Greenfield Chamber, Development recap 2023

Greenfield Chamber Main Street and Development held their joint annual meeting Monday, Jan. 29 at Hotel Greenfield.

No community awards were given, so the main portion of the meeting consisted of reports from each organization.

Greenfield Community Development President Scott Tonderum said that most of the group’s attention in the past year has gone to trying to get a housing development started for the community.

Development previously secured 17 1/2 acres of property on the southwest side of town. Tonderum said that not a lot of ground has been made on the project and they hope to break through with another step of the project by sometime this spring.

Chamber President Stephanie Valentine said that one of the many strengths of the organization is that it is fully staffed again. Carol Woosley and Camille Erickson fill out the staff, in addition to Executive Director Stacie Eshelman. All three have been instrumental in keeping the organization going as Eshelman has needed to work remotely some due to the illness of her grandchild, Wilson Hull, who has two forms of cystic fibrosis. An upcoming benefit is for him.

Valentine shared that networking lunches held the first Thursday of each month and farmers markets were a few of her favorite events. There were 20 vendors who sold goods at farmers markets through the summer, which were held back on the courthouse lawn.

Lake Fest was again considered a success and Chamber Main Street earned the Warren Coleman Award in 2023, given by the Greenfield Lions Club.

Chamber Main Street has also been crucial in efforts to get the most out of a Downtown Revitalization Grant the city received to revitalize storefronts on the west side of the downtown district.