The chamber’s first project was installation of the “Welcome to Anchor Point” signs along the Sterling Highway, at the north and south ends of the community. Those were followed by the “Most Westerly Highway” sign.
“And we sponsored the Ma Wally Rock Park, a picnic area that we use for the Fourth of July community picnic,” Collins said. “Lois Schachle was the force behind that.”
Schachle, one of the chamber’s first board members, was on hand Saturday to celebrate the chamber’s birthday. She lived in Anchor Point until a year ago, when she moved to Homer.
The chamber also sponsored king and silver salmon derbies on the Anchor River and began participating in events in other communities, such as the Anchorage Sport Show and Seward’s Polar Bear Jump Off Festival.
“We were an active group,” Collins said, laughing.
Four years ago, the chamber moved to its current location, between Chapman School and the Alaska State Troopers Detachment E Anchor Point Post office.
The big goal of the chamber now is economic development,” Collins said. “We really want to work on attracting new businesses, being a place where young people can stay and work, come back to after they’ve gone to school. And, of course, attracting more visitors.”
The chamber’s board consists of 12 members. R. J. Austin is the current president.
“We’ll be electing new board members the first part of November and then the board will elect officers,” Collins said.
The chamber holds noon meetings at Anchor River Inn every Wednesday during the winter and frequently has a guest speaker. Sen. Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, will speak at the chamber’s Oct. 26 lunch meeting. Stevens is the incumbent in the race for Senate District R in the Nov. 7 general election. He is being challenged by Charles E. Davidson, D-Kodiak.
“We don’t have anyone else on the schedule until the end of November. Then, Scott Waterman will speak about the peaks in oil use and predictions for the future on how much oil and natural gas we’ll need,” Collins said, adding that Bob Shavelson, executive director of Cook Inletkeeper recommended Waterman, who has 20 years experience in the field of energy efficiency and renewable energy.
Anyone with suggestions for luncheon speakers or topics can pass them along to Collins at the chamber offices, 235-2600.
Individual member and organization memberships in the Anchor Point Chamber of Commerce are $30; businesses pay $60; new members have a one-time charge of $12. Members receive a plaque, listing in the chamber’s database and a link to their organization or business listed on the chamber’s Web site. Members also receive the chamber’s newsletter and can display brochures and business cards at the chamber office and at any events the chamber attends.
“They get a lot for their money,” Collins said.
McKibben Jackinsky can be reached at mckibben.jackinsky@homernews.com.
“The chamber started October 1988 with 100 members, but all of us were so enthusiastic about getting the chamber going that we would join as businesses and as individuals, so there were duplicates,” Joanne Collins, the chambers executive secretary, told the Homer News. Collins was elected to the board a few months after it was formed, and has been the executive secretary for seven years. “Now, we have 143 members with no duplicates.”
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