringing in people.

The "what:" "Bring in people" means identifying both the population that currently consumes, and one that would be interested in purchasing and enjoying the services provided by our businesses. It also means identifying what businesses would complement our city, provide better to our current consumers, and further attract newcomers.

The "why:" Simply put, to increase consumption of our local services, to offer desired services to our current (and future) population and businesses, and to fuel the development of new businesses. For example, a recent study commissioned by GNO, Inc., for our region stated that we lose 4.7 billion dollars a year to services purchased from businesses outside our region. If we can provide just a small portion, say 20%, of those services within our region, we could quickly build our regional economy by over 900 million dollars a year. We don't have these numbers for Amite, but Amite businesses were included in this assessment demonstrating the potential if we apply the same philosophy to Amite.

The "how:"
Step 1: Find our niche by listening to our membership and the citizens of Amite and the visitors to our town; and by completing a study of what other businesses and cultural activities are supported by other towneps our type and size.
Step 2: Plan carefully by taking advantage of the resources we have.
Step 3: Form partnerships with all local businesses, educational institution, and governmental entities.
Step 4: Speak positively about our town within and outside our region.
Step 5: Celebrate and publicize our successes.
Step 6: Learn quickly from our setbacks.
Step 7: Repeat step 1.

This is an interactive process where the steps are interwoven and continue indefinitely. As the Chamber, it is our responsibility to drive these efforts. And as always, we--your Chamber Board, appreciate your support of and participation in these processes. It is though this process that we will be able to improve our services to grow your business, our community, and our local economy.



"Spring Has Sprung!"

Curb Appeal- It Benefits You and Amite

The dull brown colors and the dead leaves are being replaced by vibrant colors and new growth. Are you in the mood to see lovely flower gardens around town? Have you ever wondered how and why some organizations and companies have these gardens on our street corners?  By adopting a corner flower bed you can beautify Amite. Additionally, installing a small sign to let the world know who is  contributing to this beautification can only create good will with our customers. There is no charge to Adopt-a-Corner. All you have to do is the planting and maintenance. Improving the appearance of our town and advertising should more than offset your investment in this project.

Please consider adopting a corner. Act now, there are only six corners left. For more information or to see which corners are available, call Martina at the Chamber of Commerce office, 985-748-5537.

 


Last Month's Recap

Allison Cascio of the Center for Planning Excellence was our speaker. She educated us on the "how to" of Community Planning tailord to our needs in Amite.


This Month's Meeting

Wednesday, April 9th at noon is our next meeting. Spitale's is the place. Approximately fifty people have joined us at each meetings this year. Apparently our speakers are saying something that is touching the needs of our members. If you have been there, you know we are discussing topics that help enhance local business. If not, please come join us and you can be a part of what is happening at the Chamber to make Amite an even better place to live and conduct business. We have not confirmed this month's speaker at the time of printing of our Newsletter, but we assure you the meeting will be interesting. The 2009 Oyster Royalty will be present at this months meeting.


Chamber Golf Tournament

The Amite Chamber of Commerce's major fundraisers is next month. We need your assistance! Our Annual Golf Tournament is on Friday, May 16th at Springview Golf Club. Please consider sponsoring a hole. This will benefit the Chamber and help you in two ways: immediate advertisement of your business and customers to our town and thus you business. Players and door prizes are also needed. Contact Buddy Bel at 985-747-8012, Heather Williams Cavaretta at 985-517-0133, Scott Schilling at 985-748-511 or Mike Case at 504-858-3454 for further information.


Total Membership: 126     Make it 127!    Call 985-748-5537 to see how to join.


Be A Good Ecotourist

by Tresa Erickson

Some of the most pristine places on earth are the least industrialized and the most visited. Tourists enjoy visiting these places because they are so untouched, and to keep areas like these in pristine condition, the movement of ecotourism has evolved. Trips centering on ecotourism are designed to minimize impact on the host area.Some ecotourism organizations are better than others, so if you are going this route, you need to do your homewor and find out which organizations are solid. This will ensure you put valuable dollars into the local economy and make minimal impact on the environment.

After you have selected a good organization and planned your trip itinerary, you need to do your part to be a well-informed ecotourist,. You should research the culture and customs of the area beforehand and bring the right clothing. Once at your destination, you should respect residents and their customs. Don't take pictures of residents without their permission. Watch your resources while in the area. Chances are they will be in limited supply, so use only what is absolutely necessary. Stay at smaller inns when given the choice because they will use fewer resources than larger establishments. Drink and eat only what you need. Conserve energy where possible. Don't hunt are harvest endangered animals or plants, or allow anyone in your group to do so.

Be careful when camping. Use designated sites and follow the same principles as you do when camping at home. Bring clean clothing and gear, which will be free of invasive organisms that could affect the environment. Stay on marked trails, watch wildlife from afar and dispose of human waste properly. Finally, leave the site as you found it. Pack out everything you brought in and remove litter you come across from other parties.

While visiting the area, do your best to support the local economy. This is one of the main purposes of ecotourism, so give back when you can. Take local transportation, hire local guides and use local inns, restuarants and markets. This will put money back into the economy and prevent residents from taking up destructive practices to make their living. Finally, do not contribute to any destructive practices you see, like buying products made from endangered animals and plants.

Being a good ecotourist isn't difficult. It just takes some preparation and diligence. Do your best to keep the area you visit prisitine and make as little impact on it as possible.