Victoria Helling, Executive Director, Boone County Chamber of Commerce, June 4, 2026

Today taking time to visit with Victoria Helling, Executive Director of your Boone County Chamber of Commerce. Victoria, welcome back. Thank you so much for having me. Here we are moving into the summer season. Chamber activities abound. Deadline to sign up for the golf outing is last week. It's past. It's closed. Yes, and I'm guessing pretty full. So we have 120 golfers registered, nearly a sell-out this year, so we're really excited about that event. And it'll be next Friday, June 12th at Cedar Point. I would say the only opportunity that we have left available are pin prize sponsorships, which is our lowest sponsorship level. So it's at $100. And if you are interested in that, you need to provide a prize no later than Wednesday, June 10th to us. And feel free to call me at the chamber and we can get you set up for that. So that's a great opportunity for smaller businesses. Yeah, you don't have to spend a lot. You still get your name out, too. And you did have pretty good sponsorships. We did. We did. A lot of members stepping up for that. Absolutely. Our whole sponsorships are well-filled and we also had a 19th whole social hour sponsor. So I feel like the event's going to be really a great time this next Friday. Coming on up out at Cedar Point and once again, it is an annual. It's a big thing. It's great to get chamber members together, teams together and Mother Nature will cooperate. That's right. Just going to throw it in there. It might be a warm one, but they will cooperate. That's right. These are those opportunities for our chamber members to, you know, meet each other, network and help build their business presence in the community. So I feel like it's, and one of those fun, unique offerings, too. We also get to go outside and, you know, enjoy the fresh air and do all those things to support your business in a fun, interactive way. So this is like your first one doing this. You did have, I'm guessing, a few people step up to help out. We did. Thank goodness. So we have a wonderful golf committee. We actually just met this morning and then we'll meet again next week on Tuesday. And I think we have pretty much everything buttoned up. We'll have lunch provided by Jimmy John's and then our social hour food will be provided by Saints. So two of our local businesses here. All right. Good to having people that have been involved and are willing to help you with this. Just throw it out here. Absolutely. We're doing this. We're doing this. And let me tell you, volunteers are really the backbone of the chamber. There's, you know, I am one single person and now we have another that's been hired, but two people for an entire county, you know, our volunteers really make things happen. So if you are interested in volunteering for any of our upcoming events, please contact me at the chamber and we will get you set up. But there's something we can find for you. Absolutely. As long as we mentioned, you're now not alone. Yes. We do have, what, Alyssa Morgan, right? Correct. She's going to be your communications operations person. She is. She is. So she just started a week ago. She is off to a great start. So she has a background in office management. She worked in Ames for the past several years, but she is a Boone native. So she's familiar with, you know, our local businesses and just has a great presence in the community. So we're very excited to have Alyssa joining us. She knows what's going on in Boone County. She sure does. She sure does. And I see then we got the digital news newsletter. You got that came back. That came back. We had a big comeback last Thursday and we're working on the next one right now. So that was great. So that has a lot of wonderful information, not just about chamber events, but also workforce opportunities as well as Just a lot of things. I was about to say grant information. So if you're a small business looking for grant information. So it's quite a, you know, robust newsletter. I'll say it's several pages long. So it is digital goes to members. It sure does. It's, yep, goes straight to our members. So again, another benefit of being part of the chamber, just really getting into that chamber community and having those resources available to you to help build your business. Well, you went to a ribbon while kind of a ribbon cutting groundbreaking again earlier this week, egg certain had one. So how much were you aware that egg? Well, outside of the fact egg certain was really one of the big sponsors on the leader on the lead program. Absolutely. They're a great supporter of the chamber in our chamber community. So we went to the groundbreaking for the wastewater plant. That's that, like I said, is forthcoming. I will tell you, Dan O is such a visionary. So I'm excited to see what's going to be coming out of egg certain over these next several years. I was able to tour the facility, which was extraordinary. I'd never actually been inside. You know what I mean? You're sitting there kind of going, what is this place? What do they