The Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce the launch of its ninth annual Moving Fort Collins Forward! Campaign and celebrated with a kickoff event on September 4 at the Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant in Fort Collins.
From now through November 21, more than 50 volunteers on 11 teams, with Chamber staff liaisons, are tasked with raising $575,000 and 100 new members for the Chamber. To reach this goal, volunteers will be raising funds in different ways which include memberships, event sponsorships, advertising, initiatives and budget reduction trades. Started in 2011, this annual campaign was designed to strengthen financial resources to continue to broaden the value and effectiveness of the Chamber membership, advocacy, services and programs.
“The Moving Fort Collins Forward! Campaign is one of our favorite times during the year. We have built a strong and dedicated group of volunteers who truly believe in our Chamber’s programs and initiatives. This campaign gives them the chance to come back together, build deeper relationships and learn more about the Chamber,” said Kimberly Medina, Campaign Manager and Vice President of Development and Operations with the Fort Collins Chamber of Commerce. “We are appreciative of our volunteers, our staff and the business community for the contributions they provide in helping us to build a community where business can thrive, and citizens are proud to live.”
Business leaders and campaign volunteers attended the kickoff rally to learn about this year’s campaign and received ‘founder’ advice from the volunteers who started the campaign and have volunteered every year since. Mark Driscoll, Colorado Market President for First National Bank; Yvonne Myers, Health Systems Director at Columbine Health Systems; and Craig Vollmer with Craig Vollmer Photography shared insights into why they originally supported the campaign and what keeps them coming back.
Returning this year are 2019 campaign Co-Chairs Deb Kelly (Independent Bank) and Mat Dinsmore (Wilbur’s Total Beverage). The 2019 Vice Chairs are Gerry Agnes (Elevations Credit Union), Gene Bocis (Anheuser-Busch), Connie Dohn (Dohn Construction) Mark Driscoll (First National Bank), Margo Karsten (Banner Health), Brett Kemp (Flood and Peterson), Doug Markley (Markley Motors Inc.), Chris Otto (Plante Moran), Curt Richardson (OtterBox), Kevin Unger (UCHealth) and Bob Wilson (Columbine Health Systems).
Campaign Teams: Banner Health, Brinkman Partners, Columbine Health Systems, Elevations Credit Union, First National Bank, Flood and Peterson, Independent Bank, Markley Motors, Red Carpet Ambassadors, UCHealth and Wells Fargo.
To learn how to get involved, become a member, sponsor an event and donate to the campaign, please visit: https://fortcollinschamber.com/program/moving-fort-collins-forward-2019/ or call (970) 482-3746.
About Moving Fort Collins Forward!
The Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce offers many services, activities and programs to help improve a member’s ability to run a profitable business in Northern Colorado. The Moving Fort Collins Forward! is an annual fundraising campaign that is volunteer-led, staff-coordinated to secure resources necessary for membership goals and programs in the areas of professional development, education, networking and the work of selected committees for the next year. It is designed to package most of our products and services into one annual campaign, something many key Chamber supporters have indicated they want. The key goal is to have a well-funded chamber of commerce capable of positively influencing the economic well-being of the area and providing programs and services that members deem valuable.
About the Fort Collins Area Chamber
The Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce is the leading business association in Northern Colorado, dedicated to helping business succeed. Investing in the Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce puts members in contact with more than 1,250 business owners and managers in the market. For over a century, the Fort Collins Area Chamber has helped shape the Fort Collins region into one of the most livable places in America. For more information about the Chamber, call (970) 482-3746 or visit www.FortCollinsChamber.com.
Co-Chairs Deb Kelly (Independent Bank) and Mat Dinsmore (Wilbur’s Total Beverage)