Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce Events Newswire

Conversations That Matter: How to Talk With Family About Future Living Plans 11/3/2026 12:30 PM - 11/3/2026 2:30 PM

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 14:05:48 GMT

Please join us! The final presentation in the four-part series Living on Your Terms: Smart Planning for the Next Chapter focuses on one of the most challenging aspects of future planning—having meaningful conversations with the people you love.

Conversations That Matter: How to Talk With Family About Future Living Plans

Learn how to begin these conversations before a crisis, navigate differing opinions with compassion, and create a shared understanding that supports everyone's goals.

Topics include:

Starting the discussion before a crisis
Navigating differing opinions with confidence
Creating a plan the whole family understands

Ideal for older adults, spouses, adult children, and anyone who wants to approach future planning with openness and confidence.

About the Speaker

Heather Lewis Sebring is the founder of Heart Centered Transitions, where she helps older adults and their families navigate downsizing, relocation, and other later-life transitions with less stress and greater confidence. Drawing on years of experience managing complex projects and helping families through major life changes, Heather is passionate about empowering seniors to remain in control of important decisions and helping families prepare thoughtfully for the future. She lives in Scotts Valley and works throughout Santa Cruz County.

This event is free and open to all. Please register at https://bit.ly/armchairtopics

Advocacy 101: Making Your Voice Count in Sacramento 11/4/2026 11:00 AM - 11/4/2026 1:00 PM

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 15:29:02 GMT

Every year, decisions made in the state Capitol shape the rules your organization operates under, from budget allocations to regulatory requirements. Yet for many business leaders, the legislative process can feel like a black box: unfamiliar timelines, unclear entry points, and no roadmap for when or how to weigh in.

This session opens that door. Join us for a practical, member-focused briefing on how state government actually works and how you can work within it. You'll walk through the legislative calendar and budget process to understand the moments that matter most for engagement, and when speaking up early can shape outcomes more effectively than reacting after the fact. You'll learn how to build relationships with legislative staff, the people who often shape policy long before it reaches a vote. And you'll get hands-on guidance for submitting letters of support or opposition through committee portals, plus simple strategies for tracking bills that could affect your industry.

We're pleased to welcome Peter Kellison, Managing Partner of Clear Advocacy, as our featured speaker. With more than four decades of experience in California politics and government, Peter brings a rare, ground-level understanding of how credibility and influence are built in the Capitol, and how the best advocacy often starts long before an issue becomes urgent.

Whether you're new to public policy or looking to sharpen your organization's approach, you'll leave with the knowledge and confidence to engage effectively, at the right time, in the right way.

Meet Our Speaker: Peter Kellison is Managing Partner of Clear Advocacy and has spent more than four decades in California politics and government. He began his career in Washington, D.C. and the California State Senate, eventually managing Capitol operations for a Senate leader before becoming, at the time, Sacramento’s youngest full-time lobbyist. He founded his own firm in 2000 and later co-founded Clear Advocacy.

Along with partners Tom Daly, a former California legislator, and Debbie Daly, Peter leads Clear Advocacy, a boutique government affairs firm with a longstanding reputation for credibility, influence and substantive impact. The firm has built its practice by being a constructive participant in the political and policy process—not simply showing up when a client needs something.

Over his career, Peter has represented Fortune 100 companies, statewide associations, healthcare organizations, nonprofits and emerging businesses, earning recognition from Capitol Weekly as one of California’s most influential voices in health policy and politics. A Capitola resident, Peter approaches advocacy as a craft: credibility is earned over time, influence starts well before you need it, and the best advocacy often happens before an issue ever becomes a problem.

Details

Date: Wednesday, November 4, 2026
Location: Seacliff Inn, Aptos, California
Format: Educational lunch with networking

BEFORE REGISTERING, PLEASE READ!
To register, please follow the instructions below.

- Click on the red “Register” button.
- Click the blue “Login” button in the upper right corner on the next screen. After you enter your username and password, click login, then proceed with the registration form.
- If you do not have your login or password information feel free to use the “Forgot Password” feature to retrieve your password via the email you have on file with the Chamber.

