Chamber of Commerce -- TEDC -- Aug. 3, 2006 -- Collinsville, OK -- www.cvilleok.com

Guest speaker for the August 2006 monthly meeting of the Collinsville Chamber of Commerce was Rose Washington Rentie, Executive Director of the Tulsa Economic Development Corporation. The TEDC is a specialized lender that has been assisting small businesses in northeast Oklahoma since 1979. TEDC uses public and private funds to make direct loans and to participate in loan projects with financial institutions. Special consideration is given to companies that create and retain jobs as well as to entrepreneurs who have traditionally faced barriers to economic opportunity. TEDC typically serves to fill a gap between traditional bank loans and the needs of a small business with loans from $5,000 to $10 million.

The Tulsa Economic Development Corporation partners with the business owner, the Small Business Administration, local banks, the Oklahoma Small Business Development Center (based at NSU in Broken Arrow) and others in their effort to provide capital for business development. Thomas Royce of the Oklahoma Small Business Development Center spoke briefly at Collinsville today also. Tulsa County Commissioner Wilbert Collins was a guest today and was introduced as one of the founding members of the TEDC.

Future Chamber Events:

Aug. 15 -- Teacher Appreciation Breakfast (8am at Middle School .. volunteers are needed before and during the event)

Sept. 7 -- Next monthly meet (at Library). Speaker will be the director of the new Rogers State Equestrian Center northeast of Collinsville. (Previous Coverage)

From the RSU web: "RSU has initiated a $2.2 million fundraising campaign to build an off-campus equestrian center that will house the Bit by Bit Therapeutic Horseback Riding Program and the RSU Rodeo Team. The Frank and Wanda Sanders Family Trust donated 23 acres of land for the facility, which will be located just off U.S. Highway 169 five miles south of Oologah. Bit by Bit is a cooperative program between RSU and Oologah-Talala Public Schools to promote physical and mental health for disabled children and adults through horseback riding."

Ted Wright Editorial: There was no specific discussion of Founder's Day in this monthly chamber meet other than an offer from Mary Risley for continued support for the event by Collinsville Downtown, Inc. I did confirm with Chamber President Steve Howe after the meeting that the August 26th, 2006 Founder's Day had officially been cancelled. I had that same information following the July 25th chamber board meeting decision but had hoped for either additional volunteers/vendors to step forward or a scaled down event. Apparently that's not going to happen this year. Perhaps this will serve as a wakeup call for a broader group of Collinsville citizens to donate time and resources to this and other community functions which most of us have grown accustomed to (and enjoy) but leave the work to a small number of individuals who really "don't have the time" either.