On behalf of the Salt Lake Chamber and Downtown Alliance, I wish you all the best for a wonderful holiday season. While this has been a year of unexpected challenges for everyone, we still go into this special time with a sense of profound gratitude—not only for what this season means to us, our family and friends—but for the blessings that have come into our lives as we have pulled together to overcome adversity.
No one has gone unaffected, and as president and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber and Downtown Alliance, I have come away with a deep appreciation for the leadership and sacrifices of our businessmen and -women, our employees, our civic and government leaders, educators, and all those who have stepped up to meet the challenges that have come through no fault of their own.
Perhaps this is why the holiday season this year seems a little more poignant to me. I am grateful not only for the members of the Chamber and the Downtown Alliance, but for all those who have given of themselves, their time and substance throughout the year. I think of the thousands of Utahns who have taken the pledge to Stay Safe to Stay Open—promising to follow the guidelines from the Utah Department of Health to protect themselves, their employees, families, and customers. I think of the countless companies that have volunteered time and millions of dollars to provide protective equipment, medical supplies, food, and even financial support to those adversely affected by the pandemic. And our heart and expressions of sympathy and love go out to those who have lost friends and loved ones, or who themselves have been taken ill by the coronavirus.
Indeed, we are all in this together. And it’s even in the little things that we can do so much to support one another. Along with staying safe to stay open, each of us can make an extra effort this season to shop and dine local—to support those who support us.
This season is about joy, and there is no greater joy than that which comes through service—losing ourselves on behalf of others. This is the legacy of Utah, the rich values woven into the fabric of who we are. And while this special year has given us ample opportunity to be our best selves, this season will, indeed, give wings to the better angels of who we truly are.
Happy holidays from all of us at the Salt Lake Chamber and Downtown Alliance. And all of our best for a wonderful new year!
