Chamber’s Outreach Efforts Create Positive Community Impact
business, roanoke, roanoke rapids, roanoke valley chamber of commerce,
Roanoke Rapids may be a small town, but don’t tell the folks at the Roanoke Valley Chamber of Commerce that. At least not in such a way that would indicate that they are limited, in any way, by size.
With more than 700 members in a town of around 17,000 people, the chamber is testament to a business community that’s devoted to working with multiple partners to encourage growth and improvement in everything from education to workforce development. Education, whether it’s through local-school programs or lectures and seminars for its own members, is a key focus of the chamber, says Allen Purser, president and chief executive officer.
“We do a lot through our business education partnership, which makes a real difference in the community,” Purser says. “We have about 400 8th graders job-shadowing every February, seeing what different careers are made of. And we interview every senior, at every high school in Northampton and Halifax counties, at the beginning and end of the school year. Those are set up as job interviews, so they can see what skills they need to have.”
The chamber also throws an annual reception for new educators in the area, and offers a year-round youth leadership program that’s focused on specific skills and trades. The latter further ties the chamber not only to the school system, but also area higher-education institutions.
“We’re trying to improve the workforce, and we’ve got some great partners with the community colleges and the public schools,” Purser says. “We also do a program with the state department of social services called Work First, which helps people who may be on welfare or other assistance that are seeking employment, and also gives our employers access to employees that they need.”
There’s also the chamber’s Leadership Roanoke Valley program, which works to prepare members of the professional community for roles in local government and other civic activities.
“We want our people engaged in the community’s future, getting onto boards and commissions and becoming elected officials,” Purser says. “It’s all part of giving back, which is what we as a chamber want to do. That’s a big part of our mission.”
Going forward, the chamber hopes to build on its roster of educational and other programs to capitalize on the current influx of new businesses. To that end, increased networking opportunities, a roster of small-business seminars and more are on tap in the coming months.
“We’re excited about our future,” Purser says. “As the economy comes back we’re in a good position to take advantage of it, and we’re going to grow. We’re going to continue to be a catalyst for education, because we think that’s where we can be in the lead, and be supportive of other businesses and groups who are helping local businesses grow.”
View Related Video
Story by Brandon Lowe
Photo by Todd Bennett
