Be involved … be noticed! The Chamber offers many events and opportunities to help you develop relationships within the business community. The more you are involved with the Chamber, the more it does for your business!
Annual Dinner & Awards Ceremony
The Chamber holds its annual dinner, a formal affair, in May of each year. The prestigious Carl Wehde Award and Robert O. Covey Business of the Year Award, along with other special tributes, are presented. The passing of the gavel from the current to the new Chairman of the Board of Directors and Ambassadors is also featured. This event is traditionally well attended. For more information please contact Bonnie Miller.
Community Clean Up
The Chamber and the Crystal Lake Park District organize this free event every April, in conjunction with Earth Day. It is held on the Chamber grounds in McCormick Park - off Route 14 at the corner of King St. and Pierson – regardless of the weather! Community Clean Up Day is a family-friendly event; there is no minimum age restriction, if accompanied by a parent. Reservations are not required. Click here for more information or contact Sue Bechtold.
Community Harvest
The annual Community Harvest event benefits the Crystal Lake Food Pantry, the Jaycees’ “Share-A-Christmas” program, and needy families right here in our own community. The 2011 Community Harvest drive effort totaled more than 97,000 pounds of items for the Food Pantry shelves & over $45,000. Click here for more information or contact Sue Bechtold.
Fall Scramble
The Fall Scramble is a progressive networking luncheon that puts you with a table of others who are also looking to grow their businesses through networking. Over a three course meal, you will meet over twenty individuals who want to hear more about your business, as well as share information about their business. Registration is limited to three professionals per industry. Click here for more information or contact Jackie Ruiz.
Golf Classic
The Chamber's Annual Golf Classic is held every June. It features outstanding golf, fabulous food and great networking. This is a wonderful opportunity to network with leaders of the Crystal Lake business community at one of the area's finest private golf courses. Sponsorship opportunities offer additional visibility within our business community. Click here to learn more about this fun event or contact Jackie Ruiz for more information.
Golf League
A nine-hole "twilight" golf league is sponsored annually by the Chamber with some days set aside for 18-hole events. It begins in early May and continues each Thursday through September at the Crystal Woods Golf Club. The league schedule ends with an awards banquet and celebration. This is a coed league and is open to both Chamber members and non-members. Bring your co-workers, bring your friends, bring your neighbors… or just bring yourself and your clubs! Contact Jackie Ruiz for more information.
Home & Business EXPO
This community trade show is held annually each spring. The Home & Business EXPO consistently draws over 140 exhibitors and 4,000 attendees from Crystal Lake and the surrounding areas. The show is a microcosm of the region's companies and organizations. Large and small, from virtually every industry, exhibitors come to market their organizations to the community and do business with each other, strengthening the area's economy. There are also opportunities to meet and talk with local community leaders. Click here for more information or contact Jackie Ruiz.
Independence Day Parade
Everybody loves a parade! Born of a spirit of pride in our community, generations young and old have welcomed the Crystal Lake Annual Independence Day Parade since 1986. The parade is eagerly awaited by thousands of Crystal Lake residents and has become an annual family tradition for many. The Chamber partners with the Crystal Lake Lions Club, the City of Crystal Lake, and the Northwest Herald to bring the parade to the community every year. Register for the Parade Contact the Chamber office for more information.
Leaders in Action
For 36 years the Chamber has provided world-class leadership training with its Leaders in Action program. This leadership school is an eight-week series of presentations by professional trainers designed to teach management skills. Each session will feature a different speaker and topic related to leadership. In today’s market, it is more important than ever to continue increasing your skill set and this is a value you won’t find anywhere else. Contact Sharon Repplinger for more information.
Monday Night Football
This annual fundraiser is sponsored by the Chamber and approved by the City of Crystal Lake. For each NFL Monday Night Football game from September through December and the Super Bowl in February, $50 will be awarded ($100 for the Super Bowl) to each winning book. Books are numbered and sold for $20 each. The score at the end of the third quarter will determine the winner. You can win more than once, and it makes Monday Night football fun for everyone! Are You Ready For Some Football? Contact Sharon Repplinger for more information.
State of the Community
The State of the Community Luncheon is held in February of each year. Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley, Village of Lakewood President, Erin Smith, and Village of Prairie Grove President, Stanley Duda present an overview of what has transpired over the past year and what is forcasted for the upcoming year in their respective communities. Reservations are required. For more information please contact Bonnie Miller.