Flexing Our Social Muscle

In July, we are welcoming a handful of new members to our Board of Directors. Included in that handful is Dave Westerman, the President of Carbit Paint and incoming Forum Director for the EFBC. Together, Dave and I collaborated on the following message.

One of the things that I value most about my involvement with EFBC is forum. It has also been one of the most challenging things for me through the pandemic.

Forum has always been a place to safely improve myself personally and professionally. I enjoy being surrounded by others sharing personal, family, or work challenges and celebrations. Forum is an oasis of wisdom, acceptance, and energy in a desert of stress for me. But at the onset of the pandemic, suddenly nothing was safe and the only certain thing was the uncertainty that COVID brought into our lives.

EFBC recently held a Forum Committee meeting and one of our clearest takeaways is that nothing beats a fully attended, in-person forum meeting.

We’re not all ready to be back in-person as the pandemic continues. But as we move toward state and expert guidelines that allow people to safely gather, we are here to share experiences and resources as we all start to flex our social muscles that have atrophied over this last year. Whether our groups choose restaurants with outdoor patios or larger spaces to spread out, we want to help you safely meet in person. We also want to give business to local restaurants and the families they support, from their staff to their suppliers. Furthermore, booking a space for your forum retreat now is recommended as prices of many home rentals have significantly increased.

The Forum Committee is recruiting new members. Whether you are passionate about how forum operates now or how it could evolve we would love to hear your voice. Reach out to me or EFBC Executive Director Liz Fidanovski to learn more.

Looking for additional ways your voice can be heard? Discuss your thoughts at your forum meeting and bring them to EFBC Forum Chair meetings. Reach out to Liz, Dave Westerman or me. Please take the forum health survey when it becomes available. The survey will take on special value this year and we are asking that every member take it.

Every forum has its own heartbeat, and every forum has navigated the pandemic in a unique way. We support each of you and are here for you.