July Celebrating the Happy Camp Chamber of Commerce

by Judy Bushy, July 2018

Happy Camp on the Wild and Scenic Klamath River


We love Happy Camp and our Klamath Neighbors, and walking in beauty of Creation everyday!


July is a big birthday time for our family!! We just had my youngest son’s birthday, Linda my friend in Idaho, and even the Constitution of the United States! The biggest surprise was that the Happy Camp Chamber of Commerce began on my birthday!

It was a hot evening, but the business leaders of Happy Camp enjoyed the cool breezes on the deck by Elk Creek. The Jones’ had invited them to discuss the prospect of erecting a billboard to bring people from Interstate 5 down to enjoy the hiking, camping, rafting, fishing and hunting in our wonderful town!

On July 8th, 1986 they collected $1,730.49 in dues etc. which were $50 each. August five more joined, September another and October, a couple three more. They began putting aside money for the Christmas tree fund as they wanted it not to be a collection, but a gift to the Community. They rented meeting space at the Happy Camp Lions and replenished the bar. They got popcorn from Coley and Pollard and Lights from Happy Camp Hardware, more party refreshments from Larry’s Market and prepared for a coloring contest at Happy Camp elementary. We had a total income of $2,585.06 for 1986.

The next year they really got busy. They helped the Happy Camp Boy Scouts do town cleanup, paid Naturegraph to do printing, and got the telephone line (530) 493-2900.
Fundraising began in order to get a Deputy Dog for Siskiyou County Sheriff and a Reno Night helped that project.

They paid for an ad in the Pioneer Press fun Guide, and contributed $1100 for the Colliers Rest Area information to the Associate Chambers of Commerce of Siskiyou County. When Carol Jones and Mary Lee Adamson audited the accounts they’d taken in $5,867.80 of which they donated $4,766.50 for the Deputy Dog. The rest went to office supplies, signs, advertising, promotions, brochures, phone, Christmas and meeting expense and a memorial to J.R. to the Hospice Center.

In 1989 they paid $15 for a booth at the Bigfoot jamboree. That was one of my favorite Bigfoot Jamboree events when James Cook had the Youth Group from the Bible Church dress up as clowns for the parade.

Jim Jones took brochures and community information to the Reno Boat Show, Ron’s used Cars, Thompson Creek Guide Service and Peachey Clean launderette were members, Hair we Are, Joan Rogers, River Country Rafting, Sears,

In 1971 Dianne Hokanson painted a mural on the side of Larry’s Market. Napa and Pences’ Hardware provided some paints and total costs for the Chamber were $1,590.76

Thirty-two years, and we still get calls every day asking about Happy Camp. Seems like many people dream of coming here and we are happy to welcome them. How wonderful for us to be able to live here always, not just vacationing!!

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