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Celebrating the Decades: Choteau’s 2023 Independence Day Parade Theme!

Get Ready to Celebrate the Decades with Choteau’s 2023 Independence Day Parade!

The Choteau Chamber of Commerce is thrilled to announce the theme of the 2023 Independence Day Parade: “Celebrating the Decades 1913-2023.” At our May 10th meeting, the Chamber membership voted to select this theme, which will allow us to showcase the history and cultural changes that have occurred in Choteau over the past 110 years.

The parade will take place on July 4th, 2023, and we encourage all residents, businesses, and organizations in the area to participate. The parade is a beloved Choteau tradition that brings our community together to celebrate our nation’s independence, and we can’t wait to see how everyone incorporates the theme into their floats and displays.

We invite participants to choose a decade from 1913 to 2023 and use it as inspiration for their parade entry. You could dress up in vintage clothing, decorate your float with images and symbols from the era, or play music from that decade. You’re also welcome to showcase important events, people, or businesses from Choteau’s history during that decade.

This year’s parade promises to be a memorable one, and we can’t wait to celebrate with all of you. So start brainstorming your ideas and get ready to bring your creativity and enthusiasm to the streets of Choteau on July 4th!

If you have any questions or would like to register your entry for the parade, please contact the Choteau Chamber of Commerce at choteauchamber@gmail.com.

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Choteau’s Fireworks Fundraiser Goes Collaborative for Silent Auction

Choteau’s annual Fireworks Fundraiser is just around the corner, and this year, the event’s organizers are shaking things up with a new approach to the silent auction portion of the fundraiser. Instead of businesses creating individual baskets, the organizers are encouraging local businesses to partner with each other to create high-value baskets for the auction.

The change was made to foster a greater sense of community among local businesses and to ease the burden that fundraising efforts often place on individual businesses. This new approach will allow businesses to collaborate and pool their resources to create unique and exciting baskets for the silent auction.

While the organizers want to encourage businesses to collaborate, they also want to ensure that businesses that have created successful individual baskets in the past are not discouraged from doing so again this year.

As a Chamber member, you have an opportunity to get involved and help make this year’s fundraiser a great success. If you’re interested in participating, reach out to other local businesses and start brainstorming ideas for your auction basket. By working together, we can create something truly special that will benefit the entire community.

We hope you’ll join us in supporting this important fundraiser and in strengthening the bonds between Choteau’s local businesses.

For more info or to donate, please contact Fireworks Fundraiser co-Chair Cody Marney 406-590-5698 or by Facebook Messenger

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Montana Conference on Tourism Set for April 23 – 25

photo of man sitting in front

Governor’s Conference on Tourism April 23—25, 2023

Delta Hotels by Marriott Helena Colonial | Helena

The Governor’s Conference on Tourism is Montana’s annual gathering of private and public sector partners in the tourism and recreation industries.

Due to limited space, no guest registrations are offered for the conference, meals, or FAM tours. Those wishing to attend any or all of the conference activities, meals, etc. must register as a standard conference attendee and pay the full registration fee. This guarantees each attendee a seat and space at all sessions and all meals.

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It’s Small Business Season in Choteau!

Small Business Season™ Is Big in Choteau!
Small businesses deserve more than one day of support.

So, we’re issuing a challenge to shop small all season long.

Think about the difference it could make to our businesses and the local economy if everyone pledged to buy one thing a week from a small business, whether that’s a meal, a cup of coffee, a book, a present, a decoration, a service or even a ticket to a local event!

Will you join us in the pledge to:

  • Shop
  • Dine In
  • Take Out
  • Stop By
  • Support
  • Browse
  • Leave A Review For

A Local Business?

Small businesses are a big deal. Let’s show them what they mean to us.

If you’re a small business, visit the Small Business Season website for your free marketing collateral.
https://frankjkenny.com/small-business-season-resource-area/

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Chamber Spotlight: Choteau Senior Center

Before the October 20th Chamber After Hours event kicked off at the Choteau Senior Center, I took a few minutes to visit with Mona VanDeRiet, manager of the Center.

What’s new in your business?

Mona: What’s going on at the Senior Center is our transition from, you might say the forties, fifties, sixties, even seventies to now. There was a time when we had a lot of people here eating; maybe 20, 30 people a day and we’re now down to 10, 12 people. COVID had a lot to do with that. Because of COVID we are now allowing takeout meals. Before Covid, if you could walk through that front door, you had to sit down. The only ones that got takeout meals were the Meals on Wheels. And I think what the big news is here is our thrift store downstairs. Because COVID has affected the people coming in here, the elderly. We are relying on traffic through the thrift store and our thrift store is just thriving. Our manager is Pat Richardson and she, along with Gary Poor, have remodeled our thrift store. It is something that whether you buy anything or not, people should just come and look and see the difference.

