Le Mars area businesses, organizations and nonprofits may submit their information here.
If your information changes submit a new form. We will remove your previous
information.
Submit
Information
here
It’s time for a Spring clean up of our Chamber business information.
We’re asking all members to resubmit updated information.
2021
March
Downloadable
Registrations
The Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce Ice Cream Days Committee would like
to inform you of our 2021 plans for a vendor event. The festival will run
Wednesday, June 16 to Saturday, June 19, 2021 with Saturday, June 19 the day
that vendors are featured in downtown Le Mars. This year we are
consolidating many of the ICD festival events and activities to our
downtown. The City of Le Mars completely renovated the Olson Cultural Event
Center into a green space with wonderful seating, gazebos, flower beds, etc.
Three streets surrounding the event center will be closed off allowing all vendor
participants to be in this location. We hope you will choose to be a part of the
2021 Ice Cream Days Festival.
This year, the parade will be Saturday, June 19. The parade will once again line
up on Stadium Drive, near the Le Mars Community High School. The Parade
will travel along Central Avenue starting at 8th Street South and continuing to 6th
Street North, then East on 6th Street to the Fairgrounds.
Chamber members
may register their
parade entry online
Parade Registration
use this downloadable
form
Le Mars 2021 Open 4 Business Contest Winner – Jill Mescher Sugar n Spice
The Le Mars competition for the State of Iowa Main Street Open 4 Business contest was held on
Wednesday, February 10. The Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce Main Street program oversees the
local portion of the competition.
The grant contest was launched in 2015 and is an opportunity for businesses located within state-
designated Main Street districts to compete for a chance to win up to $28,000 in grant funds. The grant
money is to assist with business development or an expansion project that will benefit the local
community. Previous winners were the Brown Century Theater $18,500 and Get Branded 360 $14,500.
There were two competitors for the Le Mars applicant. Piece of Cake and Sugar n Spice shared their
business ideas and how they would benefit the downtown economic climate. Judges for the competition
were Rich Ziettlow, Steve Collins and Mary Reynolds.
The Le Mars local winner was Jill Mescher, owner of Sugar n Spice. She has won a $500 cash prize to be
used for her new venture. Ziettlow, Collins, and Reynolds will write the Open for Business grant with
Mescher.
Each designated Main Street community across the state may submit one local business to represent
their community. Next Mescher will compete to be selected as one of the 12 semi-finalists from across the
state of Iowa. Skype presentations will be made to judges in Des Moines. Semi-final competition will be
held on May 26, 2021.
From the 12 semi-finalists the group will be narrowed to five sub-state winners who will each receive
$8,000 and advance to the state contest which will be held in Iowa City, Iowa the evening of August 2,
2021. The state winner could win up to an additional $20,000.
At the sub-state and state competitions, a 25% cash match is required from the winning business. The
grant funds are administered by the Iowa Economic Development Authority’s Downtown Resource Center
and Main Street Iowa program.
Ribbons Cut
March 2021
Chamber Coffees
Wednesday
Coffee / Emily’s Home Furnishings
Get your Coffee / Opening / After 5 on the calendar. Call the
Chamber at 546-8821
All coffees are 9:30 to 10:30 unless otherwise noted
YMCA Ribbon Cutting
Beyond Chiropractic Ribbon Cutting
Covid-19 Information
to help you and your
business
SBDC counselors are
your first stop for
navigating through the
COVID-19 crisis. SBDC
offers one-on-one
counseling that can be
done through zoom
(skype or hangout)
meetings or phone
conference calls. We
can help you through
loan application
process or other
business issues that
this crisis is causing
including distribution,
sales, buying,
marketing, HR Issues
and more.
Priority and Action Items
Resources . . .
Small Business? Here are your options.
(click above or links below)
•
Paycheck Protection Program This loan program
provides loan forgiveness for retaining employees
by temporarily expanding the traditional SBA 7(a) loan program.
•
EIDL Loan Advance This loan advance will provide
up to $10,000 of economic relief to businesses that
are currently experiencing temporary difficulties.
•
SBA Express Bridge Loans Enables small businesses
who currently have a business relationship with an SBA
Express Lender to access up to $25,000 quickly.
•
SBA Debt Relief The SBA is providing a financial
reprieve to small businesses during the COVID-19
pandemic.
The Save Small Business Fund is a $5,000
grantmaking initiative offering short-term relief for
mall employers in the United States and its territories.
Michael Dreckman – 2021 1st Quarter
Boss of the Quarter
Nominated by Ashley Schuttpelz
I would like to honor Michael Dreckman as the LeMars Area Chamber
of Commerce 2021 1st Quarter Boss of the Quarter.
In the short time that Mike has worked for Iowa State Bank, he has
made a significant impact, not only on the business, but his staff.
I have worked for several managers at several different places of
employment and have never had a manager quite like him. Since
Mike began at ISB he has continually set our team up for success. He
gives his staff empowerment by treating us with respect and
appreciation. He consistently shows us empathy, humility and
vulnerability.
Mike is always extremely positive and enthusiastic which makes our
working atmosphere a place we want to be. His visions for our bank
have always been communicated and he takes great strides and great
pride in making that vision a reality. He manages the workplace with
trust and motivation, and our successes are made known and
appreciated.
Mike has always inspired me to be a better employee, to take charge and show leadership where I can. He takes time to listen to our ideas and
keep the environment an open one, where we feel safe and encouraged to make decisions and contribute to the success of our bank. I believe
Mike deserves this award because, to me, even though he has not been with us for very long, it will not be long enough. He has made out staff
more of a family and I have a lot to thank him for, especially for helping me realize my importance in the bank and the many abilities I have. He
has helped me realize my potential and I am most grateful for having him as a boss.
For these reasons I choose to salute Michael Dreckman with the LeMars Area Chamber of Commerce 2021 1st Quarter Boss of the Quarter award.
Congratulations!