The Okotoks & District Chamber of Commerce is getting a helping hand from the provincial government to help expand their operations and better connect with the local business community.

Highwood MLA Wayne Anderson presented the chamber with a cheque for $50,000 as part of the Community Initiatives Program grant.

Anderson says the money will go to good use for the chamber.

"I'm so proud of the Okotoks Chamber of Commerce winning the Chamber of the Year award for the province, these guys are hard working people and I've really enjoyed my relationship with them."

The money received by the chamber will go towards the hiring of an Outreach Development Coordinator to the chamber staff.

Chamber CEO Cheryl Actemichuk says it's a position they've been looking to fill for some time.

"Us for the chamber to have permanent staff in place to help do community outreach," she says. "To go to our membership, increase our membership and find out what the membership wants from us. What we can do to assist them further than we already have, to help them to be able to go to the government when writing policies and just to give them the tools to help."

Joelle Guzzo was named to the position and Actemichuk says she'll help the chamber immensely

"She'll understand the specific needs of business in our municipality, they have to have experience doing surveys, they have to be able to deal with the public, the board members, government officials and they have to have a passion for business and what the chamber does which she clearly has."

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