When Herschel Brown donated the building at 9043 Losa Drive to the Greater East Dallas Chamber of Commerce 20 years ago, his intent was to serve the community.

But the Chamber ran into financial difficulties earlier this year and moved out of the building adjacent to the Casa Linda Shopping Center, which Brown once owned.

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The Chamber is subleasing the building to Baylor Health Care Systems which, after extensive renovation, opened its senior citizens health care center in June.

“We are making changes like those occurring in other businesses, and those decisions are made on financial considerations,” said Pete Sessions, chairman of the Greater East Dallas Chamber of Commerce, which moved to the Caruth Plaza at North Central Expressway and Park Lane.

“Serving local senior citizens fits the spirit in which the property was donated, and the proceeds from the lease will provide monthly income that will bring the Chamber back into the black by fall.”

Chamber officials realized last summer that increasing costs for upkeep on the Chamber headquarters on Losa Drive, as well decreasing memberships and a lack of support for various traditional fundraising functions such as luncheons, auctions and golf tournaments, meant changes would need to be made.

“Individuals and businesses who had been members for many years were not finding money in their budget to support us,” Sessions says, “so by the first of the year, we had to borrow money to meet payroll and expenses.”

At the same time, Chamber president Judy Summers resigned, and Sessions said he began to consider merging with the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce. But because of the new lease with the Baylor Health Care Systems, Sessions looks forward to brighter days.

Chamber officials hope to find a new home again in the Casa Linda area. Earl Allen, who served as chamber chairman in 1978 and 1983, has returned serving as volunteer president, and Mike Bowers has joined the staff as vice president of membership.

“We have been working diligently,” says Sessions, “and things have worked out rather well.”