BY: RACHEL WUMKES

The Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce held their annual awards meeting on Tuesday, January 25th at the new, state-of-the-art Wellness Center in Clear Lake.  The facility, which does not open to the public until January 31st gave members a sneak peek into the progress of this incredible project.

A true testament, really, to the theme of the meeting.

As we wrapped up 2021 at the Chamber of Commerce, the highlight of the year seemed to be the incredible growth of the community.  Even with the pandemic still raging strong in the background, creating supply chain issues, and causing increased inflation across the globe, Clear Lake persevered.

The addition of the Wellness & Recreation Center was the tip of the iceberg of a year where we saw new development, restoration of old buildings, and innovative business development across the board.  For the first time in several years, every storefront on Main Ave is occupied.

This impeccable growth is thanks to a collaborative effort of the City of Clear Lake, the Chamber of Commerce, and economic developers who believe in North Iowa and all is has to offer.

And so, it was a time to celebrate!

We began the event with optional tours of the facility by the Wellness Center Staff.  I think most people who had only driven by the building and watched the progress from the outside looking in were pleasantly surprised with the grandeur on the inside.  It will be an incredible addition to the community.

We then took our seats to enjoy a delicious meal catered by the Best Western and a special treat of handmade chocolates from The Iowa Grill.  We chatted with other business professionals and chamber members as Mojo Productions provided us with an ambiance of music in the background.  We were then treated to a special performance by the Clear Lake Dance Team!

The ceremony began as the 2021 Board Chair, Natalie Plagge, welcomed guests and brought the meeting to order.  She thanked the board for their support during her time as Chair, and then passed the gavel along to our new Board Chair for the upcoming year, Carrie Tysdahl.

After Carrie’s uplifting remarks about her excitement to serve the community, Chamber President and CEO, Stacy Doughan, took the microphone to showcase some of the amazing achievements of the Chamber organization.

As you can see, it wasn’t just the tangible growth of 2021 causing excitement, but digital growth as well.  This graphic depiction of our “year in numbers” is a true testament to the Chamber’s dedication to the community.  As you can see, we welcomed 50 new Chamber Members this year, bringing our total membership up to 460 members.  Our social media pages are booming, helping to create awareness for our 7 ‘signature events’ as well as the 30 other events held over the past year.

And not only growth – but accolades!

This year, the “Be a Tourist in your Own Backyard” initiative won Best Niche Marketing Campaign.  We also celebrated the Larch Pine Inn who was touted as “Outstanding Lodging Property” by the Iowa Tourism Office.  And last, but certainly not least, Clear Lake was named Travel Iowa’s “Community of the Year.”

Just another testament to the true beauty of this community and that it really is a wonderful place to live, work and play.

Moving on to the awards portion of the meeting, we were pleased to announce the following winners in these categories:

Larry Luker Volunteer of the Year: Rusty Olsen

First Mate of the Year: Alice Hanley (pictured is Dalena Barz accepting on behalf of Alice)

North Iowa Service Award: Tim Putnam

Education Partner of the Year: Dean Snyder Construction

Business of the Year: Kingland

We congratulate each of the winners and applaud their dedication and continued commitment to the community and the Chamber.  It’s their leadership that helps guide us all to make Clear Lake a shining star in North Iowa.

And so, as we embark on another year, we look forward to building on the success of 2021 with intense excitement for continued growth and prosperity for the many Chamber Members we serve.  We look forward to helping you expand your reach to customers and grow your business to the highest level.

We’d also like to offer our heartfelt thanks to the entire community for embracing our vision by supporting our organization throughout the year.

We couldn’t do what we do without your unwavering support.