News & Events from the Lafayette Chamber |
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Tuesday, September 6, 2022 |
Jay Lifson, Executive Director
251 Lafayette Circle, Ste 150, Lafayette, CA
Office Hours
Monday-Thursday 9am-4pm, Friday 9am-1pm
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Correction: Last week in our August Mixer recap we inadvertently did not include a mention of the raffle prize donation generously contributed by Full Spectrum Technology Group! Thank you, Sean Mendell, for your donation!
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At the Lafayette Mercantile, 3587 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette
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Welcome a NEW Lafayette Chamber Member!
The following business recently joined the Lafayette Chamber! We encourage you to visit their website to learn more.
3527 Wilkinson Lane, Lafayette, CA 94549
Meghan DeGoey, 925-633-7510
Five Little Monkeys is a community based, hands-on toy store focused on providing unique, high-quality toys in a fun and friendly environment. Our carefully curated selection focuses on creative toys for imaginative minds that are educational, sustainable, and have exceptional play value.
Categories: Toys, Retail
đź“· Help us fight food insecurity in the Bay Area! This September, get 20% off your ENTIRE in-store purchase when you donate $20 to a local food bank!! Save money, support a local business, and help those in need! *Valid in-store only. Excludes LEGO and gift certificates. Donation must be made through Five Little Monkeys*
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Lafayette Chamber RENEWING Members
A huge thank you to the following members for renewing their membership for 2022 between August 29-September 5.
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Lafayette Art & Wine Festival – 2022 is our 25th Anniversary!
Featuring 4 stages with 20+ bands, 300 artist/craft booths including a Local Artist Alley, 4 Kid Zones, a wide selection of California varietals and craft beers, dining in Lafayette’s Restaurant Row + shopping! Free Admission. Dog friendly. Take BART to the Festival! It’s @sfbartable!
Beautiful downtown Lafayette is close to BART (Lafayette Station), Hwy 24, and bike trails. The Festival offers complimentary bike valet parking at 81 Lafayette Circle. The Festival is an easy walk or free shuttle ride from free Festival parking in the BART parking lot.
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Preparations Continue!
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Town Hall Theatre for offering their space for our CPR, AED and First Aid training.
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Create & Flow Creative Studio for providing their beautiful space to fulfill our ABC Training and Festival Volunteer Committee Meeting.
- Michael & Yolanda Heller for preparing lunch for the Sign Distribution volunteers.
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Evergood Sausage Co. for the donated sausages for our sign crew's lunch!
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Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling for the beverages at the ABC and Volunteer gatherings.
- Johnny's Donuts for the treats at the CPR, AED and First Aid training.
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Minuteman Press for the super FAST printing and delivery of our Festival music schedule and map!! Want one? Swing by the office!
- Mike Heller and Scott Hampton for their assistance marking the roads at 4:30am!
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Volunteers NEEDED for the Lafayette Art & Wine Festival!
We are looking for people who aren’t afraid to jump in and help with set-up and breakdown of the festival. If you’re interested in helping, please email ginny@lafayettechamber.org.
When: Friday, September 16th 7:00-10:00pm
What: Set up of Beer & Wine Booths (6 volunteers needed)
-Help distribute and organize contents of beer & wine booth (approximately 25 booths)
-Hang signs
Where: Meet at the Mercantile Garage Car Door Entrance on Lafayette Circle (across from Bank of the West Parking lot)
When: Saturday, September 17th See times below
Where: Lafayette Chamber Office
What: Office Greeter at the Volunteer Center: Help direct Volunteers where to be!
1 Volunteer 8:00am-12:00pm
1 Volunteer 12:00-3:00pm
1 Volunteers 3:00-6:00pm
When: Saturday, September 17th 7:00am-9:00am
Where: Meet at the Mercantile Garage Car Door Entrance on Lafayette Circle (across from Bank of the West Parking lot)
What: Final Festival Touches
3 Volunteers needed
When: Sunday, September 18th See times below
Where: Lafayette Chamber Office
What: Office Greeter at the Volunteer Center: Help direct Volunteers of where to be!
