May 10, 2021 Weekly Digest
Chairman's Circle Members
Happenings in and around the Chamber!
Welcome to Our New Member!

Happy Monday!

One of the most positive news from last week was Governor Pritzker's announcement that we are moving to the Bridge to Phase 5 this Friday, May 14. What this means for the Chamber is more in-person opportunities for our events. Great timing for our May 20th Inspire awards as more people can attend as we honor all of our fantastic award winners! Please join us - we will be following IDPH guidelines for safety.

He also set June 11 as a target date to totally open with no capacity limits (Phase 5). Click here for the Bridge description. You can read the entire press release, too.

Kane County Health Department Updates

Did you know that the Kane County Health Department has a YouTube channel? They do and you can find periodic updates about various health-related issues in Kane County, particularly related to COVID-19 and vaccinations. View their videos here.

Madam Chair Corrine Pierog has begun a monthly "Coffee with the Chairman," an informal talk show broadcast via YouTube. Her first one came out on March 26 and included Chamber member Sal Dazzo of Gun Barrel Coffee; watch it here. Her second coffee, dated April 27, features special guest Illinois Senator Karina Villa.

Apply Now for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund!

Applications opened last Monday for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF). All eligible restaurants, bars, and other food and beverage businesses should submit their application immediately via the application portal.

During the first 21 days - until May 24 - the SBA will prioritize reviewing applications from small businesses owned by women, veterans, and socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. Applicants who have submitted a non-priority application will find their applications remain in a Review status and should not anticipate any outreach from the SBA during this period. 

After the first 21 days, all eligible applications enter "IRS verification" stage. Funds will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis until all of the $28.6 billion in direct relief funds are exhausted. Approved applicants should expect an average of 14 days for processing, review, approval, and funds distribution, the SBA said.

For those applying, you can review the sample application, program guide and cross-program eligibility chart on SBA COVID-19 options.

Apply for PPP by May 31

In April, the deadline to apply for the Paycheck Protection Program was extended to May 31st. The PPP is an SBA-backed loan designed to help employers keep their employees on payroll. If the required conditions are met, recipients can apply for loan forgiveness. All details of the program are available on the Small Business Administration website.

We continually update our home page, bataviachamber.org when new resources and information comes out. Also, check our calendar for new events from us and the community.

As always, we are now, and will be in the future, here for you.

Most sincerely,

Margaret, Patti and Shirley
Your Batavia Chamber of Commerce Staff
Congratulations to Wilson Street Mercantile!
The Batavia Chamber of Commerce was thrilled to celebrate the opening of Batavia Chamber member Wilson Street Mercantile, 222 E. Wilson Street in downtown Batavia with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, May 5.

Wilson Street Mercantile features handmade, curated and gourmet goods. The charming retail space showcases products from Light and Pine Collective, Desmond Brown, The Other Half, and The Unboring Granola - all graduates of the 2020 Batavia Boardwalk Shops. An ever-changing selection of goods will keep drawing you back for more browsing. Shop owners are Jenni Zielke and Suzy Ray of Light and Pine Collective, Kelly Desmond of Desmond Brown, Kasey Hoag of The Other Half, and Max Mong of The Unboring Granola.

Business hours for Wilson Street Mercantile are Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Thursday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Visit their Facebook page for the latest information, including special events.
Register Now for Our Signature Event of the Year!

We are excited to celebrate all of our award honorees on Thursday, May 20. Sponsorships are still available; please contact Patti Anselme, Special Events Coordinator, for more details. She can be reached by calling (630) 879-7134, Ext. 3; or via email patti@bataviachamber.org.
Upcoming Ribbon Cuttings
Mark Your Calendars and Join Us!
Join us on Wednesday for our monthly structured networking event. You'll get ample time to tell the group what is going on with your business and talk about any specials or special events. Register today!
Fox Valley Chambers of Commerce have once again pooled our resources and talent to launch another fantastic educational series. Please register for one or all of the remaining Business Builder series. These events are virtual, taking place on Thursday afternoons from 1 to 1:30 p.m. These sessions are a member benefit, so take advantage of this opportunity!
Grab a sponsorship while they last!
Email patti@bataviachamber.org for more information.
Are you running low on Chamber Bucks?
You can restock anytime!
They are perfect for friends, family, teachers, colleagues, employees...everyone!
We update our list of participating merchants as we receive new merchants. Do you want to add your business? Call (630) 879-7134.
Stop by the office to purchase your Chamber Bucks today!
News and Updates from Our Members

Batavia Enterprises is pleased to announce their rebranded and updated websites to better define, and detail services provided by BEI Commercial Real Estate, Miscella Real Estate and In Towne-Self Storage. The rebrand also aligns the partnership, wonderful referral sources and commitment to their customers throughout many aspects of real estate. To check out the new websites head to www.bataviaenterprises.com or www.beicre.com for more infoRead the entire press release.

Fox Valley Habitat for Humanity reports that CBS News Chicago did a story on Fox Valley Habitat’s Operation Home American project. The segment features Rebecca Ropp a female Veteran that is excited about the prospect of homeownership, along with Jeffrey Barrett, CEO, as the spokesperson for FVHH.

View the news story here: 
Upcoming Business & Community Events
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Batavia Chamber of Commerce | (630) 879-7134 | Shirley@BataviaChamber.org |www.BataviaChamber.org