Members of the Guthrie Center Chamber of Commerce met yesterday for their April session.

While numerous items were talked about, the Chamber largely focused discussion on the possible combining and reshuffling of organization committees to allow for a larger summer event in town.

Ultimately, the Chamber decided to combine its Garage Sales and Sidewalk Days Committees to allow for a newly formed “summer festival”-type committee.  This group will now begin planning for Guthrie Center’s city-wide celebration, which is tentatively scheduled for the weekend of July 18th & 19th as chosen by the Chamber.  That date was selected to avoid other major events in the area, such as River Ruckus and Panorama Days.

The Chamber will also be coordinating with the Farm Bureau to see about incorporating its “Barbeque Challenge” into the new summer festival.

Next, Chamber President Lonnie Carrick spoke to the Chamber about an open house and ribbon cutting coming up this Friday for a new business in Guthrie Center.  The event will take place from 4 to 7pm to welcome the Cut Loose Salon to town. Ribbon cutting will occur just after 5pm, and Carrick encourages all Chamber members to show up for support.

Donna Benton ended the meeting by asking that the Chamber contribute to the purchase of four new planters to be used on State Street in Guthrie Center.  The work is being handled by the Main Street Guthrie Center’s Design Committee, who will be placing eight or nine planters along State Street this summer. Chamber members agreed unanimously to give $300 to the Design Committee’s planter cause.

Benton says she hopes to have these new planters ordered and in town by early May so that flowers can be planted and set up later that month.

The Guthrie Center Chamber will next convene on Tuesday, May 13th at the Guthrie County Extension Office.