do? Yes, yes. I would like to put a little shout out. They are hiring right now. So if you go to their website, you can find their hiring operators pretty much is a 24 seven. There, you know, cannot staff those, you know, quickly enough for the amount of growth that they're experiencing. They are and got a lot of plans for the future too. Again, with this water wastewater, they're talking an eight million dollar project. Correct. Correct. And I'm thinking it was about three years ago, they got that about a four million dollar grant from the state for this. So they sure did. They it's you just don't build it overnight. No, and it takes a lot of people working together with with a vision and yeah, those resources. It's one of those. It's so quiet. Everybody's watching Daisy, you know, right? And here they are up there just to continue to expand and grow. So we like that. Well, we have a number of things that are happening. I know the main street side of things they are handling the farmers market. Farmers market gets underway today and you have a plan you're going to collaborate with one of them coming up your middle of the month. That's correct. So we're going to be doing a collaboration with the farmers market on Thursday, June 18th, which will be that third Thursday. And that is traditionally the one where they have live music. So that'll be kind of the live music kickoff. We're going to call it bloom in Boone. We thought that was appropriate as we get into summer and everything is starting to come up fresh. Exciting news on that one and, you know, part of that collaboration, we're going to be launching a new membership level for entrepreneurs and startup businesses. So I I'm going to kind of tease that a little bit, Jim, because I really want people come to come out to our booth work and I could share that information. So this is going to be a startup package for, you know, lack of a better word. So if you have been interested in joining the chamber, perhaps it's out of your budget because you're a startup business or entrepreneur, then this will be an opportunity for you to see all the benefits of membership at a lower cost. So I'm just going to kind of leave it at that. And I would love for people to come by our booth that Thursday, June 18 from three to six p.m., which is when the farmers market runs. So having been one that's gone through that process, I mean, you have you've started the business, you've been doing things like that. What kinds of things? I mean, there are got to be a ton of things that you can pass along or help organize, help them learn more and clear some of those hurdles. Absolutely. I feel like, you know, I've had my own business for the past nine years and it has grown from a part-time, you know, to a full-time business that actually supported my entire family and my husband stayed at home. So I feel like I have some knowledge in that background as well that I would love to share with our members and especially as we continue to grow this community. I'm sure you've noticed, Jim, we've had ribbon cutting after ribbon cutting here. And so there are people out there that are wanting to, you know, make their own way, have their own path. And I feel like this is going to be an opportunity to have a community to support that and to provide resources to help their businesses grow. That's one of the challenges I would think from on the Chamber side. The new businesses getting started, helping get them off the ground. Absolutely. To all of the big, big projects like Egg's Hurton. That's right. That's right. You've got a lot in between. Absolutely. And the Chamber is here to support all those different, you know, levels of business. So I feel like this is going to be a new opportunity for maybe businesses that have not been able to participate with us in the past. Good. It's always interesting because we know that there are resources out there but not everybody knows where to go and how to get to them. Correct. And that's what the Chamber does. That's what we facilitate is, you know, connecting you to a network of people with experience and knowledge in business but also, you know, to help share their businesses with the other members and help cross promote each other. To me, the Chamber is a very unique community where we can help each other grow. We keep working at it. Yes. It doesn't happen overnight, does it? It does not. It does not. But I'm determined. You just keep working on it too. In the meantime, off here on the other side, we still have Puffer Billy. Yes. And I know you've got a lot of plans for the summer to getting information out about what's going on with Puffer Billy. But one of the things you had said last time was we're getting ready, you know, we've got to get our information posted, got to get it online, where people can go for information. Yes. Getting signed up, things like that. So we're making progress. Yes. So we did post all the vendor applications for the event. So that includes the vendor application for Art in the Park, which is the event that's held Sunday, September 20th. The vendor application for