By Olivia Shumaker
Special Writer for The Review
Q: Describe your job.
A: I’m the staff person for the Orion Area Chamber of Commerce, responsible for recruiting new members. The chamber is a membership organization, so recruiting businesses to become members of the Chamber and then helping develop programs and seminars for our Chamber members to help promote them is important.
Q: What do you like about Lake Orion?
A: We moved here 15 years ago and one of the things that we love about Lake Orion is that it’s got that small town feel, but we have access to all the nice big town amenities. We like being close to the Palace as well, I have to admit.
Q: What is something most people don’t know about you?
A: Something a lot of people probably don’t know about me is that I grew up on a dairy farm. There were eight kids in the family. Four were adopted boys ? they were cousins. I had to milk cows every morning before school at 5 a.m. and every night after school. It was a pretty interesting upbringing.
Q: What’s one challenge you think is facing the community?
A: As a community, we’re really going to have to pull together to try and solve some of our school-funding issues because obviously we take pride in our school district and what a good school system we have. So, in order to overcome these budget shortfalls that we’re facing, we’re going to have to get creative.
Q: What are some of the things that the Chamber of Commerce does for Lake Orion?
A: Our biggest event that we do is the community expo. It’s held at the high school during parent-teacher conferences in the gym. We usually have over 80 exhibitors there. The event helps connect the community with our businesses. Another event that we host is called the Chili Challenge, which is part of Barn Daze coming up September 10. In the Chili Challenge, people enter and cook their chili right there at Barn Daze and then we award prizes to the best recipes. We have a panel of judges that will pick the best overall chili, the best spicy chili and the best mild chili.
Q: What is one of your favorite things to do in Lake Orion?
A: I love going shopping downtown. It’s one of my daughter and my favorite things to do. I think there are so many cute shops down there. Some are just really neat, eclectic shops, like Little Monsters, Tesori’s, Elements and the Painted Lady, not to mention the great restaurants down there.