1 Volunteer 8:00am-11:00am
1 Volunteer 4:00-6:00pm
When: Sunday, September 18th 5:30-9:00pm
What: Take Down of Festival (10+ volunteers needed)
-Remove Contents of Beer & Wine Booths and return to Chamber Offices
-Remove Signs
-Clear trash
-Make Downtown Lafayette beautiful again!
Where: Meet at the Mercantile Garage Car Door Entrance on Lafayette Circle (across from Bank of the West Parking lot)
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Important Information about Lafayette Art & Wine Festival Marketing
We have 3 important messages about marketing for the Lafayette Art & Wine Festival on Sept. 17 & 18.
- There have been reports of email solicitations asking you buy an attendee list. THIS IS SPAM. Do not click any links or respond to the message. The Lafayette Chamber does not make public our vendor contacts nor do we collect attendee information.
- We hope you will share your participation and excitement about the Festival. However, if you would receive a social media comment selling tickets to the Festival, please block/delete/report as fraud. Tickets to the event are only sold to the public during event hours. Tickets are not for sale online. Admission is FREE to the Festival, tickets are sold only for drinks.
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Since we have not held this event in 3 years, there are a lot of new community members who do not know this community building event is the must-go-to event of the year. Please share far and wide! You can obtain logo, map, photos, press release and more using this link: https://lafayettechamber.org/aw-assets.
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Lafayette Art & Wine Festival - our Commercial Vendors!
Don't miss your chance to learn more about your fellow Lafayette Chamber members! The following commercial vendor businesses will be at the Lafayette Art & Wine Festival on Sept. 17 & 18!
We are completely SOLD OUT for festival booths but we are seeking additional community groups for volunteer opportunities. Contact Ginny at ginny@lafayettechamber.org if interested in participating. Artist space may still be available through Eckerstrom Productions.
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Lafayette Res Run for Education
- one t-shirt sponsorship
- water station sponsorship
- Healthy Lifestyles Fair sponsorship
Contact AJ for sponsorship information.
Interested in participating in the Healthy Lifestyles Fair? Reach out to AJ for information.
Race Day is Sunday, October 23, 2022: 5k, 10k (around the Lafayette Reservoir), or 2 mile fun walk/run. 5k: 8am, 10k: 8:15am, 2 mile: 8:45am. The start and finish line is in downtown Lafayette between Safeway and the RoundUp Saloon. The Reservoir Challenge (Virtual Race) runs October 13-22, 2022.
Looking to sign up a group? Contact Ginny ASAP! Race packets that include our traditional long sleeve t-shirt and race bib will be available early October.
Support OUR schools. Register TODAY! The first 100 students from each school will receive a voucher at packet pickup for a 1/4lb of bulk candy from Zoonie's!
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS – Are you ready to get involved?
Petitions to run for the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors are now available at the Chamber Office, 251 Lafayette Circle. It can also be downloaded here. The petition must be signed by five current Chamber members and returned to the office by September 15. The term of office for the new Directors will be January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2024. Voting will take place between October 1-20. Ballots will be mailed to all Chamber members.
The Chamber Board is comprised of 17 elected representatives, 2-3 appointed directors-at-large, and a few non-voting advisors. The Board is the policy making arm of the Chamber and has final authority in all decisions affecting the organization. Our 2023 Chamber President Elect is Rebecca Troxell, owner of Rebecca’s Vault. Board members are required to attend, at their expense, the annual Planning retreat in January and monthly Board meetings. In addition, they are expected to actively serve on at least one Chamber committee. For more information or to obtain a petition, call the Chamber office at 284-7404.
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BE KIND 21 FOOD DRIVE
Now through Wednesday, September 21, 2022
Pledge To #Bekind21 – make kindness habit
Born This Way looks forward, toward a future that supports the wellness of young people through an evidence-based approach that is fiercely kind, compassionate, accepting, and inclusive. We celebrate the individuality of those we serve and we revere the bravery it takes to reach out and start the conversation. Together, we’re building a community that provides approachable resources, fosters genuine connection, and drives action.
