News Editor

The Pike County Chamber of Commerce has the local media on its side this year as it kicks off the annual membership drive tomorrow.

Through the local media, The Messenger, WTBF, and Bill Rice of the Pike County Citizen, the Pike County Chamber of Commerce will be working to boost its membership to an all-time high.

"In the past the media organizations have competed against one another and have had really good results," said Holly Stoltze, membership director of the Pike County Chamber of Commerce. "This year the media is combined as one big team to show their support of the Pike County Chamber of Commerce."

The membership drive will be held from Monday, April 10 through Friday, April 21.

On April 11 Pike County Chamber of Commerce board members will hold their meeting at The Messenger office. In conjunction with the meeting, the first of four radiothons will begin promptly at 6:30 p.m. The phone lines will be open at The Messenger for interested businesses and individuals to call in and sign up as a new member of the Chamber of Commerce. Free coffee and doughnuts will be given away at The Messenger for people who stop in and join the Pike County Chamber of Commerce.

Three additional radiothons will be held, and times, dates and locations will be announced later.

The membership recruiting team will be working during the membership drive to get even more individuals and businesses involved in the chamber and the different committees of the chamber. The members of the team are comprised of civic-minded volunteers who know the importance of having a progressive chamber of commerce in Pike County.

"Communities that have progressive chambers have healthy, prospering environments," Stoltze said. "Communities that do not have an active chamber, or no chamber at all, tend to have little growth in the community."

This year the membership drive goal is set at recruiting 100-plus new businesses and 50-plus new individual members, Stoltze said.

Although all of the media organizations are working together, there is still room for friendly competition among them. The members of the media team will compete against each other as individuals, Stoltze said, and the people who obtain the most members will be awarded prizes. A victory party will be held Friday, April 21, which is the last day of the drive, and prizes will be announced.

"We feel confident that this is an obtainable goal," Stoltze said. "We know that we can count on our local media for another successful membership drive."