BP Chamber members get sneak preview of website

Blooming Prairie Area Chamber of Commerce members who attended a regular meeting of the chamber on Wednesday, Aug. 21 got a sneak preview of a new website being developed by the chamber.
A regular monthly meeting took place at the Pizza Cellar in Blooming Prairie.
Miranda Camery, vice president of the BP Chamber, introduced Chamber summer intern, who gave the members a summary of the work done on the new website. She worked closely with Jamie Klemmensen of Klemmensen Creative Design and with Becky Noble, Chamber executive director.
Vorlicek attempted to contact all Chamber members to solicit information on their businesses. She interviewed many business owners and then supplied the information to Klemmensen for the adding of a design touch. The website will also have a link to the Blooming Prairie city website.
Klemmensen used a drone to capture photos of Chamber businesses.
It is hoped that the website will be ready in September. "It's going to be fantastic," remarked Vorlicek.
Vorlicek was also thanked by acting president Camery and by Noble for the contributions she made by making contacts with chamber businesses. "Thanks for letting me be part of this community," Vorlicek said.
She is entering her senior year at the University of Wisconsin River Falls. She began her chamber internship on June 10 and completed her summer internship on Aug. 23. She is the daughter of Jason Vorlicek and Jackie Reiter-Vorlicek and granddaughter of Frank and Diane Vorlicek.
After graduating in 2016 from Bloomington Jefferson High School, Vorlicek began her studies at River Falls, majoring in marketing communications.
Her marketing interests include website design to social media. She also works with community outreach.
Addressing her comments to Vorlicek, Camery said, "You are a breath of fresh air." She did a lot of work on events in addition to her work on the website, Camery informed.
Chamber associate member Joanne Sorenson brought two guests from Germany, Christa Gutenberger and Christa Futing. Christa Gutenberger's daughter Yvonne was a foreign exchange student to Blooming Prairie in 1990 and stayed with Joanne and Roger Sorenson.
Acting president Camery conducted the business session of the meeting by reviewing the work of these committees: Executive; July 4th; Civic/Ambassadors/promotion; beautification and visitor; government relations and junior entrepreneur.
Chamber Secretary Sarah Esplan offered a review of the past Fourth of July celebration. "I think everything went well," Sarah said. She thanked Maddie and Pam Ingvalson for their help with the run/walk event.
 
Blooming Prairie Mayor Curt Esplan represented the government relations committee and said the "big news" surrounds the decision of Minimizer to leave Blooming Prairie to expand its facilities at an Owatonna location.
Esplan said the move will definitely have an economic effect on Blooming Prairie. He said the city is hopeful that Craig Kruckeberg, chairman of the Minimizer Board of Directors, will find some other business/industry to fill the building space to be vacated by Minimizer.
The projected 13-acre building site is west of the Cybex campus on SW 18th Street close to the intersection of Interstate 35 and state highway 14.
The city of Owatonna passed a vote Tuesday, Aug. 20 to sell the land to Minimizer, which now has a signed purchase agreement with the city.
Minimizer currently employs 83 people across three separate campuses in Blooming Prairie.  The proposed site in Owatonna will house all employees in one facility while substantially increasing the company’s operating space from fifty-four thousand square feet to ninety-six thousand square feet.
Esplan said the move will have a definite economic effect on B to Z Hardware. Board executive director Noble urged existing manufacturers to continue to support the local hardware store.
Camery said she is sending an e-mail to Minimizer CEO requesting that he or a representative come to a future Chamber meeting to explain Minimizer's upcoming plans.
In other business, charitable gambling manager Amanda Schumacher presented a gambling report. She said business is slow at this stage at the gambling sites, Bunkie's, Cue Company and the BP Country Club.
Noble said the Chamber Golf Fun Day was successful with 60 golfers participating. This was the 25th annual BP Chamber golfing event.
"We had more younger golfers this year," said Noble.
Jennifer Milton of the BP Cancer Group gave a report on the Paint Blooming Prairie Pink weekend coming up Sept. 6-7. This will be the 19th annual cancer auction weekend. She also said a gun bingo is planned for Thursday, Sept. 12 at the BP Servicemen's Club.
Jackie Vorlicek, owner of Prairie Home Floral & Gift Shop, said she plans an open house on Wednesday, Sept. 18
Next meeting of the chamber is planned for Wednesday, Sept. 18, at noon at the City Center. The meal will be catered by Casey's.