CHAMBER BLOG

The Greater Bethesda Chamber of Commerce
  • Who We Are
    • Mission & Strategic Plan
    • Board of Directors
    • Our Team
  • Membership & Benefits
    • Join The Chamber
    • Benefits of Membership
    • Membership Directory
    • GBCC Affinity Programs
    • Member to Member Discounts
    • Sponsorships & Forum Club
    • Committees & Groups
    • Member Login
  • Calendar & Events
    • Chamber Calendar
    • Member Calendar
    • Webinars & Virtual Events
    • Sponsor & Host
    • Annual Events
    • 31st Annual Golf Classic
    • Healthcare & Wellness Expo
    • Photos & Highlights
  • Community & Advocacy
    • COVID-19 Resources
    • Advocacy
    • Community Resources
    • Business in Greater Bethesda
  • Blog
  • Connect With Us
    • Contact Us
    • ChamberWatch
    • Members in the News
    • $ >
      • Pay Dues
      • Pay for an Event
      • Donate
    • Social Media

From Where I Sit: A Message From Our Chair, Anna Behnam

4/12/2021

0 Comments

 
Happy Spring!  March marked the 1-year anniversary of the COVID-19 World-Wide Pandemic.  It’s hard to believe that it has been one year. At times, it felt like 10 years and in other aspects, it felt like the last 12 months flew by.
 
During that dreaded and fearful March of 2020, the Dow Jones Industrial Average had dropped by nearly 36%.  All of us were in fear for our health, our families, our children, our jobs and our savings.  With that historic market drop came a scary time for small businesses.  Restaurants that rely on patrons to enter their doors were forced to close. Some for numbered days while others forever. Every business in Bethesda (and worldwide) was affected in one way; most in a painful way. I remember putting my children to sleep one night in late March and just sitting outside their bedroom door, on the floor and wondering what will be.  What will become of our family, our community, our county and even what of our world.  I cried silently in the darkness of our home. That day I was not able to see the light.

​​Fast forward to today – SPRING 2021.  The sun is shining and the birds are singing.  There is hope in the air. There is a sense of “I can”.  Many of our businesses are either reopened or in the process of reopening.  Our local banks worked hard with our member businesses to secure PPP loans, to refinance debt and to help our businesses remain on their feet.  Our Chamber and many members provided much need food for our local community. Our Chamber kept its doors open the entire time, helping with legislation, funding, or at times just lending an ear.  We made it through this.  We made it TOGETHER.
 
As I sit here today, I know that we will be fine. I know that we will be stronger and better than we were before.  I see it.
 
Allie has been working overtime to introduce new members into our community; to take care of our current members and to continue to make connections so that all of our members can prosper. Our Board is continuing to plan for future growth and our Executive Committee is strategically planning the steps we need to take to reach our goals.
 
My ask of you is that you get involved, attend an event and refer a friend to our Greater Bethesda Chamber of Commerce.
 
Together, we will rebuild, regrow and reconnect.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Welcome!

    Our Chamber Blog is designed to provide you information about The Chamber, our members, advocacy and legislative updates, and important business tools.

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    November 2022
    October 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019

    Categories

    All
    Advocacy
    Committees And Groups
    Community
    COVID
    Events
    Goodwill Dinner
    Guest Blogger
    Health & Wellness
    Member Benefits
    Networking
    Professional Development

    RSS Feed


​​​Member Directory
Event Calendar

Become a Sponsor
​Contact Us
Member Login
Picture
Copyright 2022 The Greater Bethesda
​Chamber of Commerce.  ​
​All Rights Reserved.



​Phone: (301) 652-4900
​​​staff@greaterbethesdachamber.org 
​7910 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 1204
​Bethesda, MD 20814
​

MemberClicks
  • Who We Are
    • Mission & Strategic Plan
    • Board of Directors
    • Our Team
  • Membership & Benefits
    • Join The Chamber
    • Benefits of Membership
    • Membership Directory
    • GBCC Affinity Programs
    • Member to Member Discounts
    • Sponsorships & Forum Club
    • Committees & Groups
    • Member Login
  • Calendar & Events
    • Chamber Calendar
    • Member Calendar
    • Webinars & Virtual Events
    • Sponsor & Host
    • Annual Events
    • 31st Annual Golf Classic
    • Healthcare & Wellness Expo
    • Photos & Highlights
  • Community & Advocacy
    • COVID-19 Resources
    • Advocacy
    • Community Resources
    • Business in Greater Bethesda
  • Blog
  • Connect With Us
    • Contact Us
    • ChamberWatch
    • Members in the News
    • $ >
      • Pay Dues
      • Pay for an Event
      • Donate
    • Social Media