Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce joins for networking lunch

Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce members and guests met for lunch at Fleming's Steakhouse on March 5. 

The monthly networking event is a chance for business and community leaders to come together and share what they do with others in the community. This month, as attendees stood to explain their businesses in a few words, many kept it lighthearted and funny, despite the creeping global spread of the novel coronavirus. 

"We're having a sale on the stock market this week," Ron Valdez with Edward Jones Investments said, to laughs from the crowd. 

Others, such as Lael Hazan, a travel adviser with Gracious Getaways, also quipped about the hits their industries have taken in the wake of the virus. Overall, attendees made the gathering a light and welcoming respite in the midst of a busy season.