Custer chamber runs the gauntlet

Whew!
Take a breath, Custer Area Chamber of Commerce staff. Have a stiff cocktail. In fact, have two. Well, last weekend was Gold Discovery Days, so you might have already had a couple. Our point remains, you deserve a breather and a pat on the back for how busy you have been these past few weeks.
While most of us use the summer as a time to kick back, relax a little and take vacations, summertime is the busiest time of year for the chamber. It’s definitely not a time to relax, as the chamber runs from one event to the other, organizing, rounding up volunteers and making sure the needs of our visitors are met while also making sure the needs of the chamber members represented are met. It’s a huge task that shouldn’t be glossed over.
The summer fires up in late may with Memorial Day, and it’s go, go, go from there. There is the Off-Road Rally, which is followed quickly by July 4, either the single biggest or second biggest weekend of the year for the city. The chamber had even more responsibility piled onto it this year when it had to take over the fireworks show at the last minute. That seemed to be seamlessly, as the fireworks went off without a hitch—despite Mother Nature’s best efforts to cut it short.
Then, of course, there is Gold Discovery Days. There isn’t even room here to list all the organizing and work the chamber has to put in to make the weekend run smoothly. Thankfully, the chamber has a small army of volunteers to help with that cause. Volunteers, we are thankful for you as well. Gold Discovery Days is truly a wonderful weekend, and it wouldn’t be possible without the chamber and all those who put the time and effort in to make it what it is. The work and planning for that weekend is year-round, even if most people only see what is happening on that particular weekend in July.
This doesn’t even take into account all the people who flood the chamber office over the course of the summer, wondering where they should eat, where they should drink, where they should sleep and where they should visit. By the time the summer ends, chamber staff has dealt with literally thousands of tourists—some more patient than others—always with the thought of giving Custer the best reputation as possible. In this world of social media word can travel fast, and that’s why we should all deal with the tourists with a smile, even when some of them may not deserve that smile.
We know the chamber’s work isn’t done this summer, as the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally/Custer Cruisin’ closes in on us, but we wanted to pause and applaud the chamber for all it has done for the town this summer. So thank you to Dawn Murray, chamber director, as well as her staff—Fred, Pat, Adrianna, Rachelle and Joel. We hope we aren’t forgetting anyone. It’s a small but mighty group that just gets things done. That’s something we take for granted to often.
You’re all vitally important to Custer, and we appreciate all you do.