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Member Brief Bytes

The Buffalo Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau serves our business members,

promotes our local assets and shapes the future of our community.

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

LEARN MORE HERE

CHAMBER EVENTS

GRINDSTONE CONSTRUCTION

TOMORROW Thursday, July 16th 8:00 a.m.

300 Brighton Avenue South

Come meet and greet with fellow Chamber members over a cup of coffee and a treat! Always a great way to start the day! See you there!

HOWLING MOON EVENT VENUE

Tuesday, July 28th 5:00

1383 Gabler Ave SE

I have been so excited to finally get this one on the books! Yes it's a Tuesday vs a Thursday and yes it's at 5:00 vs 4:30 but we are flexible when it comes to supporting our members right?

So yes - join us for this Good Afternoon Buffalo at a unique, beautiful venue where we can enjoy tacos and a cool beverage at the bar. Live music will be playing and we can sit and enjoy the surroundings. Rachel, the owner, will give us a tour if we would like as well!

It's just southeast of town. Take 55 south out of town and take a left on County Road 33 (by Norms) and a right on Gabler. It will be worth the short drive to see this 1920's barn in full glory!

Get this one on your calendar for sure!!

NEW TEACHER BAGS

Hate to even say the words "back to school", but it's time to get prepared for school opening and for new teachers to be welcomed to our district.

Every year, we give our new teachers a bag filled with goodies from you, our member businesses. This helps promote you and support them as they make their new home in our district.

Please drop off 30 items you would like in the bag anytime now until August 20th! The new staff will be coming to the Chamber on the 21st as part of their community tour. Thank you in advance for filling the bag!

NEW MEMBERS 2026

InSports Foundation

www.insportsfoundation.org

We are getting closer to having a Town Takeover! What is InSports Foundation and what does it mean for our community? InSports has a mission to help kids participate in sports by providing financial assistance and creating accessible sporting opportunities. They want to empower kids to embrace physical activity and nurture mental well-being by building confident and resilient individuals to become the best versions of themselves.

For two days - October 1st and 2nd - there will be field days, seminars, games, luncheons and more - all to focus on our youth - working to get them and keep them active. We as business leaders can help sponsor and/or volunteer at the events....kids getting a free camp where they develop individual and team skills. In Buffalo - with a bigger district - they are looking at all 5th graders!

Below is the sponsorship information. If you want to know more, contact Eric Gislason at 612-840-2258. He is our hometowner who really wants to see this happen in the community that means so much to him! More to come!!

AMERIPRISE FINANCIAL/TRUCOMPASS ADVISORS

2 Division St E

763-295-3275

www.ameripriseadvisors.com

We welcome Eric Reiner, Financial Planning Specialist with Ameriprise, to our membership! Ameriprise Financial and its predecessor companies have been serving clients for over 30 years. Over this time the offices have grown from Alexandria, Parkers Prairie, Morris, Elbow Lake and now Buffalo (having moved from Monticello). The mission of Ameriprise it to help individuals and families prepare for retirement and pursue their financial goals with confidence.

They like to bring all aspects of financial planning together in one coordinated strategy. Consolidating investments, retirement planning, optimizing social security, tax planning, estate considerations, long term health care needs etc...making things less stressful which also helps make better informed decisions.

Eric works to understand each client's goals, values, and concerns before developing a tailored financial strategy. He wants to build relationships based on trust, communication and personalized service.

Eric is excited to have his office here. The original owners of Ameriprise grew up together in Alexandria and have a deep appreciation for the lake area living. Now with an office overlooking Buffalo Lake - he understands that appreciation!

Welcome Eric!

CHAMBER AMBASSADORS ON THE MOVE

The Ambassadors made a stop at our Wright Technical Center and visited and toured with Director, Brian Nutter. Wright Tech has been a staple in our community, serving over 500 students in 8 school districts, for over 50 years! Here are some things to know:

Their newest offering is a heavy equipment program, so students can use equipment in their outdoor sandbox. They have two excavators and 3 skid loaders. There are four simulators in a classroom as well!
The cosmetology and welding programs are full with waiting lists!
The cosmetology program is a licensed beauty school - just like going to an Aveda school.
You can train and take your CNA exam there gaining practical experience in the classroom and hands on experience at Parkview. Ridgewater College uses it too for their CNA program.
They have a CEO program, which many of you members participate, where 25 students interested in starting their own business, get to tour businesses throughout Wright County and hear how they started and grew their business! These kids have to drive and be at class every day at 7:30 a.m. Kudos to them!
They have an automotive program with 3 instructors.
They offer teaching of life skills to transitional students with special needs age18-21.
They have a law enforcement program with simulators and a laser wall.
They have a construction program - where you see the house being built and sold every year. Last year it was used in Waverly for the rectory for St. Mary's church. This year it is 1500 sf and is beautiful inside!
They host summer school, have WCCA head start programs there, have 90 students FT in the ALS and so much more!

The teachers for these programs are often "community experts". If you have an interest in a program - are retired - or just love to share your skills - reach out to Brian!

The building needs some repair and Brian, and his predecessors have been working with the legislature to get some grants. If you have never been there, Brian is happy to give you a tour! Wright Tech is another gem in our community that we take for granted. We want them to be here for our kids another 50 years! Thanks for the tour Brian!

Below are Ambassadors Taylor Gronau/City of Buffalo, Cheree Hoese/CRS, myself, Brian and Jayme Wickman/MidCountry Bank.

SUPPORT LOCAL DURING CONSTRUCTION

Construction isn't over yet and you still have time to purchase your $5 BUC card to help support the businesses effected. Stop by the Chamber and grab yours - good until the end of September!

Speaking of construction...the old community center was torn down this week. The facade didn't go down until Tuesday afternoon, but the excavator has been going strong all week. Being a native here, I must admit having that become a vacant lot will look different, but the new community center is so amazing and this building so in need of repair, it was time.

MEMBER HAPPENINGS

A CHILDRENS CLASSIC! MY GRANDDAUGHTERS AND I MIGHT HAVE TO GET OUR PRINCESS DRESSES OUT!

A long time ago in a kingdom far away, a young woman forced into a life of servitude by her cruel stepmother and self-centered stepsisters, dreams of a better life. A young man duped into oppressing the peasants by a cruel regent, must be shown the injustice in the kingdom. Can a fairy godmother bring these two kind souls together? Break out your princess dresses and charming prince suits to find out, when BCT presents Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Broadway edition of Cinderella.

COMMUNITY & FAMILY BALL

Speaking of getting your princess dresses out....here is another occasion! What a fun event for the family! Come support our local non-profits in the arts!

From Cinderella meeting and greeting guests to face painting, games and family activities to a silent auction and more! What an afternoon of family fun!