The Food Drive will begin on Monday, September 5 and end on September 21. With the support of your friends and family, the money you raise will provide food to the 1 in 9 local residents that turn to the Food Bank for help.
Locations of Food Drive Drop Off Points:
Which is better to donate – food or money?
Both food and funds are important in the work to end hunger.
- Use a credit card over the phone by calling 855-309-FOOD
- Mail a check to Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, 4010 Nelson Ave., Concord, CA 94520
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Email us at support@foodbankccs.org
Is there anything I should NOT donate?
Please do not donate glass containers, open or partially used products, alcohol, or foods more than 1 year past their “best-by” date. Please do not put cash or checks in the collection bins. Please give money to Food Bank staff or mail checks.
MOST-NEEDED FOODS
When thinking about what food to donate, we always suggest to pick out healthy, nonperishable food you would like to eat if you were hungry. Some of our most-needed foods are listed below as a guide.
- Natural Peanut Butter
- Whole Grain Cereals
- Hearty Low Sodium Soups
- Beans and Lentils (dry or canned)
- Canned Tuna and Chicken in Water
- Canned Fruit in Juice
- Nonperishable Low Sodium Ready
- to Eat Meals (chili, ravioli, etc.)
- Low Sodium Canned Vegetables
- Brown Rice
- Whole Wheat/Grain Pasta
- Canned Tomato Products
Make this one of the random acts of kindness you do during these 21 days of “Being Kind.”
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Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) Notifications - Sign up!
PG&E customers and non-account holders should sign up for notifications for any address they care about to stay informed about Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS). Address Alerts might be helpful if:
- You want to know about a PSPS at your home, work, school or other important location
- You are a tenant and do not have a PG&E account
- You need to stay informed about a PSPS affecting a friend or loved one
- Multiple members of your household want to be notified
It is important to remember that if you signed up to receive these alerts prior to June 2022, you will need to re-enroll for each address, to continue receiving these notifications through June 2023. To sign up for alerts for any address that is important to you or a loved one, visit www.pge.com/addressalert.
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PFL Grant Money for Small Employers
Small businesses in California with 1-100 employees with at least one (1) employee who have utilized California’s Paid Family Leave (PFL) program (on or after June 1, 2022) are eligible to apply for grants up to $2,000 to offset the increased costs associated with their employee(s) out on leave.
California’s Paid Family Leave program allows California workers to take paid leave to bond with a new child (through birth, adoption, or foster care) or to care for a seriously ill family member.
Back on July 1, 2020, the PFL program expanded benefits from six (6) to eight (8) weeks for all businesses regardless of size. At that same time, the legislature as expanded the California Family Rights Act, which provides up to a twelve (12) week non-paid protected leave to eligible employees working for businesses with 5 or more employees (whereas previously the employer only needed to employ 50 or more employees). These changes may have caused a hardship for you and this grant program is designed to less the financial burden on employers. Learn more here.
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Energy Savings Tips from PG&E
Here are easy ways to lower AC costs and still stay cool indoors during the prolonged heat.
- Adjust thermostat to 78 degrees or higher, after cooling the home to below-normal levels in the morning. Turn it off when away from the home.
- Replace filters monthly Dirty air filters make the air conditioner work harder to circulate the air. Clean and/or replace air filters monthly to improve energy efficiency and reduce costs.
- Close shades in the afternoon Sunlight passing through windows heats the home and makes the air conditioner work harder. Customers can block this heat by keeping blinds or drapes closed on sunny days.
- Avoid using the oven. Instead, cook on the stove, use a microwave or grill outside.
- Enroll in PG&E’s new program, Power Saver Rewards. The free, voluntary program rewards participants for temporarily reducing energy use when demand is high. By conserving energy during Power Saver Rewards events coinciding with Flex Alerts customers earn $2 for each kilowatt-hour (kWh) of energy saved. It’s easy to enroll and get rewarded for reducing energy use.
