WBPA moves to expand
membership and activities

(8/26)The Walkersville Business and Professional Association (WBPA) July meeting turned into a classical barnstorming sessions as the hand full of die hard members cast about on how best to not only bring the association membership back to its pre—pandemic levels, but beyond.

Like many business and organization, the COVID-19 pandemic hit the Walkersville Business and Professional Association (WBPA) hard. Prior to the pandemic, its monthly meetings could attract up to 45 businesses, today, only a handful of businesses regularly attend its monthly meetings.

But thanks to those die hard believers, that hopefully all about to change. Ideas floated during the session included rethinking the association’s business outreach programs, identify and clearly articulating membership benefits, increasing membership eligibility, changing up meeting times and locations, soliciting speakers for its meetings to help businesses tackle pressing issues, and partnering with other community groups in annual events.

Over the next few months, every business in Walkersville will be contacted with the goal of bringing back into the fold those businesses that left during the pandemic. As well as reaching out to all the new businesses that have moved into the area over the past few years who are unaware of the WBPA and the benefits that come with being a member.

In addition, the WBPA will now open membership to businesses in Woodsboro who could benefit from the advice given by speakers at its meeting, not to mention business opportunities from the networking the organization provides.

It is estimated that Walkersville is now home to over 125 businesses, both main stream retail outfits as well as home based businesses. The addition of Woodsboro based businesses will increase the potential membership of the organization to upwards of 200+ businesses.

To ensure that members get the best return for their time, the WBPA has reached out to Thurmont’s Main Street Manager, Vicki Grinder and invited her to join them at a future upcoming meeting to help shape the WBPA’s outreach efforts.

Thanks to Grinder and the Thurmont business community, Thurmont is home to almost monthly events, from concerts in the park, to their Art and Wine Stroll to their upcoming Gate to the Cure events. The WBPA is looking to learn how she has accomplished what she accomplishes, year in and year out, and what can be emulated in Walkersville.

Members also agreed to change up the time and location of its monthly meetings, which are currently held the 3rd Thursday of every month at 8 a.m. in the Walkersville Library. While not firmed up yet, an evening wine and beer social gathering of members is now on the table.

Alan Rugh, current president of the WBPA noted that while the goal of the Walkersville Economic Development Committee is to attract business to Walkersville, the goal of the WBPA is to keep them here, and a critical part of accomplishing that task is to make the WBPA a leader in as many aspects of town "life" as it can handle – from assuming leadership of next year’s Walkersville Days festivities to partnering more closely with the Walkersville Historical Society in its annual Chris Kringle event, and in doing so, giving local business the opportunity to come out of the shadows and showcase themselves and their wares and services to local residents.

"Good things" are about to happen, Rugh said. "I’m eager to get going. This is just the start."