Chamber Announces Revised Plans For Remainder Of 2020

Press release from the Glenview Chamber of Commerce:

June 10 2020

Chamber announces revised plans for the remainder of 2020

With Illinois’s strict Covid-19 plan limiting the size of get togethers, Glenview’s Chamber of Commerce, representing some 500 local businesses, hit “pause” earlier this year. Then, the Chamber quickly began publishing updates about what businesses are doing for their clients and customers during the Covid pandemic. (To receive email updates, write to meghan@glenviewchamber.com.)

Now the group has announced its 2020 plans for the traditional events that Glenview counts on, including Summer Fest, which typically draws some 10,000 neighbors and friends.

Canceled are two favorites: Summer Fest and Blocktoberfest. “That’s because it’s not until Phase 5 of the state’s Restore Illinois Plan that large festivals and celebrations are going to be allowed and the regulations will not be met in time to safely hold these events,” explained Betsy Baer, executive director. Last year’s Blocktoberfest brought some 5,000 neighbors together in a street-side celebration. “The businesses loved launching these events,” notes Baer. “It is one way we contributed to Glenview’s small town, family-friendly atmosphere. We look forward to our 2021 versions”

Undaunted, the Chamber is still at work, she says, reinventing programs and events. One tradition is coming through nearly unchanged. On August 18th the Chamber’s Golf Outing at Glenview Park Golf Club, will be the first “back in the saddle moment,” open to members and nonmembers, and scheduled for the Glenview Park Golf Club. Other standards the community knows and loves will be back as well: The Holiday Parade (in a new static version), will happen the Saturday after Thanksgiving—and Santa has agreed to be there, with treats (no contact) and fun. Leadership Glenview, which brings together and trains tomorrow’s civic leaders, is on the docket, as is the State of the Village presentation, pending Phase 4. Meanwhile, we’re hoping to offer a back to the fifties old- fashioned Drive-in Movie series in the fall.

Still other programs are in the works. Businesses have coalesced to launch special offers every day of the week. Tuesday, for instance, is Beat Boredom Day. Thursday is Take-out Thursday, which offers a prize for customers who participate. To join in, visit the Chamber’s Facebook page.

About the Chamber: As a 95+ year old nonprofit, Glenview’s Chamber is dedicated to ensuring that Glenview is a great place to live, work, and own a business. The Chamber sponsors community events, runs business-building programs, and generates several community publications. More information is available at www.glenviewchamber.com. #

Village Proposal Programs
Training Education and Economic Development-(Revisited for COVID reality):

• Story behind the Storefront aka Business Community Conversations—The interviews for immediate presentation will be handled via zoom and turned into You Tube presentations. They will include businesses in a variety of categories and we will roll out 6 in the early summer. These will be placed on the Village site (Go Glenview page) and on the Chamber You tube site. The first six will be comprised of businesses handling the Covid reality in different ways. We will not be able to involve GBS for this first round of interviews but will hope to work with Josh Koos and GBS as soon as possible.
• Education—the Chamber has been offering an Access the Experts series with a focus on sharing information geared to get funds and resources in our businesses hands. We have taped zoom sessions ready to share that include : How to Position your Business for Pick-up and Delivery Success, Marketing Madness- Pivoting Your Business to Profitability, How does the CARES act impact your taxes and business, How Northfield Township can assist in these times along with more topics to come
• We Love Local (formerly known as my 1.75%)—The Chamber has been compiling and sharing with residents lists of our businesses who are able to offer services during this time. We are working with the Village to keep these lists up to date and are sharing pushing the information out to residents and the business community. We are inviting businesses to be part of our shopping promotions for Mother’s day, Father’s day and graduation along with our Take out Thursday Facebook campaign to showcase our restaurants. Beginning shortly we will expand the campaign to cover 6 other segments of our business community to our residents. Additional elements of this campaign may include a lawn sign offering so that residents can show that “they” Love Local.
• Data Updates --Our team is working directly with Jeff’s team compiling updated information from a variety of lists so that there are working emails contacts for as many Village businesses as possible.

New programs for approval

• Movie series: We would like to offer a movie night series (4 perhaps) to run through late summer/early fall for families to enjoy. We would engage the business community, inviting them to offer food or snacks that could be pre-purchased and picked up or delivered to cars. In speaking with Jeff, we identified some possible locations like the parking lot at Park Center or the top parking deck at Glen Town center to host these evenings.
• Raffle/drawing to benefit the business community. Please take a look at what Park Ridge is planning as we are considering this kind of program for our community as well http://www.tasteofparkridge.co...

Chamber member events

• Golf Outing—working with Ron Cassidy with the hope that we can have this Aug. 18th socially distant and hopefully with one person per cart. Box lunches and maybe a really great take your dinner home pack too.

