‘Community Member’ is new level of membership
By YVETTE C. HAMMETT
The Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce has always welcomed members of the wider area to get involved, whether or not they own or run a business.
These days though, the chamber has given them a special designation – Community Member – and is promoting this level of membership more heavily to get more people involved in the Riverview area.
“We’re trying to make the chamber available to more people,” said Debbie Kirkland, the chamber’s membership director. “We’ve always had a category for individual people to join, but it was not called ‘community member,’” she said. “The name is new and the price is reduced, and we are on a mission to promote and grow that level.”
GRCC expands membership opportunities for non-business owners with ‘Community Member’ level.
Joe Zuba got in on this early. He’s been a volunteer for three years now, even being named Volunteer of the Year.
“I worked at JP Morgan Chase and retired three years ago. I went to the chamber. I didn’t want to sit on the couch and watch TV and get old and fat. They had some opportunities,” Zuba said. “First was the annual golf tournament, so I volunteered to help with that. I saw they had other events, and they wanted me to be on a committee.”
Zuba also became the year-end celebration logistics manager. “It snowballed from there. Now I’m involved in Teaching for Excellence,” which honors new teachers in the Riverview area.
“Volunteering was already in my blood,” he said. “I started years ago helping out Metropolitan Ministries and Habitat for Humanity. Now, I also help the chamber with its annual Trick or Treat Street and just recently helped the chamber at the FishHawk-Riverview Rotary’s Crawfish Festival.”
Zuba’s family lives 1,000 miles away, he said, and the chamber has become his adopted family.
Shirley Bhat got involved through her connection with Kids Community College, a local charter school.
“I decided to become a Community Member because there were no limitations on what I could do to help out,” she said.
“I have helped them with their Mardi Gras dinner and helped them with planning the golf tournament, and I also became a chamber ambassador to try to recruit new members and do event planning,” Bhat said.
“By being involved with the community, I get to know a lot more about it and who makes it up,” she said. “This is a great opportunity to explore the area and see where I want to be involved, otherwise.”
The GRCC, with 630 members, has been steadily growing since 2012, Kirkland said. “That’s the year that really sparked the fire.”
“We know there are lot of people who want to be part of the chamber, like retired professionals, teachers, college students, housewives that like to be involved in their community. They are not in our normal sphere of influence because they are not business owners, so, we’re reaching out,” she said.
Just last week, the chamber hosted its monthly luncheon, which included Congressman Vern Buchanan and Hillsborough County Commissioner Stacy White, people Kirkland believes Community Members would be interested in hearing.
“Most of all, this offers them the opportunity to stay in touch with what is happening in the community” she said.
To apply for Community Membership with the GRCC, go online to www.Riverviewchamber.com or visit the office at 10012 Water Works Lane, Riverview. Interested people can also call 813-234-5944.
“I encourage others to get involved,” Zuba said. “It’s a great way to meet people.”