Bags, gifts will help welcome newcomers

The Columbia County business community soon hopes to welcome new homeowners.

By the end of the month, the county's Chamber of Commerce intends to give them tote bags with items from area businesses.

"We don't have a Welcome Wagon program in this county," Chamber Executive Director Karen Chrjapin said. "We just thought it would be a good place for the chamber to step in and fill a void."

Using property transfer records, the chamber will locate recent home buyers and send them a postcard containing a welcome message and a coupon to redeem the tote bag at its office on 4424 Evans To Locks Road. Tote bags might contain items with business logos and offers from retailers, Ms. Chrjapin said. The bags will also likely contain publications, maps and a chamber resource guide.

"Only chamber members will be represented in that bag," Ms. Chrjapin said. "It's a benefit of chamber membership."

"We're all about Southern hospitality down here, and we want to let people know we're here and that they're welcome," she said.

The program also is a push to encourage new county residents to shop inside Columbia County.

"We're hearing a lot from our members that they would appreciate that type of effort from the chamber, to encourage residents to buy local," Ms. Chrjapin said.

In 2007, residents used 57 percent of their spendable income for purchases within the county. That's 3 percent more than a year before and 8 percent more than in 2003, according to figures from the county's Finance Department. Keeping more sales tax money in the county is important, officials say, because it provides more money for capital improvements.

Reach Donnie Fetter at (706) 868-1222, ext. 115, or donnie.fetter@augustachronicle.com.