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Brookfield, Missouri - “A Great Place to Land!”

October 2009 (Click here to see our member ribbon cuttings!)
"Chamber Chatter"

Hello from Fran at the Brookfield Chamber of Commerce… I want to say Thank You and what a honor it was to be nominated for MCB’s Adult Leadership Award. I didn’t win at Jeff City on Monday, but that wasn’t what mattered - it was the pride I felt that I was chosen to represent Brookfield for such an award. I feel like a winner because you thought I was worthy. Thanks again so very much for the nomination. I normally brag about my birthday in October, but last year I got so old that I think I’ll just skip it…UGH!

The Missouri Community Betterment Awards were held this past Monday at Jeff City. Brookfield is proud to have come in 3rd in our population category with Higginsville & Lexington coming in 1st & 2nd. Last year, we walked away with 1st place, but the competition is always fierce. Win or lose, we are there representing Brookfield to the entire State of Missouri.

Chamber Lunch was today at “A Step Back in Time” with speaker Ronni Watkins from the U.S. Census Bureau. Every year, more than $300 billion in federal funds is awarded to states and communities based on census data. Ronni is here to help us achieve a complete and accurate 2010 census. If you haven’t been coming to the Chamber Lunches, please make an effort to attend. The food is great and of course it’s always good company!!! Third Wednesday of every month at Noon. Next month’s lunch will be on November 18th with Wendy Morris, New Manager of Reel Time Cinema bringing us current with all the new additions at the theatre!!!

Brookfield has received some really great news – we have been chosen as one of five communities in Missouri who have been designated as a DREAM community (Downtown Revitalization Economic Assistance for Missouri). The DREAM Initiative’s goal is to provide Missouri’s small and mid-sized towns the same access to economic development tools as larger communities. Selected communities become active members of the DREAM Initiative for three-years and gain prioritized access to state supported programs through ongoing cooperation among several agencies and funding sources. Programs include technical and financial assistance for infrastructure improvements, historic preservation, affordable housing, community services, business development and job creation. With the assistance of the Missouri DREAM partners and the resources and expertise this designation will bring, Historic Downtown Brookfield takes a giant step forward in recapturing the social, aesthetic and economic relevance it once enjoyed.

New Chamber Members: BK Web Works, Brenda Fellhoelter owner and website designer, created the Chamber Website about 3 years ago. She can be reached at 646-3094 or check out her website at www.bkwebworks.com. The Living Well Co. LLC, Ron Bunze & Michael Munsterman owners of Comfort Furnace Heaters have their main office and warehouse in the old Dura Building. Phone # is 258-3857 or visit their website at www.heatalot.com . We welcome you to the Brookfield Chamber!!!

The Recycling Trailer was late arriving last week and will be left a couple extra days. Next month it will be in the Wal-Mart Parking lot from November 11th-18th. If you have cardboard or pallets to be picked up just call Hope Haven at 646-5172. The truck comes to Brookfield twice a week to pick up these items. Thank you for recycling!

The Brookfield License Office will start their move tomorrow. They will be closed Thursday & Friday and re-open on Monday the 26th at their new location (Old Joes Radio & TV @ 331 E. Clayton). The phone # is still 258-7303.

McDonald's has started the McDonald’s challenge, meet it or beat it to get the skate park up and going!!! Call Kathy McCurry for more info.

The annual Parks & Recreation Halloween Fun Night will be held on Tuesday October, 27 starting at 5:30 p.m. at Burlington Field. There will be a costume contest with five age groups from 0 - Adult. Prizes will be awarded for the first, second and third places. They will be giving away a free bike and several other free give aways. You have to be present to be in the drawings. Parade starts at 6:30 down Main Street with the candy hunt starting once they arrive at the Twin Parks. You will need to have a flash light and candy bag. After the candy hunt, join in all the fun with free activities in the park. New this year is lighted bocce ball and pumpkin golf. They will still have the rats in the pumpkin, pumpkin walk, magic ball, mcboo pond, hay maze, sack races, piñata, haunted hand dig, haunted camper and grave yard. Free for the whole family.

Work is progressing on the museum and their grant writer has been busy writing applications. They had an election of officers at the last meeting and Cathy Wilson and Lucile Riepe were elected to the board. Rogene Smith, president, is working on committees. If you are interested in volunteering to work on a committee, please call Rogene @ 258-3123. Here are some of the committees: grounds, program, scrapbook, cleaning, documentation, and volunteering to work when they open the museum. The State Historical Meeting will be in Columbia, Saturday October 31. If anyone is interested, please call Rogene.

Randal Stonger has opened new business, “Friday's Fabulous Finds” @ 106 N. Main, upstairs above the Safari Salon. They sell new and used name-brand clothing for the entire family at very reasonable prices along with high fashion jewelry and accessories. Currently FFF’s is open on Fridays from 10 to 6 and Saturdays from 10-2 and by appointment. They plan to add Thursdays within a month. The store is owned by Randall Stonger and managed by Chantal Miller. “Friday’s Fabulous Finds” opened last Friday with an overwhelming response. If you can climb the stairs, you need to go check it out!!! AND…the remodeling has started for the new Coffee Shop “The Daily Perk”, also located above Safari Salon, and it appears that it will be ready to roll around the 1st of December. For those of you that don’t know, Randal is the proud new owner of the Frances Building and has been renovating the long deserted upstairs into offices for rent and small boutique type businesses. From Main Street, you can see that the plywood has been removed from three of the windows exposing the glass. Great start…big venture!!!

Brookfield Public Library will be drawing for a hand embroidered coverlet November 6th. Tickets are still available $1 each or 6 for $5.

Linn County Historical Society-Museum will be having a work day at the Tillman House, 303 N. Livingston, on Saturday, October 24th at 10 AM. They will be working on the landscape. Anyone willing and able is invited to show up.

Reel Time Cinema has so much happening - 18 more games are on the way, then we’ll have an official Arcade Grand Opening!!! New Manager, Wendy Morris, is booking mid-November and on birthday parties. They have the new lounge area and the new “Reader Board” is about ready to be installed. Yep, soon we can drive down Lockling and see what's showing at the movies!!! Remember, the phone # 660-258-2224 has a 24-hour answering machine with movie listings and times or go online to check out the times and what’s showing at www.reeltimecinema.com.

Brookfield’s newest eating establishment, “Twisters Fire Grill” has become my Saturday morning stop for a Cheese Omelet Sandwich and cappuccino. Having spent this last month trying just about everything on the menu (just about, not quite), I’ve established my new favorite afternoon Twister’s food to be the turkey sandwich and sweet potato fries. There are some great new changes and additions coming soon to Twisters…So Stay Tuned!!

This was the coldest Oktoberfest in the Park I have ever experienced. Amazing enough, we had a full sidewalk of crafters and vendors who showed their creativity in keeping warm all day. Many events scheduled by the Chamber and by other participating organizations were cancelled because of the weather…many went on but had less participation than would have been with normal temperatures. Oh well, I hope everyone who was there had a good time. The winner of the Apple Pie contest was Jeanette Cox and 2nd Place was Melba Belzer. The Chili Winners were 1st Place…Ryan Wilder, 2nd Place…Theresa Rogers, 3rd Place…Fran Graff ( I know…paper missed me), and 4th Place…Katie Newton.

If you have any questions on anything in the Chamber Chatter, just call the chamber office @ 660-258-7255 or e-mail us. We are here to assist you and our community in any way we can. Thanks for reading “CHAMBER CHATTER”!!!