A look behind, a look ahead

Clare Scotti.

The last two weeks of the year have traditionally been slower for the Chamber. With businesses and visitors focused elsewhere, it is a good time to reflect on the work that was accomplished in the past year and to set goals for the next. It's a time to rest, regroup and re-energize.

Looking at 2024, the Greater Tehachapi Chamber of Commerce started off strong in January with a networking luncheon that brought Tehachapi's nonprofit organizations face-to-face with dozens of business owners. This gave everyone an opportunity to share goals and collaborate in new and creative ways.

February brought the Wine Walk back to Downtown Tehachapi, featuring all local wine and producing record sales for businesses. In March, the GTCC honored Red House BBQ, RJM Handyman, Stan Morgan and Tehachapi CANCER FOUNDATION during the Tehachapi's Finest Gala. In April more than 3,000 people came out to fly kites and celebrate Tehachapi's wind at the Tehachapi Wind Festival in Meadowbrook Park.

In May, the GTCC's scavenger hunt had contestants scouring businesses for clues. June brought a new car cruise to Old Town as an expansion of Thunder on the Mountain. Next came the Mountain Festival, which saw a record breaking 15,000 guests over the August weekend. In September, Thunder on the Mountain saw nearly 300 beautiful autos in Downtown Tehachapi.

The Apple Festival in October was a new event for the Chamber to host and it brought in 10,000 visitors. The year of events ended with the Christmas Parade, which saw 52 entries and thousands of residents in downtown. What a year! In total, the Chamber saw more than 35,000 guests at its events throughout the year.

Apart from events, the Chamber hosted more than 20 grand openings, anniversaries and ribbon cuttings throughout the year. Mixers, luncheons and classes offered learning opportunities for Chamber members each month. Hundreds of phone calls were answered and guests were welcomed at the Chamber, and referrals were given every day. A job fair served more than 150 job seekers. Benefits for members expanded and businesses saw increased value. The Chamber also began fundraising for an educational project to showcase Kern County's renewable energy industry. The completion of this project is slated for early 2025.

Looking ahead, the GTCC is excited to bring many events back, starting with the Valentine's Wine Walk on Feb. 15, and to create more value for all. One exciting project is to implement a community calendar that will be easy for all of Tehachapi to use and effortless to maintain. You can listen to the full scoop for 2025 on the TehachaPod podcast. Follow the Chamber on Facebook and Instagram (@chambertehachapi) and visit the website at http://www.tehachapi.com/.

Here's to another productive and exciting year ahead!

Clare Scotti is the Executive Director of the Greater Tehachapi Chamber of Commerce.