Working Together For Community Unity

As I ponder the theme of “Then & Now”, as it relates to the Cedar Creek Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, I have to smile as I think back over the years since the chamber’s inception. Much has changed, but in reality, much has also stayed the same. The chamber still boasts its original motto of “Working Together for Community Unity” and we’ve traditionally used that motto as a focal point for our program of work.

Established in 2001, the Cedar Creek Lake Area Chamber of Commerce proudly serves as a vital source of support for the Cedar Creek Lake community, with the focus being on growing the business community and keeping it strong. When the chamber was created, the purpose was to unify three existing chambers of commerce, closely aligned in proximity to one another and all serving the lake area. Due to the popularity of the concept in our various lake area cities, we immediately had six chapters of the chamber and we were governed by a 15- member board of directors. The chamber has always been volunteer-driven, with a small staff to operate the office. As the years passed, some of our chapters combined so that as of 2023, the one chamber oversees three chapters representing Gun Barrel City, Mabank and Tool/Seven Points/ Kemp. We also have an “At Large” category of membership with members from the entire area, including Dallas and Tyler. We are now governed by a 9- member board of directors and a small staff of President, PT Office Manager, PT Member Services.

Our annual Creek Lake Car Show & Mabank Athletic Booster Club Crawfish Boil in May started as a smallish event with Cedar Creek Lake Kiwanis Club and the chamber partnering for cars and crawfish. We had around 65 cars and over the years, the show has grown to 185 entries at its largest, with thousands of local folks coming out for a day of cars/trucks/motorcycles, crawfish, burgers, antique tractors, and other family fun. Our crawfish partner has changed from the Kiwanis Club, who now assists the chamber with the Car Show, to the Mabank Athletic Booster Club, who serves up the crawfish. We’ve always been blessed with outstanding partnerships in the community. The Car Show & Crawfish Boil is always the first Saturday of May.

The 2023 Red Hot “18” Golf Tournament fundraiser will be on September 25. Watch for details to be announced.

Leadership Cedar Creek Lake starts in September and runs through May. This program gives participants basic knowledge in various topics such as city and county government, economic development, utilities, education, etc. There’s a fee to participate and applications generally start in July.

Our website offers valuable information on the area and the chamber of commerce, an events calendar, and a member directory to refer to when looking for providers of goods and services. If you are looking for something specific that you can’t find, don’t hesitate to contact us. We have many resources and years of experience in assisting visitors and local citizens.

The chamber staff and board of directors are proud of any small part we play in assisting our members by offering free or very low-priced advertising opportunities such as our e-blasts and Facebook shares. We are very fortunate to be enjoying another record year for new members. It’s the goal of the staff and board of directors to make every effort to offer real value to each member in exchange for their membership investment.

We love company at Cedar Creek Lake. Don’t forget to follow the chamber’s active Facebook page at Cedar Creek Lake Area Chamber of Commerce. Keep eyes and ears open for announcements of attractive new entertainment, dining, and other improvements throughout the towns surrounding the lake.

Our business owners, citizens, schools, and civic groups are strong, tenacious, and innovative when it comes to getting the job done and protecting our quality of life at Cedar Creek Lake. We love to network and host events and festivals, but if structured time just isn’t your thing, look to fishing, boating, bird watching and just relaxing.

If you are an individual or company planning a move, or just considering a visit, please contact or visit the chamber of commerce and let us help you discover all that the area has to offer.

The friendly chamber staff is on hand at our office at 101W. Eubank St. Ste F Mabank, Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 1 - 4 p.m., closed Saturday, Sunday, and holidays.

For information on becoming a member of the Cedar Creek Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, details of networking events, or other chamberrelated programs or events, call 903.887.3152 or email info@CedarCreekLakeChamber.com. You can also apply for membership at www. CedarCreekLakeChamber.com . You’re important to us and we welcome your inquiries.

Jo Ann Hanstrom President, Cedar Creek Lake Area Chamber of Commerce