Chamber Honors Its Volunteers

Gaithersburg, MD (September 17, 2010) – The Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce (GGCC) honored its volunteers at the Business Networking after Five event on Thursday, September 16. The event will be held at and sponsored by Smokey Glen Farm Barbequers, Inc. in Gaithersburg. “Our volunteers are the backbone of the Chamber. They understand that the better our Chamber is, the more value they receive for their business and for the community. We could not do what we do without them,” stated Marilyn Balcombe, GGCC President.

The GGCC spent the evening thanking all of its member volunteers who work tirelessly to help the GGCC and support member activities. Four GGCC members were awarded for their stellar commitment and involvement with the Chamber. These four exceptional volunteers were nominated by the working committees of the Chamber for having substantially contributed to GGCC member programs and activities. They include:

Anita Anderson, BlackRock Center for the Arts. Ms. Anderson is an active participant on several committees including the Celebration Dinner committee, the CCT coalition, Germantown TaskForce, Member Programs and the Golf Committee. She is nominated for her work on the Golf Committee, a sub-committee of Events. Her dedication and support has greatly contributed to the success of the tournament.

Stuart Barr, Lerch, Early & Brewer, Chartered. Mr. Barr is nominated for his commitment towards the CCT Coalition. The CCT is a proposed light rail or bus rapid transit line that would run from the Shady Grove Metro station northwest to Clarksburg. Barr is a member of the CCT board, but his nomination stems from his planning and facilitating a CCT Status update back in May. Stuart is also an active participant on the Gaithersburg-West Task Force, Germantown Task Force and the Legislative Committee.

Tamara Clarke, Hilton Washington DC North/Gaithersburg. Ms. Clarke has been an active member of the Events Committee. Between the willingness of the Gaithersburg Hilton and her, they were able to fill a recent program void earlier this summer on short notice. Her support of the Events Committee, as a regular attendee and active participant, has greatly contributed to the vitality of the committee.

Bruce Kanner, Cartridge on Wheels. Mr. Kanner joined the Chamber in April and since then has taken an active role in the GGCC. He is nominated for his work on the Membership Committee. Bruce is dedicated to the membership committee and a huge asset in making retention and prospect phone calls.

The evening’s event further shows the Chamber’s commitment to volunteerism by giving GGCC non-profit members the opportunity to “showcase” their organizations and communicate their role in our business community. The non-profit organizations that participated included: Access Montgomery, BlackRock Center for the Arts, Breezy Acres Ministry, Inc., Gaithersburg Rotary Club, Guide Program Inc., Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery County, MD, Inc., Hospice Caring, Inc., Maryland Division of Rehabilitation Services, Montgomery Alliance, Montgomery County - Solid Waste Services, Montgomery Village Foundation, Inc., Montgomery Village Rotary Club, Montgomery Works, Shady Grove Adventist Hospital and St. Luke's House, Inc.

The Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce is located at 4 Professional Drive, Suite 132, Gaithersburg, MD. To see photos from the event or to learn more about Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber visit them on the web at www.ggchamber.org.

PICTURE: The 2010 GGCC Exceptional Volunteers are all smiles. Pictured l:r - Anita Anderson, BlackRock Center for the Arts; Stuart Barr, Lerch, Early & Brewer, Chartered: Tamara Clarke, Hilton Washington DC North/Gaithersburg & Bruce Kanner, Cartridge on Wheels.