CAPE GIRARDEAU CHAMBER BLITZ INCREASES MEMBERSHIP

The Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce surpassed its goal of 60 new members during a one-day membership blitz Tuesday, and shoved its membership past the 1,230 mark.

"We signed 73 new members," said Linda Minner, special-projects director for the chamber. The early count included only paid memberships.

Following the annual one-day membership blitz, the chamber membership stands at 1,234. That count could go higher.

"We'll probably see some additional memberships," said Minner. "In past years, we're had from 10 to 20 new members within a few days of the membership drive."

"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."

"Everybody worked," said Ross Austin.

Austin, of Interim Personnel, and Allen Phillips, Prudential Insurance and Financial Services, were co-chairmen for the membership drive.

"We had good participation by members," Austin said, adding that 21 or 22 teams picked up packets at the kickoff breakfast at the Drury Lodge. "It's been a good day."

Doug Groesbeck, chairman of the Cape Girardeau Chamber Board, was speaker at the breakfast, and returned Tuesday evening for the final count.

"Partnerships for Today & Tomorrow" was the theme for this year's blitz.

Currently, the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce ranks fourth in Missouri in membership numbers, behind Kansas City, St. Louis and Springfield.

Cape Girardeau ranks first in the state in the category of 50,000 population and under.