PG&E funds the operation of existing county- or city-run cooling centers throughout the state. These centers help fill a critical need for those who might not have the financial means to cool and shelter themselves from very hot and prolonged temperatures. To find a Cooling Center near you, call your local city or county government, or call PG&E’s tollfree Cooling Center locator line at 1-877-474-3266 or visit pge.com/coolingcenters.
Customers can also enroll in free programs including Bill Forecast Alerts, and Budget Billing to spread energy costs evenly throughout the year. Additionally, eligible customers may be able to sign up for income-qualified programs offering a monthly discount including the California Alternative Rates for Energy (CARE) and the Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) Programs. Some customers may also qualify for the Energy Saving Assistance Program offering free improvements to make the home more efficient, safe and comfortable. If the elevated heat leads to outages, PG&E has a plan to address any issues that come from the high temperatures and crews monitoring the situation are ready to respond.
PG&E’s plan includes closely monitoring grid conditions and having restoration and repair crews ready to immediately respond to potential heat-related outages.
We encourage customers to be prepared, stay cool and hydrated and practice safety by developing an emergency plan and checking in on neighbors.
Outage safety tips
Here are ways for customers to stay safe if outages occur:
- Have flashlights, radios, and fresh batteries ready. Use battery-operated flashlights, not candles, which pose a fire hazard.
- Unplug or turn off all electric and heat-producing appliances (e.g., air conditioners, washers and dryers, ovens, stoves, irons) to avoid overloading circuits. Overloaded circuits can be a fire hazard once power is restored.
- Leave a single lamp on to alert you when power returns. â–Ş Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed, and place extra containers of ice inside to preserve food. A full freezer will remain colder longer.
- Keep important numbers (e.g., hospital, fire department, police, friends, relatives) near the phone.
For more tips on how to stay safe and save energy this summer, visit pge.com/summer.
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The Weekly Roundup, September 2, 2022
➡ Appointment of City Council Candidates
➡ Planning Commission Considers “Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance”
➡ Create a Habit of Kindness Towards Yourself and Others with the BeKind21 Challenge
➡ Final Roadwork for This Year’s Surface Seal Project
➡ Drawing for Below Market Rate Homes at The Mill on Brown
➡ Check Your Mailbox for the Latest Issue of Lafayette Vistas
➡ Take Precautions for Weekend Heat
➡ Neighbors Helping Neighbors: Be Part of the Solution!
➡ Earthquake Warning Tools Available
➡ Lafayette Police Department Statistics for June and July 2022
➡ 13th Annual Senior Symposium Next Saturday, September 10
➡ It’s Back! Join us at the Lafayette Art & Wine Festival on September 17 & 18
➡ Friends of the Lafayette Library Host Sweet Thursday Author Series on September 15
➡ See Two Exciting Public Art Exhibitions at the Library
➡ Community Events and Meetings
➡ Public Meetings
➡ Community Briefs
➡ Cultural Observations and Celebrations
Shop Local eCard Program is Supporting Local Businesses: Buy a Shop Local Lafayette eCard and receive double the value to spend at participating businesses in Lafayette! Limit two bonus cards per purchaser. For full details, visit www.lovelafayette.com/eCard.
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#BeKind21 - Lafayette Chamber of Commerce
The Lafayette City Council has proclaimed the days of September 1 to September 21, 2022, as "BeKind21" in the City of Lafayette.
Read more
lafayettechamber.org
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You're invited to BART's 50th Anniversary Celebration on September 10
Saturday, September 10, 2022 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., Lake Merritt BART Station and Plaza in Oakland
In 1972, BART began serving the region which makes this year a significant milestone for BART and the Bay Area. BART is turning 50 years old and are planning a public celebration. The event will include food trucks, music, games, prizes, and the opening of a time capsule. Learn more at https://www.bart.gov/50years.
