Members, I want to remind you of all the marketing opportunities you have through the Camas-Washougal Chamber of Commerce. Our website, www.cwchamber.com reaches up to 12,500 unique visitors each month. We had over 900,000 hits in 2009, and 65% of those visitors went to our Directory and searched for Member information. The website also publicizes the area as a whole, with our Visitors Information & Recreation page, Calendar of Community Events, Business information and Camas Days page.

On our website Members can market themselves in the form of "Hot Deal" coupons, event posts and special promotions. Members can also post Job Openings, enhance their listing to include Logos, Pictures, extended text, maps, links and more. Members have the ability to purchase homepage banner advertisements on the front page of the website, that is linked to their homepage. This is a great way to reach potential customers in East Clark County.

The CW Chamber conducts events that help market the Camas and Washougal Communities as well as allows Members to purchase advertising to promote their businesses in the form of event sponsorships. For example, Camas Days draws over 12,000 people to downtown Camas, which produces word-of-mouth advertising about East Clark County. We also produce and distribute Camas Days Posters, Banners, 4x6 promo cards and Advertisements in the Columbian and Post Record showcase East Clark County as a great destination. The Camas Days Sponsorship package provides marketing to members throughout the community, on  advertisements, posters, banners, promotional materials and online. We also host the Annual Awards Banquet, honoring the Business of the Year and Citizen of the year. This program recognizes positive business leaders and people within our community, who are featured in articles throughout Clark County media outlets - which helps the Chamber market the message that East Clark County is a great place to work and live.

Additionally the CW Chamber conducts publication marketing, with the production of the Preferred Business Directory, the Map of Camas/Washougal and the Guidebook to Developing Business in Camas/Washougal. The Chamber produces 5,000 copies of the Preferred Business Directory and they are distributed throughout the community within relocation packets, distribution points and the Camas-Washougal Post Record Newspaper -  it’s a great marketing tool for businesses. The Map of Camas/Washougal is the number one most requested item from the office, and all ads in the Preferred Business Directory and the Map have a two-year staying power. Lastly, the Chamber's Concierge Referral Rack provides the ability for Member to market themselves to visitors and people relocating. We have a great relationship with the Post Office, Neighborhood associations and HR departments to provide incoming residents Chamber Member's Info - make sure your info is up-to-date and present.

The Chamber has also partnered with different organizations for the promotion of East Clark County and events. We manage the Safeway Vinyl sign space to promote community events and we utilize reader boards throughout the community. The Chamber also partners with other organizes during Camas Days for cross-promotional event marketing. The Chamber partnered with DCA for a the Gorge Map Advertisement and will work with the merchants of Washougal on a September downtown event. We also publicized the Washougal Film Festival information as a media partner. And the Chamber serves on the Hotel/Motel Tax Committees for both Camas and Washougal to create a Regional Partnership Marketing effort.

The buy local horn is being tooted loud and often in many communities around the Country.  So much so that maybe people are becoming a bit tired of the message.  The message is still very important to our local businesses that have been struggling to keep afloat.  The economic statistics indicate a recovery is upon us.   The financial reality that many business owners are facing is that it has been a long, lean couple of years and now every customer and every sale is important.   Camas and Washougal have many great businesses that have a lot to offer.  We have lost some of them over the last several months but there have been some new openings to help offset the closures and more new offerings are on the way.  Do you really want to travel across the I-205 bridge and risk getting stuck in traffic to get that item you can find here?   

The Camas Farmer’s Market is open every Wednesday now through September 29th and the Washougal Farmers Market begins its’ run July 3rd.  Both feature local produce, crafts, and other goods.   There are some rumblings from Washougal that there may be a couple of new businesses opening there and Logitech will have  ribbon cutting at Camas Meadows later this month.   These are all good things for the community and will help us shed the gloom of the great recession.  Maybe we are not completely out of this yet, but we are headed in the right direction.  Help keep the momentum going and make a conscious effort to support our local businesses and vendors.

On Monday, April 12th the Camas-Washougal Chamber of Commerce recognized Clark County Title as its Local Business Feature. The CW Chamber recognizes two members per month for the 'Business of the Week' program. Clark County Title has been serving Clark County since 1980, when it was established by the Schreiner Family as one of 15 title companies in Washington and Oregon. The staff at Clark County Title is 32 professionals strong. Half have been with the company for over 10 years, and ten have been there over 15 years. “They do a great job, and have great people,” said Brent Erickson the Executive Director of the Camas-Washougal Chamber of Commerce.

