Dear Sturgis:
Today, as we prepare for a big week come Monday, I want to share my thoughts on the direction of our community.
We all know that there have been some important topics at the table recently; among them are how our community handles the pandemic, and the Motorcycle Rally public hearing and vote. I believe it is more important than ever that we remember who runs this town and who is really guiding the decisions. The answer is not the City of Sturgis, County offices, or the Chamber. It is not the business community or one of the many foundations in our town. It is all of these entities together, and more importantly – it is the people that choose to be involved in them and help make those difficult decisions for the benefit of all.
Sturgis is one of the most incredible communities to live in for so many reasons, and our population continues to grow as visitors make it their permanent home. It is also the home of the Greater Sturgis Foundation, which has given away thousands of dollars to local organizations since its founding. A significant portion of this total has been donated to nonprofits just in the last couple of months to help mitigate the effects of the pandemic. It is the home of the Downtown Sturgis Foundation, a small group of business owners that act as stewards of a special downtown tax on shops. They work diligently to market our community, organize beautification projects, and run retail campaigns to help businesses year-round with these dollars. It is the home of my very own Chamber of Commerce, which often works hand-in-hand with the Sturgis Economic Development office. Together, our volunteer Boards of Directors play a role in bringing new business to Sturgis and helping them grow, connect, and succeed.
Every single one of these organizations – plus the countless other nonprofits, committees, and elected officials – collaborate to make decisions that will help Sturgis become even better. They are volunteers, and they do the best they can with the knowledge and life experience they have accumulated. If you have an opinion and you want to make a change, be involved! Everyone has the right to be on a committee or run for a Board position. Expressing opinions on social media is a start, but the real impact comes from investing your time and effort into a community organization.
Thank you to each and every person in the Sturgis area that has already made this commitment. Thank you too, to those that will step up and become our future leaders.
Sincerely,
Veronica Grosek
Executive Director
Sturgis Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau