OTTUMWA, IOWA -- The Ottumwa Chamber of Commerce will host a series of membership drives every Thursday, throughout the month of September.

Totaling 345 members, the non-profit business and professional association has a goal of adding 50 new members before Dec. 31, 2010.

“It's been some time since we've had a membership drive and there's a lot of people who truly don't understand what the chamber is and what we do as a non-profit organization, and how we can help the businesses, and also how the chamber helps the community,” said Executive Director Terry McNitt. “We want to get that word out and the more members we have, the more we can do, so that's our goal.”

The Chamber, whose mission is to work throughout the community to promote the city of Ottumwa and create a quality community for residents, provides a variety of networking opportunities and events such as Holiday Nights and Lights, as well as the city’s banners and Christmas lights.

“Our mission is to create a vigorous hub of commerce in the area and also to do community betterment projects,” said McNitt. “Lots of times, it's not exactly putting dollars back into the bottom-line for businesses, it can be something neat like Holiday Lights or the Home-Expo. So, we're making you feel good, we're making your employees feel good, we're making the community feel good.”

McNitt explains one reason you should get involved.

“It's a chance to get involved with the legislative forums and legislative committees we have. Every year, we host, together with the League of Women Voters, a series of legislative forums. Whenever the issues are out there, we have our local representatives there to listen and lots of times, they're from the committees making the decisions, whether it's a cut in the homeschooling or it has to do with the gas tax. So, we have members that really get involved in that.”

The next drive will take place Sept. 9, from two – four p.m., at the Indian Hills Warrior Junction Room. The Lucky Rooster will host the Sept. 16 event, and AmericInn will host Sept. 23.

For more information on the Chamber, you may visit http://www.ottumwachamber.org/index.php.