New leader has plans for more chamber events in the community

There's some new leadership at the Wrangell Chamber of Commerce, but the organization's mission is still the same: To promote and support local businesses. To do so, said the new executive director Britani Robbins, there are big but currently secret plans for the future.

"I have lots of new ideas, but they're secret," she said. "I plan on having a fair amount more events following COVID. Everything's opening back up. When I was a kid Wrangell was all about events and community gatherings, and I kind of want to get back into that flow. I just want to keep people on their toes."

Robbins came in as executive director June 6, taking over for Stephanie Cook.

Luana Wellons also has joined the chamber staff as Robbins' assistant.

Robbins has spent most of her life in Wrangell, she said. Her family has strong roots in the community, having owned and operated Bob's IGA up until 2018, when they sold the grocery store. She wants to use her position with the chamber to help the community she loves grow.

"I've been living in Wrangell since 1989," she said. "I grew up here, went to school here K-12. I only ever left for college, and a very brief stint where I met my husband and brought him back. ... I wanted to come to the chamber because I wanted to do something that matters for Wrangell, because Wrangell is important to me."

One thing that Robbins has on her to-do list is to bring back the community's annual dinner, sponsored by the chamber. The event was cancelled last year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It will return this year, she said.

Robbins also said she is planning a big meeting in August to go over some of her other ideas and start putting plans together.

"I'm just really excited to be ... a bigger part of the community," she said. "It's been a long time. COVID really shut the town down for a long time, and I can't wait to get the community back into gathering."