Hitchcock Chamber Thrives Behind Energy of Wick

By Ruth Ann Ruiz

The Post Newspaper Features Editor

Hitchcock Good Ole Days 2021 was a success, and a good deal of the success is attributed to Chelsea Wick, the Executive Director for Hitchcock Chamber of Commerce.

“This year’s event was outstanding, and it is thanks to Chelsea’s doing,” said Greg Gardner, former President of the Board of Directors. “Not knowing how to do it wasn’t an issue, she was willing to figure it out,” he added.

Good Ole Days has been a tradition for 50 years. The people of Hitchcock come out for a cook-off and lots of other festivities during the second weekend in August. “We wanted it to be a kickoff right before school starts,” said Willie Windham, former Chamber Director.

Wick didn’t go at it totally alone with this year’s event. She knew to reach out for guidance from Windham, who is 84 years old. “She did her best to get me involved and I did a little bit. But she was the one who really went to town and got the community involved so that it was a success,” said Windham. 

 Wick came onboard with the Hitchcock Chamber of Commerce back in 2019 as a part-time employee and as a student intern. After finishing her degree at College of the Mainland in web design and graphic arts, she was given the title of assistant to the director. 

In February 2020, Wick was selected to lead the Chamber. Wouldn’t you know it, she had to lead the chamber through the pandemic. It was her skills in communicating via remote communications that kept the Chamber floating and even grow under her watch. 

Her first task was building a viable website for the chamber. “We love what she has done, she has really brought the Chamber into the 21^st Century with technology,” said Sherry Hopson, treasurer for the Chamber. 

She didn’t start off as a technological whiz. “I didn’t even get my first cell phone till I was 16,” said Wick. “I still remember that neon green pager. My mom would send me a text if I was out with my girlfriends. I’d have to find a pay phone to call her right back.” 

Wick grew up very much a Texas coastal country girl. “I went all over barefooted, catching crawdads in the ditch, hunting and just plain had a happy childhood growing up in Santa Fe,” she said. 

Wick is a 2004 graduate of Santa Fe High School. 

Her hometown, country roots is the foundation on which she is leading the Chamber into new directions. 

She speaks confidently of the main roads and back roads in the area and all the roads leading to Hitchcock. She goes out to meet people in person, inviting them to be part of the Chamber as members or as attendees at events. She knows her membership by their first name.

“The reason I love working at this job so much is that it gets me very involved with my community and helping people,” said Wick.

Without her 21^st century technological knowledge, her country charm wouldn’t fetch in the needed human and financial capital to take the Chamber into the future. 

Her skills allow the Chamber to offer members guidance in how they too can reach customers via the internet. Wick is advancing the Chamber’s reach with a solid grasp of on-line ecosystems. 

“She had a vision to take the Chamber further out, that’s part of why we brought her on,” said Hopson. 

Plus, her innate love of history is keeping Wick closely united with the former leaders of the chamber, and she is building on their original aspirations. 

“She has that go get ‘em personality. She’s not afraid to try new things and she’s full of youthful energy. I enjoy watching her take charge and lead the chamber,” said Windham.