2021 Year End Recap and Reflection
Thank you for your ongoing support of the Lafayette Chamber!
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Dear members, friends and our community patrons,
As 2021 nears the end, we reflect on what a challenging year it has been. We started the year in a pandemic and have continued to face this realization every single day since. We’ve learned to adapt to a “new normal” although we know it looks different for everyone.
January started with the Chamber staff working remote as the world around us was still shut down. Our focus was to be a resource for our members and community, we worked closely with the City of Lafayette to educate our businesses as to who is essential and how to apply for Covid-19 Relief funding, PPE and PPP’s. We pivoted, planned our relaunch, hoped for vaccines and awaited storefront openings.
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As businesses entered the unknown, we introduced a campaign recognizing Lafayette Chamber Members Through the Decades. Our goal was to showcase the strong businesses that were at the foundation of our Chamber efforts. The Chamber was started by a group of concerned businesspersons back in 1947. Their mission is still at the root of everything we do today. We proudly showcased the “Diamond Era,” five Lafayette businesses who have been Chamber members for over 60+ years! We are fortunate to also have many other businesses that qualify in our Gold, Silver and Bronze Membership Eras, too.
Spring progressed and vaccinations rolled out, we moved to helping relaunch Lafayette safely. Our Chamber Team continued to be a resource to educate our community with the ever-changing guidelines and mandates as well as business resources through our Tuesday Talk series, Chamber Connectors networking group as well as "Coffee" with our Community Partners presentations. School returned in part for some and varying degrees for others. We continued to encourage participation in everything. Lafayette residents and businesses came together to line the downtown streets for a car rally, cheering on our 2021 Acalanes High School graduates. One for all and all for one, strength through community.
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AND we added a Premier Member! Pacific Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Hospital joined Cobain Orthodontics, Diablo Foods, Douglah Designs/Luxe Home, Mechanics Bank, Oakwood Athletic Club and Park Smart. Your success is key to our success as we are all in this together.
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🎥 Taste of Lafayette KTVU interview.
The Taste of Lafayette Restaurant Tour returned and sold out immediately. Our restaurants were so excited to welcome back the community and showcase their tasty and savory treats as our ticketed guests strolled Mt. Diablo Blvd. The Chamber was able to present the Lafayette Community Foundation with a beneficiary check as a result of your participation.
The fall brought the return to school for ALL of our community. We, unfortunately, were unable to hold our annual Lafayette Art and Wine Festival in September but we are looking forward to 2022’s downtown Block Party. [Save the dates: Sept. 17 & 18, 2022.]
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📷 Res Run Beneficiary check distribution at the Lafayette School District Office.
The Lafayette Res Run for Education returned in October. Once again, our businesses and residences came together with a common goal to raise money for our local schools. Not even an atmospheric river and torrential storm could tame the excitement. We set new records with 2328 registered participants and proudly were able to give back $42,568.75 direct to our school's organizations. Congratulations to all! Thank you to everyone who contributed to making this such a successful event. [View photos/videos/results/kudos here!]
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📷 Lafayette Young Professionals
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📷 Hospice East Bay Tree of Lights
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🎥 Community Thanksgiving Sunrise Stroll
We hosted 2 spectacular nights of the Best of Art and Wine in November at the Creekside Commons. We were most appreciative of the tremendous community effort to help the Lafayette Chamber, our services, programs, and beneficiary efforts. This gave special meaning to It Takes a Village. We were humbled by the outpouring of support. From the guests who joined us in person or offered their services to those who generously volunteered or sent donations – all helped us continue to meet our goals. [Read recap and view photos here.]
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🎥 It's a Wonderful Life in Lafayette
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🎥 Lafayette Chamber Holiday Mixer honoring the history of the Lafayette Improvement Association (LIA) and the Town Hall Theatre
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And just this week we announced our 2022 Business Person of the Year. Congratulations John McCormick, co-owner of Lamorinda Music with wife Colleen McCormick, and 2020/2021 Lafayette Chamber Board President on being named Lafayette's 2022 Business Person of the Year! John's contributions to our community and the Chamber this past year have easily warranted this award. Congratulations John and THANK YOU for your ongoing commitment to Lafayette!
As we close out 2021, we are most thankful for our members, sponsors, non-profit organizations, school liaisons and community leaders. We are looking forward to 2022, celebrating our 75th year of advocating for our businesses and serving our local community, and hosting our 25th annual Lafayette Art & Wine Festival in our beautiful downtown.
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Thank you again for your support. May many more dreams come true in Lafayette!
We wish you a very Happy Holiday season and a peaceful and prosperous New Year!
Your Chamber Team,
Jay, Sara, Holly and Linda
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📷 Happy Holidays from the Lafayette Chamber Board of Directors Executive Committee and the Chamber Staff! Photo at the Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa.
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Please note: to signup via text you will be asked for your birthdate. This information is not stored, it is only used for verify you are over 21 years of age.
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Friday, December 17, 2021
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Jay Lifson, Executive Director
251 Lafayette Circle, Ste 150, Lafayette, CA
Office Hours by Appointment only:
Monday-Thursday 9am-4pm, Friday 9am-1pm
Please call for an appointment; masks required inside.
Holiday break: Dec. 22, 2021 at noon until 9am Jan. 3, 2022
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