﻿<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><rss version="2.0"><channel><title>Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce Events Newswire</title><link>http://www.santacruzchamber.org</link><description>News related to Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce</description><copyright>(c) 2026, Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce All Rights Reserved.</copyright><ttl>5</ttl><item><title> Advance Healthcare Planning In Light of COVID-19 6/2/2021 12:00 PM - 6/2/2021 1:00 PM</title><description>This is a difficult time where so much feels out of our control. With the presence of COVID-19 in our community, now is a good time to make sure you have an up-to-date Advance Healthcare Directive. If you’ve already made an Advance Directive but haven’t laid eyes on it for few years, now is a good time to make sure it still matches your circumstances and wishes.</description><link>https://web.santacruzchamber.org/events/eventdetail.aspx?EventID=4231</link><pubDate>Thu, 11 Mar 2021 23:59:53 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Virtual Movie Night: A Love that Never Dies 6/9/2021 6:00 PM - 6/9/2021 7:30 PM</title><description>Join us for a free documentary screening followed by a discussion with a panel of local grief experts. How do we grieve? Why do we grieve? And why are we afraid of those that do grieve? Jane Harris and Jimmy Edmonds’ son Josh died six years ago while travelling in Southeast Asia. As a way of honoring his memory, they set off on their own road trip across the USA to find out why, in a world where death will always make front page news, real life conversations about death, dying and bereavement are so problematic. Along the way they find other bereaved families with stories of grief that refuse social expectations about moving on or letting go. This film gives a voice to grief in ways that will move and inspire.</description><link>https://web.santacruzchamber.org/events/eventdetail.aspx?EventID=4230</link><pubDate>Thu, 11 Mar 2021 23:59:42 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Business After Hours: Hotel Paradox 6/15/2021 5:00 PM - 6/15/2021 7:00 PM</title><description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a data-bind="attr: { href: Event.RegistrationURL }" href="https://santacruzcacoc.wliinc23.com/events/Business-After-Hours-Hotel-Paradox-4248/register" id="btnWCCustomRegButton1"&gt;&lt;img alt="" data-bind="attr:{src: CustomRegistrationButtonImageURL}" src="https://santacruzcacoc.wliinc23.com/external/wcpages/wcmedia/images/register_e8f637af-a0de-4029-adda-e82049f8c67f.jpg" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"&gt;&lt;a href="https://santacruzcacoc.wliinc23.com/Portal/PortalLogin.aspx?ReturnURL=%2fexternal%2fwcpages%2fwcportal%2fportalstartpage.aspx"&gt;Login&lt;/a&gt; before you register to take advantage of the member pricing and any member benefit tickets you have available.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="text-align:center"&gt;&lt;img alt="" src="https://SantaCruzCACOC.wliinc23.com/External/WCPages/WCWebContent/webcontentpage.aspx?ContentId=4684" width="600" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"&gt;Welcome back to our time-honored Business After Hours networking mixers!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"&gt;Join us for drinks + bites on the lovely Paradox pool deck, reconnect with your colleagues, and meet new members.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"&gt;Please note that while social distancing guidelines may be behind us, masks are still required if entering the building, so come prepared.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"&gt;Event entrance is the Hotel Paradox breezeway outside Solaire restaurant. Free parking available around back.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;span style="color:#b22222;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:14px;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ticket Pricing&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;span style="font-family:Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"&gt;Hors d&amp;rsquo;oeuvres + first drink complimentary, then cash bar. Tickets: $10 members | $15 non-members&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"&gt;&lt;a href="https://santacruzcacoc.wliinc23.com/Portal/PortalLogin.aspx?ReturnURL=%2fexternal%2fwcpages%2fwcportal%2fportalstartpage.aspx"&gt;Login &lt;/a&gt;before you register to take advantage of the member pricing and any member benefit tickets you have available.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="color:#b22222;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"&gt;Space is limited, and pre-registration is required.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
</description><link>https://web.santacruzchamber.org/events/eventdetail.aspx?EventID=4248</link><pubDate>Fri, 21 May 2021 09:32:53 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Virtual Death Café 6/23/2021 5:00 PM - 6/23/2021 6:00 PM</title><description>Grab a mug of your favorite tea and meet us on Zoom to discuss death in an effort to affirm what’s important about life. A Death Café is a group directed discussion of death with no agenda, objectives or themes. It is not a grief support group or counseling session, just some folks getting together to talk about death. The Death Café movement includes events all over the world. Learn more at deathcafe.com. Registration required.</description><link>https://web.santacruzchamber.org/events/eventdetail.aspx?EventID=4237</link><pubDate>Fri, 12 Mar 2021 00:00:45 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Yes We're Open - Hacks for Restaurants To Open Anew Successfully AND Sustainably 6/30/2021 10:00 AM - 6/30/2021 11:30 AM</title><description>&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://web.santacruzchamber.org/events/Yes-We-re-Open-Hacks-for-Restaurants-To-Open-Anew-Successfully-AND-Sustainably-4249/details"&gt;&lt;img alt="" class="wc-customeventregisterbutton" data-bind="attr:{src: CustomRegistrationButtonImageURL}" src="https://web.santacruzchamber.org/external/wcpages/wcmedia/images/register_e8f637af-a0de-4029-adda-e82049f8c67f.jpg" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"&gt;&lt;a href="https://santacruzcacoc.wliinc23.com/Portal/PortalLogin.aspx?ReturnURL=%2fexternal%2fwcpages%2fwcportal%2fportalstartpage.aspx"&gt;Login&lt;/a&gt; before you register to take advantage of the member pricing and any member benefit tickets you have available.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="text-align:center"&gt;&lt;img alt="" height="600" src="https://files.constantcontact.com/7cdb34fa001/94180b9c-79cf-42a8-a013-7e5adc85c28f.png" width="600" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Join the Tri-County Monterey Bay Area Green Business Program, the Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce, San Benito County Chamber of Commerce and innovative restaurateurs to learn hacks to reopen your restaurant or cafe successfully and sustainably!&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Featuring panelists from the California Restaurant Association, some of your favorite local restaurants, and moderated by Deborah Luhrman, Editor &amp;amp; Publisher of Edible Monterey Bay.&lt;/p&gt;

