RR Chamber gearing up for annual trade show

By Ken Johnston
Editor

The Rainy River and District Chamber of Commerce held its first monthly meeting of the new year last Monday evening.
Present at the meeting were President Susan Carpenter, Melanie Murray, Marilyn McAlister, Ken Johnston, Dale Morrison, Shona Larocque, Anthony Mason, Don Ricci and Grace Seguin.
The chamber decided that the Third Annual RRCC Trade Show will be held on May 3rd this year. Chamber member Melanie Murray said that she will again organize a health fair for the Friday (May 2nd) however the Chamber decided that they would limit the trade show to just Saturday this year noting that the Friday evening did not attract very many people last year. This year’s trade show committee was struck and involves Grace Seguin, Susan Carpenter, Don Ricci and Anthony Mason.
It was suggested that table rentals for the trade show be raised this year. They have been $10 the past two years. Don Ricci said the committee would look at that.
Other business
•Current executive members agreed to stay on for now, but did say they would like to see some new blood take over the chamber. No date for an Annual General Meeting was announced, hence elections remain tabled at this time.
•The Christmas advertising campaign ran on B93 FM from Fort Frances. However, few members present last week said they had not heard the ads very often or at all since the signal is poor in Rainy River. Melanie Murray had circulated a petition in the community and obtained four full pages of signatures asking B93 to erect a repeater tower in town so people can actually get the station in their homes and businesses. Murray also added they would like to see more news from the west end of the district on the radio.
•Melanie Murray said she would write a letter to local and area politicians in favour of RR purchasing a handi/van in lieu of the now extinct passenger bus service in the area. “If Big Grassy can have a medi-van why can’t we?” asked Murray.
Chamber members were concerned about seniors not being able to get to Winnipeg or Fort Frances for medical services.
•Chamber web master Don Ricci reported that there will soon be a spot for available real estate on the chamber’s site and that he is working on information for the site on bird watching opportunities in the area.