Hallelujah, it’s March! Spring can’t get here soon enough, and the farther 2020 is in our collective rear view mirror the better. Winter is always tough, but it seems this winter added insult to injury. Now, the tunnel that was 2020 is widening and some light is breaking through. When you read this, it will be right at a year of the ringer that COVID 19 has put us through. An entire year of completely rethinking and reworking your business, making tough decisions, laying off/rehiring/laying off/rehiring employees, never knowing what the next day, week or month will hold – but most of you have survived and somehow experienced a few silver linings. While I will never fully understand your sacrifices, worries or dread, I have so much respect and empathy for every single Kentucky restaurant operator. We have strived to represent you, often to those who did not acknowledge or hear us. No worry, we will continue to do so.
We have had a tremendous response to our “Join Now, Pay Dues in Six Months” membership drive! Our invitation is for any restaurant to become a KRA member – complete the application and we won’t invoice your chosen dues amount for six months. With warmer months on the horizon with outdoor dining options, vaccines being administered and confidence building 2021, we’re offering this through June 30 in an attempt to build membership without you facing yet another financial burden. We will work with any restaurant who would like to join – and remember, we offer ACH monthly or quarterly payments if that works best for your business. A great big thank you and welcome to all who have joined in 2021 so far, and to all who have hung in there with us!
Please take time to read the Front Burner update as there is a lot going on in Frankfort that we’re part of and monitoring. Did you know our government affairs team reads every Kentucky bill and studies language to assess the impact on restaurants? Our elected Senators and Representatives need to hear from you to know the real world impact of bills they support or oppose, so if you get an alert please try to act on it. We are close to getting our industry vaccinated as part of the 1C group. You can register here: https://govstatus.egov.com/kentucky-vaccine-survey. You’ll answer a few questions and be placed on a list to call when available.
We’re planning to have a shooting clays tournament in June and our Golftoberfest outing will be on October 4. We can’t wait to bring together our industry in person! If you have an event suggestion or would like to be involved in what we’re planning, please let me know. I am looking so forward to seeing as many of you as I can in person. If I can help you with anything or just lend an ear please know I’d love to hear from you.