SUMMERSIDE – March 22, 2023 – About 75 members and staff of the four Prince County Chambers of Commerce gathered for a first-ever yet energy-filled joint mixer at the Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham in Summerside March 21.
The overall goal of the event was to help entrepreneurs and businesspeople meet, establish contacts and perhaps get leads for potential sales and contracts. The Acadian and Francophone Chamber of Commerce of PEI (CCAFLIPE), the Greater Summerside Chamber of Commerce (GSCC), the Kensington & Area Chamber of Commerce (KACC) and the West Prince Chamber of Commerce (WPCC) all feel that their event’s mission was well accomplished. All who participated seemed to be grateful to be interacting with people live and in person rather than virtually for a change, noted several chamber representatives.
The event’s main sponsor, the Acadian and Francophone Chamber of Commerce of PEI, offered two presentations by its parent organization, RDÉE Prince Edward Island (the provincial francophone economic development council). Executive director Bonnie Gallant spoke about the twice-a-year sales missions to Montreal that the RDÉE organizes. She invited any business having a bilingual capacity that has a product or service ready to sell in the Quebec market to sign up for the subsidized program. Alecia Arsenault then spoke about the PERCÉ internship program, which offers employers a wage subsidy to hire Island students for the summer to encourage them to make a life and career here on PEI. She too invited employers to sign up.
Master of ceremonies Blake Doyle, president of the GSCC, was in charge of welcoming the crowd, introducing special guests and drawing for the numerous door prizes, including promotional items, gift certificates, a popcorn machine and even a tree planting.
The GSCC’s events and marketing manager, Jessica Cormier, then invited everyone to play a type of scavenger hunt called “Find Someone”, which encouraged participants to find someone in the crowd that fit certain criteria (examples: someone who owns their own business, someone who volunteered at the Canada Games, someone who speaks French fluently, etc.) The 34 items on the list encouraged participants to chat with at least 34 other people. That made for a noisy yet fun event. And they did all of this as they enjoyed snacks and a social drink in the beautiful window-surrounded breakfast/bar area of the Microtel, which co-sponsored the event.
PHOTO: At the first-ever four-Chamber mixer in Summerside are, from left, Blake Doyle, president of the Greater Summerside Chamber of Commerce; Kaley O’Brien, executive director of the GSCC; Julie Corbett, executive director of the Kensington & Area Chamber of Commerce; Tessa Roberts, president of the KACC; Tammy Rix, executive director of the West Prince Chamber of Commerce; Cory Snow, general manager of the Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham, who co-sponsored the mixer; Pierre Gallant, spokesperson for the Acadian and Francophone Chamber of Commerce of PEI, primary sponsor of the event; and guest presenters Alecia Arsenault, coordinator of the PERCÉ internship program for RDÉE PEI, and Bonnie Gallant, executive director of RDÉE PEI, who spoke about the organization’s sales missions to Montreal.