June 2023 Chamber Horizons Newsletter

CHAMBER HORIZONS

Promoting the Alexandria Lakes Area as the ultimate destination to live, work, play and prosper.

Official

of the Alexandria Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce

Think local when shopping online!

Find what you need locally by searching with the Pride of the Lakes Chrome extension! You’ll see recommendations from the Pride of the Lakes local business directory based on your search keywords on Google and Amazon. It is an easy way to support your community and keep dollars local.

HOW TO INSTALL:

• Visit chrome.google.com/webstore and search for “Pride of the Lakes”.

• Select the Pride of the Lakes Chrome Extension from the list.

• Click “Add to Chrome” and then “Add extension”.

For step-by-step instructions, visit PrideOfTheLakes.com and click “Chrome Extenstion”. We recommend pinning the extension to make it easier to use on Amazon.

Upcoming Chamber Events

Wake Up Alexandria!

Friday, June 2 from 7:30-8:30 am

Legacy of the Lakes Museum | 205 3rd Ave. W

Nonprofit of the Day: Inclusion Network

Midwest Agriculture Summit (details on page 6)

Co-hosted by Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber, Alexandria Chamber, and many other Chambers from across the Upper Midwest

Tuesday, June 6 from 8-11 am

FREE VIRTUAL EVENT

Visit www.alexandriamn.org to learn more.

Duffers Delight Golf Tournament

Monday, June 5

Sponsor Check-In: 10 am

Golfer Check-In: 11 am

Putting Contest: 11 am - 4 pm

Shotgun Start: 12 pm

Dinner to follow Alexandria Golf Club | 2300 N Nokomis St. NE

Wake Up Alexandria!

Friday, June 16 from 7:30-8:30 am

Viking Bank | 4277 Dakota St.

Nonprofit of the Day: Sacred Journey Academy

Serve on the Board!

do business local!

Visit www.prideofthelakes.com to take the pledge!

The Chamber is accepting nominations for 2024 Board of Director positions. Any member in good standing may be nominated or self-nominate. Members may serve 2 terms. Terms are 3 years. A nominating committee appointed by the current board president will review all nominations and create a slate of officers, which will be published in the September newsletter and presented to the Board for approval. Email nominations by July 31 to tbitzan@alexandriamn.org.

Alexandria Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce

Example of a Google search for “watch” with the Pride of the Lakes extension. Want your business to show? Take the pledge!

Ribbon Cuttings & Groundbreakings

Ribbon Cuttings and Groundbreakings are a service offered by the Alexandria Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce. To learn more, email info@alexandriamn.org or call 320-763-3161.

Alexandria Technical & Community College Foundation held a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, May 19 to celebrate the start of Foundation Hall II located at 15th Ave. E and Jefferson St. Foundation Hall offers living accommodations and amenities to Alexandria Technical & Community College students.

Cricket Wireless held a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, May 26 to celebrate its new location in Alexandria at 2715 State Hwy. 29, Ste. 109. Cricket Wireless is a wireless cell phone company offering unlimited talk, text, and data access with no annual contract for cell phone service.

Massman, LLC held a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, May 11 to celebrate the future home of Massman located at 2233 34th Ave. W in Alexandria. Massman is a packaging supplier of automated solutions.

ArtisTree Cafe

Peyton Schonberg

2020 Fillmore St. 320-357-4143

peyton@artistree.cafe

www.ArtisTree.cafe

Blind Squirrel Pickleball Club

Brock Smith 2310 Hwy. 29 S 760-305-3734

blindsquirrelpickleball @gmail.com

Facebook @BlindSquirrelPickleball

The Max J Beilke VA Clinic held a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, May 11 to celebrate its new facility at 410 30th Ave. E in Alexandria. The new facility increases capacity by about 6,000 square feet. The clinic offers primary health care services and specialty care referrals to the St. Cloud VA Medical Center.

