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Benton City Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Information Center
Official Community Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, our Board of Directors feel it is vitally important for organizations like ours, in conjunction with the City of Benton City as an entity, to model safe distancing practices in order to help alleviate the spread of the COVID-19 Virus. This statement is to briefly summarize our organization’s intentions of how we plan to operate under these and potentially future State & Federal restrictions while still very much supporting the community at large. First, we will be following the City of Benton City’s effort by CLOSING our office beginning today, March 18th, 2020, until it is deemed safe to reopen our tourism, event planning and visitor information building to the general public.
In accordance with recent WA State-instituted meeting restrictions, we have taken action by cancelling our Building Bridges and Mother-Daughter Tea Party events, and will 100% adhere to all WA State & Federal requirements as they develop in the coming weeks. We cannot predict whether this year’s future, and much-anticipated community-supported events, such as the 4th of July Ceremony & Kids’ Parade; National Night Out; Benton City Daze 2020, Winterfest or the new Summer Celebration Street Dance scheduled for June 20 will be cancelled or postponed, but as a team, we have already dedicated many, many hours planning this year’s community events, and will continue to do so.
We strongly believe that leading by example and following all official health and provisionary restrictions and directives will help curb any potential viral spike within the communities we engage with. With that said, we will absolutely continue to maintain daily operations without direct physical public engagement. This includes community information brochure & handout development, marketing member businesses and their developments, sharing local, State & Federal news and public health updates, continued regular event planning and more. We are still available by phone: (509) 588-4984; email: info.bentoncitychamber.org; our website: www.bentoncitychamber.org and social media. Again, all administrative functions of our organization are continuing as normal, but remotely.
In addition, we are in the planning stages of developing a Community Resource platform to ensure that we are communicating with all available community partners & resources and help make certain that local citizens’ needs are being met. Many individual community groups have already begun this process, and our organization would like to see a consolidated system where we can effectively connect people to resources and aid in the delivery of necessities to those unable to reach them. This will be an ongoing effort. As per our to-be approved contract with the City, scheduled for next City Council Meeting, we will continue to operate with the community’s best interest in mind and provide our quarterly statistical report at our regular 2nd Council Meeting of Month in the agenda for April 2020. I am available to answer any questions or concerns regarding our organization’s events or general operations to the general public via at president@bentoncitychamber.org.
Thank you for the overwhelming amount of support, contributions and leadership! TOGETHER we will ensure that we are supporting our community at an effective capacity in addition to the local economy during these times of uncertainty and I very much expect, because it’s what this City is so great at, with our incredibly compassionate Benton City Community – WE WILL meet the needs of our citizens, our businesses and our community organizations together with our open hearts & our open minds working together to showcase that we represent the best of Small Town America. We are stronger because we are united. Thank you.
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Benton-Franklin Health District has issued a directive for the public to use face coverings to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 illness, beginning today, June 8, 2020.
The directive applies to all indoor public places in Benton and Franklin Counties, including grocery stores and other businesses, as well as outside settings where maintaining six feet of physical distancing is difficult. Individuals are strongly urged to wear face coverings over their nose and mouth.
