On Friday, February 7th, 2025, The Success School, the Chamber's Foundation, held it's Reality Store​® at Edgewood Junior High School. The Reality Store® is a simulation that helps junior high students appreciate the ‘realities’ of life and achieve a better understanding of personal finance. In the Reality Store® simulation, junior high students pretend they are a 28-year-old starting out in their life and career. 

Each school year, this program is held at four local middle schools, where close to 1000 students participate. Over 150 community members volunteered to run the tables at these events this year. 

​Volunteering for a Reality Store® is a fun way to interact with students and teach them important lessons. 

​See the photos from the event below!

​Congratulations to Dave & Buster’s Bloomington on your Grand Opening!

On Thursday, January 23rd, 2025, the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce's Young Professionals Bloomington group held one of it's quarterly events "2025 Resolution: Win Trivia" at the Southwest Branch of the Monroe County Public Library. Attendees were able to learn about personal development techniques trivia style and collaborate on techniques that have worked for them. Check out the photos from the event below!

On Friday, January 10th, 2025, The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce held it's annual Legislative Preview at the Hilton Garden Inn. This event kicks off the year in advocacy by having state legislators share their priorities for the upcoming session and the Chamber present's it's Legislative Agenda for the year. Photos from the event are below!

Congratulations to Bloomington Transit on the Grand Opening of Bus Route 13, which will extend to previously un-serviced areas, including West Vernal Pike over the interstate and West to Park 48 and Ivy Tech Community College. The BPTC Board of Directors unanimously approved the inter-local cooperation agreement with Monroe County, paving the way for the first-ever fixed-route bus that will serve areas outside of City boundaries. Route 13 began service on Thursday, January 2, 2025. Buses will operate Monday–Friday, with the first trip leaving the Downtown Transit Center at 6:40 a.m. and the final trip returning at 6:30 p.m. There will be one trip per hour for a total of twelve trips per day. Route 13 will expand access to jobs and educational opportunities by providing reliable public transportation between Park 48/Ivy Tech and Downtown Bloomington. Business complexes located along the route include Cook Medical, Berry Global, Singota Solutions, Simtra (both Curry Pike and Daniel's Way locations) and TASUS. ​

The 2nd Annual Career Cruise was held on November 21, 2024, at the Monroe Convention Center with almost 1000 middle school students from Monroe County. Students visited four ports on the cruise, interacting with 50 businesses and organizations to learn about various careers available right here in Monroe County! Many thanks to Solution Tree, IU Health Bloomington, Simtra BioPharma Solutions, and the Sophia Travis Community Service Grant for making this event possible!