Good Morning!
Today I thought I’d include my column from our October print newsletter for those of you who don’t receive that.
A Letter To Our Members
There is some scuttlebutt that we are competing with our member businesses by operating the Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center gift shop. You are our town’s champions and we feel it’s crucially important that you all understand the way we are organized and how we’re doing business – without your help we cannot really succeed at either of our endeavors.
The Lead Area Chamber of Commerce is a 501(c)6, which means it’s a business association non profit organization. We do not qualify for most grants and you do not get a tax deduction from donating to us. However you can write it off as a business expense. We encourage all businesses to join in order to help promote their own offerings and to help support our city and community. Individuals are welcome to join as well to stay in touch with our efforts and to help us promote our wonderful town. We have a board of directors, and we rent office space in the Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center building. We are funded through memberships, sponsorships, and city funding from the Bed and Booze tax in order to also promote and advertise Lead as well as plan various city-wide events. If we’re doing our job right that tax will increase and help fund us. We also have an arm called Visit Lead that specifically helps plan and advertise to bring tourists into town. This arm also rents advertising space inside the Visitor Center so that the many visitors who come into the doors will be encouraged to visit the rest of our fair city.
The Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center is a 501(c)3. We do qualify for some grants, but it can be difficult to find ones that will cover our huge operating bills (a building this big is incredibly expensive to operate). We are a stand alone non-profit, and while we bear the name of two important organizations in our town, neither one directly finances our operations. This is a surprise to many, but an important distinction. Our income for the Visitor Center comes from our gift shop sales, facility rental, office rentals (the Chamber offices), corporate sponsorships and donations. We are excited to offer our new member program in an effort to offset the costs of doing business in the low visitor months of winter. Various expenses, including full time staff, have been cut from our budget in the past year as we seek to streamline our operations and stay solvent, but the three months we were closed this year due to COVID certainly didn’t help our bottom line (we realize that many of you also struggled).
It is our deepest desire to be a part of our community, to offer something of value to the visitor as well as for the resident of Lead. It is with this in mind that we are planning programming and events to educate and entertain. We hope you’ll stop and see us, as well as consider supporting us as we look for ways to keep our history and future story alive and a part of the community.
Comments? Questions? Suggestions? [email protected]
_____Here’s what’s happening this week____
Friday, 10/9 – Paranormal Investigations of the Adams House Museum begin. Call Rose for details and tickets 605-722-4800
Recreational Springs Resort was recently sold! The new owners are doing a Friday night dinner of lasagna and spaghetti. Call for reservations and more info (605)584-1228
Saturday, 10/10 – 2pm The Gold Camp Players presents their annual children’s play: “Anne of Green Gables” at the Historic Homestake Opera House. You can call (605)584-2067 for more information. Tickets available online or at the door.
Sunday, 10/11 – 2pm Second and last showing of “Anne of Green Gables” don’t miss it!
Tuesday -Thursday, 10/13-15 – The Lawrence County Comprehensive Plan Update will be revealing their work in two different meetings. Online Zoom meetings on Tuesday and in person meetings on Wednesday. See all the details and information here: http://www.lawrencecountycompplan.com
Wednesday, 10/14 5-7pm – SCIENCE ROCKS: Ray Davis’ Birthday! We’re excited to celebrate Ray Davis with free beer, birthday cake and remembering his awesome contributions to science. Come join us here at the Visitor Center. Free!
Thursday, 10/15 – 12pm – Preservation Thursday: Homestake Water System Past and Present at the Homestake Adams Research and Cultural Center. Curt Betcher will present a program on the Homestake water system which was first constructed in the early 1880s by Homestake Mine. Free for members and $5 for non-members. Masks will be required. Call Rose for more details 605-722-4800
Thursday, 10/15 – 4-6pm – October Chamber Mixer at Sled Haus Restaurant! Don’t miss this chance to catch up, enjoy some appetizers and see all of Sled Haus’s pretty fall decor! Me and my sweet men will be there! Come visit!
_____Other News & Notes
Interested in Co-Op advertising with Visit Lead? See our opportunities here: https://www.leadmethere.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/VISIT-LEAD-Co-Op-Advertising-Opp-2020.pdf
Want to join the Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center membership? See all the information here: http://www.sanfordlabhomestake.com/membership/
We’re starting an email just for the Visitor Center. This one will be monthly and just include our upcoming events and happenings. You can register for that here: Email Sign-up: https://mailchi.mp/2b45d95a84b1/slhvc
I hope you have a wonderful weekend! Questions? Comments? I’d love to hear from you!
Sierra