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Community Forum
The Chamber will host the annual community forum in conjunction
with a high school debate on February 9th in the auditorium
of the Waynesville High School. The debate will begin at 6:00
p.m. with the panel discussion to follow. Speakers for the
evening will include COL Spellmon from Fort Leonard Wood,
Mayor Sanders from St. Robert, Mayor Hammock from Waynesville,
Dr. Blackburn from Waynesville R-VI School District, and Presiding
Commissioner Newkirk from Pulaski County.. The community is
invited to attend the forum and will have the opportunity
to ask questions. Questions must be submitted in person. This
event will be broadcast on Channel 12.
Economic and community development is important to the residents
of Pulaski County. This forum will help inform the community
with regards to current development issues. For more information
contact the Chamber office at 573-336-5121.
 Community
Leadership Awards Banquet
The Waynesville - St. Robert Area Chamber of Commerce is
preparing for its annual Community Leadership Awards Banquet.
This memorable event will be held on Friday, February 17,
2012 at the St. Robert Community Center with social hour beginning
at 5:30 p.m. followed by dinner at 6:00 p.m. This event is
held to commemorate the hard work and dedication to community
exhibited by our area leaders, non-profit organizations and
civic groups, as well as announces the Citizen of the Year.
Tickets are available now at the Chamber office. The deadline
to purchase tickets is February 10th by 5:00 p.m. You
must have a ticket to attend the banquet. Tickets must be
purchased in advanced and will not be available at the door.
This year six outstanding volunteers are nominated for Citizen
of the Year. The nominees for the 2011 Citizen of the Year
are Richard Baptiste, Dr. William Boone, Richard Morris, Lindall
Mostajo, Don Tritten, and Ellen Kay York. The Citizen of the
Year award is intended to recognize individuals who perform
outstanding and dedicated service to the community and/or
help others over time in the Waynesville-St. Robert area.
To read the biographies of the nominees click here.
For more information about the Citizen of the Year and the
Community Leadership Awards Banquet contact the Chamber office
at 573-336-5121 or e-mail chamber@wsrchamber.com.
Taste of Pulaski County & Basket Auction - What will
be in your Basket?
This year the Waynesville-St. Robert Chamber of Commerce's
Annual Taste of Pulaski County & Basket Auction to be
held on Saturday, March 31st from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the
St. Robert Community Center. Have you thought about what you'll
be putting in your basket? All items submitted are greatly
appreciated and help to make this event the largest and primary
fundraiser the Chamber holds throughout the year.
Restaurants will be handing out fine samples of all their
favorite menu items during this event. A variety of specialty
baskets from area businesses will also be up for bid. Among
baskets filled with chocolates, themed baskets, or baskets
with great consumer value, early shopping for that special
gift basket will be a cinch. A silent auction and door prizes
are also included in this fun filled event. Doors open 11:00
a.m. with the Auction beginning at 12:30 p.m. Come early to
browse the wonderful items for bid and start sampling the
delicious food offered by area restaurants. Tickets are $10
for adults, $5 for children 12-5 years old and children 4
and under are free. Pre-event tickets are available at the
Chamber office.
We have sponsorships available that includes your name in
all press releases, on fliers and an ad in the printed tab.
As a sponsor you are welcome to have a booth at the event!
The Chamber hopes to receive a basket or gift certificate
from every member business to support our largest fundraiser
of the year. Also needed are silent auction items and door
prizes to give away during the event.
Don't forget to register your restaurant today! This event
is open to all Pulaski County restaurants. Don't hesitate
to contact the Chamber and let us know if your business would
like to donate a basket, gift certificate or silent auction
item, call (573) 336-5121 or e-mail chamber@wsrchamber.com.
but space is limited.
The 2012 Polar Meltdown Chili Cook-off Results Are In!
Fort Wood Hotels by Ehrhardt Properties walked away with
the Best of Show Award for the third consecutive year at the
Waynesville-St. Robert Chamber of Commerce Polar Meltdown
Chili Cook-Off held Saturday, January 21st.
