East Central Reporter

The Charleston Area Chamber of Commerce will host the “Our Town” Community Update breakfast on March 10.

Community residents are welcome to attend and will hear updates from key community leaders. Speakers at the breakfast will include Brandon Combs, mayor of Charleston; Lynette Drake, interim associate vice president for student affairs, Eastern Illinois University; Jim Littleford, superintendent of Charleston School District; Josh Bullock, president of Lake Land College; and Angela Griffin, Coles Together president and CEO.

“This is our second year,” Cindy White, president and CEO of the Charleston Area Chamber of Commerce, told East Central Reporter. “We created the breakfast last year as a way to get some of our key community leaders out in front of members and community residents who want to hear updates from their community leaders’ respective areas.”

White said the chamber used to have the mayor present an update during an annual dinner and awards ceremony in January, but it decided to create a separate event to keep members informed about what is going on in the community -- and to give them the opportunity to interact with community leaders and ask questions.

“For the most part, our chamber members and community residents don’t have an opportunity to be in the same room and hear an update from the mayor, from someone from EIU, from the school superintendent, from the president of Lakeland College and the president and CEO of Coles Together,” White said. “So, this is an opportunity to hear that, and then we’ll also open it up for questions.”

Last year, more than 100 people attended. 

“Attendees thought it was worthwhile, and so that is why we are doing it again this year,” White said.

Residents can purchase individual tickets; tables of eight are available, as well. Ticket prices for chamber members are $20 each, and $30 for nonmembers.

The “Our Town” Community Update breakfast will be held from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the Unique Suites Hotel, 920 W. Lincoln Ave.