To Be Active, or Not to Be, That is the Question
There is a great debate and divide in our country over a myriad of issues: Republicans vs Democrats; Trump, for him or not; Russian Meddling in Elections; Gun Control, Taxes, Sexual Discrimination, Privacy, Gerrymandering, Whose Button is Bigger? etc. The list is endless and the debate is never-ending. Passions are inflamed and civility can be lost in the haze.
In today’s environment, based on my observation, more and more people are engaged. People are taking an interest. People advocate passionately for their view points. Engagement seems to be at peak levels with people
of all ages, race, ethnicity and beliefs weighing in. People who have been content to watch from the sidelines are getting involved for the first time. Apathy does not seem to be the order of the day.
Regardless of your persuasion and view point, I think we can all agree that engagement, connections, involvement and passion are all good things. Being disconnected or disengaged isn’t.
I think the hallmark of our Chamber is the ability and willingness to engage with each other and forge relationships and connections for our personal and business growth. As an organization, we’ve gone beyond “me” to “us” and have contributed and supported our local community, with the 911 Memorial, the SHOP LOCAL campaign and more recently our support of SNAP (Special Needs Autism Program). Our Paid Up Membership Dinner was a perfect illustration of this—over 100 people came together for a night of networking, camaraderie, entertainment and fun. Our new Women’s Group is another illustration of people wanting to engage and expand their horizons. People have said that our Chamber is one of the best on Long Island (We were nominated as one of the Best of Long Island!) and also one of the most active, with interesting meetings, speakers, events and programs. We’ve been successful because our members have jumped in, participated and made all of these things possible.
New opportunities for leadership and engagement are on the horizon. We’re having elections for Board members in May and there will be new seats open for election. Make your mark, get involved, run for election. Get involved in a Commitee–Membership, Scholarship, Community, Budget, Events, etc. New energy and new ideas are always needed and welcomed and will help keep our Chamber vibrant and relevant.
Don’t forget our networking event to celebrate and support SNAP on March 14th at the Mid-Island Y. It’s going to be a fun night—mark your calendar and come on down. Mark your calendar for our April 10th networking event at Chocolate Works (did someone say Chocolate?). Don’t forget our Annual Golf Outing on June 28th, which promises a day of fun in the sun. RSVP ASAP!
Our next meeting on March 21st features Todd Ringler speaking about “What’s your business worth and why you need to know it?” It’s an important topic that’s critical for your business’ health and future.
Check the calendar of events on the Chamber’s website for other upcoming events and news. Watch your emails for election news. (We won’t tolerate Russian meddling!) We’d love to have you run and take on a leadership role in the Chamber.
What was the Question? To Be Active or Not to Be? Easy answer—Be Active. Be Engaged. Be Connected. It’s the only way to go!
Looking forward to seeing you soon!