By Max Fontaine | Beacon groups reporter

A newly formed coalition of local merchants has officially put out the call for more members.

Dubbed “Bonkers for Bass Lake” the group intends to organize local events to promote and support the town of Bass Lake, its shops and businesses.

Group co-founder Clem Brickston, proprietor of the Bass Lake Inn/Convenience store, said the formation of an organization of like-minded local capitalists is long overdo.

“We’ve needed something like this for a long time,” Brickston said. “Business owners in this community can’t sit around on my hands and feet waiting for the town council or Mayor Soundguy any longer. What good are they?”

Brickston and other co-founder Cooper Sanderstroms, owner of Copper’s Coops and Chicken Accessories, said the idea came to them during their morning coffee clutch over coffee at Jolly’s Morgue and Donuts.

“We were having coffee and the idea came to us,” Brickston and Sanderstroms said in unison. “It was like Jolly Jimmerschmidt came in and turned on a light bulb over our collective heads.”

Jimmerschmidt was unavailable for comment as he was on a ladder changing a light bulb.

Bonkers for Bass Lake has thus far only two members but is actively seeking a third and then a fourth. Eventually BfBL seeks to have as many as six or seven local merchants on the roster.

“If we had a chamber of commerce, this would be it,” Brickston concluded. “It’s an idea whose time has come.”

The first official meeting of the Bonkers for Bass Lake organizing committee will be held once there are more members to organize.

“I’m going a little bonkers already,” Sanderstroms said. “Fellow Bass Lakean merchants, join us!”