Both boards met recently and unanimously voted in favor of the merger, and both say they see it as a positive move for the business communities in the area. The Landrum chamber board was the driving force and initiated the idea. Landrum, just four miles from Tryon, has always been considered part of the Polk County area, and vice versa, say Polk chamber officials.The Landrum chamber is different from the Polk chamber in that it has had a multi-faceted focus and has organized many downtown events and festivals like the Halloween Stroll and Christmas events. Those events will still take place, but under the direction of the City of Landrum. &uot;The City of Landrum is pleased that the Landrum Chamber is now part of the Polk Chamber,&uot; says Landrum City Manager Steve Wolochowicz. &uot;By being part of a larger organization many more doors will be opened for us in order to get the word out about our unique community, which will result in more business in our community.&uot; The Landrum chamber will be bringing three new board members to the Polk chamber board, increasing the total number to 21. The Polk chamber will now begin using the tag line &uot;Serving the Foothills of the Carolinas&uot; to emphasize the expanded service area. Also, the chamber membership directory, an annual publication, will include information about Landrum as well as Polk County, including a history of Landrum, some tourism information, and government office and emergency phone numbers. &uot;The timing is perfect for this merger, because we are working on the 2008-09 directory now, and we have time to include all new members and additional information about Landrum,&uot; said Janet Wooley, Polk chamber director. &uot;We&squo;re all excited about this. I am looking forward to taking part as this organization becomes larger, stronger and more effective for the businesses in our area.&uot;Barbara Britt, current president of the Landrum chamber, and owner of El Chile Rojo, Twigs and The Country Mouse Inn, has been a member and active participant of both chambers for some time.&uot;Marketing the two (chambers) together is a smart thing to do. It just makes good sense,&uot; says Britt.The mission of the chamber of commerce is to promote businesses in the organization&squo;s community. Most chambers serve an area that is not separated by state or county borders.