Column
Belonging Matters, by Stacie Bytwork
STACIE BYTWORK: Belonging Matters MANISTEE, MICH. – Eleven years ago, I began my journey with the Manistee Area Chamber of Commerce, filled with a mix of emotions—excitement, fear, and uncertainty. With little understanding of the Chamber’s role, I found myself delivering a speech at our Annual Awards Dinner just a week into my new position.…
Read MoreA Year at the Chamber: A Reflection, by Blade Gates
BLADE GATES: A Year at the Chamber: a Reflection MANISTEE, MICH. – In writing this, I am about a month away from my one-year anniversary working as the Marketing & Communications Specialist for the Manistee Area Chamber of Commerce. People are always saying how time flies, and with each passing year, I continue to learn…
Read MoreWhat Makes a DDA? The In’s and Out’s of your Local Downtown Development Authority, by Andrew Stafford
ANDREW STAFFORD: What Makes a DDA? The In’s and Out’s of your Local Downtown Development Authority MANISTEE, MICH. – Downtowns form the heart of nearly every city, town, and village. They are where small businesses thrive, and the sense of community is strongest. In many places, the fortunes of the downtown mirror those of the…
Read MoreNICOLE KAMINSKI: Finding Home Through the Lens of Travel: A Journey of Self-Discovery and Appreciation
NICOLE KAMINSKI: Finding Home Through the Lens of Travel: A Journey of Self-Discovery and Appreciation MANISTEE, MICH. – I’ve lived in Manistee all my life. 21 years to be exact. Growing up, I always thought I wanted to move away— far away. Now, I work with the Manistee Area Chamber of Commerce, where I witness…
Read MoreBLADE GATES: Making the Most of an Election Year
BLADE GATES: Making the Most of an Election Year MANISTEE, MICH. – In the off-chance you haven’t heard, 2024 just so happens to be an election year for our nation. Surprise! For many, election years are a turbulent time: where one may feel nothing but excitement, another may feel anxiety. Where some are deeply involved…
Read MoreCARMEN KOTT: Manistee Area Leadership Team: A Review
CARMEN KOTT: Manistee Area Leadership Team: A Review MANISTEE, MICH. – Time will always be a funny thing. In writing this, this year’s Manistee Area Leadership Program is coming to a close, when it feels like only yesterday I was welcoming this year’s cohort. Now they are gearing towards their big ribbon cutting to commemorate…
Read MoreBLADE GATES: Young Adults, Small Towns: The State of Gen Z and Millenials in Manistee County
BLADE GATES: Young Adults, Small Towns: The State of Gen Z and Millenials in Manistee County MANISTEE, MICH. – Let’s pretend that you are me for a second: a twenty-something-year-old college grad that lived in Manistee for most of your life. You leave for four years, come back a little older, now with a college…
Read MoreKAREN GOODMAN: Women I Saw as Influential for Manistee County
KAREN GOODMAN: Women I Saw as Influential for Manistee County It is already March, the time in our Michigan season that brings snow, rain, warmth, and mud. By this description, I believe I have described this past winter. March is a time that we start to consider moving from our winter hibernation (if you are…
Read MoreSHERRI PROTASIEWICZ: Winter Adventures: How to Get Involved in Manistee in the Chilly Months
SHERRI PROTASIEWICZ: Winter Adventures: How to Get Involved in Manistee in the Chilly Months Manistee County is known for its 25 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, incredible fishing, river paddling, hiking, and everything an outdoor enthusiast could ever want. We enjoy all four seasons here, so when snow is unpredictable in the colder months, we…
Read MoreBLADE GATES: New Year, New Opportunity to Invest
BLADE GATES: New Year, New Opportunity to Invest While it may be too late for me to say “Happy New Year”, it’s great to be writing the first Chamber column of 2024. I don’t know about you, but ever since the spring of 2020 when so much of our world was flipped upside down, time…
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