SMCC REVIEW 2021

Despite the ongoing challenges, 2021 was a very fruitful year for the chamber and its membership. Read a full recap of the year's events and successes from CEO, John Johnson.

SMCC IN NUMBERS:

2019 - 2021 FINANCIAL GIVING

$375,500

Since 2019, between the Southeast Michigan Chamber of Commerce, the Gratiot Avenue Chamber of Commerce, the Warren Center Line Chamber of Commerce, the North Gratiot Cruise, Cruisin' 53 and Run Warren Center Line 5K through the Warren Community Foundation, and facilitating giving from our members and local partners, we have raised a grand total of $375,500 given to the following worthy organizations, and 2022 has just begun:

ANCHOR BAY HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS
BENNY FREEMAN INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND PROJECT
CHESTERFIELD BOY SCOUTS
CHESTERFIELD FIRE DEPT. SMOKE DETECTOR PROGRAM
CHESTERFIELD HISTORICAL SOCIETY
CHESTERFIELD HONOR GUARD
CHESTERFIELD LIBRARY BUILDING FUND
CHESTERFIELD PARKS AND RECREATION PROGRAMS
CHESTERFIELD POLICE DEPT. SHOP WITH A COP
CHESTERFIELD SENIOR CITIZEN PROGRAM
CHESTERFIELD VETERANS MEMORIAL
CENTER LINE FESTIVAL FOUNDATION
CENTER LINE HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC PROGRAM
CENTER LINE K9 FOUNDATION
CLINTON TOWNSHIP INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND
EASTPOINTE TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY
FRIENDS OF CHESTERFIELD POLICE DEPARTMENT
HARVEST TIME OUTREACH MINISTRIES
HOMELESS TO HOMEOWNER
KENTUCKY RESCUE MISSION
LIBERTY CHURCH WARREN COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
MACOMB COUNTY WARMING CENTER

INTERFAITH CAREGIVERS

JUVENILE DIABETES FOUNDATION
NATIONAL MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS FOUNDATION
VIETNAM VETERANS 154
FAMILIES AGAINST NARCOTICS
FRIENDS OF FOSTER KIDS
MCREST ANNUAL AWARDS DINNER
MCREST ELIMINATION RAFFLE
MCREST FUNDRAISER AT THE HOME OF PETER THOMAS
MCREST PENNY PER MILE PROGRAM
NEW BALTIMORE CIVIC CLUB
NEW BALTIMORE GOODFELLOWS
NEW BALTIMORE GOODFELLOWS KIDS CHRISTMAS
NEW BALTIMORE LIONS
NEW BALTIMORE MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY
SELFRIDGE CHESTERFIELD LIONS
VETS RETURNING HOME
WARREN CIVIC CENTER SOUTH: LIBRARY
WARREN CIVIC CENTER SOUTH: AQUARIUM
WARREN CIVIC CENTER SOUTH: ACCESSIBLE PLAYGROUND
WARREN POLICE & FIRE BENEVOLENT ASSOCATION
WARREN WOODS TOWER HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS

MEMBER OPPORTUNITIES IN 2022

LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

If you are interested in getting more involved with the Chamber and would like to take a leadership role you might want to participate with one of the following committees. Please give me a call if you have interest in any of the following:

Membership
Speakers Bureau
Events
   Boat Outing
   Golf Outing
   Cruises
   Running Events
   Ambassadors

WARREN CENTER LINE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

The Warren Area Chamber of Commerce will be announcing at the January luncheon its affiliation with the City of Center Line and will be known as the Warren Center Line Chamber of Commerce. Welcome aboard to our good friends in Center Line!

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THE OPPORTUNITIES BELOW ARE EXCLUSIVELY OFFERED TO ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS WHO PARTICIPATE IN THE CHAMBER CONNECT PROGRAM:

WORKSHOP OPPORTUNITY PRIOR TO THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED MONTHLY LUNCHEON

The Chamber is offering the opportunity to host a workshop on behalf of your business prior to one of the monthly luncheons. The Chamber will provide the venue, refreshments, and outreach to its following of nearly 500 businesses and elected officials. The rest is up to you. Your business would utilize 5 hours of your Chamber Connect Program marketing and consulting time obligation. The final equivalent cost to you is $1,250 which you have already paid for.

