June 26, 2012

It was a very hot evening in July, 1986. The sound of Elk Creek rushing over rocks and pebbles was the background noise. A congenial group of Happy Camp citizens gathered at the Elk Creek Campground at the end of the day. Jim and Carol Jones hosted the business leaders of the Happy Camp community.

They were concerned about the promotion of the businesses of the little community on Highway 96 along the Klamath River. They wanted to advertise, but advertising took more than each business alone could pay. Therefore the idea had been proposed to cooperate together and pool their funds to make the best advertising that would promote Happy Camp. It was decided that each business could put $50 in the kitty to pay for advertising, perhaps a billboard out on Interstate 5 that would bring visitors down Highway 96 to Happy Camp.

Who was at that meeting?

Ben Rosser was the owner of Forest Lodge Motel.

Charlotte was owner of Evans Mercantile started by the Evans family. Guy and Ora Head ran the store until Guy was killed in a train collision and Ora had continued with son.

Adamsons owned Larry’s Market

Jean

It was a small group.  But they were the entrepreneurs and business circle of Happy Camp.

1986-1991

1992-1998

1998-2002

2003-2007 Crusin’ the Klamath, with numbers of beautiful antique cars came down the Klamath River for the Show and Shine!

2006  This was the year that celebrated TWENTY YEARS of the  HC CofC and 150 years of town of Happy Camp!  John Gould chaired the committee for another very successful Rollin on th River. The Chamber gave the Happy Camp Community Services District our annual contribution to upgrade the River Park, this year $3,000.

At the first meeting April 4, 2007 Chris Sorenson was president. The previous treasurer, rosemary Boren,  had handed over the books, and there was $9,672-93 in the Chamber bank account besides the Chamber trailer that was used as office at events such as Rollin’ on the River Bike Rally and held archived records. Instead of the regular weekly Wednesday lunch meetings that the Chamber had held for decades, besides the monthly first Tuesday evening meeting, the new chamber officals decided to correspond by emails. Members of the Board were Chris Sorenson, Roberta Arneson Rita Manley, Lehel Garami (Treasurer) Roberta Collum, Montine Blevins and Jon Grunbaum. Four signs were place in Oregon on Waldo Road for $1,200.

Although there are no minutes for elections in 2008 or 2009, the minutes for July 20, 200- show Ian Tripp as President, Dinah Sulipenck as vice president, Carly Manley as treasurer and Rita King and Lisa West as co-secretarys with Charles Brown, Dave Wrobleski, Michelle Wrobleski, high school student Majestah West and Victoria Pope as board members. Later letterhead shows Dinah as president, Carly Manley as Vice President, Rita King as Secretary, Victoria Pope, Dave and Michelle, Charlie Mayton, Jody Jewell and Laurie Bowers as board members.

-December 11,2010 Dinah Sulipeck called the meeting to order, and there was discussion for a couple of hours on qualifications for members of the Chamber of Commerce. Roger Mooberry, Charles Mayten, Jody Jewel, and Rita Manley King resigned from the board leaving only Dinah Sulipeck, President and James Buchner, treasurer as directors. A meeting was held to restore the board to the seven members and Cathleen Searle was appointed as treasurer, Kirk Eadie, Montine Blevins, Pete Winslow and Terri Winslow were the new board members. Dinah did a great job on the Community Tree Lighting event which had been held by Family Resource Center last year, but was previously put on as the Chamber’s gift to the town for at least twenty years.

March 2011-elections, Cathleen Searle as president at a big free spaghetti dinner at the Grange.