120 New Members. $43,000.

One Hundred community leaders and volunteers came together this week in an effort to strengthen the Pittsburg area business community and to create greater awareness of the critical role played by the Pittsburg Area Chamber of Commerce. The chamber partnered with Your Chamber Connection, a Texas-based company that works with hundreds of chambers of commerce across the United States, on a three day effort aimed at increasing the resources and relationships at the chamber’s disposal.

“It’s about business,” said event architect Jimmy Cusano. “A chamber of commerce is the business community. It’s a membership based organization and most people don’t like membership drives, but with this event they come together in a competitive, fun environment and tell the chamber story. When others hear about everything the chamber does, all of a sudden you have a great deal of enthusiasm and support.”

The membership event took place at Eagle Beverage, where volunteers received education and training on the importance of chambers of commerce from Cusano before using their personal and professional networks to build the chamber. The event’s results were announced at a victory celebration Thursday night at Kansas Crossing Casino.