With Illinois’s strict Covid-19 plan limiting the size of get togethers, Glenview’s Chamber of Commerce, representing some 500 local businesses, hit “pause” earlier this year. Then, the Chamber quickly began publishing updates about what businesses are doing for their clients and customers during the Covid pandemic. (To receive email updates, write to meghan@glenviewchamber.com.) Now the group has announced its 2020 plans for the traditional events that Glenview counts on, including Summer Fest, which typically draws some 10,000 neighbors and friends.

Canceled are two favorites: Summer Fest and Blocktoberfest. “That’s because it’s not until Phase 5 of the state’s Restore Illinois Plan that large festivals and celebrations are going to be allowed and the regulations will not be met in time to safely hold these events,” explained Betsy Baer, executive director. Last year’s Blocktoberfest brought some 5,000 neighbors together in a street-side celebration. “The businesses loved launching these events,” notes Baer. “It is one way we contributed to Glenview’s small town, family-friendly atmosphere. We look forward to our 2021 versions”

Undaunted, the Chamber is still at work, she says, reinventing programs and events. One tradition is coming through nearly unchanged. On August 18th the Chamber’s Golf Outing at Glenview Park Golf Club, will be the first “back in the saddle moment,” open to members and nonmembers, and scheduled for the Glenview Park Golf Club. Other standards the community knows and loves will be back as well: The Holiday Parade (in a new static version), will happen the Saturday after Thanksgiving—and Santa has agreed to be there, with treats (no contact) and fun. Leadership Glenview, which brings together and trains tomorrow’s civic leaders, is on the docket, as is the State of the Village presentation, pending Phase 4. Meanwhile, we’re hoping to offer a back to the fifties old- fashioned Drive-in Movie series in the fall.

Still other programs are in the works. Businesses have coalesced to launch special offers every day of the week. Tuesday, for instance, is Beat Boredom Day. Thursday is Take-out Thursday, which offers a prize for customers who participate. To join in, visit the Chamber’s Facebook page.

About the Chamber: As a 95+ year old nonprofit, Glenview’s Chamber is dedicated to ensuring that Glenview is a great place to live, work, and own a business. The Chamber sponsors community events, runs business-building programs, and generates several community publications. More information is available at www.glenviewchamber.com. #

Village Proposal Programs
Training Education and Economic Development-(Revisited for COVID reality):

• Story behind the Storefront aka Business Community Conversations—The interviews for immediate presentation will be handled via zoom and turned into You Tube presentations. They will include businesses in a variety of categories and we will roll out 6 in the early summer. These will be placed on the Village site (Go Glenview page) and on the Chamber You tube site. The first six will be comprised of businesses handling the Covid reality in different ways. We will not be able to involve GBS for this first round of interviews but will hope to work with Josh Koos and GBS as soon as possible.
• Education—the Chamber has been offering an Access the Experts series with a focus on sharing information geared to get funds and resources in our businesses hands. We have taped zoom sessions ready to share that include : How to Position your Business for Pick-up and Delivery Success, Marketing Madness- Pivoting Your Business to Profitability, How does the CARES act impact your taxes and business, How Northfield Township can assist in these times along with more topics to come
• We Love Local (formerly known as my 1.75%)—The Chamber has been compiling and sharing with residents lists of our businesses who are able to offer services during this time. We are working with the Village to keep these lists up to date and are sharing pushing the information out to residents and the business community. We are inviting businesses to be part of our shopping promotions for Mother’s day, Father’s day and graduation along with our Take out Thursday Facebook campaign to showcase our restaurants. Beginning shortly we will expand the campaign to cover 6 other segments of our business community to our residents. Additional elements of this campaign may include a lawn sign offering so that residents can show that “they” Love Local.
• Data Updates --Our team is working directly with Jeff’s team compiling updated information from a variety of lists so that there are working emails contacts for as many Village businesses as possible.

New programs for approval

• Movie series: We would like to offer a movie night series (4 perhaps) to run through late summer/early fall for families to enjoy. We would engage the business community, inviting them to offer food or snacks that could be pre-purchased and picked up or delivered to cars. In speaking with Jeff, we identified some possible locations like the parking lot at Park Center or the top parking deck at Glen Town center to host these evenings.
• Raffle/drawing to benefit the business community. Please take a look at what Park Ridge is planning as we are considering this kind of program for our community as well http://www.tasteofparkridge.co...

Chamber member events

• Golf Outing—working with Ron Cassidy with the hope that we can have this Aug. 18th socially distant and hopefully with one person per cart. Box lunches and maybe a really great take your dinner home pack too.

This press release was produced by the Glenview Chamber of Commerce. The views expressed here are the author’s own.