Salem chamber to create events calendar

By D.A. Wilkinson | January 17, 2011 at 12:03a.m.

SALEM

The Salem Area Chamber of Commerce plans to create a calendar to organize the many activities in town.

Daniel T. Moore, chairman of the Partners in Progress, an offshoot of the chamber, was involved in the city’s comprehensive plan made with the help of Ohio State University and said that the study that produced the plan showed the city and Perry Township have about125 private organizations.

Moore said that OSU sees Salem as being “quite unique” because of its many organizations. Organizations range from the arts, such as the Burchfield Homestead Society, to Salem’s African-American history to many churches and the Tri-State Antique Auto Club.

When it comes to organizations, Moore said, “You name it; we have it.”

Salem is known for a number of annual events, including an annual summer parade and an antiques show. The problem, according to Moore and Audrey Null, executive director of the chamber, is that there is no coordinated calendar. Every church or civic organization has its own events.

“Now, we have events on the same day,” Moore said

The Partners in Progress wants to make a coordinated online list and paper lists of all the events. That will allow people and organizations to see what the other organizations are doing and try to coordinate the activities.

“There is a lot going on,” Null said.

Partners in Progress is asking organizations to send two representatives to a meeting set for 5 to 7 p.m. Jan. 26 at the Salem Community Center to discuss the calendar.

Moore and Null said that by having a list, organizations can see what is going on. Organizations may change dates to avoid competing events or to join with organizations for a bigger event.

There also will be discussion on possibly creating a “Community Day” to celebrate the community.

Groups are asked to mail their event list in advance to the POP Committee, 713 E. State St., Salem, OH 44460, before the meeting.

Those who plan to attend also should contact the chamber at 330-337-3473 or by e-mail to the chamber’s administrative assistant, Tammy Peppel, at tlpppel@salemohiochamber.org.