At a Chamber meeting last Fall, a new member asked me why a not-for-profit group would join the Chamber of Commerce. It's true that the word "commerce" conjures up images of hard goods being sold over a counter or delivered to the home. The reality is that service-oriented businesses make up about 80 percent of the U.S. economy* and are certainly well represented in our Chamber.

The Mary Culver Home for the Visually Impaired, where I am the Marketing Director, is one of those not-for-profit service organizations that has found a great resource in the Kirkwood - Des Peres Area Chamber of Commerce. In my five years of membership, I've been able to tell nearly 500 people that the Mary Culver is a 27-bed, not-for-profit nursing home in Kirkwood for elderly blind ladies. Just by sitting with me at lunch once a month, 500 people know that we have private rooms, excellent staffing ratios, and zero deficiencies in state inspections. Every time I participate in a tip topic giveaway, have a table at a Chamber Expo, or attend another Chamber function, I reach exponentially more people with that message.

The 66th Annual Installation and Awards Celebration sponsored by SSM St. Clare Health Center was recently held at the Hilton St. Louis Frontenac. This year the theme was Chamber 66 - the Route to Success! It was a very festive night for dressing up, having a few drinks and hors d'oeuvres, followed by a gourmet steak or tilapia dinner and amazing dessert. It was the perfect opportunity for networking and just being "seen." Click Here To See The Installation Photo Gallery.  

It's time to reserve your booth space at the 24th Annual Grand Marketplace Expo, to be held on Tuesday, April 3rd from 4 - 7:30 pm at the Holiday Inn Southwest Viking. For only $175, you get an 8-foot display table and booth space. At this price, you can't find a better deal for promoting your business face-to-face to the public and other Chamber members.

You can download an Expo contract from the Chamber's website by Clicking Here . The sooner you pay for your booth space, the better your placement on the exhibit floor. In addition to being an exhibitor, we have great promotional opportunities at all price levels, ranging from $15, $35, $50 and up to $500. You can promote your business with a business card ad, a prize for our Premier Prize Wheel and even a sponsorship!

Trivia Night on Saturday, February 25 at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Cottleville, MO.  All proceeds benefit Mike Bales.  Tickets are $20/person or $160/table. Tickets for this event may be purchased on the Responder Rescue website by CLICKING HERE.  For more information on this event please Click Here.

While much of the Missouri-Illinois region saw unseasonably mild temperatures at the end of January and beginning of February, please know that when winter weather hits, it forces the cancellation of numerous American Red Cross blood drives locally and across the country. You can help meet the needs of local hospital patients by giving blood while the weather is nice. There is no substitute for human blood. Blood is a perishable product. Red blood cells last only 42 days and platelets just five days. It must be replenished constantly. The American Red Cross is reporting lower donations than expected since the start of 2012. O blood types are particularly low, but all blood types are needed. Call 1-800-RED CROSS or log on to www.redcrossblood.org for more information or to schedule a blood donation appointment.

Local home and business moving company Two Men And A Truck is pleased to announce the promotion of Tom Schopp from the company's St. Louis office. Tom Schopp, of St. Louis, was promoted to marketing coordinator for the St. Louisand Collinsville, Ill. stores. As the new marketing coordinator, Schopp will act as a community liaison through networking with the local business community, performing onsite visits to referral sources and coordinating community service outreach.

Local sauce creator, Chef Mel, has recently introduced her Sweet Sicilian Style Pasta Sauce to more than 70 Schnucks grocery stores in the St. Louis area, Columbia, Jefferson City and Cape Girardeau as well as several in Illinois. This gourmet sauce will be available to purchase at Schnucks mid-February. In addition to Schnucks, her sauces are already available at many local independent specialty stores such as Straub's, Sappington and Kirkwood Farmer's Markets, Friar Tuck's, the Wine and Cheese Places, Viviano's, and Italian markets on "the Hill", J. Viviano's, DiGregorio's and Urzi's. Her sauces have also been featured at the Best of Missouri Market at the Botanical Gardens in 2008 and 2009 as well as Webster Farmer's Market in 2010. Melissa Dodd-Ruesing, AKA Chef Mel, has been cooking up her Sweet Sicilian Style Pasta Sauce and Gourmet Salsas for several years, starting as a hobby and growing it into mass production in 2008. 

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