Your Newberry County Chamber of Commerce is made up of small business owners, industries residing in our county, as well as individuals that have chosen to support our endeavors.

So, just what are we here for? Yes, we operate the Visitors Center and direct visitors to local businesses and after we discover their likes and dislikes. We then offer suggestions of interest throughout the county.

We also maintain contact with elected leaders in Newberry County, cities and towns throughout Newberry County, and those on the state and federal level.

We keep these folks informed regarding how our members are affected by the regulations they make for all of us to live by. We also try to keep our members informed on all new regulations.

Every week our newsletter and our website is updated with information that can be useful to our members.

One of the greatest pleasures of living in our free society is our freedom. It is so important that we never treat this lightly. One of the greatest freedoms that we can defend is our right to vote.

Think about it. If we have elected someone to an office and they are not doing what we believe they should be doing, we can vote for a change.

It is that very freedom that sets us apart from most of the world governments.

However, you have another obligation to yourself and our freedoms; that obligation is simply this: you must do your homework and know the candidates you will be voting for, or against.

We are saddened when we hear of folks bragging they vote a straight ticket. I have never witnessed a slate of candidates, on either side, that I could fully endorse.

However I must tell you, I will applaud anyone that is willing to take time to go to their perspective polling location, at times standing for hours, to vote for their favorite candidate, as opposed to those that do not vote.

Consider this, how do you have a right to complain if you are not part of the process that places people in the elected positions that determine the future of our country?

Please do yourself a favor and go to your polling place and exercise one of your greatest freedoms. On Nov. 6, vote.

Your vote is important.