With this column comes the uncertainty of what I’ll write about and what you end up reading. Sometimes I know the topic weeks in advance, other times I have a few ideas and then change at the last minute as I did with this one. At first I was tossing around the idea of an o... — Updated 3/3/2021

Let me guess, your first thought was “oh no, not another report about the virus.” Sorry to disappoint, but this column has to do with the weather, blooming flowers and visitors. Within the last week the Chamber has been getting calls daily from people all over the country ask... — Updated 2/15/2021

To say “change is in the air” is a huge understatement, and a certain fact of life. One of the major changes Borregans are going to see is all of the new faces of new residents. The Chamber would like to send a warm welcome to our new residents and a few words to help you adj... — Updated 1/26/2021

As we transition into 2021, a last-minute decision was made to postpone the Borrego Springs Film Festival. Our hopes are to have it later in the year. On to the deny or comply topic, which is about a split-second decision I was recently faced with in the grocery store parking lot... — Updated 1/6/2021

As 2020 comes to a close, many of us are breathing a sigh of relief. Not that we won’t be experiencing frustration, confusion and sadness in 2021 (let’s be realistic), but we do have strong signs of hope that will help in the healing of our minds and bodies and that we can loo... — Updated 12/31/2020

The word educates opens my world to an entirely new meaning. On February 11, 2021, I will have been the Executive Director of the Borrego Springs Chamber of Commerce for one year. Frankly I can’t believe how fast time is going by, what I also can’t believe is how much I’ve learn... — Updated 12/16/2020

New Interns: We want to thank our new BVA Hospitality Interns Maria Arias and Tateanna Berry, Juniors at Borrego Springs High School. Because of the new guidelines Maria and Tateanna will be back at the Chamber in January. Chamber supports the community cleanup organized monthly... — Updated 12/9/2020

As the holiday season is truly upon us, there is one thing we know for sure – these holidays will be like none other. We’ll all be fighting the urge to visit family and friends, along with the inner struggle of making the right decision. There is no easy answer except to con... — Updated 12/1/2020

I’d like to start by applauding the Borrego Sun for their investigative reporting on the Borrego Community Health Foundation and breaking this important story wide open. As a journalist, I know hours upon hours have been spent on this story and the Sun isn’t finished yet. Oft... — Updated 11/18/2020

The snowbirds are starting to arrive, and so are the visitors. The volume of daily calls to the Chamber has doubled in one week, and with it, we hear a lot of confusion about outdated information still posted on websites, Yelp, Google, Facebook and other social media sites. I... — Updated 11/3/2020

When the Borrego Springs Chamber Farmers Market closed in March, we had nonstop calls asking when and if it will be back. The Chamber is happy to announce a soft opening on October 23, 8 a.m. to noon at Christmas Circle. I say soft opening because we are still in the process of... — Updated 10/21/2020

In this issue, I’m cutting right to the chase. Whether you’re a Chamber member or not, create a Google page for your business, it’s free. August was hot; everything was closed and not much to cheer about. Now one month later businesses are reopening, the weather is cooling down... — Updated 10/6/2020

Over the last six months, my knowledge of what a Chamber does has been stripped to the bare bones and mentally rebuilt. Chambers are technically described as individual organizations, known as a chapter. While the guiding principles for each chapter are different, many of their... — Updated 9/18/2020

By the time you receive this issue, it will be September, talk about how crazy fast the summer has gone by, now if only the heat would get going as well! Normally I’m not sure what I’ll be writing about until I sit down to write the column, however, in this case I knew exactly whe... — Updated 9/8/2020

A couple of weeks ago, the Chamber received an email from Joe Gabaldon at SDG&E letting us know that SDG&E was going to be sending out care packages containing PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) to businesses/organizations nominated by the local Chambers. He said this was all... — Updated 8/21/2020

August hiatus at the Chamber is here, which only means we are closed to visitors, and the volunteers have a month off. What it also means is that staff will be in and out working on the following things: Embrace Borrego Guide – With an October 2020 release (or sooner if p... — Updated 8/10/2020

As I’ve been slightly avoiding a Chamber progress report as the Executive Director, I’m now ready to go for it! The Chamber Board hired me on Feb. 11, around 9 a.m.; I officially started working at 10 a.m., that same day. My thoughts were “I’m here, so why not jump right in.” An... — Updated 7/14/2020

As my last post was a long report, this column is focused on thanking those who I don’t think hear it enough, yet are essential in helping us get through this historic time in Borrego Springs. First on the list are Chamber volunteers Judy Lewis, Mike Himmerich and George Thompson.... — Updated 7/8/2020

Emotions are running high around the world right now, and the constant “are we” or “aren’t we” doesn’t help. I’m referring to the reopening of businesses – when we thought that closing down was difficult, we had no idea how challenging reopening would be. From not knowing when ce... — Updated 6/16/2020

As our weather in Borrego Springs goes from hot and windy, to cool and windy, then to those perfect days where it’s just delightful, some are saying summer is here. Don’t be too eager, as summer officially begins on June 20. Also ever changing is the State and County’s plans for r... — Updated 6/4/2020

Today’s news is old news with the way things are changing, so if some of my references are now happening, my apologies. Before I mention Chamber news, I think it is time to start accepting the fact that businesses will begin to reopen. I use the term accepting because there are r... — Updated 5/13/2020

As we welcome spectacular weather to Borrego we also want to start off with a huge “Welcome” to new Chamber members and business owners Matt Davis & Jason Collins who recently took ownership of Borrego Springs RV Storage. Davis and Collins are eager to get involved in the communit... — Updated 5/7/2020

Before I discuss anything else in this report, I want to encourage all small business owners (500 or less employees) and non-profits to apply for EIDL – Economic Injury Disaster Loan through the U.S. Small Business Association at sba.gov. The application is very easy to fill o... — Updated 4/15/2020

By the time you read this it will probably be old news, and because of that, it is hard to answer most of the questions the Chamber receives including, “How will the virus affect the community’s economy?” Before I try to even go there, I want to congratulate the business owner... — Updated 4/8/2020

It’s been a while since you’ve heard from the Borrego Springs Chamber of Commerce & Welcome Center, and that’s changing right here! Speaking of change, you’ll see a lot of that happening at the Chamber, as the exterior has been painted, our sign will be getting a new look, l... — Updated 4/3/2020