SUNDRE – Drawing inspiration directly from the municipality’s history books as a community that was founded by a Norwegian postmaster, the local chamber of commerce’s newest president has said she aspires to make Sundre a postcard destination.
Sarah Kennedy stepped up as the Sundre & District Chamber of Commerce’s president at the organization’s annual general meeting in late January, filling in for past president Mark Crouch, and she shared her vision with the Albertan recently.
“We are originally a postal town,” said Kennedy, referring to Sundre’s early roots that stem from a Norwegian by the name of Nels Hengen who in 1906 bought land in the area before building a store and opening a post office a few years later, opting to name the community after his own home in Norway.
And with the chamber being responsible in partnership with the municipality for running the Visitor Information Centre on the east side of town just north of Highway 27 as west-bound visitors drive into Sundre, Kennedy’s vision encompasses using the building in part as a hub to house a collection of local, custom-made postcards.
“Businesses will be able to offer postcards at the Visitor Information Centre,” she said.
Traditional postcards continue to hold the interest of hobby collectors who are always on the lookout for the next addition to their scrapbook or to send back to friends and family more personalized mail illustrating their travels. Meanwhile, the more digitally inclined could also be included by offering the option to create their own virtual e-cards with pictures they took on their devices inscribed with personalized messages such as “From Sundre with love,” she said.
“We’re working on creating a digital postcard that can be sent,” she said.
“That would make an opportunity for every local travel and tourism business,” she said.
“So if every business looks for their own spin … it can get much bigger and benefit all businesses,” she said.
“It will start to spiral I believe.”
Although she’s lived in Sundre for the better part of 12 years, Kennedy said she only just joined the chamber last year.
“It was the first time I was even asked to be a chamber member,” said the local Realtor, adding she decided to get involved to learn more what the organization was all about.
From there, her interest in being a part of the board and discussing ideas and potential plans to develop additional travel tourism opportunities in Sundre, as well as otherwise support the local business community, only grew.
But with the number of memberships faltering for any number of reasons ranging from issues caused by COVID-19 to changes in the board or simply differences of opinion among some businesses, Kennedy also wants to emphasize the reasons to join the chamber.
“We’re working on trying to get the message out to our current base, but also trying to attract a new base,” she said.
In a letter dated Feb. 15 that Kennedy wrote, membership growth was the first of five priority areas she identified.
“We are committed to becoming more active for our members and earn your trust once again,” reads part of her statement.
With more than 500 businesses in the Sundre chamber’s area and fewer than 80 members, she told the Albertan, “We have a lot of work to do.”
The chamber also welcomes non-profit groups, farm families as well as small businesses up to the larger operations, she added.
In the time since Kennedy stepped in as president, the chamber has also undertaken a modest, low-budget renovation of the information centre that was accomplished with plenty of volunteer help, she said.
“We’re trying to work on a vision that assists our chamber members and our travel- and tourism-style businesses in Sundre and surrounding area.”
One challenge on that path is a tight budget that limits the information centre’s operational hours. But an opportunity presented itself when Brenda Johnston, the owner of the Bear’s Den Clothing Store who also handled local courier services and parcel pickups from a store on the west side of town, closed down her former location earlier this year.
“I managed to talk her into moving into the (information centre) so that we can be open nine to five and it’s a mutually beneficial partnership,” said Kennedy, adding that she hopes to eventually further expand hours from there.
“It’s baby steps at this point,” she said, adding the board supports her proposed direction.
“It’s now (a matter of) how do we implement it?”
