Chamber of Commerce

Chamber president Zach Schafer breathed a sigh of relief at the March 13 meeting of the organization, reporting that a committee of four individuals has stepped forward to take on the task of providing leadership at the hospitality tent provided by the Chamber at the site of the Desert 100 motorcycle endurance race and ancillary events the weekend of April 6-8. Marcus Horak, Mo Sheldon, Jeff Huiras and Miranda Taylor will be the on-site people with the responsibility for answering questions, resupplying the tent, overseeing the volunteer servers/ID checkers and helping ensure that the thousands of visitors to the encampment site have an enjoyable experience.

Amy Schaefer, reporting for the float committee, had the unfortunate news that not a single junior girl from the high school was willing to serve as Miss Odessa this year, despite her best persuasive efforts. The committee will work to find others willing to ride the float that travels to area celebrations to promote attendance at Odessa’s Deutschesfest. Suggestions for potential volunteers were provided by various members at the meeting.

In preparation for the Desert 100 weekend, Zach Schafer, Don Strebeck and Marlon Schafer have spent many hours building a trailer for the donated commercial generator that will be used to provide power to the hospitality tent. This same generator can also serve the community center as an emergency generator in the event of an extended power outage such as happened at Deutschesfest only a couple of years ago, Zach Schafer said.

Laura Estes, representing the Odessa Quilt Club, handed out flyers announcing March 19 as the date for “Quilt Till You Wilt,” the marathon sewing event held in the community center each spring, hosted by the Odessa club.

President Schafer announced that the Chamber board had voted to donate $50 to Nate Lathrop’s fund for banners to be used at Spring Fling on April 27-28.

He also said that the shuttle bus owned by Rocky Coulee Brewing Company will be used at the Desert 100 to bring visitors from the campsite into town for shopping, sightseeing, etc. The bus will travel to and from the site every couple of hours but not on a regular schedule.