Back in the ’30s, the song “What a Difference a Day Makes” was published with English lyrics and has been recorded often. Seems like it pretty well describes our current world. I just spoke to a friend that writes for a local business journal. She had to write it three weeks ago and is concerned the world we live in now has changed so much since then that she wonders how the article is going to sound now.
How is your world? I hope you are safe and well. We need you well. We need your gift in this world. It’s why you’re here, right? Business history is full of innovation; much of it occurring in challenging times. People discovered things through fulfilling a need. In 1928 Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin somewhat by accident. In the early 1950s Jonas Salk pioneered the polio vaccine quite on purpose. While we didn’t know that we needed it at the time, Steve Jobs brought us the iPod. The list goes on and on.
Imagine our world without the work of Hedi Lamar (yes, the actress) or Nicholas Tesla. Without the work of these people and others, you’d not be reading this right now, or talking on your cell phone to a friend in Paris.
Our world will be different on the other side of this challenge. The question is how you’ll help the effort of changing the world? Our Botetourt businesses are challenged right now. Can you help them? You’ve seen the advice to buy gift certificates, order carry out and more. Call your favorite business and ask how you might help them? The Chamber has postponed all our events and closed the office to the public for the duration. We’re hoping that sooner, rather than later, we’ll be back to assisting in the building of our business community through marketing opportunities and education. In the meantime, we’ll start some webinars and still do that work as we can.
You may not invent the vaccine that ends this, but maybe your smile and hand up to someone will enable them to put in the next shift at the hospital. You may not be the hero that saves a life at the clinic, but by staying home, you helped to slow the spread, and that helped our overloaded care system to catch up a bit.
Even though we are “social distancing,” we are in this together. We hope to see you on the other side! Stay safe. We need you well. We need your gift in this world.
-Grant Holmes, Executive Director
Botetourt County Chamber of Commerce
