Soap Lake Chamber of Commerce brings community support

SOAP LAKE - The community turned out Saturday night to support the Soap Lake Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber held a dinner and auction at Don's Restaurant in the banquet room to raise funds for the town.

Soap Lake Chamber President Denise Keegan said the proceeds go toward the Fourth of July Fireworks display on the lake.

A silent and live auction featured items such as Mariners tickets, an overstuffed chair, a night at the Embassy Suites and spa items.

Auction items were donated from businesses in Soap Lake and Ephrata. For the first time a door prize of $250 was available.

"A lot of fun and the idea that Soap Lake is fun," Keegan said.

Bookkeeper Carmen Eckhart, whose mother Marina Romary owns the restaurant, said she saw some auction items she liked, but was keeping them a secret for now. She was pleased with the show of community involvement.

"It's important because you get the people in the community to come together to raise money for the city of Soap Lake. It's nice to just get everyone together to support the city," she said.

She said raising funds for the chamber helps not only with the fireworks but other events such as parades.

"I don't think any city can run without the support of the people who live in it," she said.

Soap Lake resident Donna Kuntz said she likes getting together as a community and supporting the chamber by bidding on items she thinks are fun and talking to friends.

"Socializing with my compadres," she said.

Len Beckett spends part of the year in Soap Lake and was at the chamber banquet for the first time.

"Marina always puts out a good plate and so we're looking forward to that of course. What we really like about Soap Lake is that everybody is really friendly … the sense of community is really nice," Beckett said.

Al Lundberg said he believes the chamber works hard.

"I've found it to be an organization that really strives to move the community ahead. We are involved with a number of festivals during the year of course, the Smokiam Days over the Fourth of July weekend, parade, bed races, etc., the canoe race of course, which is a unique thing to the Soap Lake area," he said. "There's always something going on in Soap Lake."

Lundberg said the event helps Soap Lake realize its ability to draw tourism.

"There's a large group of people here that believe in our community and believe in the potential of this as a tourist destination community and that by supporting the chamber of commerce we can get the advertising and things out to bring people to our wonderful community," he said.