Madoc and District
Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 669
20 Davidson St.,
Madoc, Ontario K0K 2K0
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Who We Are
The Madoc & District Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit organization directed by a group of volunteer business members. We represent the business community and provide representation for the issues effecting the business and social climate of our community.
Your Chamber of Commerce has an operating office to provide a focal point for event and business information. We also provide a recognized business entity, able to lobby governments at the Municipal, Provincial and Federal levels on behalf of members. An active membership will provide networking opportunities and enhance the social well being of the community. A vibrant community will provide a comfortable environment for local citizens and attract tourists, visitors, new businesses and customers.
Your annual membership fee of $50.00 registers you as an active member of your local Chamber of Commerce affiliated with the Canada Chamber of Commerce and provides access to Group Insurance plans, Merchant Credit Card discounts, and Fleet Gasoline discounts. As an active member you are supporting activities promoting and improving trade and commerce, and the economic, civic and social welfare of the district.
We are dedicated to making Madoc and surrounding area the place where things do happen.
President: Rob Price
Vice Pres.: Robin Carscadden
Secretary: Ellen Wilson
Treasurer: Judy Smith
Director: Connie Robinson
Director: Jim Murray
Director: Cyndy Winterburn
Director: Tom Deline
Director: Cliff Andrews
Director: Deborah Richardson
Coordinator: Leigh Anne Lavender
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Madoc and District
Chamber of Commerce
Review
The Madoc and District Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit organization directed by a group of volunteer business members. We provide representation for the issues affecting the business and social climate of our community. Our primary area of operation is made up of the municipalities around the Village of Madoc, the Municipalities of Centre Hastings and Madoc Township. Membership is open to anyone, interested in trade, commerce or the economic and social welfare of the District. The membership includes 80 active members. This has enabled your Chamber of Commerce to be involved in a considerable number of business and community related activities over the last year.
Your Chamber was instrumental in establishing the local Mainstreet Revitalization committee. Such things as the increase in benches, flower beds, and waste and recycle containers are visible results of the work of this group. The Revitalization Committee was also instrumental in improving signage in the village, identifying attractions such as Deer Creek, the facilities at Whytock Park and providing Welcome to Madoc signs at the secondary entrances to the village. Although the Mainstreet Revitalization initiative is no longer formally active, the Chamber continues to take action in the spirit of this initiative.
Your Chamber works closely with your municipal council. Some results of this partnership are: signage at highways 7 & 62 directing travelers to “ Madoc Skate Park and Village Shops”, signage “wings” on the Welcome to Madoc signs to hold signage for the local service organizations. Replacement of the deteriorating “Please Come Again” signs at the main entrances to the village.
The Village Square is a natural focal point for the down town area of the village. Your Chamber has been actively involved in supporting organizations and activities in the square. We were able to purchase a sound system for use by the Madoc Village Market Vendors Association in support of their Saturday market events. A second system was purchased and both are used by various not-for-profit community groups to support their events and activities. In addition we supplied a portable sink system to allow food to be provided in compliance with new Health Board regulations. This office continues to participate in advertising programs to promote the various events held during the year.
The Chamber of Commerce carries event insurance for local community events that fall under its umbrella. This insurance coverage has enabled various groups to proceed with activities that they would otherwise not be able to economically do. This has included the Madoc Market Vendors' Saturday Market, Art in the Park, the ComfortCountry Thursday Market, the Madoc Canadian Heritage Music and Arts Festival, The Eldorado Sled Dog Races, and the annual Madoc Santa Claus Parade. This year we will be adding the Madoc Remote Controlled Club Village Square events.
With the financial support of CFDC, the work of cataloguing the economic resources of the area and loading it into the www.2Ontario.com website was completed. This data is available to people involved in economic development activities and potential investors worldwide. We continue to monitor this information as well as keeping the ComfortCountry Business Directory current. We are working to promote and raise the profile of this area.
Your Chamber of Commerce has established itself as a communications and activities hub for the area. We are a local sub office for the Small Business Centre whose main office is located at the Loyalist campus in Belleville. We provide small business focused information and consulting. We are regular participants in the student Summer Company Program. We support and promote their Small Business seminars. We work hand in hand with the Economic Development Department of Hastings County in supporting projects such the Business Recruitment and Retention initiative, the Premier Ranked Tourism Destination Project, and promoting and supporting the Enterprise Facilitation Program. We regularly respond to queries about the area. These queries have come by way of the telephone, e-mail, regular mail and even drop in from as far away as England and California. We respond with the requested information concerning our commercial real estate, housing (for sale and rental) businesses, visitor information, and tourism packages.
Madoc's representation on the ComfortCountry executive presently comes from your Chamber of Commerce committee. We were extensively involved in all ComfortCountry initiatives including production of the ComfortCountry visitor's Directory. Copies are distributed to each residence through out the area and along the major transportation corridors. Another popular item supported by this group was the production and distribution of a Rural Routes map of the ComfortCountry area featuring the street maps of the villages of Madoc, Tweed, Marmora, and Stirling. Your Chamber office acts as an anchor for the activities of ComfortCountry.ca. We provide a mailing address, telephone contact, and responses to e-mails. We help to keep the area consolidated business directory and consolidated calendar of events current and we maintain the membership mailing lists. Your chamber executive was instrumental in the formation of the newly formed Regional Tourism Organization ( Ontario's Highlands Tourist Organization) by volunteering as members of the initial interim board and the now permanent board of directors.
Your Chamber believes that to continue to be successful into the future, businesses and business owner/operators must invest in training and skills development for themself and their staff. To that end we strive to provide learning opportunities through workshops and networking sessions. We have organized, promoted and encourage attendance at events on such topics as Small Business Marketing, Tax Seminars, Social Media for Small Businesses, Shameless Business Promotion, Service Excellence, First Aid, Baby Sitting, Marketing / Branding - Buyers not Shoppers, Simply Accounting, Governance or How To Be a More Effective Leader in Your Organization and Your Community, Customer Service, and Surviving and Thriving in the Rural Economy.
With your continuing support, the future is looking to be even more challenging and productive.
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