Good Morning Valued Chamber Member,
Our neighboring counties to the South, Broward and Miami-Dade, have received approval from Governor Ron DeSantis to move into Phase 2. Included in Phase 2, leisure attractions like movie theaters, bowling alleys and theme parks, can re-open at 50% capacity. Restaurants now have the ability to seat patrons at the bar and stay open until 11:00pm in Miami-Dade County. Bars and nightclubs are still not permitted to open. Broward and Miami-Dade School Boards will be meeting next week to discuss what a return to campus will look like for their school districts.
The deadline to complete your Census questionnaire is Wednesday, September 30th. Palm Beach County’s response rate remains at 60% and an accurate count is vitally important to the County's future. Each year, more than $675 billion in federal funds is awarded to states and communities based on census data which helps in the planning efforts of new roads, hospitals, and schools. Data can also be used to determine the need for additional social services, including community development block grants and other grant programs. This data also determines how many seats each state will have in the U.S. House of Representatives. Click here to complete the Census.
Next Wednesday, September 23rd at 11:00am, the Chamber will host its inaugural Boynton Beach First Responders Awards Event. During this one-hour virtual program, we will recognize and honor the following First Responders:
Police Officer of the Year Award Recipient: Agent Shaun James, Boynton Beach Police Department
Firefighter of the Year Award Recipient: Captain, Jeff Power, Boynton Beach Fire Rescue
Paramedic of the Year Award Recipient: Firefighter Roxanne Girardi, Boynton Beach Fire Rescue
These brave professionals have been chosen by their departments for their courageous acts in service to the community of Boynton Beach. Thank you to Baptist Health (Bethesda East & West) for their title sponsorship, as well as ADT, Get Dry, FPL, and All Dry, USA for their sponsorship support. Click here to register and support our first responders!
For the past two years, the Chamber has hosted a fun and very entertaining large-scale rock concert to raise awareness and funds for the Golden Bell Education Foundation. Last year, “Battle of the Bands” raised over $100,000 to support students in our local public schools.
Since we are unable to hold this event this year due to COVID-19, we are hosting a tribute Facebook fundraiser, which started yesterday and will run until Monday, September 28th. This year, help us do what we can to make sure students have the resources they need. Click here to donate and help us keep Boca schools A-rated!
Applications are still open for the 2020-21Golden Bell Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA) VIRTUAL program! This program teaches middle and high school students how to create and start their very own business. Each Wednesday evening, for 20 weeks beginning in October, students will virtually meet and hear from entrepreneurs, business professionals, and mentors that will help them succeed on their entrepreneurial journey. No experience necessary, just determination and creativity. The application deadline for this competitive program is September 25th. Visit www.yeausa.org to apply or email Sherese James-Grow.
We will continue to provide the latest in valuable educational webinars and virtual experiences for you and your employees. The majority of these presentations are recorded and available for you to access on the Boca Chamber’s YouTube Channel. Hit the subscribe button now to become the first to know when new content is posted on our channel.
Please see below for a list of upcoming virtual experiences:
09/16 - 8:30 a.m. South Healthcare Advocacy Network (S.H.A.N.)
Topic: Network with your fellow healthcare professionals and find out how they have adapted their business
09/17 - 8:00 a.m. Boynton Beach: Coffee Plus Networking
Topic: Perk up your leads virtually over a cup of coffee! Grab your coffee, meet new people, and give your best 30-second elevator pitch – all before the workday begins!
09/17 - 12:00 p.m. Successful Women in Business
Topic: What’s Your Personal Brand?
Speaker: Jennifer Jager, Creative Director, Plum Productions
09/22 - 12:00 p.m. Virtual Smart Talk for Women
Topic: Overcoming Adversity in Business
Speaker: Nancy Proffitt, Founder & President, Proffitt Management Solutions
09/22 - 5:00 p.m. Virtual Live After Five Hours Network
Topic: Connect with Your Fellow Chamber Members, Network, Have a Drink and Have Fun
To stay up to date on all Chamber activity, visit bocachamber.com or download the Chamber App on your phone or tablet and stay connected!
Tomorrow, the Chamber will welcome back its first small group in-person meeting to the Board room. Temperature checks, mask wearing, and social distancing will be implemented to allow for the comfort of our Members and Chamber team. Incrementally, we will begin to offer this option for some of our smaller meetings and vertical groups. We understand not everyone is ready to meet in-person, so we have provided an option for our members to continue to participate virtually. We are excited to begin offering these in-person meetings once again as We Move Business Forward!
Let's all continue to do our part to help slow the spread - by avoiding Closed space, Crowded places, and Close- contact settings. And remember - Wash your hands, Wear your mask and Watch your distance. It’s working!
Moving Business Forward,