The 2012 Polar Meltdown Chili Cook-Off judges were Debbie
Kinsley from Colton's Steakhouse, Ursula Lebioda from The
Drynk, and Charles Allison from Fort Leonard Wood.
Awards were given for the following categories:
Participation Ribbons:
Chili Wizards - Jonathan Varner
No-Na-Me Chili - Citizens Mortgage Company
Children of the World Chili - Interact Club - Rotary Club
of Pulaski County
KFLW Ozark Media - KFLW 98.9
Parks & Rec Contagion Chili - City of St. Robert
Tailgate - US Bank
Red Hot Winners - Jones Investment Group
Croaker's Cookers - City of Waynesville
Showmanship Award:
1st Place-"Chili Masters" True Light Temple
2nd Place-"Hot Tamales" Life Care Center of Waynesville
3rd Place- "Wellthy Living!" Fort Wood Hotels by
Ehrhardt Properties
People's Choice Award:
1st Place-"Fire in the Hole" Mid Missouri Credit
Union ($323.47)
2nd Place-"Wellthy Living!" Fort Wood Hotels by
Ehrhardt Properties($218.50)
3rd-Place-"Fowl Play" Citizens Mortgage Company
($192.00)
The total amount raised from the People's Choice jars was
$1,298.21.
Grand Champion Chili:
Tie: - "Hot Tamales" Life Care Center of Waynesville
"Wellthy Living!" Fort Wood Hotels by Ehrhardt Properties
Best of Show Award: "Wellthy Living" Fort
Wood Hotels by Ehrhardt Properties
The People's Choice Award is awarded to the team that raises
the most donations during the event. Event attendees voted
for their favorite chili by making cash donations at the team
booths. These funds are specifically designated for the Chamber's
Right Choice Scholarship. With the money donated this year
the Chamber will be able to award five $250 scholarships!
The Showmanship and Grand Champion Chili is decided by the
judges and the Best of Show is a combination from all three
categories. By winning the Best of Show Award, Fort Wood Hotels
earned a free entry into next year's event.
The Chamber would like to thank the community for their support
as well as all of the event sponsors, teams, and volunteers
for making this event a success.
Click here
to see photos of the event.
CHOICES Thank You Luncheon
The Chamber and Pulaski County Rotary Club hosted a luncheon
to thank the sponsors, presenters, and schools for their continued
support in making the CHOICES program a success for Pulaski
County.
Sponsors
This year's sponsors were Armed Forces Bank, Bank of Iberia,
Citizens Mortgage Company, Daily Guide, Fort Leonard Wood
Thrift Shop, Fort Wood Hotels, Jones Investment Group, Lynch's
Furniture & Appliance, Mercy Clinic - St. Robert, Rotary
Club of Pulaski County, and Security Bank.
Presenters
| Dan Deering |
Waynesville R-VI School District |
| Linda Gifford |
Rotary Club of Pulaski County |
| Eric Goser |
Jones Investment Group |
| Ashley Halstead |
All American Real Estate |
| Kim Hawk |
Waynesville R-VI School District |
| Claudia Herd |
Cross Creek Realty, LLC |
| Kevin Hillman |
Rotary Club of Pulaski County |
| Ollie Jackson |
Rotary Club of Pulaski County |
| Merle Jones |
Jones Investment Group |
| David Lowe |
Lowe & Lowe Attorneys |
| Lara Osmon |
Greater Ozarks Chapter, IAAP |
| Glen Popejoy |
Cross Creek Realty, LLC |
| Rosalind Pride |
Ozarks Technical Community College |
| Janel Rowell |
Candlewood Suites |
| Ron Selfors |
Rotary Club of Pulaski County |
| Sarah Traub |
University of Missouri Extension Office |
| Mike True |
Rotary Club of Pulaski County |
| Donna Widener |
Signature Realty Partners, LLC |
| Kay York |
Greater Ozarks Chapter, IAAP |
| David Helton |
Rotary Club of Pulaski County |
Click here
to see pictures from this year's CHOICES program.
