The more things change, the more they stay the same.   

If you have a look back at the January 28, 1988, issue of The Kalona News, you’ll find documentation of the moment when the Kalona Community Club became the Kalona Area Chamber of Commerce Inc. on January 25 of that year.  

The writer of that story was Mary Zielinski, who still writes for The News today.  Steve Reif was quoted on how many retailers signed up for a cooperative advertising program; though he moved from Reif’s Family Store to the Kalona Historical Society, he’s still influential in Kalona.  Jan Peterseim was referenced as a source for the cost of the ad program, and she is still involved with the chamber today.  

Members of the newly established Chamber wanted to carry on with a horse show held in conjunction with Kalona Day; while the horse show may no longer be a tradition, Kalona Days continues.

The Kalona Community Club dated back to 1959 before it incorporated as the Chamber of Commerce.  Its Chapter 504 status put a 50-year limit on the organization, hence the need to make a change; now a 504A organization, it may endure in perpetuity.  

Today the Chamber office focuses on providing information to visitors and locals alike; Director Tonia Poole and staff members Heather Kemp and Judy Bontrager provide a wealth of information on things to see and do around Kalona, and tourism guides and brochures from all over the state help locals plan their next adventures.  The Byways tours offered by the Chamber provide a unique glimpse of local sites and ways of life one might not otherwise have access to.

In addition, the Chamber represents over 70 area businesses with the objective of strengthening the local economy, and organizes events such as the Farmers Market, Kalona Days, and Christmas in Kalona.

To celebrate its enduring existence, the Chamber will hold an open house on Tuesday, March 28 from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Chamber’s meeting room, located at 514 B Ave, Kalona.  A slideshow highlighting Chamber members and the city’s oldest businesses will be shown, and refreshments will be available.  Photographer Jaimy Ellis will be onsite to take headshots for those who desire for $25; the funds will be used to replace the brochure display racks at the Chamber.