— Those of you that were at the chamber's annual banquet this past week heard Board President Linda Clinkenbeard close the meeting with a call out for volunteers to offer ideas, serve on various event committees, or just help out on any of the events we bring to downtown.

The first “big” event we have on our schedule is the Annual Car, Truck, and Motorcycle Show scheduled for June 8-9.

This is certainly one of the highlight events of the year for the residents of Fort Gibson as we kick off our event on Friday evening with the Burnout Contest and Loud Pipe Contest — both sponsored by Fort Gibson Tire & Wheel, followed by our day-long Car Show on the streets of downtown Fort Gibson.

Featured are entries of all years and classes of cars, trucks, and motorcycles.

Entries usually number upward of 200, with the event building each year.

Combine the great array of vehicles with good ole cruisin’ music, various food and merchandise vendors and local entertainment and you have a recipe for great family entertainment and fun.

I mention the car show because we are now beginning the committee planning stage, and we are inviting anyone that would like to get involved to give me a call.

We are in need of individuals who have a passion for this type of event, or just want to get involved and serve.

Each year we look for new ideas on how to improve and grow our event, and the best way to get these new ideas is for “new blood” to serve on the committee.

We generally meet at 6 p.m. each Tuesday evening for no more than an hour, and our first meeting will be Feb. 21 here at the new chamber office, 108 W. Poplar St.

If you would like to get involved, again, give me a call.

At the same time we have started the planning process for the “BBQ” event in October. Because we have to be so far out in front of this event, with payment, registration, and plans submitted to the Kansas City Barbecue Society, we have already met to get those things accomplished.

Our next meeting for the event will be at 6 p.m. March 13.

Again, we invite anyone that would like to be involved to give myself or any of our current board members a call.

I would like to recognize the latest chamber membership renewals.

They include: Whitlock Packaging Corporation, Kirk and Linda Boatright, The Classic Kitchen, Wonderland Day Care, Sara Dunlap, and a new member, Faith Based Therapeutic Community Corporation, operated by Mark Seabolt.

They are located at 3350 W. 825 Road, here in Fort Gibson, and, as Mark explains, they help God change lives, through mentoring, work projects, and therapy based on Christian faith, as their name implies.

For more information, you can reach Mark at (918) 348-0061.