Northwest Marine Trade Association Reschedules Anacortes Boat & Yacht Show for late June

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Northwest Marine Trade Association Reschedules Anacortes Boat & Yacht Show for late June

SEATTLE, March 23, 2020 - The  Northwest Marine Trade Association (NMTA), in  conjunction with its partner the Anacortes Chamber of Commerce, today announced that it has rescheduled the third annual  Anacortes Boat & Yacht Show, originally set for May 14-17, 2020, until Thursday June 25 - Sunday, June 28, 2020.

“The safety and well-being of our staff, members, exhibitors and attendees is our first and foremost priority,” said George Harris, President/CEO of the NMTA. “In light of this and the fluid and continuously changing COVID-19 situation, our Board of Trustees met  and we made the unanimous decision to reschedule the Anacortes show until June 25 - June 28, 2020.” 

All tickets that were pre-purchased for the original event dates will be honored during the new dates.

For more information on the event, please visit Anacortes Boat & Yacht Show

About the Northwest Marine Trade Association

The NMTA is the nation’s largest regional marine association. It represents more than 700 companies in the recreational boating industry, including boat dealers, boat brokers, marinas, boatyards, manufacturers, retailers and suppliers of boating accessories and services. The NMTA’s mission is to promote the growth of recreational boating and members’ businesses. The NMTA produces the Seattle Boat Show, the West Coast’s largest boat show and the Northwest Paddling Festival. 

About the Anacortes Chamber of Commerce

The Anacortes Chamber of Commerce is a member-based organization representing 500 businesses, community organizations and interested individuals. Its mission is to promote economic prosperity through innovative leadership, advocacy and collaborative community engagement. The Anacortes Chamber of Commerce also acts as the Destination Marketing Organization promoting to the travelling public and greeting guests to encourage them to Experience Anacortes…your island getaway.  

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NMTA Update & Small Business Resources - COVID-19

Dear NMTA Members –

All of us are in uncharted waters as we do our best to navigate the coronavirus outbreak. I’d like to share some important new resources that may help you navigate the outbreak as a business owner and some new programs from the State and City of Seattle to assist businesses in mitigating for the economic impact of the outbreak. I’d also like to share a brief update of NMTA activities.

Sincerely,

George Harris
NMTA President/CEO

NMTA Update

The NMTA Annual Meeting for April 15 has been canceled and members that registered have had their registration fees refunded. We remain committed to producing events and supporting activities that increase boating sales and activity. Our next event is the Anacortes Boat & Yacht Show, May 14-17. We are closely monitoring CDC and State guidelines, and actively discussing contingency plans for the Show so boating and fishing remain top of mind for your customers and our members can participate in this important selling event. This is a dynamic, fast changing situation we find ourselves in and we will continue sharing updates as needed. NMTA staff are working remotely and available to assist you any way we can. Members can contact me directly at george@nmta.net .

Business Resources

NMTA, in coordination with the Association of Washington Business, chambers around the state and business associations, has been advocating to local, county, state, and federal officials for more help to mitigate the economic impact of the outbreak, especially for vulnerable businesses and employees.

The Governor has responded with expanded benefits programs and a resource list. These include programs such as SharedWork, which provides partial wage replacement to avoid layoffs, and standby, which suspends the job-search requirement for workers to collect unemployment benefits if an employer must make temporary layoffs. You can see a chart of available benefits for various COVID-19 scenarios here.

Seattle’s Mayor Durkan has set up a business task force to help with Seattle’s response to the economic impact of the outbreak. Peter Schrappen from NMTA is in touch with the Seattle Metro Chamber delegate on that task force. Mayor Durkan also announced an initial recovery package, which includes expanding the Small Business Stabilization Fund, tax deferral, utility relief, and assistance to access SBA loans. You can view the elements of that package here.

Our Congressional delegation has been receptive to ideas that would help businesses during the crisis. We are creating a list of ideas that we will propose to our delegation.

NMTA is also creating a list of disruptions and we would like to hear about the business disruptions you are experiencing. Please contact Peter Schrappen, NMTA VP & Dir. of Government Affairs at peter@nmta.net. Peter will catalog a list he can share with lawmakers and staff at the city, state and federal levels - they want to know how they can help. The list can include staffing, supply chains, and orders.

Also, I wanted to share the email below from our partners at the Washington Retail Association. Please read below and sign up if this interests you.

