CAPE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEMBERSHIP SOARS PAST 1,200

The Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce has more than doubled its membership during the past 25 years.

Following the annual membership blitz Tuesday, the chamber membership now stands at 1,211, compared to the 577 members counted a quarter century ago in 1971.

"This is great," Chamber Executive Director John Mehner said. "Our overall goal is to keep the membership between 1,100 and 1,200. This certainly puts us over that goal."

Going into Tuesday's drive, the membership was 1,150.

"Scouting for Recruits -- Join Our Team" was the theme for this year's campaign, and 61 new members "joined the team" Tuesday.

The new member count could go higher. "We'll probably see some additional members come in," said Linda L. Minner, marketing and special project director. "These numbers have ranged from 10 to 20 in past years."

Michele Tomlinson, of Boatmen's Bank, and Cathi Schlosser of MVP Communications were co-chairpersons for the 1996 membership drive.

"We had good participation by members," Tomlinson said, adding that seven or eight teams picked up packets at the kickoff breakfast at the Drury Lodge. "And, it's been a good day."

Jim Limbaugh, president of Boatmen's Bank of Cape Girardeau, was guest speaker during the morning coffee.

The local chamber has ranged from a low of 1,022 in 1987 to a high of 1,230 in 1995 over the past decade.

The highest number of new members were recruited during the one-day membership blitz in 1987. Going into the campaign, the chamber counted 1,022 members. A record 128 new members signed up during the day, giving the chamber a total of 1,150 members

The Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce is number three in Missouri in membership, between Springfield's 1,750 and Columbia's 1,100. The Greater Kansas City Chamber is the largest chamber in the state with more than 3,000 members.

Cape Girardeau is number one in the state in its category of 50,000 population and under.

The chamber is a busy organization for its members, with more than half of the membership serving on committees, boards or task forces.

"We keep our members involved," said Mehner. The chamber has a total of 15 committees and numerous sub committees.

The chamber will be busier in 1996, moving from its building at 601 N. Kingshighway to a new 4,000 square foot headquarters building at 1267 N. Mt. Auburn Road. The move will start May 31.

The building will be only the fourth for the chamber since it was founded in 1920. During its first eight years the chamber met in a building that housed the Elks before settling in at 225 Broadway in 1928. From there is moved to North Kingshighway in 1974.

Although the "Chamber" was founded in 1920, the "Cape Girardeau Commercial Club" was in existence three years earlier, in 1917. The Commercial Club had fewer than 100 members.