Weekly Village Update 6.18.20

Chamber News

The Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center is open!

Virtual Ribbon Cutting: High Country Woodworks Today at 4pm! High Country Woodworks is one of the newest kiosks in SouthMarke. Join us for a social distant ribbon cutting in person or virtually! We will be live streaming the ribbon cutting on the Blowing Rock Chamber Facebook page. If you plan to join us in person, don't forget your mask! Join Ribbon Cutting Virtually!

Blue Ridge Parkway Report A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 14.9 million visitors to the Blue Ridge Parkway in 2019 spent $1.1 Billion in communities near the park. That spending supported 16,341 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $1.4 Billion.    “Over the past several weeks, NPS staff have been working hard to safely increase access to Blue Ridge Parkway, a unit of the National Park System which contributes to individual and collective physical and mental wellness,” said Superintendent J.D. Lee. “We welcome visitors back to the park and are excited to share the story of this place and the experiences it provides. The parkway has a long history of connecting communities in our region and introducing our visitors to this part of the country and all that it offers.”   Read the full report here. View BRP Visitor Spending Effects.

Count On Me NC  “Count on Me NC” initiative the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association (NCRLA), along with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS), the North Carolina Tourism Bureau (VisitNC), and the North Carolina State University, just launched.  “Count on Me NC” is a program specifically created to provide customers reassurance that participating restaurants and businesses, including lodging, have implemented and are practicing the highest sanitation and safety measures. Training and certification are free. For more information, please visit: countonme.org For a list of Blowing Rock businesses who have already completed the training, visit https://countonmenc.org/participating-businesses/#business-list and input Blowing Rock in the "Search by City" field. Email Regina to have the "Count On Me NC" logo displayed next to your business name on blowingrock.com.

Blowing Rock Job Opportunities Facebook Page Are you hiring? Share your employment opportunities on the Chamber Facebook Group: Blowing Rock Job Opportunities The Blowing Rock Job Opportunities Facebook group is designed to help Blowing Rock Chamber Business Members recruit employees. This group is open to the public and will be monitored by the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce.

Re- Energize Watauga Fund The Re-energize Watauga Fund aims to provide a rapid source of assistance for Watauga County-based businesses that have been impacted by COVID-19. This fund is in partnership with the Watauga County EDC and will administered by Mountain BizWorks. Learn more about the fund and how to apply here.

May High Country Real Estate Report Regional homes sales were down almost 40 percent in May compared to a year ago, but were higher than in April as High Country REALTORS™ continued adapting to serving their clients in the midst of the COVID pandemic.  There were 65 homes worth $23.42 million sold in Watauga County in May. That was an increase from April (61 sold for $20.93 million), but the second consecutive month less than 70 homes were sold in the county. The last time that few homes sold in a two-month period was January-February 2018 (67 and 63 units, respectively).

Business Resources

Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act PPP Loan Self- Employed Loan Forgiveness Better Business Bureau- Can you mandate employees are tested for COVID-19?

Upcoming Activities & Meetings

Blowing Rock Farmers Market - Today from 3-6pm Ribbon Cutting - High Country Wood Works - Today @ 4pm Concerts in the Courtyard + Car Show at Shoppes on the Parkway - June 20th Heritage Day at Bolick & Traditions Pottery - June 27th Blowing Rock Pool Opens - June 27th Call 828-295-52222 for more information

Member News

Tweetsie General Store Sale! Save up to 50% off select Tweetsie Railroad merchandise at the Old General Store on Saturday, June 20, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. The only areas that will be open during this time are the General Store and Cowboy Cantina for take-out. Visit www.tweetsie.com/park-updates for more information.

Women's Fund of the Blue Ridge: No-Show Luncheon During this unprecedented time, the Women’s Fund of the Blue Ridge continues to focus on our mission to create positive change for women and girls in the High Country. With all the news concerning COVID-19, we made the difficult decision to postpone the 2020 Power of the Purse Luncheon. The WFBR would like to invite you to support our No-Show Power of the Purse luncheon.The 2019 luncheon raised $170,000, and all funds went to 21 local non-profits in Ashe, Avery and Watauga. Our local agencies still need our help and all funds raised will support the WFBR grant program. Click the here to make a gift today.

App Summer: From Our Home to Yours Festival organizers for Appalachian State University’s annual summer arts event, An Appalachian Summer Festival, announce the complete programming calendar for this summer’s revised virtual series. The online festival features a month-long selection of livestreamed and specially pre-recorded concerts, live chats with artists, film screenings, and virtual tours. The pivot from in-person to online was created in response to the coronavirus pandemic, which forced the cancellation of live events for the first time in festival history. App Summer, which typically draws more than 27,000 visitors to the High Country each summer, will present its 36th season of special programming daily July 1-31. All events are free and will be streamed via the website as well as the festival’s YouTube and Facebook channels. Film screenings require pre-registration, as registration capacity is limited. Some events will be archived for later viewing; others are only available for the scheduled date and time. Full descriptions about each event and how to access them are available at www.appsummeronline.org.

Sky Valley Zip Tours: Night Flight Night Flight is back at Sky Valley Zip Tours! Reservations are available every Friday & Saturday night at 9 & 9:30 PM. Call 828.264.0032 or visit skyvalleyziptours.com to make reservations.

We'd love to see you!

The Chamber Team is glad to see our businesses re-opening! Email Regina to let us know your open and we will stop by for a socially distance visit.

More events and updates can be found on our online calendar. To submit your news to our weekly newsletter, email Suzy@BlowingRock.com by Wednesday. Our newsletter reaches over 1,000 member contacts each Thursday!

Thank you to our 2020 Chamber Partners!