Members of the Trenton Area Chamber of Commerce celebrated 90 years of history during the annual meeting and dinner held Monday night in the Ketcham Community Center on the North Central Missouri College campus.
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Members of the Trenton Area Chamber of Commerce celebrated 90 years of history during the annual meeting and dinner held Monday night in the Ketcham Community Center on the North Central Missouri College campus.
?90 Years and Still Going Strong? was the theme of this year?s event. Steve Maxey, a member of the Chamber board of directors, served as master of ceremonies and gave a history of the organization, which grew out of the ?Board of Trade,? established by local businessmen and community leaders in 1887 to promote prosperity in the Trenton area.
The Commercial Club, which was the actual forerunner of the Chamber, was established in 1912 with an emphasis on agriculture and business promotion. The Commercial Club promoted ?The Trenton Idea,? which used the motto ?Get Acquainted With Your Neighbor, You Might Like Him.?
In 1937, a public meeting was held and over 600 persons committed $5,000-plus to form what is now known as the Trenton Area Chamber of Commerce, establishing an office on Main Street. Don Witten served as the first president and had a 15-member board of directors, whose mission included establishment of a junior livestock show (now the North Central Missouri Fair), improvements to Crowder State Park, helping the area ?oil men? and making goodwill trips to area schools and communities.
The Chamber of Commerce today is still located on Main Street and is involved in many aspects of community improvement, ranging from beautification projects and business promotion, to sponsorship of the Missouri Day Festival and recognition of community leaders through the Hall of Fame and Above and Beyond Award programs.
Maxey concluded by encouraging those in attendance to continue promoting the mission of the Chamber as it enhances the quality of life in Trenton and Grundy County.
During the program, recognition was given to Chamber board members and the Trenton Ambassadors. Board officials include Steve Busch, chairman; Colin Withers, immediate past chairman; Marcie Cutsinger, vice president of community development; Gloria Coffman, vice president of organizational improvement; Joy Jackson, vice president of public affairs; Kerry Sampson, vice president of economic development; Corey Herron, treasurer; and Mark Clark, R.G. Clark, Dr. Walter Nolte, Kenny Roberts, Dr. Harry Wheeler, Larry Leininger, Steve Maxey and Rochelle Woodard, board members. Members of the Trenton Ambassadors include Gloria Coffman, Steve Busch, Ron Dougan, Linda Eads, Tom Eads, Gary Hurst, Rick Klinginsmith, Cathy McKay, Dr. Walter Nolte, Bonita Price, Diane Raynes, Tyra Thorne, Colin Withers, Dave Woodson, Lynda Lynch, Colleen Kidd, Don Purkapile, Rosetta Marsh and Chuck Veatch.
Entertainment for the evening was provided by Gene Turner, a Lee?s Summit magician who performed several tricks and and feats of illusion. Several members of the audience were invited to take part in many of the tricks, many of whom participated in a less-than-enthusiastic fashion in the beginning but found themselves amazed by trick?s end.