It was a truly unique and challenging year for local businesses, and the Rio Vista Chamber of Commerce stood with members in trying to deal with the upheavals brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Looking back, although the Chamber could not keep the Visitor Center open and staffed after April, they were able to accomplish a significant list of activities on members’ behalf due to the vigorous work of its board and volunteers. These included:
- Sportsmen’s Expo – produced a new publication, Adventure Guide to Rio Vista and Our Delta, and handed it out along with members’ info to more than 2,000 participants over 3-day event in January 2020
- Business Mixers for members and non-members held in January, February
- Home Based Business meetings started to initiate conversations about how the organization can respond to these businesses’ special needs
- Annual Dinner held in February to recognize winners of civic awards
- Sidewalk Saturdays were held in August, September and October to encourage residents to visit downtown merchants and restaurants
- Annual Spirit of Solano recognition given to the Rio Vista Beacon newspaper
- Monthly newsletter plus special reports with valuable information about COVID regulations and business assistance programs from US Chamber of Commerce, Congressional Representatives Garamendi and Frazier, the Solano County SBDC and other organizations sent out each month to their email list of 400 businesses and residents.
- Solano County COVID Relief Grant Program was promoted by the Chamber in partnership with the Solano Workforce Development Board, and over $100,000 was awarded to 11 local businesses
- Bass Derby Merchandise sales started, with a logo reading “The Derby That Got Away”
- Frequent articles contributed to the Beacon about local businesses and activities
- New Operations Director appointed in April
- Mask Sales begun with masks carrying Rio Vista, paw prints, American flag and other images
- Marketing Push on gift certificates in May and December, to encourage more people to shop local
- Rio Vista Means Business Video program begun, with local businesses creating unique promotional videos for their businesses at a special low rate
- 12 Days of Christmas Online Auction conducted in November, featuring 13 items including local goods and services
- Holiday list of businesses hours created for dissemination through the newspaper and our newsletter/e-mail blasts