Chamber hopes to create
county-wide calendar
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — Municipal officials have been considering ways to make an all-inclusive community calendar available, with City Manager Jim Bennett and city councilors looking for the best way to bring what’s happening county-wide to the largest audience possible. Officials believe by creating a listing of what’s happening, more people will attend those events and perhaps add other stops on the way, spending money at other establishments while in the area — thus helping improve the economic situation.
With the help of the Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce, that goal is gradually becoming a reality.
“I’ve been asked over the past several months to establish a regional clearing house for events and keep a comprehensive calendar to prevent conflicting calendars. This is a role the CACC is happy to play for the area we serve and, if requested, for the entire Aroostook County,” said Theresa Fowler, the CACC’s executive director. She said Aroostook County Tourism maintains a calendar for tourism-related activities and Outdoor Aroostook is also establishing a calendar.
Fowler said it’s not uncommon for someone to miss an event they’d otherwise have attended, simply because they weren’t aware it was taking place.
“I have heard too often that someone missed something they really wanted to attend because they did not learn of it in time,” said Fowler, noting the Chamber calendar “could be the location for not only business but recreational events as well.”
To help solve this problem, the CACC has established an online calendar of events that is open to the general public.
“It’s accessible 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You can find it at www.centralaroostookchamber.com,” said Fowler.
Fowler said submissions are always welcome.
“We would be very happy to list your events, meetings, seminars, etc. on our calendar so they are available to the public, as well as others organizing events so they will know what is planned and are able to plan their activities accordingly,” she said.
The Chamber also sends out a newsletter that includes a weekly calendar of community events.
“There are always a variety of events planned in the area. Were we to include business-based meetings, the calendar would be staggering,” Fowler said.
This spring Fowler said she’s received several comments and has made them herself suggesting there’s a need for a central calendar for the many and various events that are scheduled in the CACC’s area of service.
“On one particular day there were four events all planned at the same time and all appealed to the same audience,” said Fowler. She said she and her staff try to work with organizations to prevent such conflicts from happening.
“The Chamber is frequently contacted by organizations trying to arrange events that will not conflict with other events that their audience may want to attend,” Fowler said.
Fowler said there are a variety of ways to add things to the CACC’s calendar of events.
“You may send an e-mail to the Chamber, call and tell us about your upcoming event or receive permission to add your events to our community calendar directly,” she said.
Submissions can be sent via e-mail to info@centralaroostookchamber.com, by calling 764-6561 or by registering at www.centralaroostookchamber.com.
“You will be granted permission and access to the calendar within a few days,” said Fowler.
The Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce serves 13 communities including: Ashland, Blaine, Bridgewater, Castle Hill, Chapman, Easton, Mapleton, Mars Hill, Presque Isle, Oxbow, Washburn, Westfield and the surrounding areas.
“We are happy to encourage participation in area events. The more we collaborate, the stronger and more successful we will all be,” said Fowler.
