Small Town News

Chamber plans Christmas events

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Council Chamber of Commerce members met at the High School Library at 12:00 noon on Monday to finalize plans for the Halloween Costume Parade through downtown Council by the Elementary School grades Kindergarten through sixth grade on Friday, October 30, starting at 1:00 pm.

Teacher Penny Latimer is organizing the event to include all the Elementary School students, who will start at the school grounds and will visit the Library, the Post Office, and then will walk through downtown to visit all the businesses to show off their costumes.

Businesses located outside the downtown area will have an opportunity to Trunk or Treat at various parking lots along Illinois Avenue. Tater

Tots pre-school will continue their tradition of also walking downtown, but will start their parade earlier in the morning to avoid mixing with the older students. The Costume Parade will end the school day for the elementary classes, and should be fun for the students and the local businesses that participate.

The Chamber then reviewed the events that are planned for Christmas, which the Chamber sponsors. The downtown tree lighting and caroling events are planned for Saturday, December 5, in the late afternoon. Several local businesses will host craft stations for kids to make ornaments, and Santa Claus will meet and greet children at Dr. Bruce Gardners building located at the corner of Galena and Illinois Avenue.

Virgil Butler informed the Chamber that the Annual

Christmas Craft Fair will be held in conjunction with the Chamber events and will be located at the Elementary School again this year.

The Chamber is struggling to find a local logging operation who will have equipment in the area to secure a larger tree for the downtown square for the tree lighting ceremony. The Chamber is considering asking the City to plant a larger pine tree in the square, which could be used for an annual Christmas tree for the community.

Incoming Chamber President Jim Mahon spent some time laying out some long term goals for the Chamber to consider in 2016. Mahon emphasized that Council will have the Highway 95 business bypass to deal with, and he showed several ideas for signs which would encourage travelers to stop in and visit downtown businesses. Other suggestions were to encourage bicyclists on the Great American Bikeway to stop in Council for an overnight stay.

Member Ron Hundahl has been making plans to connect his RV park with the Weiser River Trail to encourage trail users to spend more time in town instead of just passing through on the trail

Mahon has also been involved in writing grant requests to fund the Council Commons, which will be another reason to stop by the downtown and enjoy various events scheduled throughout the year. Mahon asked the membership to review a list of active businesses located in the area so all businesses can participate in promoting the area and the city of Council.



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