We wanted to share a few updates regarding the recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene:

Montgomery County Chamber

We are using our Chamber as a drop off location for Feeding SW Virginia. They will take the items to areas in the New River Valley and SW VA. Click here for the list of items most needed. We are also setting up a blood donation date at the Chamber, but that is TBA at this time. 

Region A.H.E.A.D. Activates for Donations to Small Businesses Affected by September Flood

A trusted organization that raised more than $250,000 in grants to small businesses in the region severely affected by COVID has reactivated to do the same for small businesses devastated by the September 27^th flood in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. During the pandemic, Region A.H.E.A.D. (Appalachian Highlands Economic Aid Directory) began to inform consumers of small businesses that remained open during COVID, then evolved into a fundraising organization providing grants to Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia small business owners who applied. Corporate and individual donations to the Region A.H.E.A.D. fund will be administered through the FTDD Foundation. To learn more, click here.

US Chamber Foundation – National Disaster Help Desk

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation manages the National Disaster Help Desk. They activate to support disaster-impacted communities and their businesses, if needed in your recovery effort. The Disaster Help Desk can be reached at 888-MY-BIZ-HELP (or 888-692-4943). The Help Desk will provide coordination of information among businesses, local chambers of commerce, nonprofits, government, and disaster recovery specialists. They also have disaster quick guides that may be helpful:

https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/solutions/disaster-response-and-resiliency/disaster-quick-guides

These guides provide local chambers and small businesses with practical tools and resources to help your chamber and businesses better understand what steps to take after an event occurs.

VACCE is pleased to partner with Teri Smiley and Starfish Partnerships for our All Things Chamber Webinar Series. This is perfect for new staff members or a refresher for current staff.

The All Things Chamber bundle provides pre-recorded material, averaging a hour per module, plus downloadable notes pages of the slides and additional PDF documents. Participating chambers will have access to the website through December 2025.

The fee for the program is $195 per chamber. CLICK HERE to register. Participating chambers will also be invited to a private Facebook group for Q&A and connecting with fellow chamber members across the country. 

The Virginia Chamber is pleased to work with our VACCE members to inform and enroll the business community regarding the WiseChoice Healthcare Alliance. If you are interested in receiving additional information on the WiseChoice Healthcare Alliance, or need tips on how to market the Alliance to your membership, please email Hannah Emerson.

Virginia Chamber President & CEO to Retire in 2025

Barry DuVal recently announced his plans to retire as President & CEO of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce in early 2025. He was born and raised in Virginia and grew up in Newport News. Barry DuVal served as Mayor of Newport News from 1990-1996, Secretary of Commerce & Trade for Virginia from 1998-2002, and was selected as President and CEO for the Virginia Chamber of Commerce in April 2010. Click here for the full press release.

Lumin Strategies

Have you missed our free advocacy trainings for chamber leaders? We offer one live each month, but you can catch up on our playlist right here and learn about topics like: 

• The 2024 Election: How Not to Step In It
• 5 Mistakes Chambers Make When Adopting Their Legislative Agenda
• Friends, Frenemies or Worse: Working with Your Local Government
• How to Fund Your Advocacy Program
• Childcare: A Business Issue

ChamberRVA

Mission Tomorrow, in partnership with Junior Achievement of Central VA, is Richmond's premier career exploration event for students. This dynamic fair connects around 12,000 eighth graders with over 100 local businesses through interactive activities and discussions. Designed to introduce students to high-demand careers, Mission Tomorrow helps them make informed decisions about their high school coursework and future career paths. The event will take place Tuesday, October 22-Thursday, October 24.

Charlottesville Regional Chamber

The Chamber's Leaders Lab of Greater Charlottesville recently began its third year training local leaders in collaborative community problem-solving. Twenty-eight individuals will meet monthly for nine months to build their leadership skills, learn about local issues, and practice cross-sector collaboration in a diverse group representing local businesses, nonprofits and institutions. Click here to learn more.

The Chamber and the City of Charlottesville's Office of Economic Development proudly present a new series of “Future of Talent” events, diving deep into the evolving landscape of work. In a series of three events scheduled for September 12, October 23, and November 14, small business owners and hiring managers are invited to learn and share fresh ideas for attracting great talent and building a strong team. The fall event series will feature ten expert speakers sharing how to “maximize your people power” by understanding the multi-generational workforce, recruiting from specialized populations, and cultivating new talent with apprenticeships and internships. Click here to learn more.

Culpeper Chamber

We are excited to announce that the Chamber's Young Professionals Charity Crab Feast was a great success! With the generous support of attendees, volunteers, and contributors, we raised over $4,500 for Aging Together. This event marks the culmination of the Young Professionals' fundraising efforts throughout the year, as they have worked tirelessly to support this vital charity. Our total year of fundraising has now reached $6,500. The evening showcased the power of community as we enjoyed delicious food, wonderful music, and great company—all for a worthy cause. We are grateful to everyone who made this event possible; together, we are making a meaningful impact in the lives of those in need.

