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We are always thankful to the more than 2,200 businesses who’ve chosen to invest in membership with Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, but especially so on Support Your Local Chamber of Commerce Day. Our mission remains to promote, protect and improve the business community on the Grand Strand.
With support from our investors, here’s a look at what we’ve accomplished so far this year.
In September, we officially secured the affiliation for Keep Myrtle Beach Beautiful with Keep South Carolina Beautiful and Keep America Beautiful. The program will focus on three pillars: litter removal, recycling and beautification.
We joined the board of One Grand Strand which aims to improve the Grand Strand through downtown redevelopment and economic diversification.
Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce aggressively advocated for relief to businesses through COVID recovery.
In our efforts to support diversity, equity and inclusion, we’ve completed an organizational assessment with Tourism Diversity Matters which helped us evaluate our practices and find areas to improve. We’ve updated our hiring and recruiting practices to include current DEI recommendations. The chamber continues to champion DEI in the community, too.
Our Educated Voices on Leading and Valuing Equity (EVOLVE) Series continued in 2021. The series of education classes focuses on diversity, equity and inclusion in workspaces. We were pleased establish and award the Bennie J. Swans Scholarship which provides full tuition to Leadership Grand Strand for one person from an underrepresented or marginalized group.
In the spring of 2021, the chamber launched a new Job Board with improved job searching capabilities that makes it easier for job seekers and job posters alike. Posting jobs remains a free benefit of membership.
Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce expanded our Money Saving Programs when we partnered with Clever RX to offer prescription drug discounts to the community, regardless of membership status.
Despite the ongoing pandemic, we’ve held 50 education classes and 34 networking events through Oct. 19 with many more in-person events already scheduled through the end of the year including Business After Hours networking events and our Legislative Reception sponsored by Coastal Carolinas Association of Realtors.
Our marketing division rolled out new branding for Visit Myrtle Beach. The staff won a Destiny Award from the U.S. Travel Association for the “Visit Myrtle Beach Shares Some Sunshine” marketing campaign which ran at the height of travel restrictions and aimed to brighten peoples’ day while reminding them of The Beach that would await them when travel was feasible again.
Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce remains financially healthy and once again achieved a clean audit. Our finance division updated internal finance polices and switched to a new accounting software to allow improved reporting.
Our staff continue to give back to the community through volunteering inluding participation in the United Way of Horry County’s Annual Day of Caring, trash cleanups and other service opportunities.
Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce is still making plans for 2022. You can help us make decisions on programming and services offered in the coming years by answering a few questions in our annual survey.
We created some graphics you can share on your social media if you want to help us celebrate the day. Click the image or link to download the graphic to share on Oct. 20. Be sure to tag us @mbachamber on Twitter and Instagram or @myrtlebeachareachamber on Facebook.
Sponsorship provides our investors the opportunity for recognition and publicity. For some events, sponsorship will also include tickets to the event, the opportunity to speak to attendees or to distribute promotional items. Check out the Investment and Sponsorship Program and stretch your marketing budget.