MONTHLY LUNCHEON SPONSORSHIP RECOGNITION WITH PRESENTATION OPPORTUNITY

The Chamber is offering the opportunity to be recognized as the co-sponsor of a regularly scheduled monthly luncheon with the opportunity to do a presentation as to your business offerings. The Chamber will market the luncheon that you choose and identify and promote your business as part of the marketing process for the specific luncheon. That promotion process includes the outreach to nearly 50 influential business and elected leaders. The rest is up to you. Your business would utilize 5 hours of your Chamber Connect Program marketing and consulting time obligation. The final equivalent cost to you is $1,250 which you have already paid for.

SAVE-THE-DATE!
CRUISIN' 53 AND RUN WARREN CENTER LINE 5K

Our two beloved annual summer events are coming up bigger and better than ever! Organized by the Warren Community Foundation, the community facing arm of the Warren Center Line Chamber of Commerce, are the Run Warren Center Line 5K and Cruisin' 53. These events have raised thousands of dollars for nonprofits and become beloved annual events in the area.

SATURDAY, JUNE 4, 2022

Run Warren Center Line is a community 5K Run, Kids Fun Run, and Senior Walk to promote wellness and raise funds for The Warren Community Foundation to distribute to deserving groups and philanthropic organizations. The Warren Community Foundation was formed for the coordination, marketing, and implementation of various community events promoting the welfare of the city.

With multitudes of beautiful and unique cars lining Van Dyke/M-53, great food and drink, rockin' live music and more planned, Cruisin' 53 has become a beloved annual party.​ The purpose of the cruise in addition to quality of life for the residents of Warren and Center Line is to raise revenue for local community investment in the two communities. A joint effort between the Warren Community Foundation and the Center Line Independence Festival.

2021 EVENT SPONSORS

As can be seen in the information above, we have raised a truly impressive and impactful amount of money through our community events organized through the Warren Community Foundation and the North Gratiot Cruise Foundation. All money after event costs are given to local nonprofits and organizations doing good works.

None of this would be remotely possible without support from the community businesses that step up and fund the events. We offer our sincerest thanks to them:

RIBBON CUTTING
MCREST HOMELESS WOMEN AND CHILDREN'S SHELTER

FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2022
1:00PM

MCREST is gearing up for the Spring 2022 opening of its first shelter for women and children. For more than 30 years, MCREST’s guests have rotated through its partner churches for shelter and meals, with families moving location from week-to-week.

“With this fixed shelter, we will be giving families, especially children, a greater sense of stability as they transition to independence and housing,” said April Fidler, executive director of MCREST.

Located in a formerly vacant building at 215 S. Main Street in Mt. Clemens, the newly renovated MCREST shelter will house about 45 women and children for up to 90 days at a time. MCREST's shelter will provide meals, education and training services for homeless women and children. The site will include a Learning and Resource Center for its guests to get assistance with job searches and resume building, and it will offer after-school tutoring.

MCREST’s goal is to provide the wraparound services necessary for each family to successfully transition into permanent, stable housing. MCREST raised more than $1.6 million in a two-year capital campaign to renovate the shelter, which is expected to open to guests by April. The three-story building features ADA-compliant bedrooms on the first level, a women's common area with a fireplace and a children's playroom.

 

SUCCESS: 2021 POLITICAL ACTION COALITION REPORT

The Chamber PAC (Political Action Coalition)* supported a number of successful candidates for public office in 2021. Support came in the form of endorsements, financial, consulting services, campaign management services or a combination of the aforementioned.

HERE ARE THE SUCCESSFULLY ELECTED CANDIDATES SUPPORTED BY THE CHAMBER:
 

Re-election of New Baltimore City Councilman Dave Duffy

State Representative Doug Wozniak for State Senator

Re-election of Eastpointe City Councilman Cardi DeMonaco

Re-election of City of Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan

Re-election of Sterling Heights Mayor Mike Taylor

We remain incredibly proud of the accomplishments of these elected officials and express gratitude on behalf of their constituents for their good works.

