Joanna Helm
2009 President

"It's the 'unity' in community that gets the job done." And what a blessing it is to live in this wonderful community.

The time has arrived for me to hand over the reins to my vice president, Shaun Murray. Shaun has proven to be a bright, honest and hard-working member of our city. I am confident he will prove to be an excellent leader for our chamber in 2010.

The past year has certainly been a challenging year for everyone, for many reasons. The sagging economy has had widespread reprecussions in many areas. But the beauty of a small town is the sense of fmily. People have come together in times of need.

Our 2009 was filled with fun events, informative speakers and growth.

We were fortunate to have 13 ribbon cuttings in 2009. It is always exciting to see new businesses open or existing ones expand. It is wonderful to see niches or specific needs in a city filled with local owners who are willing to invest their energies and resources.

We also held four chamber "after hours" events this past year. It's such a fun opportunity to co-mingle socially with other business owners. Those sponsoring events were Axcess Network, First National Bank Financial Center, Vandalia GMAC Real Estate and Something Special. We truly appreciate all your efforts.

Following on the heels of last year's banquet, the chamber hosted the first annual Home & Lifestyle Expo in February. It was co-sponsored by The Leader-Union and WKRV/WPMB. A big thank you to Dave Bell and Todd Stapleton for their support.

There were 36 booths, and we had a good turnout from the public. My sincere thanks to all the board members who helped, the participating merchants who were part of the expo or donated door prizes. Rich Well and Rod Grimsley for the facilities and all those who visited us. It was a prime example of unity getting the job done.

In March, we hosted our candidates' forum prior to the April election at the Kaskaskia College campus. It was a huge success. Hats off to Todd Stapleton for the masterful moderating and Mary Schulze for the use of her beautiful building.

In 2009, two Chamber of Commerce scholarships were awarded. The deserving winners were Kate Carroll and Kayla Hutson. We wish you both continued success.

Springtime brought another fun and successful golf tournament. This year's winning teams were: first place, First Bank; and second place, Hosick Motors. We appreiate all your loyal support.

It's always a win-win situation when two worthy organizations can partner for a poplar event. During Vandalia Main Street's Corn Days the chamber sponsored a city-wide garage sale. We had 42 families register.

We also experienced the retirement of Sen. Frank Watson. He was a chamber member, and a dedicated advocate of the chamber and Vandalia. We wish him a rewarding and peaceful future. His successor is Sen Kyle McCarter. He was one of our featured speakers at our monthly meetings, and he is proving to be a great ally to Vandalia. In October, he organized the Vandalia Business Summit for local business owners. It was held at First Natinal Bank and it proved to be a very informative meeting. The chamber would like to thank Sen. McCarter and his office for their time and efforts, and to FNB for hosting us.

Also in October, we gathered at the Vandalia Country Club for the chamber's annual New Business Breakfast. It is always exciting to see new businesses open, with their owners ready and willing to take on the challenge of owning a business.

With the state of our economy, it is imperative that we help support our local businesses - both new and established. It is truly a win-win situation when a community strives to come together with their neighbors to build a friendly, productive place to live.

As always, time seems to fly by, and another year has passed. Reflecting on my theme, "Growth with Grace and Gratitude," I am happy with the growth we were able to achieve. We have added 15 new members this year, for a total of 136 members. We are a unique mixture of talents, experiences, products and services - with the potential for unlimited possibilities.

As I gracefully step down from my role as president, I do so with gratitude for the opportunity to serve you all, and for all the help throughout the year.

I especially thank my board of directors for your dedication and hard work, and to Kay and June for making my job easier.

I look for great things from Shaun and his board. I encourage you all to be active members of your chamber; it can prove to be the vital link to future success.


Joanna Helm is the owner of Words, Wicks and Wood.