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THE
CROFTON
CHAMBER
CHRONICLES
March 31, 2020
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Good morning everyone,
With each passing week and really with each passing day, there have been so many changes and we just hope everyone is staying safe! We are thinking of all of you!
Be on the lookout for information for a Multi-Chamber Blood Drive in conjunction with Anne Arundel Medical Center. The drives will be held April 15, 22 & 30. As you may know there is a major blood shortage right now. They will only allow one person on the bloodmobile at a time and we will be adhering to all social distancing guidelines.
For any of our restaurants that are still offering drive-thru, take-out or delivery services, please fill out the following
Restaurant Form
and we will populate the list on our website at
www.croftonchamber.com.
If you are restaurant that has decided to close their doors for the time being, please inform us so we can keep the list up to date.
Listed below is a variety of resources to assist small business during this tough time. Governor Hogan announced a stay-at-home order effective at 8p on March 30, 2020.
You are also welcome to reach out to me on my cell phone at 410-897-2069.
Warm regards,
Alissa J Santoro
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Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan Issues Stay-At-Home Order
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan issues an executive Stay-at-Home order for all Marylanders. Beginning 3/30 at 8 p.m.
No Maryland resident should be leaving their home unless it is for an essential job or for an essential reason, such as obtaining food or medicine, seeking urgent medical attention, or for other necessary purposes.
In addition, only essential businesses are allowed to remain open in Maryland, and those businesses must make every effort to scale down their operations in order to reduce the number of required staff, to limit interactions with customers, and to institute telework for as much of the workforce as is practical.
As we have previously stated, no Marylander should be traveling outside of the state unless such travel is absolutely necessary. If you have traveled outside of the state, you should self-quarantine for 14 days.
This is a deadly public health crisis. We are no longer asking or suggesting that Marylanders stay home—we are directing them to do so. This executive order will become effective at 8:00 PM tonight.
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FROM THE OFFICE OF SENATOR ED REILLY
Attached and below, please find updated information from the Governor’s press conference today. Attached is an interpreted guidance of the new Executive Order. The definition of essential businesses are defined using federal guidelines, which can be found
here
.
Information on Businesses and COVID-19 can be found
here
Information on the Maryland COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund Programs for Businesses can be found
here
Information on the COVID-19 Layoff Aversion Fund can be found
here
Information on how to file for Unemployment is available
here
. As a reminder, Maryland does not have a delay period before a person can apply for Unemployment Insurance.
Stay well!
Ed
Edward R. Reilly
State Senator
District 33, Anne Arundel County
James Senate Building, Office 316
(410) 841-3568
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Dear Chamber Member,
As you’re fully aware, there is a lot going on across the nation right now with COVID-19. Maryland and Anne Arundel County are not exempt from the crisis. We’re writing today to let you know that the Greater Crofton Chamber of Commerce and Anne Arundel Workforce Development Corporation (AAWDC) stand together and are here for you during these challenging times.
Chambers of Commerce and AAWDC share a common interest of taking care of businesses. We want to make sure that your business is aware of the services available to you during this time of uncertainty. AAWDC, in partnership with the local workforce development board, is there for you during the pandemic and can provide support by:
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Developing strategies for businesses to handle and overcome and economic downturn
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Creating and offering programs necessary to support companies and their changing missions
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Connecting workers with benefits and services to help them get through difficult times
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Providing innovative industry solutions to help overcome challenging circumstances
Please visit the following COVID-19 sites for the following organizations to learn more:
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Maryland’s Business Express
- includes links to recent news and statements from Governor Hogan. Additionally, topics include employer and worker assistance, financial assistance, taxes, and licensing and permitting.
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Maryland Department of Labor
– if a business experiences a temporary or permanent layoff, Labor’s Division of Unemployment Insurance’s Bulk Claim Services can open unemployment insurance claims for all affected employees. Businesses should contact a Claims Representative by emailing
UI.BulkClaim@maryland.gov
or calling (410) 767-3252.
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AAWDC
– includes information regarding virtual services being provided during this time and resources for businesses and individuals.
To ensure the services provided align with actual needs, we’d like to hear from those most affected by the crisis. Please take a few minutes to complete a
BRIEF QUESTIONNAIRE
to help us best support affected businesses and workers.
Sincerely,
Greater Crofton of Commerce and AAWDC
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Partners,
I wanted to make you aware of 2 important upcoming Maryland SBDC webinars. SBDC counselors will be going over new details about the emergency relief programs today at 1pm and Thursday at 1pm.
You can also find a summary of all the relevant information so far here:
Last week we announced that Anne Arundel County along with the entire state of Maryland received Disaster Declaration for Economic Injury. Small businesses are able to apply for economic injury disaster loans online. We have now compiled updated resources available to small businesses.
www.aaedc.org
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WBAL NewsRadio invites you to participate
in their initiative,
Operation: Shop Local
Here is more information:
Amid the Global COVID-19 pandemic, we must band together and care for those around us. While caring for our families, colleagues and neighbors, we can’t forget to care for our small business owners. The local boutique, cozy restaurant and lively bar that we frequent may be in jeopardy as our region has been ordered to social distance and isolate to stop the spread of novel coronavirus.
WBAL NewsRadio, 98 Rock and WBAL-TV 11 are proud to launch Operation: Shop Local, a community initiative to benefit small businesses in the Baltimore region and beyond. Through Operation: Shop Local, local small business owners can submit direct links to their company’s website to purchase gift cards that are redeemable at a later time. Together, we can keep the businesses that enrich our neighborhoods alive during these unprecedented times.
Here is the link to register your business:
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AAEDC Would Like To Know How Your Business Has Been Affected By COVID-19
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In order to establish how to help small business during this tough time, AAEDC has requested for business owners to fill out the below survey!