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			&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Matt Sutton &lt;/strong&gt;oversees the California Restaurant Association&amp;#39;s (CRA) Government Affairs + Public Policy department which includes an advocacy component with state and local lobbyists and a political affairs component that handles the CRA PAC and CRA Issues PAC. In addition to managing the department, he lobbies on issues at the state and local levels. Prior to joining the CRA in 2008, Matt worked for the California Manufacturers and Technology Association, the American Electronics Association, and the California State Assembly. Matt graduated from St. Mary&amp;rsquo;s College with a B.A. in economics and from California State University, Sacramento with a M.A. in public policy and administration.&lt;/p&gt;

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			&lt;p&gt;&lt;img alt="" src="https://web.santacruzchamber.org/External/WCPages/WCWebContent/webcontentpage.aspx?ContentId=4686" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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			&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Deborah Luhrman &lt;/strong&gt;is the editor and publisher of Edible Monterey Bay magazine. A lifelong journalist, she has reported from around the globe, but now prefers covering the local food scene and growing her own vegetables in the Santa Cruz Mountains.&lt;/p&gt;
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			&lt;td style="width: 250px; vertical-align: top;"&gt;&lt;img alt="" src="https://web.santacruzchamber.org/External/WCPages/WCWebContent/webcontentpage.aspx?ContentId=4689" /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
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			&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Darren Pound, Dream Inn (Santa Cruz&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

			&lt;p&gt;With more than 34 years&amp;rsquo; experience in luxury hospitality and hotel operations, Darren Pound is the general manager of Dream Inn Santa Cruz. Pound develops and enhances the hotel&amp;rsquo;s overall culture, guest experience and customer service at Santa Cruz&amp;rsquo;s only beachfront hotel.&lt;/p&gt;

			&lt;p&gt;With dedication to the highest degree of ethics and integrity, a proven track record of strong achievements and the ability to expertly balance a broad range of customer priorities and business objectives, Pound is well suited to lead and manage the seasoned staff at this iconic and legendary property.&lt;/p&gt;