Cricket Wireless

Christian Rodriguez 2715 State Hwy. 29 Ste. 109 320-219-2040

alexandria@ringringwireless.com

www.CricketWireless.com

Summit Chiropractic Care

Stuart Rubner 324 Broadway St., Ste. 218 320-391-0499

summitchiropracticcare @outlook.com

www.SummitChiropracticCare.com

Please consider these new members for your personal and professional needs, and welcome them to our network!

Home Heal th Ca re

it fun and made you want to keep going.”

- Donald Snorek, former home health care client

Wake Up Alexandria

Wake Up Alexandria is a networking event held the first and third Friday of each month from 7:30 to 8:30 am at a Chamber member location. A dollar gets you in the door, with all proceeds donated to a 501(c)3 nonprofit Chamber member.

May Hosts

Scandinavian Gift Shop | May 5

509 Broadway St.

Nonprofit of the Day: Alexandria Band Boosters

The Scandinavian Gift Shop has been in operation since 1983. Sisters Heidi Bergerson and Sandra Sheets purchased the business from the original owners in 2011. The store provides Scandinavian clothing, collectibles, gifts, treats, jewelry, household items, and more.

Pot of Gold Winner drawn!

Alomere Health won the Pot of Gold valued at $5,369 at Wake Up Alexandria hosted by Kalon Prep Academy on May 19! The prize was accepted by Mike Doyle, Administrator at Heartland Orthopedics, A Service of Alomere Health, and Becca Zwonitzek, Occupational Health RN at Alomere Health. Donations include discounted services, gift certificates, and promotional items. Donors are promoted through Chamber email blasts, at the event, and on the Chamber website.

Legislative Corner

Kalon Prep Academy | May 19

1877 Aga Dr., Ste. 220

Nonprofit of the Day: Kiwanis “Golden K” of Alexandria

Kalon Prep Academy is a tuition-free, 9-12 charter school. It provides an on-campus experience with a strengths-based, whole student, college and career focus. Capacity is about 140 students, with an average of 35 students per grade.

Groundbreaking care.

Coming soon: Alomere Health Rehabilitation Center. This new facility means better access for patients, decreased appointment wait times, and additional rehab services. Just another reason why rehab therapy is better here.

The 2023 Legislative session has ended. One notable bill that passed that will impact businesses of all sizes is for a state-run paid family and medical leave program that allows workers to take up to 12 weeks paid time for a serious medical condition, and up to 12 weeks to care for family members. The benefits are capped at 20 weeks in a single year and workers won’t get full wages. Benefits will start in 2026; that’s also when a payroll tax increase to fund the program will kick in.

The Chamber is gathering helpful information to provide a toolbox for area businesses to help them navigate this new legislation. More details will be available soon on the Chamber website: alexandriamn.org.

Membership Team

Volunteers on the Membership Team visit new member businesses to welcome them to the Chamber. They also serve as liaisons, supporting new members with introductions, information, and education on membership benefits.

May Visits

Aquarius Home Services/ Kinetico located at 3608 State Hwy. 29 N, is a water specialist business offering services such as plumbing, HVAC solutions, water treatment, and more. It serves many areas in the Minnesota and Wisconsin region.

Alexandria Band Boosters is a parent-formed organization that advocates and raises funds for local band students. These efforts support music ensembles at public schools as well as participation in competitive parades and community events.

The Kiwanis “Golden K” of Alexandria is an organization dedicated to making positive community impacts by working with youth. One notable program involves members being at the local high school Thursday mornings to greet students as they arrive.

Johnny Thill Leadership Coaching coaches clients to excel both professionally and personally with an emphasis in sales and leadership. Johnny focuses on increasing confidence, mindset, and motivational skills.

