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Chamber Looks Back, Ahead

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By LAURA FRAZIER

lfrazier@tampatrib.com

Published: January 14, 2009

SEFFNER - The Seffner Chamber of Commerce has something in common with the new administration that will assemble Tuesday in Washington: a push for change.

The group will gather Jan. 26 for the annual Chamber Choice Awards to celebrate achievements and forge ahead into the new year. Dennis Schrand, whose two-year term as chamber president runs through August, said the 25-year-old organization is freshly focused on revamping and reinvigorating itself.

"In the past, the chamber has more or less operated in the background," Schrand said. "It's more of a 'coming out' now."

The chamber sponsored its first Veterans Day Seffner-Fest to honor vets and give members a chance to showcase their businesses. In addition to enjoying refreshments, entertainment and a business expo, patrons who brought nonperishable food items for local charities received a free lunch from Hungry Harry's Famous Bar-B-Que.

"Everyone had a great time, and we collected hundreds of food items for Tampa Metropolitan Ministries, the I Am Hope Cafe and First Baptist Church of Mango," Schrand said. "There's already a committee in place to plan this year's event."

A new Ambassador program - coordination of after-hours networking events at member locations - also enjoyed quick success.

"We have more and more events planned every month," Schrand said.

Twenty-five businesses signed on with the chamber during the past six months, but quite a few members have postponed or delayed payments to renew their memberships. Schrand said it's a sign of the times.

"Everyone is short on funds now, but we try to make it affordable and give our members the best bang for the buck," he said. "We're offering more and more opportunities for businesses to get involved and get their name out there."

Involvement is the key to reaping the benefits of any networking organization, he said.

"It's like signing up for a basketball team. If you don't come to the game, you're never going to get to play."

Under the economic strain, he said, Seffner and Mango area businesses might be wise to get in the game.

"If you look around the Seffner area, you see that there are primarily a lot of small businesses. Now we have the new Seffner Library, and the Seffner Community Plan has been in the works for a year and a half. I have a feeling that we're on the edge of something that's going to start growing."

THE CEREMONY

WHAT: Annual Seffner Chamber of Commerce awards dinner

WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Jan. 26

WHERE: New Lenna Hall, 602 Lenna Ave., Seffner

AWARDS: Sharon Carter Community Service Award, Business of the Year, Small Business of the Year, Charity Organization of the Year, Member of the Year

COST: Free; make reservations by Jan. 23.

INFORMATION: E-mail info@seffnerchamber.com or call (813)-627-8686

Reporter Laura Frazier can be reached at (813) 657-4523.

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