The Washington Retail Association is offering these resources to our members and partners:

▪	Please Join this Important Interactive, “Running Your Business in Response to COVID-19” webinar, Thursday, March 19, 2020 at 10:00 am Pacific Time. Register here today

▪	A dedicated Retailer Resource Guide is now available at COVID-19 resource webpage.

The Coronavirus has been the pressing priority globally and locally. Washington Retail Association would like to acknowledge the rapid response and resiliency demonstrated by the business community and the employees during this unprecedented situation.

As we represent the retail industry, we want to provide resources for your business and share best practices as we navigate together through these issues.

Our guest speaker will be Nick Strueli, Legislative and Executive Operations Director from the Employment Security Department. Nick will discuss the types of resources available for you and your employees including:

▪	What are my options for a temporary reduction of hours and standby?

▪	What will be the impact on my business?

▪	How might I navigate through these issues?

▪	Nick will share best practices with the audience.

▪	Q&A: Audience participation. What are your current challenges?

Please invite your peers and others that might benefit from this vital information. If you have questions please contact Terry Hopsecger, Director of Business Development, Washington Retail Association thopsecger@waretailservices.com

COVID-19 Update from the Northwest Marine Trade Association

Dear NMTA members, The presence of COVID-19 in the Seattle area and Washington state is a rapidly evolving situation. Public Health – Seattle & King County recommends employers encourage employees to work from home if possible. NMTA staff are currently working from home and available by phone and email. NMTA committee meetings are currently being done by call-in or using GoTo Meeting and we are continuing to plan and prepare for our upcoming events: NMTA Annual Meeting - April 15, Kayak Try & Buy – May 9, and the Anacortes Boat & Yacht Show – May 14-17. NMTA will continue to monitor Public Health recommendations closely. NMTA understands most of our member businesses are service related, need to continue to operate, and do not have the ability to offer all employees work from home options. Following is a summary of the most recent recommendations from Public Health – Seattle & King County made available by the Seattle Chamber of Commerce. I found this summary helpful and hope it can be helpful for you and your employees. Sincerely, George Harris NMTA President/CEO New Recommendations from Public Health-Seattle & King County Because of the unique situation in King County, Public Health – Seattle & King County issued updated recommendations today. They now recommend: • People at higher risk of severe illness should stay home and away from large groups of people as much as possible. People at higher risk include: • People 60 and older • People with underlying health conditions including heart disease, lung disease, or diabetes • People who have weakened immune systems • People who are pregnant • Workplaces should enact measures that allow people who can work from home to do so. Taking these measures can help reduce the number of workers who come into contact with COVID-19 and help minimize absenteeism due to illness • If you can feasibly avoid bringing large groups of people together, consider postponing events and gatherings. • Public Health is not recommending closing schools at this time unless there has been a confirmed case in the school. Public Health – Seattle & King County also respects an individual school's decisions about closures or postponement of activities as each school knows the needs of their community best. • All people should not go out when they are sick. • Avoid visiting hospitals, long term care facilities, or nursing homes to the extent possible. If you need to go, limit your time there and keep six feet away from patients. These recommendations to minimize the intensity and frequency of close contact with other people and seek to minimize number of people who get sick. New Resource: King County Novel Coronavirus Call Center: • If you are in King County and believe you were exposed to a confirmed case of COVID-19, or if you are a healthcare provider with questions about COVID-19, contact the County’s novel coronavirus call center: 206-477-3977. • The call center will be open daily from 8 AM to 7 PM PST. • For general questions about COVID-19 or Washington State's response, please call the Washington State Novel Coronavirus Call Center at 800-525-0127. Resources for employers: Resources for employers: • Recommended strategies to slow the spread of coronavirus from Public Health – Seattle & King County • Anti-stigma resources from Public Health – Seattle & King County • What to do if you have confirmed or suspected COVID-19 • What to do if you were potentially exposed to someone with confirmed COVID-19 • What to do if you have symptoms of COVID-19 and have not been around anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 You can help: • Stay home when you are sick. If you have symptoms like cough, fever (100.4̊°F or higher), or other respiratory problems, call your primary care doctor. Isolate yourself and wear a mask before leaving the house. Do not go to the emergency room. Emergency rooms need to be able to serve those with the most critical needs. However, if you are having a medical emergency, call 9-1-1. • Practice excellent personal hygiene habits: • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. • If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty. • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. • Stay away from people who are ill, especially if you are 60 and older or have underlying health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, or a weakened immune system. • Stay informed. Subscribe to Public Health’s website (www.kingcounty.gov/COVID) or blog (www.publichealthinsider.com).

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