our downtown market, which is Saturday, September 19th. And then as well as our food truck application, which food trucks will be downtown both Friday and Saturday. So all of those have been posted to our Puffer Billy Day's Facebook. So like I mentioned last time, that is really the Facebook page you want to follow and keep up with. So, you know, that's where we'll be announcing all those exciting things. This is going to be the easiest way. Correct. Yes. Absolutely. Keep in contact with that too. And I know because you had said we have some different looks, different things that we're going to be dealing with here. So I'm guessing still working on putting all of the logistics together. Correct. And that will, you know, and that is coming together our, our map and how everything is going to be laid out is still in process, but should be finalized here within the next month. Okay. Well, because it's not that far away. I know it goes very good. And you know, yes. And once we get all our approvals, you know, from the city and everything like that, then we can share that information. Going with that too. That's right. What are some of the other things you're working on? So additionally, we are going to have this upcoming Monday. We're going to be part of the summer reading kickoff at the Ericsson public library. So the chamber and downtown are going to be sharing a table and we're going to be providing temporary tattoos for the kiddos. So definitely come by our table. Say hi. I was about to say meet. If you haven't met me yet, I would love to meet you. And yeah, so that's again, one of those. I love being involved in the community gym and just giving back so and I have three kids myself. So it really, and we love Ericsson. So we're excited to support that. I was going to say, yeah, roughly the kickoff carnival, even though they kicked off summer reading this week, we know the kickoff carnival. I mean, you get four dozen different entities that are participating in doing things. And then you get roughly about a thousand people. Yes. That's a lot of that's a lot of people. So so we're very excited, like I said, to be part of that. We do have, you know, volunteers are going to help us at the booth. So that'll be great. But like I said, we have other volunteer opportunities coming up. So please reach out if you're interested. Grandpas, grandmas, if you're bringing the kids down for that, stop by the chamber to find out. They'll get kids will get tattoos. They will. Absolutely. I would say that's probably my kid. Yeah. Kids. Kids favorite thing is to is to, you know, show off whatever they chose for their their tattoo. So you get it. And then the problem is they don't want to wash it off. Correct. And then you have it there for about three weeks. Something like that. They'll do what they can to keep it as long as they can. So that's going to be the chamber kickoff. That's coming up. Other things. Yes. So as you know, as part of a rag bride, we're going to have a rag bride welcome center that's going to be in the chamber parking lot on Tuesday. July 21st, of course. We're have tentatively have that plan for 2pm to 5pm. We want to make sure everyone starts heading down for all the great live entertainment. That's going to be going on in the evening, including hairball, of course. So it'll be from two to five on July 21st. So we're going to be welcoming writers providing some, you know, some free snacks for them. And then also just, you know, handing out information on pufferbillies start spreading the word about that event. And then like I said, everyone needs to head down for rag bride. Jordan B. My begins at five and then we have rival five at seven and hairball is the main line. So. So everything will be down on the south side. But I know that because I've had the chief come in and ask him and he goes, I know we direct him that way, but they will be all over. Absolutely. You're going to have like writers all over. They will come downtown. They will come downtown to see what's going on. Yes. And that's why a perfect opportunity to stop by. Absolutely. For all of us, I say for all the, you know, local businesses in the area to really just give them a nice warm welcome from Boone. And they will then head off to wherever they're going to be sleeping. Correct. Correct. We hopefully they found places again. They still are looking for all of those too. So that'll be coming up in July. Do you have other things? And then the last thing I wanted to mention is a little save the date here. We are going to be holding the new teacher breakfast on Friday, August 14th. And we're still working out the details on that as far as time and location. But this is a chamber event that we hold every year to celebrate and welcome the new teachers to the district. And yeah, all the local schools are involved in that as well. And the teachers are usually giving, given some sort of gift donation, something of that nature to help them, you know, have their supplies that are ready for the school year. And just a general thank you for our new teachers. Start getting ready for that. I