Bolingbrook Chamber ready to take on new year

The Bolingbrook Area Chamber of Commerce is ready to meet the challenges 2021 is sure to bring. “We are still in pandemic mode,” said Executive Director Kevin O’Keeffe. “So we’re operating under 2020 parameters, etc.

“However, with the vaccine and declining positivity numbers we have a much more hopeful outlook,” he said. The BACC hit the ground running this week with a Zoom presentation on the second round of COVID assistance recently made available. Barb Piesz, a business banker at Wintrust, presented to about 20 chamber members on Tuesday. She discussed the lastest round of assistant including the Paycheck Protection Program as well as the status of previous programs.

Other programs for January include a virtual update on COVID current events from AMITA Bolingbrook Health Center (Jan. 19) and an in-person business after hours with the Young and New Professionals Association (Jan. 26). As an events-based Chamber, 2020 presented a host of challenges for the BACC. However with a brighter outlook for 2021, the BACC is ready to resume a more “normal” schedule of events.

“We’re starting to plan some of our annual signature events,” said O’Keeffe. “Of course we’re going to abide by whatever state mandates are in place, but we need to start planning.” The first big event for 2021 is the annual State of the Village on Thursday, Feb. 18; details are still in flux as everyone awaits information from the state.

“The State of the Village will definitely have some sort of virtual component but we’re still working it all out,” said O’Keeffe. Other Signature Events planned for 2021 include Best of Bolingbrook Business Gala in late spring, the annual Golf Extravaganza in June and Taste of Bolingbrook in August.

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