2nd Quarter 2010                               Chamber@meltel.net                                    320-256-7174

"Things happen because people who care make them happen."

Upcoming Meetings:

Thursday June 17 11 am Melrose Riverfest Meeting at Melrose Bowl

Thursday June 17 12 noon General Membership Meeting at Melrose Bowl

Changes to the Rosy Buck Program

    At the May Melrose Area Chamber of Commerce General Membership Meeting, our membership voted to make a change in our Rosy Buck policy to state that all Melrose Area business will now be allowed to accept Rosy Bucks, regardless of membership in the chamber of commerce. We hope that in changing the program to be accepted at every business, it will increase the usage. In the future, we plan on running promotions during key times of the year to increase the use of this currency and promote the program.

    Each business in the Melrose Area is encouraged to accept Rosy Bucks. To be reimbursed for the currency, bring it to you local banking institution with your regular deposit. If you do not bank locally, please contact the chamber office for reimbursement.

    We welcome non-chamber businesses to join the Melrose Area Chamber of Commerce as it is the membership dues that support this program. We hope this will benefit us all with a stronger local economy.

    Please call the chamber office if you have any questions regarding the program 320-256-7174.

August 21, 2010

We are still looking for volunteers to work in the beer stand and food stand. If you are able to volunteer on August 21, please call:

Beer Stand: Jackie Tschdia 256-3700

Food Stand: George Jensen 256-4241 or Sharon Blaskowski 256-4228

Current Schedule of Events:

All Events Occur on Main Street unless otherwise noted

1:00 pm Bean Bag Tournament

1:00-3:00 pm Petermeier One-Room Schoolhouse Tours, Melrose Area Schools Campus

2:00-5:00 pm Inflatable Games- Jurassic Survivor Obstacle course, Showdown, Sports Challenge,  Wizards Castle

2:00 -5:00 pm Games for Kids by Area Girl Scouts

2:00-4:00 pm Melrose Game Show Showdown- “Minute to Win It,” “Singing Bee,” “Lets Make a Deal” and more!

4:00 Pre Mass/Mass Music by the “Jolly Ramblers” sponsored by the Freeport State Bank

4:30 pm St. Mary’s Catholic Church Polka Service featuring the “Jolly Ramblers” Melrose City Center Parking Lot

6:00 pm Bed Races by Melrose Fire Department

7:00 pm Melrose Grand Parade, theme “Down on the Farm”- New Parade Route—Jennie-O parking lot area to 1^st St. South to 2^nd Ave and left onto Main Street. Parade ends at the Jaycee/Lions Park

9:00 pm St. Mary’s Church Raffle

8:30 pm-12:30 am Music by “Sweet Siren”

Beer Garden and Food Booth all Day

Featuring BBQ Turkey Legs, Hamburgers, Corn on the Cob,

Ice Cream and more!

2010 Miss Melrose Pageant

The 2010 Miss Melrose Pageant will be held on Thursday June 24th at 7:30 pm.

Candidates include:

Amber Roering Sponsored by New Munich Meats

Andrea Yruczyk- Sponsored by Ernie's Family Foods

Courtney Reiland Sponsored by Melrose Feed Mill

Elizabeth Blomker- Sponsored by Munson Feeds

Paige Austing- Sponsored by Montessori School of Melrose

Shayla Rausch- Sponsored by John Dough's Pizza

Tickets for the pageant will go on sale the second week of June.

Melrose Calf Show

The 2010 Melrose Calf Show will be held on June 19 at 10:00 am in the Sauk River Park. Any person 4-H or FFA age that lives in a school district in Stearns County is able to participate. Please encourage anyone you would know to participate in this event. Contact Bob Stommes Agriculture Committee Chair at 256-4340 for more information.

Melrose Beautification Project

Thank you for all of those who donated to the Melrose Street Beautification Project. Flowers were planted by the Birch Hills Community Church on Tuesday May 25th. Flowers will be white and purple wave petunias. Thank you to diversicom for placing the pots on the streets this spring and to Roman and Bernice Hellermann for their dedicated watering of the flowers throughout the summer. If you did not make a donation yet, and would still like to, please mail it to the Melrose Area Chamber of Commerce 223 E Main Street Melrose.

2010 Farm/City Crazy Days

Mark your calendar for July 16 for the Melrose Farm/City Crazy Days. We are asking businesses, again this year, to have sidewalk sales and employee garage sales on that day to add to the excitement of the event. . Events in the Central Minnesota Federal Credit Union Parking lot will include: Dairy/Turkey Plate Lunch, Petting Zoo, Live Music and Kids Pedal Tractor Pull. We will need about seven volunteers to work each 1 hour shift during the event serving the Dairy/Turkey Plate Lunch. Times include 11-12, 12-1, 1-2. Please call or email the chamber if you can help out for this event.

2010 Holiday Kick-Off and Holiday Cash Raffle

Just prior to November 26 the city and business owners will "haul out the holly" and decorate Melrose for the Holiday Kick-off. Melrose Kicks off the Holiday Season in style with events at local businesses, a holiday lighted parade and holiday fireworks. Start planning your lighted unit in the parade today- it could be your business that wins 1st  prize this year!

We will also be doing the Holiday Cash Raffle in conjunction with the Holiday Kick-Off. We will be running the raffle as we did last year, selling $20 tickets distributed to chamber members to sell. Feedback from last year indicated that we should have more than one prize for the raffle. Prizes for this year will be Grand Prize: $2,500 2nd Prize: $1,000 3rd Prize: $500 10-$100 prizes. We are also welcoming any prizes that individual businesses would like to donate over a $50 value. Please let the chamber know before July 1 if you would like to make a donation to this raffle.

2010 Home Health and Family Expo Recap

On April 10th  the 2010 Melrose Home Health and Family Expo was held at the Melrose Elementary School Gym. We had a record number of 53 exhibitors this year. Entertainment included Lakes Area Tae Kwan Do and a Just for Kix dance performance. Attendance was estimated at around 350 people. Surveys were sent out to all exhibitors and 28 were returned. Incentive for returning the forms was a free booth space in 2011 and Finken Water Center's name was drawn as was the winner. We are looking for new entertainment or other ideas to start planning for next year. Please contact the chamber if you have any ideas. Thank you to those who had booths and/or visited the expo.

Ink Cartridges Recycled Here

Remember that the chamber is a source to recycle your used (name brand)  laser and ink jet cartridges. We recycle them through "Funding Factory" and use the rewards to buy office products. Drop them off at the chamber office anytime, or call and we will come pick them up. Thank you for participating!

Upcoming Events

June 17 11 am Melrose Riverfest Meeting Melrose Bowl

 June 17 12 noon General Membership Meeting Melrose Bowl

June 24 Miss Melrose Pageant 7:30 pm

July 15 General Membership Meeting John Dough's Pizza

July 16 Farm/ City Crazy Days

August 21 Melrose Riverfest Celebration

November 26 Holiday Kick-Off and Holiday Cash Drawing