 Bridging
Members Program
The Waynesville-St. Robert Chamber of Commerce
is excited to announce a new membership benefit aimed at bridging
our members and supporting our local community.
Beginning in April of 2011 Chamber members are encouraged
to report to us when they visit another member's establishment.
At the end of the month the member with the most visits will
have the opportunity to have a video posted to our web site...FREE!
This only works if you're honest about who you're doing business
with and remember EVERY VISIT COUNTS! Just follow this link,
bookmark the page, and remember to let us know about your
visits! For more information about this program call the Chamber
office at 573-336-5121.
Click here
to log in your visits now!
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Have
you scheduled your Chamber Ribbon Cutting? If you are a
new member and would like a Ribbon Cutting give the Chamber
a call. Ribbon Cuttings help bring Chamber members to your
business and provides you with media coverage. If you have
decided not to hold a Ribbon Cutting let us know so we can
provide you with your Chamber Membership Plaque that can
be displayed at your business.
Greetings! Congratulations to Fort Wood Hotels for their
big wins in the Polar Meltdown Chili Cook-off. Polar Meltdown
is another successful and fun event the Chamber organizes
and a good example of how our community works together.
Our sponsors, Chamber members, provide monetary and in-kind
support for the event; the Ambassadors work both behind
the scenes and in the public eye to set up, run, and clean
the event location and equipment; the participants donate
their time, delicious food, and style; and the tireless
Chamber staff ensures that everything runs smoothly. The
result-great fun for everyone involved and scholarships
for our community's future leaders.
The
Pulaski County Tourism Bureau would like to announce the 2012
Board of Directors Rick Morris, incoming Board President (2
year term), Todd Bailey, Vice President, Ursula Lebioda, Treasurer
and Leon Saxon, Secretary. Rick Morris has served the Tourism
Board as a hotel representative since April 2008. We would
like to also welcome new board member Marsha Mercer; Waynesville-St
Robert Chamber of Commerce representative and the re-election
of Rick Morris; hotel representative and Gayle Helms; outfitters
representative. A special thank you to Twyla Cordry, outgoing
President, for her dedication to the Bureau and tourism industry
in Pulaski County. 
The
winter so far has been a blessing for our economy. The mild
temperatures have reduced heating bills. Other expenses associated
with winter have been curtailed. Construction jobs have continued
and unemployment levels have remained stable. This will give
people more disposable income to purchase goods and services.
Also, it is tax season and refunds will start to flow into
the economy in the first quarter. If the weather continues
to be mild the first quarter of 2012 we will see positive
sales tax numbers. When I listen to the Presidential Debates
I hear folks talking about jobs. I think this is certainly
on everyone's mind. However, I have not heard much about the
energy problem. I think that more attention to energy needs,
will create more jobs. This week the Keystone Pipeline XL
project was denied to proceed. This project would have created
jobs and brought more crude oil to this country at a lower
cost. Off Shore drilling has been cutback. We had the crisis
of energy in the early 1980's and it lead to inflation and
shortages. Again, the energy problem is starting to influence
the economy. The price of fuel to deliver goods and services
are now being surcharged to customers. The farming sector
of our economy has seen the cost to raise their products increase.
The end user you and me are seeing increased prices at the
gas pump, and the supermarket. The other area of discussion
should be the housing crisis. I believe this affects many
areas of the economy. However, we did receive some exciting
recognition from a National Publication this week. A recent
article appeared in Forbes Magazine written by Beth Greenfield
about "America's Fastest Growing Small Towns". Fort
Leonard Wood, Missouri was listed as the Third Fastest Growing.
This article is a very positive sign to site selectors looking
for communities to bring new business. If we had purchased
advertising like this article it would have cost several thousand
dollars. The source of the information comes from the US Census
Bureau. You may find the article on the Forbes Web Site.
"COME
GROW WITH US"