Danville Pittsylvania Chamber

The Chamber will host a free event for the public featuring candidates running for Danville City Council and Danville City School Board. The format will feature five minutes of comments by each candidate. Questions will be collected at the door and will be answered as time permits. The event will be live streamed to the Chamber’s Facebook page at dpchamber. Click here for the full release.

Fredericksburg Regional Chamber

The Chamber’s Leadership Fredericksburg program will host the Leadership Fredericksburg Annual Celebration on Friday, October 4th at 5:30 PM at the A & B Creative Events Center. This annual event highlights and celebrates the positive contributions of community leaders who continue to make a significant impact since graduating from the Leadership Fredericksburg program. Click here to learn more.

Hampton Roads Chamber

Happy Fall from the Chamber! Seasonal programming has begun and we are looking forward to hosting several outstanding programs this month!

We kick it off with one of our largest events of the entire year, The State of the Region! We are also proud to be hosting the 2^nd Congressional Debate on October 11 and a Young Professionals Summit through our YP Program, tHRive on October 17. Finally at the end of the month, we throw our Halloween Mega Mixer, the largest business expo in town!

Speaking of expos, last month we hosted our best one yet in the City of Suffolk! We are excited to share that our expos keep getting better and bigger and we can’t wait to see what the 2025 ones will be like! Last month, we also hosted a record number of ribbon cuttings as we said goodbye to summer, held our annual Legislative Reception and we reconvened our Executive Committee after taking time off for a short summer break. We are heading into Q4 energized and already looking forward to the new year! 

Highland County Chamber

Highland County, Virginia introduces an updated Highland County Barn Quilt Trail Brochure. Discover the names and stories behind 80 colorful wooden squares and diamonds that adorn barns and buildings, including many Chamber Member businesses, throughout the county. Get your copy as an extra incentive to visit us during the annual Hands & Harvest Festival on October 11 – 13, 2024. 

Learn more at https://www.highlandcounty.org/barn-quilt-trail/.

Lexington Rockbridge Chamber

The Chamber will be hosting a Candidates Forum on Tuesday, October 22 from 6 - 8 PM at the Hampton Inn-Historic District in Lexington. The offices will be City of Lexington Mayor, Lexington City Council, and US Congress - 6th District.

Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance

The Chamber is pleased to welcome Hayden Regitz who will serve as their new Direct of Marketing & Communications.

Northern Virginia Black Chamber

The Chamber is excited to announce a new strategic partnership with Northwest Federal Credit Union that will provide its members with enhanced financial services and opportunities. This collaboration is designed to support the growth and sustainability of member businesses by offering easy access to essential financial resources, including a clear path to gaining access to capital. Click here to learn more.

Virginia Asian Chamber

My Lan Tran, Executive Director of the Chamber, was recently invited to the University of Richmond to receive the UOR’s “Community Education Award" from its Center for Civic Engagement for the Asian Chamber’s efforts in mentoring hundreds of its students from diverse majors ranging from business to leadership development. The Community Educator Award is bestowed to individuals or organizations in the Richmond community who have made a significant impact by sharing their knowledge and expertise with students, faculty, and staff. 

Virginia Hispanic Chamber

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month - September 15-October 15

The Virginia Hispanic Chamber, the VirginiaHispanic Foundation, and its partners will host several events for the community to explore and learn about Hispanic/Latino culture. We hope you can join in on the festivities and please be sure to check back for further updates on upcoming events throughout Hispanic Heritage Month. We highlight events throughout the state of Virginia, as well as, surrounding regions. "Hispanic Heritage Month is a powerful reminder of the invaluable contributions Hispanic individuals have made to our nation's culture and economy,” said Michel Zajur, President and Founder of the Virginia Hispanic Chamber. “This is a time to celebrate our diversity and strengthen the bonds that unite us as a vibrant community."

ACCE

Events and Communications Conference - Registration Open

Join us for ACCE’s Events and Communications Conference, October 16 through 18 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. We will welcome both new and more experienced professionals from chambers of all sizes working in the events, programs and communications areas. Learning and discussion will take place in workshops, general sessions, smaller breakouts, and peer-led roundtables. CLICK HERE for more information and to register.

Mark your calendars for #ACCE25 scheduled for July 22 - 25, 2025 in Philadelphia, PA. Check out the video here for the new host city!

IOM - 2025 Winter Institute Registration Now Open

We look forward to another amazing year at Tucson. Click here to go to the general Institute registration page, or continue reading for individual site information and registration pages.