HOPE – The Hope-Hempstead County Chamber of Commerce will air their virtual Annual Meeting on Monday, October 19 at 7:00 PM.   The theme for the virtual meeting is Building Community, Building Hope.

Due to COVID-19, the chamber had to postpone the meeting in March of this year.  Keeping community health and safety concerns in mind, the chamber said it made the decision to provide a virtual opportunity for everyone to join them for this annual event.

“Special thanks to SWARK.Today for videoing each segment of the annual meeting program.  Therefore, the pre-recorded meeting will air in its entirety on www.swark.today,” Beckie Moore, Executive Director of the chamber stated. “Videoing each individual and/or group has not been an easy task due to scheduling.  In working with SWARK.Today, we had to create a safe environment for each program personality to come inside the chamber. When that was not possible, we offered alternative methods so as not to leave anyone out of the program. The chamber appreciates each person who joined us to make sure that our community would be able to enjoy the full experience of a typical annual meeting.  The virtual format will stay true to the theme as the program unfolds.  From the opening ceremony to the closing song, the theme is quite evident.”

The evening will include United Way recognition and awards, a 2019 “reflection,” plus chamber board and chamber ambassador’s recognition, and the announcement of the 2020 Citizen, Educator, Business & Nonprofit of the Year.  Scheduled keynote speaker, Rex Nelson, will be back for the 2021 Annual Meeting & Banquet.

The chamber in a statement said, “We are excited to announce that Mayor Steve Montgomery will share news of our Hempstead County 5-Year Strategic Plan, Thrive Hempstead County.

“The chamber would be remiss if we did not recognize Amigo Juan, the restaurant that would have catered the event.  We appreciate Juan and his team as they had already put plans in place for the event.  We should also thank and recognize Honeycutt Printing, because the tickets were printed compliments of Honeycutt and the programs were donated in part by them,” said Anna Powell, Chamber Board President.

Throughout this week, the chamber and SWARK.Today will be delivering the 2020 Chamber Annual Meeting Special Supplement (designed and printed by SWARK.Today) as well as the program, which would have been located on the

dining tables at the meeting.  Sponsors will be receiving multiple copies.  Extra copies will be in the lobby of the chamber where they can be picked up.

Sponsors for the 2020 Annual Meeting are:

Gold Sponsors: McDonald’s and SWARK.Today

Bronze Sponsors: SWEPCO, Diamond Bank, Rainbow of Challenges, New Millennium, First National Bank of Tom Bean, BancorpSouth, Wadley Regional Medical Center, SignatureCare Emergency Center, Klipsch Heritage Museum Association, and Fulton Grass Company.