The Executive Director of the Beatrice Area Chamber of Commerce is encouraging the general public to support their local businesses during this time of dealing with Covid-19. Angie Bruna says as area businesses adjust their work schedules and daily routines, area residents need to show their support.

"I think there is a lot of fear and uncertainty that is going around, but then there is that resiliency. I am really proud of our community. We went from reactive to proactive in a simultaneous step".

Bruna says it is important to support local businesses NOW, instead of waiting to support them AFTER Covid-19 has passed.

"It's very easy to get behind the screen and click-click-order and have it shipped to your house, but how is that going to impact you after the Covid-19 pandemic is over and we want to go back to the store and suddenly they are not there because we haven't been supporting them. That's really going to be a future thinking that we have to be keeping in mind".

Bruna says officials canceled this months Leadership Beatrice class activities. The candidate forum scheduled in April is still on the calendar and the annual Homestead Days celebration in June is still being planned...

"As of right now we have not canceled or postponed Homestead Days. We are still planning to move forward with that but anything can change on a dime as we well know".

Bruna says the Chamber is working with Mainstreet Beatrice and N-Gage in conducting a survey of area businesses to assess the impact of Covid-19 on the local economy. She says the on-line survey will be available later this week on the Chamber's website.

"We have a survey we are going to send out that we are going to hope to gain some insight and understanding from our businesses on their current situation. It's going to help us collectively get a picture of where our business climate is at and then steps we can take in the future as we work thru this to help them".

The Beatrice Area Chamber office is open for business but Bruna is asking those who need to conduct business at the Chamber to call first.