Dear Members:
Classic Cinemas’ York Theatre will celebrate its 100th Anniversary during an invitation-only special event on Sunday, September 1, featuring the debut of the “York: 100 Years of Movie Magic” documentary and then a screening of silent-film legend Buster Keaton’s 1924 film Sherlock Jr. complete with live organ accompaniment.
Yours truly will attend donning my best Siskel-and-Ebert movie critic tuxedo, as I did when filmed for the documentary—assuming my scenes didn’t end up on the cutting-room floor.
Chamber of Commerce Month
In celebration of September’s Chamber of Commerce Week in Illinois, our Chamber is sponsoring a month of networking and fundraising events, and offer recruitment incentives for new and reactivating members.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has proclaimed September 8-14 as Chamber of Commerce Week in Illinois and Elmhurst Mayor Scott Levin has issued a Mayoral Proclamation declaring September 8-14 as Chamber of Commerce Week in Elmhurst.
New members will have their $25 registration fee waived if they join in September or they can try out a three-month courtesy membership ending in November, with our Chamber website’s new online application module going live in August
September events include “Networking on the 9s,” our Chamber’s 76th Annual Golf Outing at Sugar Creek Golf Outing in Villa Park on September 20, monthly Business After Hours hosted by Ella’s Italian Pub on September 6 leading into the Opening Night of Rock The Block in downtown Elmhurst sponsored by Elmhurst City Centre and the return of a Business-to-Business Expo at Elm West Banquets on September 26 after a 10-year hiatus.
“Networking on the 9s” also will included participation by members of the Villa Park Chamber of Commerce for the third year in a row.
With fundraising support from ECCI’s Centennial Celebration NFP, the City of Elmhurst will dedicate a First Responders Memorial sculpture outside Fire Station No. 2 on 9/11, following the monthly Membership Breakfast traditionally hosted by Elmhurst American Legion THB Post 187 in the Normandy Banquet Room.
September also signals the start of display advertising sales for the 2025 Elmhurst Community Directory, produced in partnership with the Elmhurst Suburban Life/Shaw Media. Come January, Directories will be Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM)-delivered to some 19,800 residential, business and Post Office Box addresses across Elmhurst.
Also during September, our Chamber website’s new online application module will go live, replacing Becoming A Member and What’s In It For You? pages within the home page’s Join Our Chamber dropdown box. When processed, the online application will automatically populate the new member’s ChamberMaster membership database listing.
New Teachers Luncheon
Thanks to the record number of members who donated goodie to the greeter totes handed out to New Teacher Academy attendees from Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205 during ECCI’s 34th Annual New Teachers Luncheon at York Community High School.
July DuPage Hotel Stays Mixed
Metrics on hotel stays in Elmhurst and across DuPage County in July showed that hotel occupancy declined by 1.6 percent from the prior year, while the Average Daily Room (ADR) rate rose by 2.6 percent to $121, RevPAR was up one percent at $88 and revenue up 1.8 percent at $43.8 million, according to data released by the DuPage Convention and Visitors Bureau.
In 2023, visitor spending in DuPage County reached $3.18 billion, an increase of 6.4 percent from 2022, while the State of Illinois generated $47 billion (up $3 billion) from 110.2 million domestic visitors and 2.2 million international visitors, according to Tourism Economics.
Buck-A-Duck Raffle
During 2024, a single Buck-A-Duck winner will split the pot collected at each of our Chamber’s monthly networking events and other selected events.
Bob Cronin of IC Catholic Prep won $24 at the August 15 Business After Hours hosted by Fitness Formula Club at the Spa bar and outdoor rooftop patio and pool, while gust Tamara Nosa of Med Beauty Clinic in Naperville won $57 at the August 14 Membership Breakfast hosted by the York and Vallette Business Association at the Elmhurst Farmers Market.
Cronin also won the opportunity to nudge me, his fellow IC alumnus, into the swimming pool, continuing my traditional wet plunge initiated six years ago.
Happy Anniversary
One members is celebrating a Chamber anniversary in September as follows: 5 years—SERVPRO of Elmhurst.
New Member
The following two businesses joined our Chamber in August: Celero Commerce and INBOXX.
Reactivated Members
PNC Bank reactivated its Chamber membership in August after a four-year hiatus.
Dropped Members
The Chamber dropped two members in August as follows: Fiebrandt HVAC and Heartland Payment Systems.