Spring is coming and that means the annual membership drive for the St. Pauls Chamber of Commerce is right around the corner as well.

With the membership drive comes the Chamber’s annual membership banquet.

Current members will receive a letter and an invitation with all the pertinent information about both by the end of this week. The letter will contain dues info and ask them to renew membership while giving them first opportunity to buy tickets to the annual banquet.

The membership drive will run through the end of April.

The tickets to the annual banquet, which is set for Friday, April 16 and which will have State Senator Mike Walters as guest speaker, are $25 each or $40 per couple. All tickets must be purchased and paid for in advance. The deadline for doing so is Friday, April 2.

“This is an exciting time of the year for the Chamber and its members,” President Duncan Mackie said. “We are happy to welcome back current Chamber members and to extend the opportunity to new businesses or those who have not yet joined or let their membership expire to join with us as we start a new fiscal year.

“The Chamber of Commerce is very active, sponsoring its monthly Night Out events year round as well as the Christmas Parade, teacher appreciation day, other activities, and most importantly in engaging in economic development and business recruitment. We work hard to benefit our current members and we are working hard to attract new business to St. Pauls and this area. We are actively involved with the Downtown Development Committee and the Town of St. Pauls as we work together and seek ways to bring jobs to this area.

“Chamber membership is vital to our mission, because everything that we do is powered entirely by membership and member dues.

We encourage all current members to renew their support of a strong St. Pauls by partnering with us. We invite all new or non-member businesses to come on board and work with us as we work together to strengthen and enliven St. Pauls and protect its future.”

Associate memberships ($25) are available to individual citizens and to non-profits, such as churches and organizations.

When you receive your membership letter and banquet ticket information, please respond promptly. If you do not get a letter and an invitation, please call the Chamber office at 865-3890 or contact Mr. Mackie at 865-4105.

March meeting

The March Chamber of Commerce meeting will be hosted by St. Pauls High School on Wednesday, March 10. The meeting of the board of directors will begin at 12:15.

All members will be contacted so the school’s culinary ed department can prepare.