Karin Hopkins

Recently, we have been like ducks; calmly gliding on the surface yet paddling fast and furious underneath to sustain our efforts. We work hard planning, implementing and collaborating to support the local business community and serve as the chief cheerleaders for Macon County. Here’s a quick snapshot of our productivity starting with the new magazine published by the Chamber that is hot off the press. It tells how to get phone, cable, Internet and utility services. It addresses voter registration, license tags and tourism while also providing a listing of more than 200 businesses operating within the county. With a powerful cover story about Exit 38, we titled the publication BELIEVE as a message of optimism about the future. On Saturday, October 5, 2019 and Monday, October 7^th during the Conference on African-American Cultural Heritage Tourism, we had twin goals. We wanted attendees to sample the diversity of our business community. We also wanted local businesses to profit from the presence of these visitors. So, the Chamber set up a Vendor Marketplace in the open space at the Tuskegee Municipal Complex for networking, promoting and customer engagement, which fortunately for vendors often meant sales of their products. We thank interim Tuskegee City Manager, Ulysees Roberts and other city officials for supporting our vision concerning the “Made in Macon” Vendor Marketplace. On October 10^th the Chamber hosted a reception honoring Charlie Hardy as the Inaugural Quiet Hero Award Recipient, a project we initiated to recognize individuals for work that is transformative but oft times is unknown by the general public. A large crowd assembled in the fellowship hall at Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church for the award ceremony. The event was a major success and we thank everyone who pitched in to help including Reverend John Curry and church members Charlzine Turner, Annie Lewis, Sarah Knight, Dora Gauntt, Claudette Goodyear and Debbie Thomas. We also thank Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, especially collegiate members attending Tuskegee University who worked side by side other Tuskegee University students. Amani Howard was our campus ambassador and we thank her and Reginald Howell for securing fraternity brothers Christopher Water, Odell Minniefield, Joshua Robinson, Dajuan Hinton, Mohamed Eljack and Kaleb Dempsey. Among many powerful speakers, Tuskegee University student and emerging entrepreneur Henry Moses articulated the quiet side of Charlie Hardy’s under-the-radar mentoring work. Chamber intern and Tuskegee University student, Joycelyn Gusta superbly worked at every stage of both projects and so did Gloria Adams, the librarian who is really a superwoman in disguise. Writing this article reminds me of how crazy busy the Chamber has been.