Continue reading “Chamber Spotlight: Choteau Senior Center”
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Help Close the Digital Divide in Montana

photo of men talking through laptop

An internet connection is crucial for residents for school, work, and staying in touch with friends and family. As such, the Montana Department of Administration’s ConnectMT broadband effort is conducting research to increase broadband access and quality across the state. To meet the needs of as many Montana residents as possible, it is important that officials understand the experiences and opinions of both individuals and community groups.

They are asking residents of Montana, 18 years or older, to take the survey and tell them about your individual experiences and opinions on broadband access. The survey is being administered by Summit Consulting, LLC on behalf of ConnectMT.

In addition, the State of Montana has contracted with Summit Consulting to host a series of outreach sessions across Montana for community leaders. These outreach sessions are crucial to hearing firsthand how internet access (or a lack thereof) impacts your communities. The nearest one to Choteau is at the Heritage Inn in Great Falls on September 13 from 8a-9p, to RSVP for a session, please click here by Friday, September 2.

If you have any concerns or questions about the survey, or have trouble accessing the survey, please contact ConnectMT@mt.gov and one of the research team members will respond as soon as possible. 

Thank you in advance for your participation and helping to close the digital divide in Montana. 

Original email: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MTDOC/bulletins/32a3284

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Choteau Business Pitch-In

GFDA Business Pitch In Flyer

Do you have a business idea, but don’t know where to start? Are you looking to grow your existing business?

Great Falls Development Authority Small Business Development Center will be hosting a pitch event at Copper Creek Coffee this month and are looking for presenters to pitch their business idea or plan!  

What is a Business PITCH IN?

It’s a few hours to give BUSINESS-MINDED dreamers, thinkers, makers, innovators, entrepreneurs, and community members the space to share ideas, pitch crazy stuff, and meet like-minded peeps.

Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made requested at least two weeks in advance by contacting Tony:

For more information contact:
Tony Peres
Small Business Navigator
Great Falls Development Authority
Tony@GrowGreatFalls.org
1-406-750-2099

Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

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Tourism Grant Application Cycle Opens With $1 Million Available

people taking pictures during daytime

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, August 10, 2022

CONTACT: Anastasia Burton | Anastasia.Burton@mt.gov | 406.841.2557

The Montana Department of Commerce announced today that the 2023 Tourism Grant program application cycle is now open. The Tourism Grant program funds projects that strengthen Montana’s economy through the development and enhancement of the state’s tourism and recreation industry. A total of $1 million is available for projects that develop and enhance tourism and recreation products which have the potential to increase out-of-area visitation.

“Tourism is one of Montana’s leading industries. Out-of-area visitors add money to the state’s economy, supporting jobs and reducing state and local taxes for Montana residents,” said Montana Department of Commerce Director Scott Osterman. “Recently, Montana’s tourism economy took a significant hit, largely due to flooding. These grants will help support the development of tourism and recreation projects, increase visitation, and stabilize our tourism-dependent communities while reinforcing Montana’s draw as a destination for travelers from all over the world.”

Applications for the grant funding will be open to Montana-based non-profit 501(c) organizations, Tribal governments, city governments, and county governments. Funds are generally awarded to tourism and recreation projects within these categories:

  • Digital product development for online assets that create or contain a destination brand for the tourism and/or recreation industry.
  • Heritage preservation projects which preserve, protect, or restore Montana’s arts, culture and/or heritage treasures.
  • Infrastructure upgrades or enhancement projects of tourism facilities to enrich visitor experience and increase revenue.
  • Niche product development projects within the three brand pillars of interest to out-of-area visitors as identified in the Montana Destination Brand Research Study.
  • Wayfinding for a community or outdoor recreation opportunity through signage, mapping, or destination development.

The 2023 annual application cycle closes at midnight MST on September 15. To learn more and apply, visit BRAND.MT.COM or contact Michele Cushman at the Montana Department of Commerce at TourismGrants@mt.gov or 406.841.2796. Interested applicants can watch a tourism grant application workshop here.

The Tourism Grant Program is funded by the 4% Lodging Facility Use Tax, commonly known as the “Bed Tax.” Enacted by the 1987 Legislature, the Bed Tax is collected from guests of hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, guest ranches, resorts, short-term vacation rentals, and campgrounds in Montana.