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Twas’ the week before Christmas and all through the office,

we take a moment to review what the year has brought us ...

It is hard to believe 2019 is coming to an end. The Chamber hosted our annual Holiday Mixer last Wednesday at Merrill Gardens at Lafayette. We were most appreciative of our sponsors, community partners, members and guests who joined us to celebrate a wonderful year. And an amazing year it was!

We have a lot to be thankful for, let’s take a moment and reflect back …

January welcomed our new Chamber Board and Dr. Christina Alba as our President. We launched Tuesday Talks and had a ribbon cutting for The Peter Pan Foundation.

February started with a sold out dining room at the Lafayette Park Hotel and Spa honoring our Business Person of the Year, Terry Ring. Coffee with Mayor Cameron Burks, a ribbon cutting for RnR Barber Salon and a mixer at Harper Greer.

March was community month. We once again packed the Lafayette Park Hotel and Spa this time to honor Lafayette Citizen of the Year, Don Tatzin. Held ribbon cuttings for St. Perpetua’s Community Center and Baby Boot Camp Lamorinda. Our March mixer was at Radiance Family Wellness.

April showers brought business focus on downtown vibrancy with the City and a Job Fair at Moraga Country Club. Ribbon Cutting for Lemon. Mixer at Philz Coffee who also sponsored our Coffee with new Mayor Mike Anderson.

May was extra busy with ribbon cuttings for Myara, Lafayette Social, RAEnbow Lash and Beauty, Luck Lafayette and yes, even the East End Parking Lot.

Our annual Taste of Lafayette was a huge success and we were able to give back $1100 to the Lafayette Community Foundation. Thanks to our partnering restaurants and businesses: REVE Bistro, Sideboard, Fabula Tea, Locanda Positano, Metro, Pause Now, The Hideout Kitchen, Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa, Vitality Bowls, Mangia, Urban Remedy, Solano Jewelers, Coffee Shop, Amphora, The Cooperage, Amarin Thai, Patxi’s Pizza, IzzyA’s, Zoonie's, Philz Coffee, Batch & Brine, Pizza Antica, Susie Cakes, Barranco, BevMo!, Lavash, Uncle Yu’s and Itty Bitty Deserts from Diablo Foods. Performances at the JPG@TheBank by Performing Academy, Bistro Mustache, Pop-Up Bach and the Acalanes Jazz Quartet.

June kicked off with the Dogtown Downtown welcoming all 4-legged creatures to enjoy our dog friendly, walkable downtown. We invited pet adoption centers to join us. Rock the Plaza entertained guests of all ages every Friday night. And Lamorinda Idol showcased our local young talented finalists. Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa hosted an outdoor mixer to kick off the summer months.

July and August are traditionally our slower event months. As the community embraces swim team and vacations, we work behind the scene planning for our upcoming fall events. We joined the Martinez Chamber for a Mega Mixer. Enjoyed ribbon cuttings at Lashify Studio and Snippity Chix for Hair.

September is Art and Wine Festival month … we work all year for this special weekend. This fundraising event drives our annual budget and allows us to give back to our local non-profit organizations. This year we were able to give back $35,600 to our beneficiaries. Financially this was one of our best years due to our sponsors, vendors, entertainment and of course, YOU, the public, who continue to support us. Thanks to the City of Lafayette and the Lafayette Police Department we felt safe and secure while hosting our big block party. Formula3 Fitness had a ribbon cutting and Blodgett’s Floor Covering celebrated 73 years in business while hosting the monthly mixer.

October was all about the kids. The schools and the community joined together to help us set a new record with 2280 participants in our Lafayette Res Run for Education with registered runners between the ages of 1 and 92. This was such a successful event that we were able to give back $28,291.36 to our local schools. Yeah! Many thanks to our presenting and marquis sponsors. Add in a fun mixer at LPIE (Lafayette Partners in Education) and a jam packed downtown Trick or Treat Street packed with kids visiting our local merchants.

November was our month of gratitude. Thankful for our ribbon cuttings at Nice Lashes & Brows and Anthony’s Custom Picture Framers along with our mixer at J. McLaughlin.

Then we launched into 5 days of honoring special groups of individuals for their efforts in our community:

Day 1 – Sponsors and our Community Partners. Their efforts make our events a huge success.

Day 2 – Downtown merchant members who sell Lafayette Merch! We LOVE LAFAYETTE!

Day 3 – First Responders. Living in the “New Normal” world, we can’t escape the probability that we will be touched by a First Responder.

Day 4 – Educators! We are fortunate to live and work in a community that makes education a top priority.

Day 5 – Volunteers! Thank you to all of our amazing volunteers who work tirelessly to help us put on events throughout the year. Especially National Charity League and Boys’ Team Charity.

The week of Gratitude culminated with a morning that filled our hearts and minds with reminders in how to promote kindness at Lafayette Veterans Memorial Center thanks to our guest speaker Sean Perlmutter. The Lafayette Community Thanksgiving Breakfast brought delicious food from Lavash, beautiful flowers from Floral Arts, programs from Minuteman Press Lafayette and soothing music by Harpist Wendy Tamis.

That brings us to December where we just celebrated our annual It’s A Wonderful Life Holiday Celebration in Lafayette Plaza Park. Santa came to town on the Lafayette Express! Thanks to our sponsors, community partners, scouts and volunteers. We tried hard to fill your calendar with a ribbon cutting at Microshair Aesthetics and numerous member holiday celebrations.

We wanted to thank you in person at our Holiday Mixer last Wednesday at Merrill Gardens at Lafayette. Once again, our downtown restaurants shined with delicious samplings and we are most grateful.

Our 2019 Beneficiaries

In 2019 we donated $46,291.36 to our schools through the Art & Wine Festival ($18,000) and Lafayette Res Run for Education ($28,291.36). We also donated $19,300 to the following organizations for a 2019 donation total of $65,591.36!

 

Artemis Rowing

City of Lafayette Parks & Rec Department

Contra Costa Food Bank

Contra Costa Animal Services The Running Dog

Futures Explored

Generations in Jazz

Lafayette Community Foundation

Lafayette Police 501c

Lamorinda Sunrise Rotary

Las Trampas

Loaves and Fishes

Pitt Hopkins Research Foundation

Scout Troop 212

Sheriff’s Volunteers

Town Hall Theatre

Zeta Psi Fraternity

Circling back to the top, if there is one key to our successful 2019, it is YOU, our sponsors, community partners, volunteers and members who continue to support us.

We wish you a happy holiday season and look forward to what 2020 will bring!