A Great Start to the New Year!

                Hope you are enjoying a Wonderful New Year filled with hope, good fortune and prosperity. We would like to begin by thanking all of our Chamber Members and community supporters for your ongoing support! We wouldn’t be able to do this without you!

               In January, we launched the Quincy Business Roundtable, a series of FREE workshops held on the 3rd Wednesday of the month in collaboration with Sierra Small Business Development Center. The topic was “What Lenders Want From Borrowers.” The presenters included Clint Koble, Jessica Carr and Leslie Williams. Clint encouraged the importance of a strong Business Plan when applying for financing, and the group discussed the 5 C’s of Lending: Capacity, Capital, Collateral, Conditions and Character. It was very informative and a great opportunity to provide support for local business owners and professionals. These workshops are located at the Feather River Adult Education Consortium classroom on the corner of Main Street and Bradley Street. The next one is scheduled for February 15th “Business Planning and Feasibility.

               Up next, we are busy planning for the beloved Groundhog Fever Festival. Our annual fundraising event features the Chili Cook-Off and many fun activities including Whip Cream Wrangle, Flip Cup Flight, Honorary Mayor of Quincy Award, Facial Hair Frenzy and of course the hilarious dating contest THE BACH. Our local celebrity Chuck Wood will be tested to see his shadow and provide his Winter Prediction. The Quincy Jr./Sr. High School S-Club is helping with the setup and tear-down. Our Board Members will be selling tickets, pouring wine and providing information about joining our Chamber and being active in our community. We look forward to gathering with our friends, family and neighborsfor food, drinks, shopping, and good times.

               We've had some recent changes to our Chamber Board; Alex Westerberg, co-owner of American Valley Hardware, has stepped down from his position as Chamber Director. Alex's wife Alida, co-owner of American Valley Hardware, has agreed to come on board to fill his position. We gladly welcome Alida and her thoughts and experience as a local business owner in guiding our Chamber forward in the coming months.

              Our staff member Rayen is the new addition to our team, and is providing support with updating our newsletters, website and social media. She is also providing outreach to our current and prospective Chamber Members. Cheryl recently attended another Chamber Coalition meeting with other Chambers throughout Plumas and Sierra Counties; we look forward to future momentum and furthering our relationships! Board Meetings continue monthly on Zoom video chat. We have one open board position and encourage a local business professional to join us. The Board is discussing new insights from the annual GrowthZone Chamber Survey, which sparked interest for organizational goals and future ideas including developing a Strategic Plan.

               Here's to an AMAZING start to 2023!