Chamber works on reorganization

WORLAND — The Worland-Ten Sleep Chamber of Commerce is working to redefine itself and create a new vision.

Executive Director Jenn Rasmussen and board members Nikki Batson and Justin Smith reported at a recent commissioners meeting that they are developing new benefits for chamber members.

“What I’m trying to do is give us the biggest bang for our buck in the smallest amount of time,” Rasmussen said. “I’m trying to stay focused on the positive. ‘This is what we can for you.’”

According to Benefits Guide being developed by the chamber new benefits they are working on for chamber members include:

—Access to the Wyoming Benefit Insurance Plan.

—Quarterly community recreation guide.

—New Washakie County information brochure.

—Map with information at sporting events.

—Retail committee planning downtown events such as Crazy Days, trunk-or-treating, Christmas events, and more.

—Restaurant flyer.

—Membership plaques.

—Junior Ambassador with a scholarship program.

Board member Justin Smith, general manager at Ten Sleep Brewing Company, said, “What we’re trying to do is acknowledge the existing conditions and funding realities and try to provide the best customer service we can within those realities. I kind of think in the past maybe we tried to do too much.”

He added, “I think we can do a better job if we focus a bit and focus on our customers and the town and not have so much on our plate.”

Smith, one of several new board members, added, “We’re all knew people and we’re trying to move forward. We’re pretty much a new organization, going in a new direction and wanting to get the community on board and go forward.”

Events

The new vision also includes taking a look at the various events sponsored by the chambers and how the events benefit their members.

“We want to get away from big events that use up resources and time. We want to focus our time on events that benefit our members,” Rasmussen said in a recent interview.

She said they want to look at more of a variety of events and more of being the central location for the community.

“If people give us their information on events we can be more of the community hub without the community having to pay for it,” Rasmussen said.

“If we’re helping our members and getting the member information out there, but still helping the community, I think it will work a lot better,” Rasmussen said.

She said they also want to stop competing other communities for the same money. She said for example the Mammoth Run will likely be an event they no longer sponsor. The run, which is designed to attract outside runners, is the same weekend as larger runs in neighboring communities. She said when it started it was unique.

Rasmussen said the board asked her what three events would she keep. She said the chamber banquet in March is a given. She also wanted a major event in both communities.

“Hunter Fest is an obvious choice for Ten Sleep. That’s one event that does bring people in from all over the country. So that event makes sense. If we’re bringing people from all over to spend money locally, let’s keep doing that,” Rasmussen said.

The Worland event is the lighted Christmas Parade.

She noted however, that no definitive decision on events has been made by the board. The board is President Nikki Batson; and directors Brian Edholm, Laurie Krump, Smith, Trina Torzala and Julie Wetherbee.

The chamber is also moving forward with meet and greets at member businesses, providing an opportunity for the public to find out what the chamber does.

Smith said he does not know exactly how regularly the meet and greets will be scheduled.

The first meet and greet in Worland will be Tuesday, Feb. 2, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Worland Community Center Complex. They will also be holding a meet and greet in Ten Sleep on Thursday, Feb. 4, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Dirty Sally’s.

Smith said, “We’re trying to educate the community what we can offer and help them understand what we can’t.”

He said the board is also working to be responsive to concerns about not doing enough in Ten Sleep and not doing enough for Worland businesses as well.

Another purpose for the meet and greets to that people want to know what the chamber is doing for them, which is a reasonable question, Smith said.