SFCC Newsletter / January 2022
Chairman's
Note
Casey Whitmarsh
SFCC Chair
As we start 2022, I want to take this opportunity to thank the Chamber Board who, despite the challenges of Covid, worked tirelessly all year long to help you, our members, grow your businesses by planning networking opportunities and offering marketing resources.
Over the last year, despite the hurdles we’ve all had to deal with, the Chamber has been able to offer members ample opportunity for a R.O.I. on their membership. We’ve offered several virtual opportunities for guidance and networking with our frequent webinars on topics such as ‘Navigating Paycheck Protection Program Loan Forgiveness’. Our first-ever Business Summit last April featured an entire day of FREE virtual sessions on topics such as starting a business, hiring for your business, why hiring veterans and military spouses is good for business, and the benefits of digital marketing and networking.
Throughout the year we welcomed many new members by supporting their grand openings and ribbon cuttings. As more and more people felt comfortable gathering, we went back to hosting in-person networking events. Those who attended these events last fall were able to reconnect with fellow Chamber members and make new connections too.
All of this was possible because many of you upgraded your membership to a Sustaining Membership and encouraged fellow business owners to join the Chamber. We realized several years ago that the one-time, life-time membership model the Chamber had been operating under was unsustainable if we wanted to provide R.O.I. to our members and be a partner to the Lorton/Fairfax communities. The change we made in early 2020 to move to an annual Sustaining Membership has allowed us to host networking events, participate in local community events such as the Lorton Holiday Extravaganza, hold donation drives on behalf of some of our non-profit members such as Lorton Community Action Center and GreenDrop, and sponsor educational and informative webinars throughout the year. We are able to support the South County Athletic Boosters while offering the opportunity to our members to have a presence in the Booster Sports Programs throughout the year. By sharing the cost of advertising, it becomes affordable for everyone. We also support our local Supervisors and the annual Spring Teen Job Fair.
Our social media has grown tremendously over the last two years and traffic to our website is consistently on the rise. The community is utilizing our community calendar and social media platforms to keep abreast of all the local happenings.
This is all possible through the support of our Sustaining Members. If you have not upgraded your membership yet to an annual membership, I urge you to consider the upgrade. The benefits are numerous (i.e., increased exposure for your business, networking, professional development opportunities) and the support to the Chamber is vital to the continuation of all the SFCC does for its members and the community.
Take advantage of the Business Showcase Special currently being offered to all new members and Legacy members who upgrade to Sustaining. Make your mark while supporting the Chamber’s efforts to continue offering networking and marketing opportunities to all of our members.
As we look ahead to 2022, the SFCC Events Committee is planning our next networking opportunity. Details will be announced as soon as we feel comfortable with the ever-changing pandemic. We are also hoping to host a gala fundraiser as our annual event in April. All will be dependent of course on Covid but I hope we have your support when we are able to move forward with these social events.
As your Chamber Chair, I want you to have the best return on investment for your membership, but I need your support to continue the great progress and growth of the past year.
Happy New Year,
Casey Whitmarsh
SFCC Chair
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SFCC Community Outreach
#SFChambercommunitypartner
L to R Top: Groundbreaking for new Lidl at Liberty Market, Groundbreaking for new SoCo Police Station & Animal Shelter, collecting pantry items for LCAC at Lorton Fall Festival
L to R Bottom: Lorton Holiday Extravaganza, donating to LCAC, clothing drive with GreenDrop
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#SFCCsupportingmembers
Business Showcase Special Jan 1 - Feb 15 Don't Delay!
Upgrade to an annual Sustaining Membership January 1- February 15, 2022 and receive a complimentary month of digital marketing across all the Chamber's social media platforms!
Facebook: Three different posts - spaced a minimum of 5 days apart
Twitter: Eight tweets – no more than 3 in one week - up to four different designed tweets
Instagram: Four posts – no more than 2 in one week
LinkedIn: Three different posts - spaced a minimum of 5 days apart or a link to your blog
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Special Thanks
to the Laurel Hill Golf Club and the Holiday Inn Express Lorton
Our continuing thanks to Laurel Hill Golf Club, General Manager Ryan Carmen and the Holiday Inn Express of Lorton, Director of Sales Erica Lee for offering meeting facilities free of charge to the Chamber for our monthly Board of Directors meetings and other events throughout the year.
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Upcoming Events
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- Jan: Weekends in January The Mystery of Edwin Drood at the Workhouse
- Jan 10: National Clean Off Your Desk Day
- Jan 17: Martin Luther King Jr Day
- Jan 20: SFCC Board Meeting
www.southfairfaxchamber.org for more details.
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South Fairfax Chamber of Commerce | PO Box 68 | Lorton, VA 22199