know this is one of those things where chamber members do participate or you ask them to participate. You pair them up with the teacher so they get a chance to meet somebody. Correct. Exactly. So if they make contact now, their name will be on a list. That's right. That's right. Absolutely. So I just wanted to put a little save the date out there for the new teacher breakfast. Coming up again. What was that? That's going to be on Friday, August 14th. We're planning from 8am to 9.30. Get her done. Then they all go into teacher insert. Then they get into teacher mode. Yeah. And away we go. That's right. Well, we just got done with all the other things. Yes. So those are just some of the things that are on your list. Obviously red coats are out and, you know, we've all talked a little bit about what's going on Boone, but obviously county wide, you still have a lot of things that are happening. We've had some things going on over in Ogden. Yes. Really exciting over in Ogden. So we are reinvigorating our blue coats program. They're going to be meeting quarterly and visiting Ogden businesses. So we actually have in July coming up grand heritage foundation, which is right out in box home. That's the community center. So that's where I'm from, you guys. So box home. So I'm pretty, you know, stay involved with that project. They will be opening in July. They have a ribbon cutting. They do. So yeah. So that ribbon cutting is going to be on July 23rd with their grand in coordination with their grand opening, which starts at 5pm. And people will say, well, we've already been using. Yeah, right. Yeah, you already have. Right. It's going to be the grand. Correct. Correct. And I know that grand here just has a lot of exciting, you know, programs associated with that that they're working on right now. I think there's going to be some kind of entertainment as well. That's going to be provided at that grand opening. So our blue cut blots will get to come out and support. So we're reinvigorating that program and to support some of, you know, Ogden. And then like I said, box homes, not just a hop, skip and a jump away. So they'll be assisting with that grand opening. People need to remember it's more than just it's all over the whole county. There's a lot of things that are happening. All the activity going on down towards matter too. Yes. A ton of things to keep track of. That's right. I'm glad I have Alyssa now. Really? We need that. Alyssa, your board and everybody else keeps pretty busy too, helping out with a lot of things. Absolutely. I will tell you, we have one of the most active boards that I've ever been, you know, involved with. Courtney Davidson, who's our board president is on the golf committee. Tom Blandford is on the committee for Puffer Billy. That's our president and VP. And then, you know, I'm constantly reaching out to either Paul Jacobson with vision pink or Chris Torres with Boone County Hospital. They both handle kind of our treasury. Sure. So I will say our board is really incredible and great supporters of the chamber. So I'm grateful for each of them. And I'm thinking with Tom, part of the board, then he's also does a lot of Main Street stuff. Correct. Tom is very involved. We do have, there are separate things that they keep working on. But again, a lot of times collaboration, you just get more together. That is so true. And we can do more together. And that's why, you know, I'm very lucky to be in the same office with Holly here because I feel like that gives us just, you know, natural opportunities to collaborate on different events. Just like this bloom and boon that we'll be having on June 18th. On the 18th. And once again, folks, especially if you have just started a business, if you're looking at starting a business, if you have not been a part of the chamber before. Absolutely. But want to find out about some of the opportunities that the chamber can provide for you. There you go. I would love to. I would love to see you there. I will be there at the booth. All right. Victoria, regular hours over that. I mean, you know, we've got some holiday things going on and stuff. But still, we're getting there. We sure are. We sure are. Except for the four or excuse me, the 12th. I'm guessing most everybody will be off. I will say, I will say the chamber building will be closed on the 12th next Friday because we will all be at the, you know, golf tournament. No. So now that we have Alyssa here, we do have regular chamber hours from 8am to, or excuse me, from 9am to 4pm Monday through Friday. So there will be someone there to greet you, welcome you and answer any questions that you have. All right. Thanks so much for joining us. And once again, folks, don't forget to check out the Boone County Chamber of Commerce. Thank you. And all the Facebook. Right. Puffer Billy days. Puffer Billy days. Check it on, what, just chamber Puffer Billy or? So no, it's on Facebook. So the Puffer Billy days Facebook page. Puffer Billy days Facebook page. That's the one to go to. That's the one. We got it there. Thanks so much for joining us. Thank you so much.