The team at Clark County Title is very active in the community. The staff participates in Rotary, in the Columbia River Economic Development Council, with several area Chambers, the BIA of Clark County, and with the Clark County Association of Realtors. Additionally, the staff helps the Fort Vancouver Historic Trust, the SW Washington Hospital Foundation Finance Committee, NW Children’s Outreach, the YWCA and many other local causes. They also play a role in the fundraising efforts of many local charity groups from sponsorship, donations, to volunteer work. Many are very involved in the school district as volunteers and coaches. “This level of commitment to the community is not often seen by so many staffers in one business, everyone there seems to be helping the community” says Erickson.

The goal of Clark County Title is to be the most respected, community-minded title insurance and escrow provider in Clark County. They started off with humble beginnings with only five employees and have grown with the community. Notably, they are the only Title Company that owns their own building. They have escrow branches in Salmon Creek and at Tech Center; and are one, of only two, companies that service Skamania County.

While some Title Companies are outsourcing their work to other states and even other countries, Clark County Title refuses to take jobs out of the Clark County. “Local, Local, Local and we will keep it that way” says the team. Their core services are Title insurance and Escrow for all types of real estate transactions and properties. This includes the sale, purchase refinance, litigation guarantees, and basically any other type of real estate related title work.

On Monday, April 26th the Camas-Washougal Chamber of Commerce recognized LJC Feed, Pet & Farm Supply as its Local Business Feature. LJC Feed, Pet & Farm Supply has been a pillar in East Clark County since it opened in 1994.  

LJC Feed, Pet, and Farm Supply has grown dramatically in the 15 years since Gordon and Patty French purchased it from the Crawfords. They have grown the business from one employee to 11; and have doubled the footprint of the store, with a grand remodel and addition in 2006. LJC Feed has grown in sales 10 fold since 1995, and the owners are excited and optimistic about their future growth in East Clark County.

LJC Feed is open seven days a week and serves home and farm needs. Customers can take 4-H community training classes, gain lawn and garden help, learn about feed and livestock -and- access the in-house soil expert. One of the added services, people may not know about is that LJC Feed, Pet and Farm Supply will make farm and home calls for free. LJC has also focused on ORGANIC gardening for the last 10 years, and carries a vast array of organic products for home and garden use.

“LJC Feed, Pet and Farm Supply are a great locally owned and operated business in East Clark County. They set a good example of how community involvement can help grow your business,” said Executive Director of the Camas-Washougal Chamber of Commerce, Brent Erickson.  "We are [Patty and Gordon French] having the time of our lives watching the children of our customers grow, and reach the age to care for their own animals… We believe being part of a club like 4H has a life-long positive effect on our youth and sets them on the correct path for adulthood," says Gordon French. 4H is a main focus for LJC Feed, Pet and Farm Supply. They support the market-sale at both the Clark County Fair & Skamania County Fair, and, support Horse Camps with gift bags and donations. The LJC Feed, Pet and Farm Supply team is on site for the entire ten days of the Skamania fair as volunteer help to maintain the arena for the fair and open classes.

Kristen Hermance, an employee at LJC has volunteered for both Camas & Washougal Equestrian Teams & the Skamania County Fair; the Manager, Victoria Scott, is involved in the Clark County Saddle Club & Sherry Bell, the weekend Manager is a 4-H leader.   Kristen & Victoria ride their horses in the Camas Days Parade and Gordon & Patty were the Grand Marshals for the 2009 Skamania County Fair. Additionally the crew has volunteered at the Steigerwald Federal Preserve, Skamania County Fair, and has instructed at the Washington State University Extension program. LJC also donates to the West Columbia Gorge Humane Society and volunteers time and products to the Stevenson and Washougal Community garden.

"I am in awe of the lengths our staff will go to help people they may or may not even know.  Patty and I both come from large cooperation's where people are good at their jobs but disconnected with life. Our staff is part of our community in every way, and gives back every bit of what they get. Every one of them is willing to share their time and knowledge at work and off work," said Gordon.

The crew at LJC Feed, Pet, and Farm Supply attend educational classes and monthly lessons from their vendors’ in-house. Additionally, LJC puts on public classes in horse care, gardening, raising home flocks and lawn care. The specialists at LJC Feed are also available as guest speakers for groups like garden clubs and 4H classes.