By SUSAN BERG

Managing editor

Art in the Park, welcome bags for visitors and new residents, flags on Main Street, updating the community sign at Main and Elm streets, the annual farm-city banquet, Santa Claus on Main Street, overall promotion of the community.

These things don’t just happen.

It takes a great deal of effort, organization, and time to make things happen.

All of that could end.

The board of directors of Marion Chamber of Commerce is again assessing the direction it needs to take to continue operation.

Executive Secretary Margo Yates has been with the chamber for 18 years. The largest membership the organization has had during her tenure was 130.

Membership today is 100.

“As some retail businesses change ownership, they don’t always rejoin,” chamber President Don Noller said Friday, explaining part of the reason for the decrease.

When businesses first open, it’s tempting for chamber members to immediately ask them to join.

“It’s tough because we know sometimes it’s hard when a business first opens to be able to spend $200 for a membership,” Yates said.

Membership has been $200 a year for many years. The organization has considered increasing dues, but Yates is not in favor of that because it may mean losing members who cannot afford the increase.

Another of the challenges facing the chamber is that retail businesses benefit from chamber activities without being members.

“So many functions that we sponsor include non-chamber members,” Noller said. “Most community events benefit retailers, including restaurants.”

When Yates answers the chamber phone, it doesn’t matter if the person is calling specifically about chamber business or just wanting basic information about the community.

“Customer service is the most important function I have in this office,” she said.

Yates said she recently had a call from someone wanting to know how to rent a storage building by the county lake. With a little research, she was able to find out and told the caller.

“I would have driven out there to get the phone number off the building if necessary,” Yates said.

“That’s how it’s supposed to be,” Noller added.

The first impression of a community is important, so Yates strives to give visitors — on the phone and in person — a positive experience as she answers the phone for Chingawassa Days inquiries, reservations for the annual community Thanksgiving Day dinner, or helping families at Christmas time.

Many services the chamber provides don’t include members.

When non-member businesses are asked why they don’t join, the common answer has been that they don’t see the benefit.

“All businesses benefit,” Noller said. “We’ve got to support the community, and this is one way to do it.”

A shortage of 30 members may not seem like many but when factoring that the cost of operating the office — salary, insurance, supplies, and equipment — has increased, that extra $6,000 could solve part of the organization’s problem.

Marion City Council hasn’t helped the situation. Last year, the council decided to provide $7,000 to the chamber for tourism activities, a $3,000 decrease from the previous year.

“If we picked up 15 members, it would offset the shortage of funds from the city,” Noller said.

With the shortage of funds and sometimes a shortage of workers, the chamber has to pick and choose the activities to promote.

The plight of the chamber is nothing new.

Newspaper articles about the chamber in the 1960s indicated that membership was down and there weren’t enough volunteers to serve on committees.

Bud Hannaford said he joined the chamber in 1962. He was told that Marion Kiwanis Club performed many of the duties of the chamber in the 1920s. It’s not known exactly when the chamber officially began but early newspaper articles indicated the chamber was in full swing in the 1940s.

“I remember the annual dinner was the highlight of the year,” Hannaford said. “I miss that.”

Goals for the coming year would be reviewed, and new officers were introduced.

The chamber did not have an annual dinner earlier this year because a speaker could not be found and there didn’t seem to be much interest from the membership.

Janice Case of Marion was secretary during the 1960s. The chamber office was at 204½ E. Main St. She remembers that the late Rusty Longhofer donated a desk, and a furniture store donated carpet.

A chamber newsletter was written, copied on an old mimeograph machine, and delivered in-person every week, Case said.

While Case was secretary, Art in the Park began with assistance from Marion resident Terri Colburn.

“It was fun,” Case said. “We really got it going. People really supported the chamber.”

Marsha Ames was secretary after Case.

It was around 1980 when Eloise Mueller, now of Newton, became the chamber secretary. She said the role of the secretary was to be an advocate of the city by always promoting the community.

It was during her tenure that the chamber moved to the city office.

“We were always working for the businesses,” she said.

It was through the chamber that a Marion PRIDE program was established.

“We had to really push people, though, to get things done,” Mueller said, much of the same challenges facing Yates.

Hannaford, Case, and Mueller agreed that annual meetings were a way to keep members informed and to encourage participation for the coming year.

For Noller, it comes down to how badly the business community wants the chamber to continue as is.

“How bad do you want our help? Would there be support for a dues increase?” are among the questions Noller wants answered by businesses.

“Give us feedback and some constructive ideas,” Noller said.

“Marion is home, and it’s the people who make it home,” Yates said. “I’m passionate about my job, which is why I get frustrated.”

Noller and Yates agreed that Marion has much to offer to visitors and residents.

Noller recalled when he moved to Marion eight years ago.: “I lost count of the number of people who said ‘Welcome to Marion’,” he said. “Marion is one of those great small communities where people feel welcome.”