The Alton Business Association (ABA) is a local association of business people organized to promote the commercial interests and welfare of Alton, New Hampshire and bordering communities, by providing information and assistance to new and existing businesses located in Alton and surrounding areas, and by working with members of the community and municipal representatives to promote local economic development and enhanced quality of life for the benefit of present and future residents, businesses and visitors.
TOGETHER, our association accomplished so much in 2022! Our membership has maintained a great retention rate over the past five years, in addition to maintaining a steady growth each year. We ended the year with 98 members, our highest membership rate yet! This membership growth proves that outreach works and that we grow stronger together as a community!
Along with our steady membership rate, we’ve maintained many benefits for our members to include: business listing on website, monthly newsletter, member of the month highlights, press releases, ongoing social media shares and announcements via Facebook and Instagram, member “meet & mingles”, community events and so much more! In the fall of 2022, we added a new member benefit, the option to post your business/organization events to our ABA website calendar! This new feature gives members an added value by creating a platform for better event(s) visibility in our community, especially if you are not website or social media savvy!
As part of our mission, we are dedicated to promoting community involvement & economic growth in our town and surrounding areas. In 2022, we have successfully fulfilled that mission AND contributed to the growth of our community by hosting community events, events where our local businesses participated (grew in marketing + sales) and hosted events where our community members thrived and enjoyed themselves in the town they call “home”!
Our year kicked off with a very successful Winter Carnival fundraiser event, followed by a fun community contest the “Ice-Out Contest”, we set up vendor table to support the local Alton Rotary at their Home Show event in April, we hosted a Spring “Meet & Mingle” at Cold Spring Farm, in the late summer we hosted the infamous Alton Old Home Day Parade (in support of the Alton Old Home Week along with co-hosting a Kids Movie Night, Chili Contest, and a booth at the Town Block Party during the week as well), in the fall we co-presented the 4th Annual Alton Harvest Happenings at Cold Spring Farm, hosted a fall decorating contest with Alton Parks & Rec, hosted a pumpkin carving contest, along with securing the “Giant Pumpkin” that was displayed in the center of town, we hosted our 4th Annual Festival of Trees/Gingerbread House Decorating Contest, we partnered again with Alton Parks & Rec for a holiday light decorating contest, as well as working with Parks & Rec for lights and decorations for the Town Light Up Night, then we closed the year together at our annual holiday dinner, where we celebrated 2022!
Along with all these amazing events and contests that created spaces + places for our businesses to shine, we are also an association that gives back to our community! We’re VERY proud to report that in 2022 our association donated $2214 towards local nonprofit organizations and a high school scholarship award. We also reignited our Beautification Committee, and were able to successfully aide in the process of getting a new sign for the Gilman Museum and we’re actively working on a “Welcome to Alton” sign project as well.
Thank you so much to our ABA Board of Directors, ABA Members, Event Sponsors & Citizens of Alton who contributed to the success of our association in 2022! I was beyond grateful to serve as Chair of an association comprised of so many supportive souls! Please keep on doing what you are doing and remember to be local, buy local and support local! I’m confident our association will maintain a steady growth of business and community outreach through 2023 and beyond! Remember each one of YOU is what makes up the ABA… so carry on and do GREAT THINGS!
Respectfully Submitted,
Christy Painchaud, ABA Chair