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Lafayette Social's Golden Happy Hour
All Lamorinda Seniors, please join us for Lafayette Social's Golden Happy Hour on Tuesday, September 13th at 4:30pm.
Expect warm smiles, some delicious appetizers provided by our refreshment sponsor, Abbey Dykhouse of The Aevus Group, and lots of engaging conversation with other golden-agers.
Previously listed at Amphora Nueva, instead we'll be right next door, at The COOP!
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PG&E Virtual Bay Area Town Hall
On Tuesday, September 13 from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m., we are inviting our customers to join us for a virtual town hall to learn more about what we are doing to serve them and their communities. We’ll be discussing our regional approach to improving operations, bolstering safety and delivering better outcomes for our customers. During this town hall, attendees will have a chance to ask questions and share feedback with the PG&E team, including Regional Vice President, Aaron Johnson.
We encourage you to join and:
- Meet PG&E’s regional leadership team
- Hear about recent work
- Learn about wildfire prevention efforts, including safety outages
- Prepare for wildfire season with safety updates
- Provide feedback and ask questions of the local leadership team
Telephone Dial-In: (669) 444-9171
Conference ID: 867 2213 6552
To access the webinar event or view recordings of past wildfire safety webinars you can also visit pge.com/webinars.
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Mt. Diablo Business Women - How To Banish Burnout!
As everyone talks about leaving the pandemic years behind, you might wonder about the stress you’re still feeling—and whether there’s any way to get out of that space for good.
Janice Litvin’s lively, interactive session will give us a wonderful method to uncover and change the individual behaviors that are keeping us on the road to burnout. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about the “Banish Burnout Toolkit” from the wellness expert who created it!
Mt. Diablo Business Women's meeting is also a perfect opportunity for networking before, during and after the meeting. Enjoy the friendly, welcoming and relaxed experience that MDBW is known for!
Wednesday, September 14, 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
The Greenery - 1551 Marchbanks Drive, Walnut Creek
Lunch includes a salad buffet & iced tea. Other beverages may be ordered and paid at the meeting.
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Retirement Planning Today® Course
In Retirement Planning Today®, you’ll learn exactly how to plan for retirement, organize your finances and develop a personalized plan that empowers you to reach your long-term goals. Prepare for the future by discovering how to save money on taxes, manage investment risks and protect your assets from potential long-term health care expenses.
LEARN HOW TO:
â– Determine the amount of money you need to retire
â– Create your own goals for a "successful retirement"
â– Plan your retirement income to preserve a comfortable standard of living
â– Eliminate debt and improve cash flow
â– Properly convert your IRA to a Roth IRA
â– Select the retirement plan distribution choice that is right for you
â– Transfer the risk of potential financial losses before or during retirement
â– Reduce or eliminate taxes, expenses, delays and legal challenges with estate planning
ATTENTION: PLEASE MAKE SURE TO TYPE IN THE QUESTIONS OR REQUESTS SECTION THE FOLLOWING: Found through the Lafayette Chamber
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Do you have an event or announcement to share with our membership and/or the community? You can add your event to our online calendar, no login required (we simply need to approve it before it will display.) Add your event HERE. Questions? Contact holly@lafayettechamber.org.
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From the Lafayette Library and Learning Center |
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Sweet Thursday presents Kirstin Chen: Counterfeit
Thursday, September 15, 2022, 7:00 PM | Don Tatzin Community Hall
Money can’t buy happiness... but it can buy a decent fake! The latest from NY Times best-selling author Kirstin Chen is a Reese's Book Club pick that tells the story of two Asian American women who band together to grow a counterfeit handbag scheme into a global enterprise. It’s a blend of fashion, crime, and friendship. The myth of the "model minority" is explored through these unforgettable women, determined to demand more from life.
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Show Your Membership!
Would you like to include a Lafayette Chamber membership emblem on your website or other marketing materials?
The Lafayette Chamber would be happy to provide you with the appropriate logos. Simply email your request to holly@lafayettechamber.org.
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Sign up for Text Notifications!
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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