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SOUTHWEST VALLEY CHAMBER

Safin: Practice hope, faith and patience while you ‘stop the spread’

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Welcome to the new year! I hope your holiday season was terrific. I also hope our future will get better now that vaccines are available.

It’ll take time for the distribution to reach all parts of the country, which means we’ll need some patience. It’ll be a while as we wait for the vaccine to arrive.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC.gov, has detailed information about the vaccines, distribution and updates.

The organization’s information also includes continued use of protective face coverings, social distancing and the usual guidelines to “slow the spread.” The calendar changed on Jan. 1, but rules and mandates continue.

Business owners, managers and employees continue to be tasked with enforcing the virus prevention guidelines. Please follow the guidelines and continue being polite to the hard-working people who provide products and services to our community.

Some winter visitors have arrived, with more to follow in the next several months.

I have faith tourists will be around our area, too. NASCAR will be race in March. Major League Baseball’s spring training schedule is out.

Above everything else, our weather will be better than weather in the northern states. I’m ready for warm weather. Remind me I said that in June as I’m riding my Suzuki wearing my leather jacket.

We might need lots of hope and patience as the Arizona state legislators get into the session that began Jan. 11.

I’ve heard casual discussions (also known as rumors) about what could be on their slate, but I’ll stick to facts. COVID-related issues will be an obvious topic.

There is also quite a lot of unfinished business from last year. The West Valley Chamber of Commerce Alliance legislative priority list will be published on the Southwest Valley Chamber’s website soon.

One worry I have is the way national news and social media might provide information about the vaccine. You, me, all of us need reliable information to make decisions.

When in doubt, look to our local news, like the newspaper or website where you’re reading this. Local news people are part of our community and that makes them a news source with a vested interest like you and I have.

No matter what the future will be, I have faith we will continue looking out for each other. It takes only a little effort to make a difference.

Let’s stay positive and polite and make 2021 an amazing year.

Editor’s note: John Safin is president and CEO of the Southwest Valley Chamber of Commerce, serving the cities of Avondale, Goodyear, Litchfield Park and Tolleson.