ROCHELLE – While COVID-19 has caused many events to be cancelled, the Rochelle Chamber of Commerce was very happy to have been able to host its 50th Annual Chamber Play Day.
The event featured a superhero theme and took place on Tuesday, Aug. 4 at Fairways Golf Course and Salt 251 in Rochelle. The City of Rochelle and Rochelle Municipal Utilities were the naming sponsors of the event, Central Bank provided lunch and over 40 businesses from the Rochelle Chamber of Commerce participated.
The outing included businesses paired up for a round of golf, different organizations with games and giveaways set up on holes throughout the course and many raffle prizes. While the event is a great time for businesses to have fun and build connections, the event is the chamber’s biggest fundraiser of the year. Its main goal is to help fund future chamber events.
“This is a great day where business is done but people also have fun,” said Tricia Herrera, executive director of the Rochelle Chamber of Commerce. “While new connections are made on the course, the main goal of this event is to raise funds so we can continue our programs like the curb appeal and scholarships program.”

All CDC guidelines and health department recommendations were followed at the event. Social distancing was practiced, masks were available for everybody and hand sanitizer was placed in each golf cart and throughout the course.
All prior registration and raffles at the event were also conducted with very limited contact. While the chamber believes that COVID-19 may have decreased the number of golfers physically at the event, it did not affect the number of sponsors and support from the community.
“With COVID-19, it is obviously a little different of a situation this year, but we are very excited that we did not have a sponsorship drop off this year,” Herrera said. “It shows us that our members know that supporting the chamber is essentially supporting them also. We are very thankful for the golfers and all of the sponsors. We are ready to move forward at the chamber and this is the kick off.”