Posted About Five Years Ago
by
Nancy
The Evangeline Parish Chamber of Commerce held their Business after Hours meet-and-greet yesterday (Tuesday) evening at Café Evangeline on Main Street in Ville Platte. Evangeline Back & Trust Co. was the sponsor, and they provided appetizers and cocktails. Bank president, Randy Chapman, said, with regards to the recent accomplishments of the Chamber, "we see a lot of good things happening, [we're] seeing a lot of new ideas."
Chamber Director, Renee Brown, said that after only two cleanup days, Mamou is about to do their first cleanup next month. Cabot is also looking to take on the Tate Cove Road from Cabot to the Y-Not Stop. Cleco is also joining the cleanup. She said, "After only two cleanup days, it's starting to make a shift in our entire parish, and we are so fired up about that." Cleanup days are once per month. Interested volunteers can call the Chamber to sign up. She reminded members that the Ville Platte Farmer's Market is Thursday from 3:00-6:00 PM, and a Christian group will be performing in observation of Easter Week. Brown reminded everyone that nominations for board members are due in May, with voting in June. She announced the annual Awards & Membership Banquet is scheduled for Tuesday, August 27th.
Chamber president, Luke Deville, said when they switched from the Ville Platte Chamber to the Evangeline Parish Chamber, they gained 45 new members, 20% coming from outside of Ville Platte; they include Mamou, Pine Prairie and Turkey Creek. He said he feels the chamber "is going in the right direction."
Peter Strawitz, Vice President/President-Elect, congratulated Luke Deville on a job well done. He said for the next year he'd like to see continuity, to see the governmental affairs committee go to all villages and towns, to their council meetings, to ask them how the Chamber can be an advocate for them. He'd like to continue the relationship they've forged in the political realm so that good projects can come their way. He added, "You never know what company or industry is in town. [...] Pride of ownership is everything." He asked for anyone who has residential or commercial property to take care of them; cut the grass and pick up the trash. He asked the Chamber to consider coming together with little town meetings to set goals for where they would like to be in a year, three years, and five years.