Buzz of re-openings is apparent

We can all feel the excitement of spring's arrival and the gradual re-opening of Folsom's businesses. There are so many opportunities to enjoy the outdoor spaces of Folsom and take advantage of the abundance of beautiful places we can access in our town. Follow the Folsom Chamber on Facebook for frequent updates on all your favorite shops, restaurants and experiences that are becoming available as the pandemic restrictions start to lift. Also, on FolsomChamber.com, you can sign up for our Top 5 Enews which goes out every Thursday and spotlights the upcoming weekend events so you can make plans for fun. This month, the Folsom Chamber will launch its annual awards highlighting people and businesses who were outstanding over this last year. Every Wednesday, there will be two to three awards videos released on the Facebook page of the Folsom Chamber under this year's theme: "Folsom Favorites." Each award winner will mention their favorite Folsom business and if you comment on the video, you will be entered to win a $50 gift card! Details will be on the Chamber Facebook page. Award winners include Dorothea's as Small Business of the Year, Dokken Engineering as Business of the Year, Lakeside Church as the Community Partner of the Year, Dignity Health and Kaiser as the Front Line Leaders and COVID Heroes, and much more. The Folsom community is fortunate to have so many outstanding businesses and leaders who are all deserving of our thanks and recognition. Don't miss this year's videos and the chance to win! The Folsom Chamber has started a new weekly series called "Did You Know?" These short videos are full of local trivia and interesting facts on a wide variety of topics from streets named after rock stars to where the granite pillars around town originated. Follow the Chamber on Facebook and watch for the newest episode every Friday. Amaze your friends with your Folsom knowledge and learn directly from the experts. The city of Folsom is constantly updating the local resources for vaccinations as well as the current guidelines for eligibility. Go to the city website at https://www.folsom.ca.us/residents/emergency-information/covid-19 for all the information and links you might need in the planning process. Easter weekend saw the return of organized running events into our local market. The Ghost Bridge Race, produced by the NorCal Ultra team was the launch of the running season. Races like this are naturally socially distant and all precautions have been built into the process. The American River 50 miler will return in early May to Folsom. Events like these bring out-of-town visitors who patronize our restaurants and retailers, which is a very important component of the local economy. Visit Folsom will be supporting all these events; check out their Facebook page for more details. As students return to school and businesses welcome back their customers, we all will do our part to keep this positive momentum. Thank you to all for continuing to support local businesses and investing in the future of Folsom. Joe Gagliardi is the CEO/president of the Folsom Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Folsom Partnership.