CHAMBER HOSTS “REFRESH AND REFOCUS” LUNCH AT CENTRALIA HOUSE

The Centralia Chamber of Commerce held its first luncheon event of 2026, titled “Refresh and Refocus”, Wednesday at the Centralia House Restaurant.

The sold-out lunch was catered by the Centralia House and featured presentations from the chamber staff, which spoke on recent successes and future endeavors.

Membership Director Matthew Packman said he produced roughly 150 articles for the chamber’s website in 2025, and that he hopes to drive that number up to 250 in the new year. The chamber has seen success in these member updates since their beginnings in early 2024, as they have helped with local and regional exposure as well as with SEO online.

Packman also discussed the chamber’s upcoming community magazine, Inspire Progress, which is expected to be unveiled Thursday, Feb. 5 during Celebrate Progress: Chamber Annual Banquet at Kaskaskia College’s Lifelong Center. The new magazine boasts 14 articles, spans 36 pages, and serves as a testament of the community’s continued progress and successes.

Marketing director Jamie Allen discussed the Chamber’s recent contract with the City of Centralia to oversee marketing for See Centralia, which has resulted in her becoming full-time with the chamber. Allen reported on the positive engagement she has seen on both the chamber and See Centralia’s online platforms.

An artist and muralist, Allen mentioned that she has teamed with the Juneteenth Committee, City of Centralia, and the Image Committee to create a mural in Laura Leake Park dedicated to the five members of the famous Harlem Globetrotters basketball team that hailed from Centralia. Allen said painting would begin once the weather warms up.

Chamber executive director, Marcus Holland, insisted any success enjoyed by the chamber was meant for the entire membership, while also encouraging those in attendance to spread the community’s positivity and progress.

“When we hear that we are doing a good job, we know that it doesn’t mean the three of us. We know that it means all of us. It’s all of this progress, and it’s all of these things that we are seeing in the community,” said Holland. ““Refresh and Refocus” is looking at what we’re doing in our community and all of the positivity that we have. I know we all hear the negative, but every weekend there is entertainment, there are more bars and restaurants, there’s more activities during warm weather for kids.”

Holland mentioned the skills of his multi-faceted three-person staff - which includes communications, journalism, marketing, artistry, and sales, among others - stating the Chamber can now help businesses in even more ways that before. Holland ended his speech by saying he is excited to see all of the progress yet to come in 2026.

“We’re excited about this year,” Holland said. “We ended 2025 with so many ribbon cuttings and we just know there’s more coming this year.”