MARINETTE – In a long-standing effort to support young adults and recent college graduates entering the workforce, the Marinette Menominee Area Chamber of Commerce will soon be celebrating a decade milestone for the Wave Marinette Menominee Young Professionals (MMYP).
For the past 10 years Wave MMYP has recruited young professionals across county lines to instill their values, “Welcome, Attract, Value and Engage,” to “Enhance the vitality of the Marinette Menominee region by creating a strong community of engaged young professionals,” according to their website.
Wave MMYP Co-Chairperson Keegan Delforge further described their mission, “To boil it down: we want to strengthen our community by having young professionals engage in the community and network with each other and help the young professionals grow.”
Wave MMYP members have been able to gain inside access to local businesses like Forgotten Fire Winery, Waupaca Foundry and iBeAuthentic to learn about business management and discover different employment opportunities.
“For young professionals it is nice to hear how upper management got to the position they have” noted Delforge.
Along with Co-Chairperson James Bastien, the two have continued to foster professional development for their over 80 members.
Delforge, a current Process Engineer ChemDesign and member of the organization since 2022, spoke on the personal impact, “I think it really comes down to feeling like you are part of the community and helping the community out. It makes you have more of a sense of belonging and a family feeling…that’s huge to me, if you can feel like you’re helping your family grow.”
In addition to meeting people and establishing relationships through networking events, the WAVE MMYP members have integrated themselves into the community through service.
“In December, we did a trivia [event], which kind of combined networking and community service. The entry fee was a toy donation for the Salvation Army,” Delforge said.
Other service events Wave MMYP has participated in include city cleanups for Earth Day and participating in the Johnson Controls backpack program.
The program also takes time to foster friendships through exciting activities like golf outings and murder mystery parties.
Local young professionals, which includes anyone ages 21 - 40 or those “young at heart,” as always welcome to join Wave MMYP.
All of the work and dedication of Wave MMYP members will be celebrated during the recognition of their 10th anniversary, which also marks the 20th anniversary for the merging of the Marinette Menominee Area Chamber of Commerce.
A back-yard bash will be held in the chamber parking lot at 601 Marinette Ave., Marinette. The event will run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., with remarks and a group photo. There will also be a casual cookout, live music and a “Through the Years” display in the conference room showing how the chamber progressed to where it is today.
To further the spirit of community betterment, the Christmas in July Food Drive to support the Marinette Salvation Army will be hosted during the event as well.
For more information on Wave MMYP or to register for the anniversary event, visit https://business.mandmchamber.com/events or contact Ellen Grabian at (715) 735-6681.
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