They will be using this to gauge the impact on Anne Arundel County businesses. At the end of the survey, it will redirect business owners to the AAEDC Newsroom page where you can learn more about SBA loans and useful information on what is happening at the Federal/State/Local level to help businesses.
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What to do if you have COVID-19 Symptoms?
Copied and shared from another site, but an important read for sure!:
So what I have seen a lot of is recommendations for how to try to avoid getting coronavirus in the first place -- good handwashing -- but what I have NOT seen a lot of is advice for what happens if you actually get it, which many of us will. So as your friendly neighborhood RN, let me make some suggestions.
You basically just want to prepare as though you know you’re going to get a nasty respiratory bug, like bronchitis or pneumonia. You just have the foresight to know it’s coming.
Things you should actually buy ahead of time (not sure what the obsession with toilet paper is?): Kleenex, Acetaminophen (Tylenol) in 325 mg tablets, Ibuprofen (Advil) in 200 mg tablets, Mucinex, Robitussin or whatever your generic cough medicine of choice is (check the label and make sure you're not doubling up on acetaminophen - some brands like DayQuil have it included and you don't want that). You want a cough medicine with both a cough suppressant and expectorant. Vix vaporub for your chest is also a great suggestion.
If you don’t have a humidifier, that would be a good thing to buy and run in your room when you go to bed overnight. (You can also just turn the shower on hot and sit in the bathroom breathing in the steam). If you have a history of asthma and you have a prescription inhaler, make sure the one you have isn’t expired and refill it/get a new one if it is.
This is also a good time to meal prep: make a big batch of your favorite soup to freeze and have on hand. Whatever your favorite clear fluids are to drink (Sprite, juice, ICE waters, Fresca, whatever floats your boat), stock your pantry with those. Maybe get some nice soothing tea too!
For symptom management, use the meds I mentioned. For a fever over 101, alternate Tylenol 650 mg and Advil 400 mg so you’re taking a dose of one then the other every 3 hours.
Drink A TON, hydrate hydrate hydrate. Rest lots. You should not be leaving your house except to go to the doctor, and if you do, wear a mask (regular is fine, you don’t need an N95).
You DO NOT NEED TO GO TO THE ER unless you are having trouble breathing or your fever is very high (over 103.5) and unmanaged with meds. 90% of healthy adult cases thus far have been managed at home with basic rest/hydration/over-the-counter meds. We don’t want to clog the ERs unless you’re actually in distress. The hospital beds will be used for people who actively need oxygen/breathing treatments/IV fluids.
If you have a pre-existing lung condition (COPD, emphysema, lung cancer) or are on immunosuppressants, now is a great time to talk to your PCP or specialist about what they would like you to do if you get sick. They might have plans to get you admitted and bypass the ER entirely.
One major relief to you parents is that kids do VERY well with coronavirus— they usually bounce back in a few days, NO ONE under 18 has died, and almost no kids have required hospitalization (unless they have a lung disease like CF). Just use pediatric dosing of the same meds.
Just be calm and prepare rationally and everything will be ok.
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AACPS e-Learning Resource Site
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With this unprecedented time in our nation, things have been changing not just by the day, but by the hour. As of now we are still keeping our Monthly Mixer on the books, but of course there is a chance that we will need to cancel. We will keep everyone posted. Thank you for understanding!
Monthly Evening Mixer at Essex Bank
April 14th, 2020 | 5:30p-7:30p
Essex Bank | 2120 Baldwin Ave, Crofton, MD 21114
Free for members | $15/non-member
Chamber 101 Lunch
April 16th, 2020 | 11:30a-1:00p
Chesepiooc Brewing Company | 2408 Crofton Blvd, Crofton, MD 21114
Taste of Crofton - RESCHEDULED!!!
June 11th, 2020 | 6:00p-9:00p
Boswell Hall/Knights of Columbus | 6111 Columbian Way, Bowie, MD 20715
$25/person
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Interested in joining our organization??
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New & Returning Chamber Members
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Welcome Back To Our Returning Members
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FIXED! HVAC Service
John Hamblin | 410-446-3040
Perfectly Posh (Independent Gold Premier)
Arundel Vol. Fire Dept.
Dave Ayres | 301.261.0060
Juice Plus
Jodie Gray | 410-934-4159
We want to thank our members who are renewing during these tough times. We greatly appreciate it! And thank you to all of our members for their continued support!
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Celebrating a milestone in your business?
We want to recognize you.
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Taste of Crofton has been
postponed
from
March 26 to June 11!
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Thu, Jun 11, 2020 6:00 PM EST
Taste of Crofton 2020 powered by Wegmans
Knights of Columbus,
Bowie
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Festival on the Green
POSTPONED from April 25 to May 16
&
September 26, 2020 | 10a-4p
Both the Spring
AND
Fall Festival are open for registrations! Spring is getting closer to selling out! Don't delay on reserving your space!
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Winter on the Green
November 14, 2020
Vendor Sign Up Now Available!
Please click on the link below!
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Mark your calendars for OPENING DAY of the Crofton Farmers Market!
We can't believe we are beginning our 6th season!
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Take a chance on winning a Caribbean vacation
while supporting the Chamber with
this exciting new promotion!
Purchase Your Ticket Today, Click Below
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Photo Highlights Of The Week
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More to come in the near future.....
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Motivational Quote Of The Week
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The Importance of Facebook "Likes"
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Facebook has once again changed its algorithms and your "likes" on our posts is even more important than ever. Please be sure to visit our Facebook pages and "like" our posts.
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THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!
Please support their business by visiting their website via the logo's below:
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