Due to the recent surge in COVID-19 positive numbers and the highly contagious Omicron variant we are canceling/postponing our January events. We hope to bring you more networking, educational and social events in 2022. Check our website and newsletters for upcoming events and news.

Jan. 7th General Meeting- Canceled

Jan. 20th Installation Dinner- Postponed until June

Jan. 26th Chicago Wolves Game- Postponed until March

Jan. 27th Board Meeting

We are looking for guest speakers for our General Meetings. If you are interested, please contact Cathy at 773-756-6206 or cathy@gladstoneparkchamber.com.

On Thursday, January 20, 2022, at 8am we will be installing the following 2022 Board of Directors. Due to the recent surge in COVID-19 virus numbers this will be a private event so that we can maintain social distancing.

We would like to congratulate Jim Ohler on his retirement from the Board of Directors. We wish him the best in the next chapter of his journey. Jim is still a chamber member and will remain active in the community.

Happy Chamber-versary! It's that time of year again to renew your Chamber Membership. Invoices were mailed out in December. If you did not receive your invoice, please contact Cathy at 773-756-6206 or cathy@gladstoneparkchamber.com. Do you know of a business that is interested in joining the chamber? Send me their information and I will stop by to visit them to discuss the benefits of being a chamber member.

Thank you to our sponsor: State Farm Insurance- David Wians!

Congratulations Norwood Crossing on being named one of the Best Nursing Homes in the Nation by U.S. News and World Report for 2021-2022 (9th year in a row). This honor was given to just 21% of over 15,000 nursing homes evaluated in the study. Along with the designation comes a 5-star rating and recognition as "high performing" in not only Short-Term Rehabilitation but also Long-Term Care.

Effective Monday, January 3, any individual 5 years of age or older will be required to show proof that they are full vaccinated against COVID-19 to dine indoors, visit gyms, or enjoy entertainment venues where food or drink are being served. Patrons 16 years of age or older will also need to provide identification that matches their vaccination record.

This proof of vaccination requirement is in response to an alarming rise in COVID-19 cases both locally and nationally, driven in part by the Omicron variant. Public Health Order 2021-2 will remain in effect until the City of Chicago is through this Omicron-driven surge and the risk of overwhelming hospital capacity has passed. 

The City of Chicago mask mandate also remains in effect for all public indoor settings. The new order does not affect this mask requirement.

Effective Monday, January 3, 2022, the Chicago Vaccine Requirement will apply to the following public indoor places:  

·   Indoor Dining: Establishments where food or beverages are served, including but not limited to restaurants, bars, fast food establishments, coffee shops, tasting rooms, cafeterias open to the public, food courts, dining areas of grocery stores, breweries, wineries, distilleries, banquet halls, and hotel ballrooms; and 

·   Indoor Fitness: Gyms and fitness venues, including but not limited to gyms, recreation facilities, fitness centers, yoga, pilates, cycling, barre, and dance studios, hotel gyms, boxing and kickboxing gyms, fitness boot camps, and other facilities used for conducting indoor group fitness classes; and 

·   Indoor entertainment and recreation venues where food or beverages are served: Including, but not limited to movie theaters, music and concert venues, live performance venues, adult entertainment venues, commercial event and party venues, sports arenas, performing arts theaters, bowling alleys, arcades, card rooms, family entertainment centers, play areas, pool and billiard halls, and other recreational game centers. 

The vaccine requirement does not include do not include houses of worship, pre-K-12 schools, child care programs, locations in O’Hare International Airport or Midway International Airport, locations in residential or office buildings the use of which is limited to residents, owners, or tenants of that building, or to food service establishments providing only charitable food services, such as soup kitchens.

Proof of vaccination means a CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card or an official immunization record from the jurisdiction, state, or country where the vaccine was administered or a digital or physical photo of such a card or record, reflecting the person’s name, vaccine brand, and dates administered. View Public Health Order 2021-2 for individuals exempted from the order.

Establishments will be required to:

·   Develop and keep a written record describing the protocol for implementing and enforcing the vaccine mandate.

·   Prominently post signage at each publicly accessible entrance to the covered location and at least one location inside the covered location that is conspicuously visible, informing patrons of the vaccination requirement. 

For more information and guidance visit Chicago.gov/COVID.

Chicago Covid Recovery Plan Community Development Grants are available to Chicago entrepreneurs, small businesses, and developers, with the initial round open through January 2022.

To be administered by the Department of Planning and Development, the application process will consider a diverse array of improvement projects, including storefront upgrades; large development proposals with entertainment, retail, and dining options; and projects that create spaces with public amenities. According to the Mayor's Office, projects may apply for the small grant program up to $250,000 or the large grant program up to $5 million.

Grant funding can be used for pre-development, renovation, and new construction expenses, up to 75 percent of total project costs. Purely residential projects are not eligible for this round of funding; further funding opportunities for residential projects are expected to be announced next year.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. The first-round application deadline is Jan. 31, 2022, followed by a second-round application deadline of March 10, 2022. Applicants who are not prepared to apply for either round are encouraged to review all relevant materials and prepare to apply for a third application round in the summer, the Mayor's Office said.

For more information on the grant application, visit the Chicago Recovery Grant Application website. Register here for an informational webinar to be held Thursday, January 6 at noon. A recording of the webinar will be posted online.

We still have plenty of room for members to advertise in our monthly newsletter/website. For more details, please contact Cathy at 773-756-6206 or cathy@gladstoneparkchamber.com.