The Quinte West Chamber of Commerce celebrated Aleesha Camp, this year’s recipient of the Honorary Lifetime Membership during their President’s Dinner and AGM on Thursday March 31. They also outlined their accomplishments in 2021 as it turned out to be a remarkable year for the organization.
More than 100 guests came together at Occasions by the Bay for the celebrations and to recognize the accomplishments of the Chamber, the success of its business community and to pay their respects to Camp during this special event.
“It is our honour this year to recognize Aleesha Camp with an Honorary Lifetime Membership,” states Quinte West Chamber president Rick Davies. “Her contributions to Quinte West have made a real impact on our community and I can’t think of a more deserving person for this award, and am thrilled that for the first time this honor is going to a business woman in our community.”
Camp is known in Quinte West for her dedication to building the community through her volunteerism and sponsorships while running her own successful law practice. She has chaired many boards and committees, including with the Trenton Memorial Hospital Foundation, YMCA Strong Kids, Loyalist College and the Children’s Foundation. While retired from her law practice, her legacy for being a community builder and her generosity to numerous charities and community initiatives continues.
“I am very honoured and humbled to be recognized with such a distinguished group of community leaders,” says Camp. “What a truly kind gesture.”
Despite the continued challenges of COVID-19 in 2021, the Quinte West Chamber worked diligently to keep members up to date on the constantly changing landscape of government programs and assistance to help guide businesses through the closures and restrictions, in addition to the Chamber’s numerous initiatives.
“The Quinte West Chamber had an incredible year with our membership growing to 455 businesses, our largest ever and the implementation of new projects,” says Suzanne Andrews, CEO at the Quinte West Chamber of Commerce. “The power of the Chamber network was fully demonstrated as chambers came together across the country to tackle business & pandemic issues at the Federal & Provincial levels.”
Through the COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Screening Program, the Quinte West Chamber distributed 14,602 free rapid tests to 202 small and medium-sized businesses in the Bay of Quinte Region in 2021. This allowed businesses to keep their employees and families safe by curbing the spread of COVID-19 at work so the province could get on the path to economic recovery faster. Thanks to NRZ Safety for their generous donation, the chamber was also able to distribute 80,000 free disposable masks to our community.
The Chamber received over $90,000 through the Ontario Chamber of Commerce to enhance and expand the current Shop Local program to support the local business community. Since the start of the pandemic, businesses from all sectors have been hit hard with COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions, provincially and regionally. Thanks to this investment, the Quinte West Chamber was able to better support local businesses as the economy regains its footing.
The Chamber also became more accessible for persons with disabilities thanks to $7,500 in funding to improve the building at 97 Front Street in downtown Trenton, funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF). Multiple accessibility upgrades to the entrance ways and updated fully accessible bathrooms will better serve those using the building.
