It's safe to say that 2021 did not go how we thought it would, but what a year it has been! Despite the chaos of COVID-19 cases, new variants, and events being scheduled and then canceled, we are extremely excited for what is to come in 2022. Most of all, we are elated to sit around a table with loved ones and plenty of food to share.

Through it all, we've realized how much we have to be grateful for. At our Chamber Thanksgiving luncheon, we filled a box with notecards of what we are thankful for this year. Aside from being a fun activity, it was a perfect opportunity to reflect and practice gratitude together as an organization.

Even though we were individually thankful for many things, both personal and professional, we noticed our gratitude centered around three main themes.

An incredible team that is family

Our staff is made up of genuine, enthusiastic, and especially kind people. Our teams take on big roles to serve the community, and we are extremely passionate about the work we do to make Austin the best city to live, work, and thrive. Needless to say, we are so very thankful for the opportunity to do jobs that we love.

Coming together for IN-PERSON events

It took a while for us to get to this place, but we made it. We are extremely thankful to be able to gather and mingle to celebrate the various business communities in Austin. We continue to be grateful for our safety partner, ReturnSafe that allows us to meet together safely.

The vaccine and good health

To all of the researchers, scientists, and health care providers, thank you for your endless hours in developing the vaccine. Another thank you to those who distributed and administered the vaccine. Cheers to new research and good health!