If you still have technical issues please feel free to call (831) 457-3713 or email administration@santacruzchamber.org

Meet People First & Wings: Community Impact in Action 11/5/2026 11:30 AM - 11/5/2026 1:00 PM

Mon, 26 Oct 2026 17:04:02 GMT

You’ll have an opportunity to meet Executive Director Evan Morrison and our team and hear about our shelter, safe parking, outreach, and housing navigation services. We’ll discuss the needs we’re seeing across Santa Cruz County and where partnerships and philanthropic support can make a difference.

Thursday, November 5, 2026, at 11:30 a.m.
Santa Cruz County Veterans Memorial Building at 846 Front St.
Register here

Admission is free, light lunch/ snack provided, and advance registration is requested.

Please consider sharing the attached invitation with colleagues and community partners interested in housing, homelessness, and health. We’d appreciate your helping us reach others who may wish to attend.

We hope you can join us!

Shelter to Home: Fall Giving Dinner 11/5/2026 5:30 PM - 11/5/2026 8:30 PM

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 12:19:22 GMT

Pajaro Valley Shelter Services provides families with a path to stable, self-sufficient futures through short- and longer-term housing and supportive services.

Shelter to Home: Fall Giving Dinner

You are invited to this inspirational evening for our loyal partners, long-time donors, new supporters, family, and friends to celebrate successful families and raise essential funds to further the mission of Pajaro Valley Shelter Services.

While there is no registration fee to attend, guests will be invited to participate in a special Giving Moment during the evening to help us reach our goal of raising $125,000. We look forward to seeing you!

RSVP
https://secure.qgiv.com/for/pajarovalleyshelterservices/event/sheltertohome/

Fall Paper Shred Event 11/7/2026 9:00 AM - 11/7/2026 1:00 PM

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 12:23:34 GMT

Are you holding onto boxes of sensitive documents? Not sure what to do with the shredded paper you've accumulated? (Shredded paper is not accepted in the curbside recycling bin.) Dispose of your confidential documents at our free Paper Shred Event on Saturday, November 7th from 9 am - 1 pm, at the City Hall Parking Lot (corner of Chestnut and Church Street).

A maximum of 3 standard-size banker boxes (10″x 12″x 15″) per household for City of Santa Cruz residents only. Paper will be shredded in front of you and then responsibly recycled at a Steri-Cycle facility.

The event lasts until 1 p.m. or until the truck is full, whichever comes first. We hope to see you there!

Caring With Compassion: Hospice and End-of-Life Care for Pets 11/17/2026 6:30 PM - 11/17/2026 7:30 PM

Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:56:35 GMT

When a beloved pet is nearing the end of life, knowing what to expect and how to make decisions can feel overwhelming. For BirchBark's final webinar of 2026, we invite you to join Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Veterinarian, Dr. Gabrielle Ravina of Peaceful Paws Veterinary Services, for a conversation about caring for pets through this important stage of life, with guidance on comfort, quality of life, and the decisions you may face. Whether you are beginning to think about end-of-life care or are already navigating it, this webinar will offer compassionate insight to help you feel more prepared to support your pet and the bond you share.

Register for free at: https://support.birchbarkfoundation.org/hospice-webinar

Business After Hours: Hotel Paradox 11/19/2026 5:00 PM - 11/19/2026 7:00 PM

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 19:21:34 GMT

Business After Hours: Hotel Paradox

Join the Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce for an evening of connection, conversation, and community at Business After Hours!

Gather with fellow Chamber members and local business professionals on Thursday, November 19, from 5:00–7:00 PM at Hotel Paradox for a relaxed evening of networking, relationship-building, and fun. Enjoy the opportunity to meet new people, reconnect with familiar faces, and discover what’s happening in our local business community.

Whether you’re a longtime member or joining us for the first time, Business After Hours is a great way to expand your network while enjoying the vibrant Santa Cruz business community.

Come make connections, share ideas, and enjoy an evening with your fellow Chamber members!

RBEFORE REGISTERING, PLEASE EAD!
To register, please follow the instructions below.

- Click on the red “Register” button at the top of this page.
- THEN Click the blue “Login” button in the upper right corner on the next screen. After you enter your username and password, click login, then proceed with the registration form.
- If you do not have your login or password information feel free to use the “Forgot Password” feature to retrieve your password via the email you have on file with the Chamber.

If you still have technical issues please feel free to call (831) 457-3713 or email administration@santacruzchamber.org

No Refund for Cancellations