Forward Janesville - TheReport - First Quarter 2021

2020 VISION Just 12 short months ago, we kicked off the 2020 New Year with a vibrant economy, jobs for anyone wanting to work, and a housing market that was robust. Then COVID-19 hit and nearly decimated everything. Reflecting on the year behind us, we have endured, but not without great cost. Looking ahead, we enter 2021 with great hope and anticipation, with vaccines that may bring to a close or at least mitigate the effects of the pandemic and restore business, schools, communities, and lives back to what we used to call normal! Our lives have diverged in many unexpected directions. I doubt anyone could have envisioned what 2020 would bring, and, certainly, we cannot predict what lies ahead in 2021. However, as with any disaster, whether it be a pandemic or an economic collapse, we have no choice but to focus on the present and invest in our future with optimistic perseverance. At Forward Janesville, as our name implies, we indeed are turning our eyes toward the future and investing in it – investing in you, our members! A GAME CHANGER While no two businesses were affected by the pandemic in the same way, we did all experience it together . As your chamber, we recognized that change was required, not simply because we always strive to be better, but out of necessity to survive our new normal and remain relevant to our members. Forward Janesville swiftly met the call to action, realigned our focus to provide optimal value for our members by offering new services, programs, and resources, and cultivated new ways to communicate and reinforce the value of a chamber membership despite the lack of in-person events. LOOKING AHEAD Forward Janesville will continue to move forward responsibly to ensure the safe reopening of our in-person events. We will do all we can to mitigate the risks while planning for the future and maintaining forward momentum. We are optimistically planning our first in-person event in late July. Pending any setbacks or statewide restrictions that would affect a successful event and ensure the safety of all, we are excited to celebrate with our members once again. We can’t wait to see your (masked) faces in person! LEAN IN & LEAN ON ONE ANOTHER Welcome, 2021. Although there is still fear and uncertainty as we grapple with the intricacies of the invisible and deadly coronavirus and its new strains, I personally take comfort in knowing that some of the world’s greatest physicians, scientists, and medical professionals are coming together to pool their resources to fight this menace. Which is why I am dubbing this year 2020WON! We are in this together, and together I believe we can WIN it! No doubt, as we advance, we will see many changes, but we must lean on and into each other, as we are part of a resilient and supportive community that will not allow any pandemic to take hostage our optimism and our hope. We may not see it now, but there is a silver lining. Today, we are better prepared as a nation, as a community, and as individuals to respond to the crisis and emerge with enhanced strength, adaptability, and resilience. Jenny Tschudy • Marketing Coordinator • jennyt@forwardjanesville.com Looking Ahead: How 2020 Vision is Informing 2021