Lafayette County WI Archives History - Books .....Blanchardville Business Club 1976
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 28, 2008, 10:17 pm

Book Title: A History Of Blanchardville, Gem Of The Pecatonica

Blanchardville Business Club

    June 12, 1958, a meeting of the business people of Blanchardville was called
at the Blanchard Theatre. Twenty-three business establishments were represented.
Purpose of this meeting was to organize some sort of a business organization and
to immediately decide on free movies for the summer months. It was decided to be
known as the Blanchard Business Club. The officers were Allen Marshall,
president; Milton Skaife, vice-president, and Carlton Chandler,
secretary-treasurer. The seven directors were Mrs. Louis Koenig, J. C. Haldiman,
Mrs. James Gant, Harland Watrud, Kenneth Ryan, Vivian Ingwell and Floyd Helsdon.

    At this first meeting, the group voted to have movies on Wednesday nights
for ten weeks at a cost of $500. The group also voted that the annual dues be
$24.00 and the fiscal year was July 1 to July 1.

    Due to poor attendance at these evening meetings it was discussed whether to
continue the meetings. According to records the group did not meet every month.

    A Tag Day was held June, 1961, with a total of $199.97 collected.

    In 1963, the name was changed to Blanchardville Businessmen's Assoc.

    On June 24, 1962, the first chicken barbecue was held. The club has made
this an annual event and each year the attendance is better. When the chicken
barbecue first began meals were served from 4 to 8 p.m. For the past several
years the serving has begun at noon and continued to 8 p.m. The proceeds from
these events have been for community improvement projects.

    The club has made donations to the following: bleachers for the softball and
football games; new lights on Main Street; welcome signs to the village; the
trailer camping area; Christmas and floral decorations for street lights; picnic
tables; benches on Main Street; basketball court; hillside (near the bridge)
improvement; American Legion building; new roof on shelter house in park;
barbecue pit and shelter; rest rooms at the park; installation of the bubbler
fountain. They also gave financial assistance to the Boy Scouts, tug-of-war
team, Little League team, and ladies softball teams. Two coats for the fire
department rescue squad and two jackets for the ambulance crew were also
purchased. The club purchased thirty shares in the Blanchardville Improvement
Corporation.

    In 1970 they voted to have a noon luncheon-meeting alternating monthly
at-Alm's Cafe and Midway Grill. Attendance increased greatly with the noon
meetings. It was then voted to have the monthly meetings at the Midway Grill and
this was continued until the spring of 1974 when the restaurant closed. The club
then secured the help of ladies from Immaculate Conception Church to serve the
luncheons at the Legion Building. After a year the ladies decided that it was
impossible for them to continue this service. The Blanchardville Area Jaycettes
then took over this service and have since continued it.

    In February, 1975, the group voted to become incorporated with the State
Chamber of Commerce and the name was changed to Blanchardville Area Chamber of
Commerce, Inc. Six directors were elected in accordance with the by-laws,
namely, Elizabeth Novinski and Gordy Larson, for a term of one year; Millie
Elden and Mike Hasburgh, two years; Paul Hughes and Dick Severson, three years.
Two directors will be elected .each year for a three-year term at the December,
1976 meeting.

   In July 1972 the group began Market Day. This event was eliminated in 1976 in
order for everyone to give more time and effort to the Bicentennial weekend,
June 18-20, which was held in conjunction with the annual Chicken Barbecue.


Additional Comments:

Extracted from

A History of Blanchardville, Gem of the Pecatonica


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