Minnesota Craft Lager Fest

Alexandria Band Boosters Elizabeth Paul, President

Kiwanis “Golden K” of Alexandria Gary Zavadil, President; John Stone, Treasurer

Johnny Thill Leadership Coaching Johnny Thill, Owner/Leadership Coach

Aquarius Home Services/Kinetico

Cailey Olson, Water Dispatcher; Andy Lahman, HVAC Manager; Tom Leary, Water Specialist; Matt Chouinard, Regional Director

Ambassadors

The Ambassadors are volunteers who extend the public relations arm of the Chamber. They attend business open houses, groundbreakings and ribbon cuttings; welcome new businesses to the area; and commemorate relocations and major remodels. They are out making business visits the second Wednesday of every month.

May Visits

Brother’s Market and Sisters Beer/Wine/Spirits is under new ownership with Northdale Oil Inc. Brother’s Market is a convenience store with 8 locations in the Alexandria Area and Sisters Beer/Wine/Spirits has 4 locations in the area.

Brother’s Market and Sisters Beer/ Wine/Spirits -

(Back) Scott Reck, Owner/CEO; Shelly Claus, Regional Manager; Cate Wolden, Brother’s Market Office Manager; Josh Evenson, Sales Representative; (front) Brandi Reck, Pricebook Manager; Missy Reck, Owner/ CEO; Alayna Brown, Director of Retail Operations

Spark Nutrition at 409 Nokomis St. in Alexandria, is a new nutrition and boba tea shop owned by Kirsten Hastings. It offers lattes, boba milk teas, fruit smoothies, caffeinated beverages, slushies, snacks, and more. Online, phone, or in person orders are accepted.

Brooke Klaahsen is the owner of a new hair studio, Studio Nouveau Hair Artistry, located at 110 6th Ave. E, Ste. 2. Some of her services include cuts, color, waxing, and updos.

Felicia Fredrickson is the owner of a new smash room called Wrath Room located at 124 7th Ave. W. It is a room where people can safely destroy objects with a bat, hammer, or other objects and have fun doing it.

Spark Nutrition - New Business Kirsten Hastings, Owner

Studio Nouveau - New Business Brooke Klaahsen, Owner

Wrath Room - New Business

Felicia Fredrickson, Owner

New Ownership

The event will be held in Fargo, ND but you can tune in virtually for FREE! Visit www.FMWFChamber.com to learn more.

Business Buzz

The Douglas County Historical Society (DCHS) received a Minnesota History Award from the Minnesota Alliance of Local History Museums for its Historic Cemetery Care and Aid program. DCHS is the first Douglas County organization to receive this award.

Brady Hersch moved to the insurance office team with Mid Minnesota Federal Credit Union (MMFCU). Previously, Hersch worked with MMFCU helping people find or purchase homes. Now he is a licensed insurance agent and will serve the communities of Ada, Alexandria, Detroit Lakes, Fergus Falls, and Wadena.

Mid Minnesota Federal Credit Union announced its new Alexandria Branch Manager, Vic Dale. Dale brings more than two decades of experience in banking and leadership.

Shaynen Schmidt, owner of Pro-Tainer and co-owner of Alex Rubbish, recently purchased Ace Hardware in Alexandria and Long Prairie.

ALP Utilities earned a Diamond Reliable Public Power Provider (RP3) designation from the American Public Power Association for providing reliable and safe electric service. The Diamond RP3 designation, which lasts for three years, recognizes public power utilities that demonstrate the highest proficiency in four key disciplines: reliability, safety, workforce development, and system improvement.

Detective Darcie Zirbes of the Alexandria Police Department and Community Paramedic Katie Harren of North Memorial Ambulance received the Melissa Schmidt Community Service Award through the Minnesota Association of Women Police for their work through the ACCESS (A Community Collaborate of Enhanced Support Services) team.

To include your business news in the Chamber Horizon Newsletter, email information to Lauren at marketing@alexandriamn.org.

The Midwest Agriculture Summit is co-hosted by Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber, Alexandria Chamber, and many other Chambers from cross the Upper Midwest on Tuesday, June 6 from 8-11 am.