2020 has been a particularly difficult year for many of us, and is ending with another health order preventing businesses and community organizations from operating in a normal way.  Some even call the guidelines established by CDC , state and local health departments as “the new normal”.

We want to encourage everyone to support the local businesses – now more than ever your patronage may make the difference in whether a local restaurant, store or service will be here next year.  Our community, your neighbors and friends, are relying on each of us to help them, just as they have been there for us these many years.

Think of our local stores, restaurants, and services when making out your holiday shopping list – many of us have gift certificates available for purchase to give as holiday gifts.  If you are a local business who would like to sell gift certificates but don’t have the resources to create the document yourself, contact us at the chamber and we will be happy to help.

Together we can have a Happy Holiday season and prepare for the New Year to come.

Stay safe, wear a mask.

Hi El Sobrante,

This month, I would like to give a special shout-out to the Green Team, who worked tirelessly to clean up litter and weeds in El Sobrante in July. This was a much-needed operation to improve our special town and we are so appreciative of their efforts, especially during this pandemic.

The Green Team will be participating in another clean-up event on August 8^th. If you have any questions or would like to help and/or donate buckets, gloves, etc., please contact Holly Anne at hollyanneo@yahoo.com.

Please remember to wear your masks! We wish you all the best of luck and as always, please let us know how we can assist you.

Again, thank you to the Green Team & the El Sobrante Community!

– Lauren Hanley

Hi El Sobrante,

We hope you are all staying healthy and happy. I want to reach out to everyone to let them know that we are here for you. Please continue to keep safe, and if your business is open, continue to protect your customers. There is a new COVID-19 testing facility at Kennedy High School in Richmond. Please call 1-844-421-0804 to book an appointment.

If you need any promotions, please reach out to us at info@elsobrantechamber.com. We are offering commercials to our Chamber Members, courtesy of our awesome Board Members, especially Tom Lang and Judy Ward. If you know of non-members who want to promote their business, please have them reach out to us too.

We are doing our best to continue to help our community. If you have any suggestions, please email us and let us know how we can assist. Our purpose is to serve you.

I look forward to seeing you all soon!

Lauren Hanley

Hello El Sobrante,

I hope you are all safe and doing well.

During these difficult times, it’s comforting to see so many people coming together to help other residents and businesses in our community. It’s clear that in El Sobrante, we feel strongly about taking care of each other, and we act on it. As you may know, we have started a Masks Matter program. Many of our members and others in the community have come forward to lend a hand by donating masks. If you would like to donate, please contact Scott Tuffnell for a no-contact pick-up of your masks.

If your business is open, please contact us at info@elsobrantechamber.com so we can help promote you. We are putting together a guide of all businesses that are still in operation. We will include your address, contact information, your COVID-19 safety measures, and your hours of operation.

I wish you all the best of luck and I look forward to when we can see each other again!

Lauren Hanley

Hello El Sobrante,

I hope you and your loved ones are all safe and doing well during these trying times.

In our small community, there are so many ways to help others. We can order delivery from local restaurants, support other businesses through remote work, offer assistance to the elderly by providing meals, and generally being civil to one another. We have received many emails from community members offering to help those who need assistance. We are overjoyed to receive this outreach and are so grateful to have such fantastic people around us. Thank you!

If you can offer any support to your community, please let us know. And if you need help with anything, please also let us know. We will be sending out several emails to local residents and businesses, and are planning on setting up a forum so we can make sure every community member is taken care of. If you have a local business, let us know if you’re in operation, offering sales, needing assistance, or anything we (or you) can do to help others. We will gladly help promote you, free of charge.

We are all in this together. I am grateful to be a member of such a caring and wonderful community. Please remember that the Chamber is here to serve YOU. Take advantage of that.

Thank you and stay safe,

Lauren Hanley
President

Hello, everyone! I’d like to use my first About Town message to thank everyone for their support as I step in as President. When I was asked to join the Board of Directors a year ago, I was thrilled to immerse myself further in our amazing community. It’s been an honor to be involved in our Board meetings, morning seminars, mixers, scholarship parties, and of course, the fantastic El Sobrante Stroll.

I’d like to thank the El Sobrante Chamber Team for their support and great ideas. Everyone in El Sobrante is more fortunate because of their hard work. I’d especially like to thank Scott Tuffnell for his faith in me, his friendship, and for selling me a great house! I know that any success I have as President is because I can rely on Scott and the rest of our Board, Officers and Staff to help me along the way.

I’m excited about 2020 and the future of El Sobrante!

Lauren Hanley

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It has been extremely gratifying to serve as President of the Board of Directors for the Chamber for the last three years.  I am humbled by the level of commitment and dedication exemplified by the members of the Board, who voluntarily gave up many nights, weekends and more to serve this community, month after month, year after year at board meetings, other civic board meetings, community social events, community pride events, and neighborhood clean –up and security watch events.

While it is almost too easy to look back at the past year, or years, and recite accomplishments and short-comings I’ve had, I would much rather look forward to the future, hoping my foresight is as clear or better than my hindsight.  I will save my “year in review” remarks for the upcoming Installation Dinner, January 25, 2020.

The new Board of Directors will be sworn in at the annual Installation dinner on January 25^th.  Look for the invitation, open to all, in this newsletter and on our website. I am very excited to serve under president-elect Lauren Hanley this coming year. The 2020 Board of Directors will be a great mix of experienced, and dedicated leaders ready to take on the challenges of the new year.  I will step back into a role of Director, and support the vision of the President and the Community to continue to make a better place for us all.

Thank you for your support and for the opportunity to be of service.

May 2020 be a healthy, prosperous year for everyone.

Scott

We have arrived at the end of the calendar year 2019. It is also near the end of my third term as President of the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. As I prepare to leave office in January, I have been taking stock on what we have done together as a community, and what I plan to do next to continue in service. But, as that sounds more like a speech than a message, I will save those thoughts to share at the Installation Dinner Banquet in January. Look for a save the date notice in this month’s newsletter and on the website. Until then, my wife Jenny and I wish everyone a healthy, happy holiday season filled with hope and prosperity for all.