Chamber E-News - April 22, 2020

JOIN US ON FRIDAY NIGHT FOR THE FIRST-EVER SEWARD VIRTUAL BAR HOP!

Date: Friday, April 24, 2020
Time: 6:00 - 10:00 pm
On Facebook Live & Zoom

To provide community and support employees affected by closures in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, Seward’s local bars and Chamber of Commerce are hosting a virtual bar hop fundraiser on Friday, April 24, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. through Facebook. The night will include trivia, live music, dancing, and laughs shared with friends while fundraising for industry employees who are out of work due to the coronavirus.

Seward’s nightlife helps supports a sector of our community, the bartenders, barbacks, swampers, repair and maintenance people, singer/songwriters, performers, actors, and artists that rely on these venues for work. Seward’s bars also provide a place for locals to socialize and interact, to build community connections.

We are all struggling to connect during the pandemic, so local bar owners are working together to bring Seward’s bar scene onto your screen. With precautions to abide by all Alaska state and federal health mandates, the community has come together to create a digital activity - a virtual bar night hosted on Facebook.

The tenative schedule is as follows:
6:00 -7:30 pm - Live Pub Trivia
(The Yukon Bar)
7:30 - 8:30 pm - Tyson & Friends (acoustical music)
(The Seward Alehouse)
8:30-10:00 pm - Dance Party w/ DJ Hank (dance music set)
(Tony's Bar)

This Virtual Bar Hop is just one of many ways that the Seward Chamber of Commerce is helping to support all levels of Seward’s economy and the many friends and neighbors who have been affected by mandated closures. Not only will it fundraise for locals out of work, it will also bring the town together to foster and rebuild a sense of community during these trying times.

Be sure to check out the Facebook event page for more information.

SMALL BUSINESS HOUSEKEEPING TASKS

April 21, 2020, by Marissa Amor

Small businesses across the world are feeling the impact of COVID-19, especially those that rely on summertime traffic. It may be hard to see a silver lining in all of this, but look at it this way: you can finally have time to work on some tasks you have been putting off and make changes that will help you and your business come out of this stronger and more focused than before. Here are some tips and resources you can use to help refine your business during this time.

READ THE FULL BLOG POST AT SEWARD.COM

AK STATE HEALTH MANDATES, ALERTS & PHASE 1 PLANS

"As we experience seismic changes to our way of life, know that your government is here for you, ready to provide Alaskan families and businesses with the resources they need. I’m honored to witness Alaskans across the Last Frontier answering the call of service and saying, ‘I can do that.’ Together, we will protect the health and wellbeing of our friends and neighbors, and Alaska will emerge stronger and more resilient than ever." - Gov. Mike Dunleavy

Bure to check covid19.alaska.gov regularly for updates to specific Health Mandates and Alerts, and information for how your business can safely and legally operate moving forward.

COVID-19 ECONOMIC RELIEF FOR ALASKA'S SMALL SEAFOOD BUSINESSES

Date: Friday, April 24, 2020
Time: 12:00 p.m.

Hosted by Alaska Sea Grant

The CARES Act was created to provide economic relief to those affected by the Coronavirus pandemic. In this webinar, we will cover provisions for small businesses through the SBA and local unemployment offices, CARES Act tax provisions, and economic relief through the State of Alaska. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A.

Alaska Sea Grant is a trusted source of information and assistance for Alaska fishermen and seafood businesses, through the FishBiz program. Join us for a presentation and discussion on Zoom with our experts from around the state. Free online registration is required. REGISTER HERE

SURVEY: SPRING 2020 CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALASKA'S FISHERMEN

At SalmonState, we are focused on action that helps guarantee that Alaska remains a place where wild salmon and the people who depend on them thrive. As independent fishermen and small-business owners, we are faced with unique short and long-term challenges. To help ensure that small boat independent fishermen’s voices are communicated and reflected in federal, state and local responses to this crisis and fisheries adaptations, please take a couple of minutes to fill out this survey. COMPLETE SURVEY HERE

NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION - BLUEPRINT FOR RECOVERY - LETTER TO CONGRESS

The National Restaurant Association has prepared a "Blueprint for Recovery" that outlines how Congress can improve the industry’s chances for survival. Centered around a $240 billion Restaurant and Foodservice Industry Recovery Fund, this plan would provide dedicated government funding, tax credits, and much more to help restaurants prepare for current and future challenges as they recover.

Please take a few moments and contact your Representative and Senators—tell them that restaurants, employees, and consumers need Congress to act on the "Blueprint for Recovery," so that your restaurant can survive the long road to recovery. LEARN MORE & SIGN HERE