Keep spirit of giving

During this busy season, if you can catch your breath, it’s a good idea to read a book that lifts one’s spirit. One of my favorites by Barbara Milo Ohrbach is “All Things Are Possible Pass the Word.” We see examples of so- called miracles daily.

Whether it is LARC’s Festival of Trees, Torrington’s famous Christmas Village, Noble Horizon’s Festival of Trees, KidsPlay, the Nutmeg’s Nutcracker, Chorus Angelicus, toy drives, food collections for the soup kitchens or purchasing an angel for the youth service bureau, all are proof that the spirit of the season is alive and well.

The chamber recognizes that this unusual period in which we live and work requires the involvement of all of you who work with both non-profit and for-profit organizations to make good things happen. Our hope is that this tradition of giving continues throughout the year and is reflective of your business success. In order to maintain this spirit, here are some Chamber ideas to encourage you to stay involved.

Investigate the resources available to business: Watch for the Boston Federal Reserve Working Cities Challenge through the collaboration of the city of Torrington, the chamber and regional partners. Come to a

Our hope is that this tradition of giving continues throughout the year and is reflective of your business success.

Learn at Lunch or a Member to Member Seminar.

Help us prepare the legislative agenda: Take a look in the spirit of collaboration and cooperation

as the Government Relations Committee prepares the roadmap for 2018. The challenges are huge as we face the high costs of doing business and will require unusual measures to find creative solutions that deal with the fiscal situation, job creation, energy, healthcare, education and taxes.

Read to children: Your spirits will soar when you volunteer for the annual NW CT Read Aloud Day 2018. We encourage you to read to school children throughout the entire region. Please call us to sign up for this February 14th initiative.

SCORE: In more ways that you

can imagine by setting up an appointment with one of our service corps of retired executives to assist you in updating and / or preparing your 2018 Business Plan. Resources abound when you invest in valuable time with informed counselors.

Let’s maintain this spirit…together

we’ll make it through these demanding times.