LOWELL COMMUNITY EXPO
The Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce, Lowell Area Schools, and the exclusive Business Sponsor host this event on the fourth Saturday of March at the Lowell High School. This event is designed to spotlight your business, organization, church, or municipality to other businesses and the public.

The EXPO increases the community awareness of the products and services that are sold, provided, and/or manufactured by the greater Lowell Area business. Chamber members receive a discounted rate on booth space.

WEB SITE
Chamber members can link to our home page for added exposure. Up-to-date information keeps
Lowell in the web site of the world. You can reach us at our Web Site www.lowellchamber.org or by
email info@lowellchamber.org.

CHAMBER NEWSLETTER
A quarterly newsletter offers our chamber members news of membership, activities, government
affairs and other related information. Members may also receive additional and very affordable
exposure by purchasing and/or inserting materials.

FAX AND EMAIL BLAST
Breaking and current news and events from your chamber will arrive regularly with these types of
communication. Call your chamber to make sure that you are on one of these lists!

MEMBERS TO MEMBERS ADVANTAGE PROGRAM
This program is designed to provide discounts to chamber membership, making the association a
more attractive investment, and to encourage member-to-member business. Please read and fill out the Advantage Program Contract and Policy to add your business to the program.

SCORE
SCORE operates in cooperation with the Small Business Administration and provides business owners with information vital to their success, including counsel on financing options, business planning, marketing strategies, product development and more. SCORE's web site is www.score.org. Free Score counseling is available at your Chamber by calling for an appointment.

LOWELL LEADERSHIP
The purpose of this committee, funded by the Lowell Area Community Fund, is to broaden and deepen the leadership potential of individuals in the Greater Lowell Area. Lowell Leadership provides a series of training sessions in which participants learn leadership skills and direct contact with the organizations, institutions and people in decision and policy- making positions central to the process of change and growth in the city and townships.

BUSINESS REFERRAL
On a daily basis, the chamber receives requests for recommendations on goods and services to be purchased in the Greater Lowell Area. We refer these newcomers, tourists, area residents, and businesses
to our chamber members.

PROMOTIONAL DISPLAYS
Only members can display their cards and promotional materials in the Chamber office.

MAILING LISTS
The Chamber has many types of computerized mailing lists. Members may purchase a mailing list
printed on label sheets for a small fee of 5 cents for each name/label.

---

Networking Opportunities

AMBASSADORS
This newly formed group focuses on membership recruitment, retention, communication, and hospitality.
This group is another networking opportunity for a member to meet others within the membership and
beyond.

BREAKFAST CLUB & BUSINESS AFTER HOURS
These meetings offer opportunities to network with other business people and to promote your business.
You will learn about other businesses in your Chamber.

GOLF OUTING
Chamber members and their guests enjoy a golf scramble, a great opportunity to blend fun and business
while assisting in the growth of our scholarship program.

COMMITTEES
Members may participate in any of our active, dynamic committees, covering a wide range of interests such as Membership, Merchants, Ambassadors, Web Site, Community Expo, Riverwalk Festival, Christmas, all
special Events, and much more.

ANNUAL WINTER GATHERING
This meeting highlights social, business, and chamber members' contributions to the success of the Lowell
Area. The Business Appreciation and Person of the Year Awards are given at this meeting. The criteria for the Business Appreciation Award are:
• The business must be established and demonstrate the following qualities.
• Outstanding service
• Community investment
• Employment opportunity
• Volunteer service to the Greater Lowell Community

The criteria for the Person of the Year Award are:
• Over time, the candidate has freely donated considerable time to the community, school district, church, or humanity. This is over and above the demands of their regular profession
• The community is a better place to live because of the efforts of the candidate
• The candidate positively promotes the community in both word and action
• The candidate possesses new and innovative ideas that benefit the community
• The candidate cannot be a Chamber Board/Foundation Board member at the time of nomination

---

Additional Benefits

GREATER LOWELL CHAMBER FOUNDATION
This foundation is a 501 c-3 organization operated under the blanket of the Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce. The purpose of this organization is to provide programming and funding that enhances the
quality of life in the Greater Lowell area, or otherwise serves a charitable, scientific, literary, or educational
purpose. The foundation currently manages Lowell Leadership, Showboat, and Kaleidoscope. The
foundation will work on innovative programs that will benefit business and community.

VISITORS CENTER AND RIVERWALK GALLERY
First opened on January 1, 1995, this center acquaints new people with information about Lowell and the
surrounding areas and gives available information about the businesses, schools, churches, service groups
and about what Lowell has to offer. We are now in our facility located on the Riverwalk Plaza in the heart of
Downtown Historic Lowell. Our facility is also home to the Riverwalk Gallery a gallery space dedicated for art
in public spaces. The art changes nine times a year offering area artists an opportunity to display their art.

MEETING ROOM
Our facility offers Chamber members a conference room with kitchen amenities. Chamber Members may
host special meetings, monthly board meetings, and social events. A Chamber Member can use the facility
up to four times a year at no extra charge. A small fee is charged for cleaning.

PARTNERSHIP IN CITY GOVERNMENT, EDUCATION, AND BUSINESS
Our board is comprised of people from various businesses that bring us news of what is going on in our community. In addition, we have ex-officio members from the City of Lowell and from the Lowell Area Schools.

GRAND VALLEY HEALTH PLAN
This full-service health plan is offered exclusively to Chamber members. There are three plans from which to choose.

---

Special Events

SHOWBOAT SIZZLIN’ SUMMER CONCERTS
This very popular summer event is sponsored by the Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce and the Lowell Area Arts Council. The concerts begin in June and end in August. Admission and parking are free. These concerts are funded by the Lowell Area Community Fund, Downtown Development Authority, and private businesses.

 

 

RIVERWALK FESTIVAL
Riverwalk Festival is a Chamber fundraiser that brings many outsiders to our city and supports the operation of the Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center. This two-day event includes many activities where you and your family will enjoy the concerts, flush tank, arts and crafts, parade, pet parade, Brian Mead Memorial Riverwalk Cruise-in, Rumble the Riverwalk, children’s area, non-profit groups, historic walking tours and river tour, pontoon rides, kayak and canoe race, kayak fun, food booths, downtown merchants sidewalk sales and open house, health fair activities, entertainment, $1500 duck race, Rocking the Riverwalk concert,
fireworks and much more.

 

HARVEST CELEBRATION AND FESTIVAL OF SCARECROWS
This event is spearheaded by the Chamber and held collaboratively with several other organizations. The
activities include the Kent County Youth Fair arts and crafts show, Larkin's Restaurant Chili Madness Chili
Cook-off & live music, Lowell Area Historical Museum historic home tour and free museum admission day,
downtown retailer’s open houses, sales, and the chamber’s Flat River Antique Fair and scarecrow
building hoe-down. The scarecrows made are proudly displayed on Main Street.

CHRISTMAS THROUGH LOWELL
The third weekend in No v ember several businesses and homes are open to the public selling wares, arts & crafts and homemade goodies. This event starts the holiday season and brings hundreds of shoppers to our city.

FLAT RIVER FREEZE ICE SCULPTURE CHALLENGE AND SANTA PARADE
Festivities include the early morning breakfast and breakfast with Santa, Santa parade, ice sculpting,
pictures with Santa on the Robert E Lee, Christmas tree contest and other activities on the Riverwalk.