			&lt;p&gt;Pound is an active member in a number of hospitality-driven associations including: Board President for Visit Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz County Business Council and Hotel Food and Beverage Magazine Advisory Council.&lt;/p&gt;
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			&lt;td style="width: 250px; vertical-align: top;"&gt;&lt;img alt="" height="150" src="https://web.santacruzchamber.org/External/WCPages/WCWebContent/webcontentpage.aspx?ContentId=4696" width="200" /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
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			&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;David Whiting, Pixie Deli &amp;amp; The Farm Bakery (Aptos)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

			&lt;p&gt;After growing up in a family business in the foodservice industry into his early 20s, Dave spent over 25 years in food service distribution.&amp;nbsp; Starting as a Sales Representative, District Manager, VP of Sales and heading up many other projects he learned much about the struggles, needs, and successes of the independent restaurant owner in Santa Cruz County.&lt;/p&gt;

			&lt;p&gt;In 2019 he bought the Pixie Deli &amp;amp; Good Eats in Rio Del Mar and in 2020 had the opportunity to buy The Farm Bakery, Cafe &amp;amp; Gifts. Both local iconic locations in Aptos have been around for years.&lt;/p&gt;

			&lt;p&gt;Dave has called Santa Cruz County home for 60 years. He&amp;rsquo;s currently a member of the Santa Cruz County Chamber and the Aptos Chamber.&lt;/p&gt;
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			&lt;p&gt;&lt;img alt="" src="https://web.santacruzchamber.org/External/WCPages/WCWebContent/webcontentpage.aspx?ContentId=4687" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

			&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
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			&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Pamela Burns, Wild Plum Cafe (Monterey City)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

			&lt;p&gt;For chef Pamela Burns at the Wild Plum in Monterey &amp;ldquo;fish of the day&amp;rdquo; means just that: fresh, local fish recently brought to the dock by someone who lives along the same shore as she.&lt;/p&gt;

			&lt;p&gt;Since 1999, the Wild Plum caf&amp;eacute;, bistro and bakery have brought European-influenced, rustic Americana cuisine to downtown Monterey with an unpretentious, at-home atmosphere and reasonable prices. In the process, she has developed loyal customers who come in to have a cappuccino and read a newspaper, snack on a fresh baked good, a hearty bowl of soup, or to sit down for a full meal sourced from local and organic ingredients.&lt;/p&gt;

			&lt;p&gt;Burns is also a co-founder of Slow Money Monterey Bay, a group that seeks to build community and economic resilience through investment in entrepreneurs, farms and...fishermen.&lt;/p&gt;
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			&lt;td style="vertical-align: top;"&gt;&lt;img alt="" src="https://web.santacruzchamber.org/External/WCPages/WCWebContent/webcontentpage.aspx?ContentId=4688" /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
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			&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Becky Herbert, Farmhouse Cafe (Hollister City)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

			&lt;p&gt;Herbert opened the caf&amp;eacute; as an outgrowth of her community sponsored agriculture (CSA) program, Farmhouse Foods &amp;ndash; Eat with the Seasons, which offers customizable weekly boxes of locally grown organic fruits and vegetables and a plethora of sustainably made items ranging from meats to freshly baked breads to herbs and spices.&lt;/p&gt;

			&lt;p&gt;At Farmhouse Caf&amp;eacute;, Herbert uses the same produce and artisanal ingredients to elevate the menu above ordinary diner fare. &amp;ldquo;Farmhouse Favorites&amp;rdquo; include cilantro pesto steak made with grass-fed beef and roasted salmon in locally pressed olive oil, and even the humble peanut butter and jam sandwich boasts handmade preserves. Custom- made sandwiches and creative salads round out the offerings.&lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;span style="color:#b22222;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:14px;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ticket Pricing&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;span style="font-family:Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"&gt;Tickets: $10 members | $15 non-members&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"&gt;&lt;a href="https://santacruzcacoc.wliinc23.com/Portal/PortalLogin.aspx?ReturnURL=%2fexternal%2fwcpages%2fwcportal%2fportalstartpage.aspx"&gt;Login &lt;/a&gt;before you register to take advantage of the member pricing and any member benefit tickets you have available.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
</description><link>https://web.santacruzchamber.org/events/eventdetail.aspx?EventID=4249</link><pubDate>Fri, 04 Jun 2021 08:26:44 GMT</pubDate></item></channel></rss>