Over the next several weeks, Washington state’s phased recovery plan will allow businesses and organizations to begin reopening their doors to the public. As exciting as that is, it also raises plenty of questions about how Vashon gets back to business while protecting the health and safety of our community.

We’ll be honest: We’re small-business owners ourselves, and some of us are already discovering just how daunting reopening can be.

Luckily, there’s no need to go it alone. To help make sure local businesses and organizations have answers to their questions, the Vashon-Maury Chamber of Commerce has organized a series of virtual workshops with Dr. Mary Bergman, a retired physician here on Vashon. Over the course of about an hour, Dr. Bergman will discuss coronavirus transmission risks, answer individual questions, and ultimately help you craft a customized reopening plan tailored to your own organization’s unique needs.

We’ll discuss topics such as:

• How to modify operations (point-of-sale practices, cleaning schedules, etc.) to reduce coronavirus risk
• How to reorganize the flow of traffic in physical stores to ensure social distancing
• How to communicate new policies to staff and customers
• What to expect as the reopening process continues

We’ll even outfit you with a toolkit to help you reopen, including necessary PPE, or personal protective equipment (face masks, hand sanitizer, and other basics), and signage to help you communicate clearly with staff and customers alike.

These sessions are open to ALL Vashon Island businesses and organizations. There’s no need to be a member of the Chamber.

Interested? Please register via the links below or via the calendar on our website at www.vashonchamber.com/events/calendar:

In-Home Services & Construction

Body Workers, Hair and Nail Salons, Grooming and Tattoo Artists

Recreation & Fitness

Merchants, Galleries, Artists and Non-Essential Retail

Restaurants, Bars and Beverages

Please refer to the schedule in the registration and indicate the time slot(s) that fit your schedule, keeping in mind that sessions will be filled on a first-come basis.

Questions? Please contact the Chamber at executivedirector@vashonchamber.com.

If there’s one thing this pandemic has taught us so far, it’s that working together makes us all stronger. We’re proud of how the Vashon community has responded to this challenge, and we’re committed to doing everything we can to help the recovery continue.