ATHABASCA — The Athabasca and District Chamber of Commerce had a rocky start to 2025, but after weeks of uncertainty over the business-based non-profit’s viability and a complete change of the guard, a new group of volunteers is gearing up for a steady, but scaled back, summer.
Newcomers to Athabasca Marika Nemeth and daughter Lizzy Tomshack raised their hands for roles on the new executive March 26, along with Erika Oldale and Brenda Skayman, after putting their names forward for the board during a March 12 special meeting.
Nemeth, a business owner and entrepreneur who recently moved from Ontario, has taken the role of president. Tomshack, business partner to Nemeth, stepped up to take on both the secretary and treasurer positions, and Oldale and Skayman will split the duties of vice president.
Serving as directors on the board are Jessica Borgen, Catherine Swindlehurst, Keith Plowman and Mike Borody, who all volunteered for seats in early March, and two open director seats remain available for any other locals interested.
Treasurer and professional bookkeeper Carol Epp withdrew her services from the Chamber after 30 years of involvement, citing a lack of availability to provide her services for free after contractor concerns were voiced during a previous meeting.
In a May 15 interview with the Athabasca Advocate, Nemeth said she and her daughter took the initiative to step up because they didn’t want to see the chamber lose momentum as organizations can be more difficult to revive after even a year of stagnation.
Though the pair are new to being board executives, they come with hands-on experience in the business world. Nemeth has been working for herself for the last 24 years after a car collision left her in need of unique accommodations.
“I needed to become my own boss and do things this way and that to work around my capabilities at the time,” said Nemeth. She hopes her practice in finding creative solutions will help her navigate the waters of change in her work with the Chamber.
Summer staples and new ideas
The new board had to hit the ground running this spring with dates for upcoming staple summer events approaching fast.
Nemeth said the group of volunteers have been working hard to ensure community members will still be able to enjoy the annual Canada Day parade, and the Wild Rose Midway will be making a return trip to town in July ahead of the one year anniversary of the Grand Union Hotel fire that defined their last visit.
But other initiatives and projects are on hold for this year as the fresh faces get caught up on their roles, responsibilities, and depth of planning duties.
“We had to cut back on our participation with some of the events,” said Nemeth. The chamber opted to forego organizing and funding the much-anticipated fireworks display this Canada Day, but locals will still be able to enjoy a sparkling, screaming show thanks to the Magnificent River Rats committee.
No 2025 Gala and Business Award ceremony will be held this fall due to time constraints for planning, but Nemeth said she and the board are exploring many different ideas and opportunities for programming and member engagement.
Feedback from chamber members was gathered in a survey conducted before March, and Nemeth said concerns, complaints and suggestions voiced are being carefully considered as the board narrows in on priorities and direction for the year.
“We’re trying to redevelop the website as well to make it a lot more user friendly, to implement a place where you can leave your comments, you can have your questions, we’ll have some generic surveys in there so we can always keep on top of what the businesses that are members would like to see from the board.”
Comments from the survey included a lack of understanding what the chamber does, and a need for better organization and direction during meetings.
Nemeth said she plans to bring initiatives and ideas learned in Ontario to Athabasca, including a greater focus on business to business opportunities and benefits, and frequent showcases and spotlights for members and their services and wares.
The next general meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m., June 11 in the Athabasca University Governing Chambers, where attendees can hear from Colin Piquette from Piquette Insurances Services on tips and best practices to be prepared for an emergency event.
