Page 10 - Coweta NCG 2017
P. 10

Godfathers & Godmother:






                                            MAKING  AN  OFFER  BUSINESSES

                                            C AN ’ T  REFUSE                                     ~  B Y D A N A B R O W N





                       March                              on’t let the day jobs of   upon first hearing about it, they were not sure
                    Madness Event
                                                          Dennis McEntire, David   about volunteering for this event.
                                                          Watts and Kim Melhouse    “When we first heard of the membership drive,
                                               Dfool you. While the             we all questioned becoming involved. “The Zoot
                                                  businesses themselves         Suit” was a little bizarre, but then we all caught
                                                     aren’t organized fronts, during the   on to the fun of the moment and the quest to be
                                                        week they are home to some   the best Chamber in Georgia, and that’s what we
                                                          of the most powerful   accomplished,” David said.
                                                             figures in Coweta     The recruitment event was an around-the-clock
                                                               County. Known    effort that lasted three days. During those days,
                                                               as the Godfathers   multiple teams raced against each other to recruit
                                                            and Godmother of    the most members and collect the most money.
                                                         Coweta County, these three   “The goal for the teams was to win, and the
                                                       community leaders are opening   most money collected does it,” David explained.
                                                    Prosperity’s Front Door by making   “We also wanted to collectively raise $100,000
                                                 area businesses an offer they can’t refuse.   which has never been done in Georgia before,
                                                 Although Dennis, General Manager   and… to satisfy Candace [President and CEO of
                                           for Newnan Utilities, has long been unofficially   the Chamber].”
                                          known as the Godfather due to his 30-year   After three days of hard work, badda bing!
                                          involvement in the Newnan-Coweta Chamber,   They had reached their goal: community-wide
                                          David, Infinity of South Atlanta, and Kim, Tiernan &   Chamber awareness, 300 new members, more
                                          Patrylo, recently earned their titles at the Chamber’s   than $100,000 raised, and, of course, David and
                                          March Madness event in 2016.          Kim were named the new Dons of Coweta County.
                                            With a goal to raise Chamber awareness and   “I felt honored to be bestowed with the
                                          recruit community businesses to join as members,   same title of Godfather next to the great one:
                                          Dennis and David volunteered as Team Captains   Dennis McEntire,” David said about receiving
                                             during the event, and Kim served as Team   the honor.
                                                Leader on David’s team.            Kim concurred, “I felt pleasantly surprised
                                                    “Our role was to motivate and recruit   and honored.”
                                               good team leaders and push all the teams   When asked if they would participate again,
                                             to get to the $100,000 goal on behalf of the   David replied, “Sure, we would do it again… if
                                          Chamber,” Dennis explained.           Candace makes us.”
                                            “My role was to recruit team members who   In a few years the event is scheduled to take
                                          would attract other great team members and to   place again, and under Candace’s guidance, the
                                          attend every team shift during the drive,” Kim said.   Godfathers and Godmother are in. It’s either that
                                            Although Dennis, David and Kim have   or, as David alluded to, Candace will see to it that
                                          volunteered at the Chamber in a variety of roles,   they’re sleeping with the fishes.

         6   www.newnancowetachamber.org • 770.253.2270
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