There has been a void in our community for the past few years on July 4. Many of us run or walk the Mount Evans Freedom Run and then we go home! That is changing this year. Stay tuned for more details to come, but do not make plans to go out of town this year. Old-fashioned family fun will be had right here in Evergreen!
One of the tenents of Chambers of Commerce is “Chamber supports Chamber.” We encourage our members to always look to other Chamber members when they need a good or service. When someone calls, emails, or stops by our office for a referral to a business, we will only refer them to members of our Chamber. At our Chamber events, I am always looking for ways to encourage our members to seek out and support other members. The disconnect I see is that of community pages on social media websites.
When I was growing up, my mother often told me and my siblings that “if you cannot find something nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” With so much of our communication these days being electronic—text, email, a post on a social media site—that requirement of having to look someone in the eye when you say something that is not nice is lost. And it makes it easier to say something that tears someone down. There is the added complexity that we cannot detect someone’s tone in a plain text or post. Novelist and playwright Edward Bulwer-Lytton first penned the expression, “The pen is mightier than the sword” in 1839—almost 200 years ago! The updated version of this is the fingers on the keyboard are mightier than the sword.
I recently learned of a local “Don’t be a Rufous” campaign. I have seen stickers that say “Don’t be a Rufous” and, honestly, I had no idea what that was all about. After a little research, I learned that a rufous hummingbird is extremely territorial and attacks other hummingbirds that come to the feeders. Not stopping there, rufous hummingbirds have been seen chasing chipmunks away from their own nests. Residents Erin Myers and Natalie Woodall are the geniuses behind the stickers, imploring us all: “Don’t be a Rufous.”
At the Chamber, I like to work from the mindset of abundance. If someone calls our office wanting to join our Chamber from outside of our community, my first response is always to ask if they are already a member of their local Chamber. I’ve always loved how the owners of the insurance agencies in our community are friends; they partner with one another, and they pass on leads if there is a policy they cannot write. There is an abundance for all.
There is no need for anyone to be a rufous, so please remember that this is a small community, and if you did not have a positive experience at a local business, that is truly your experience. There really is no need to share this experience with everyone else. If you do not have something nice to say about someone or some business, then don’t say or type anything at all.
Upcoming Events
Monthly Breakfast
Wednesday, April 3, 7:30 – 9 am
Location: Fountain Barbecue
TOPIC: Chamber Supports Chamber, breakfast and networking. Registration is required.
“Business Unplugged” After Hours Business Mixer
Thursday, April 11, 5 – 7 pm
Location: Apple Aire Join us for some fun and lots of networking. Register in Advance