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*THE SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE POLITICAL ACTION COALITION IS NOT AN OFFICIAL BODY OF THE CHAMBER. CHAMBER MEMBERS THAT HAVE INTEREST IN THE LOCAL POLITICAL APPARATUS MEET INFORMALLY TO INITIATE SUPPORT FOR HIGHLY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES FOR PUBLIC OFFICE. 

SUCCESS: 2020 POLITICAL ACTION COALITION REPORT

The Southeast Michigan Chamber of Commerce (SMCC) Political Action Coalition (PAC) had another highly successful election season. County wide seventeen candidates: Congressional, City Council, Township Trustees (7), Township Clerks (2), Township Treasurers (2), Township Supervisor, County Treasurer, County Commissioner and a Judgeship. Representing eight communities: City of Eastpointe, City of Utica, Chesterfield Township, Clinton Township, Macomb Township, Shelby Township, Washington Township and Macomb County were supported by endorsement, financial support, consulting services, campaign management services or a combination of the aformentioned.

ALL SUPPORTED CANDIDATES WERE SUCCESSFUL EXCEPT ONE.

In addition to its winning record, the PAC had a number of particularly proud accomplishments including:

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• Kathleen Galen to the Judgeship in the Eastpointe 38th District Court

• Tammy Patton to Trustee in Clinton Township

  • Tammy was the first African American elected to the Clinton Township Board of Trustees.

The PAC also helped a great deal with the re-election campaign of our good friend Macomb County Treasurer Larry Rocca.

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*THE SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE POLITICAL ACTION COALITION IS NOT AN OFFICIAL BODY OF THE CHAMBER. CHAMBER MEMBERS THAT HAVE INTEREST IN THE LOCAL POLITICAL APPARATUS MEET INFORMALLY TO INITIATE SUPPORT FOR HIGHLY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES FOR PUBLIC OFFICE. 

2021: MACOMB HOMELESS LEADERSHIP

Once again, the Chamber lead the way in terms of supporting the Homeless Community here in Macomb County, primarily through the Chamber's leadership role with MCREST (Macomb County Rotating Emergency Shelter Team) and the Macomb County Warming Center. This past year the Chamber played an integral role in providing safe harbor to as many as 250 individuals in a given night. The Chamber continued to play a leadership role in the culmination of the new MCREST Women and Children's Shelter in Mount Clemens. MCREST finally has its Certificate of Occupancy and is in the process of moving its administrative offices to this new facility. We are putting the finishing touches on the building and should be ready to house our Women and Children in the next 30-60 days. I would like to say a special thanks to the Chamber members that are also board members for MCREST: Robert Boccomino, Hank Luks, and Scott Zemens for their dual leadership roles. Great job, guys!

KENTUCKY RELIEF

The Warren Center Line Chamber of Commerce teamed up with Warren Mayor James Fouts and the Southern Macomb Warthogs in December of 2021 to provide financial and material relief to individuals and families in Kentucky whose communities were devastated by the outbreak of tornados.

“In this season of hope, it is vital that those of us who can step forward to help in any way we can,” said Warren Chamber of Commerce President John Johnson.  “Together we can share our blessings to those whose lives have been turned upside down to let them know that we care for our fellow Americans in need.”

The Chamber donated $5,000 to Kentucky Relief efforts and helped spearhead a collection of blankets, jackets, gloves, shoes and medical supplies.

WELCOME TO THE EDGE FITNESS CLUB!

Welcome to our newest member, The Edge Fitness Club! This nationwide organization has recently joined the chamber and has also joined the 2022 Warren Center Line 5K as our Presenting Sponsor! 

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Building on the incredible success of our locations in Farmington Hills, Rochester Hills, Sterling Heights, and Westland we've openeind our next MI location in Warren! The Edge Fitness Clubs has something to offer everyone of all fitness levels including best-in-class cardio equipment, personal training, free weights, group exercise classes, Edge Kids, Women’s Training Studio, Spinning®, Edge Cinema, Shake Bar, and more.  All at prices that fit any budget!

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13700 E. 14 Mile Road, Warren, MI 48088
ADib@theedgefitnessclubs.com
586-238-4875