Chamber Events

Small Business Saturday is a day dedicated to supporting small businesses and communities across the country and is part of the larger Shop Small Movement. Founded by American Express in 2010, this day is celebrated each year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving in the U.S. Since it started in 2010, consumers have reported spending over $200 billion at small businesses on Small Business Saturdays since 2010*. 

Shop Small has grown to be a year-round movement that supports small businesses across the globe.  

Want some #ShopSmall #ShopLocal swag from AmEx?  Visit us during the holiday shopping season at a Chamber event, or at the Celebrate the Seasons event in Germantown Town Center!

*This spend statistic is an aggregate of the average spend as reported by consumers who shopped small on Small Business Saturday in surveys commissioned by American Express reporting spend habits on Small Business Saturday since 2012. It does not reflect actual receipts or sales. Each such survey was conducted online among a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. The data was projected from the samples based on then-current U.S. Census estimates of the U.S. adult population (18+).

This year's biggest bash is our "75th Anniversary Diamond Jubilee Gala - Celebrating the Upcounty Business Community!" 

This is our biggest bash of the year - A celebration of business in the upcounty! It also serves as the Chamber's largest fundraiser, helping us continue our mission of strengthening businesses and the economic environment for those who work, live, and grow the economy in our community.

Don't miss your chance to enjoy an evening celebrating with the GGCC's movers and shakers at the Chamber's Best Night Out!
 

THE EVENING'S EVENTS INCLUDE:

• Silent auction & Prize drawings
• Exhibits about the Chamber's 75-year proud history
• Cocktail reception
• A beautiful-styled, 3-course homestyle dinner, served with local Crossvines wines
• Presentation of the Annual “You Made a Difference Award”
• Presentation of the “17th Annual Small Business of the Year” award: The Branded Company
• Presentation of the "2nd Annual Mid-Size Business of the Year" award: Electrical Connections, LLC
• Presentation of the "12th Annual Young Professional of the Year” award: Dan Helhowski
• Recognition of the GGCC's Nonprofits of the Year (previously awarded): The Foundation Schools
• The awarding of the Montgomery College Scholarships funded by GGCC Businesses to Montgomery College students through the GGCC Community Foundation
• Installation of the 2025 GGCC Board of Directors and Officers
• GGCC Community Foundation Board of Directors Recognition
• The best networking around! 
• & More!

Business cocktail attire. 

UPDATE 11/22/24: INDIVIDUAL TICKETS are sold out! Only one (1) 4-seat sponsorship remains available (silver, bronze, or scholarship table sponsors receive 4 seats) 

• SPONSORSHIPS: Register Here, Info here
• INDIVIDUAL TICKETS: Register Here 
• AUCTION INFO: Click here
• YETI RAFFLE TICKETS: Purchase here, Info here
• AWARD APPLICATIONS/NOMINATIONS have closed! Awardees were announced at GGCC's Friendsgiving, and awards will be conferred at the Gala! 

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

Title Sponsor  - City of Gaithersburg  

Gold Sponsors: Rio , Hughes, Mid Atlantic Federal Credit Union

Small Business of the Year Award Sponsor - M&T Bank

Young Professional of the Year Award Sponsor - Supporting Strategies

Nonprofit Business of the Year Award Sponsor - Montgomery College  

Silver Sponsors:

Bronze Sponsors:

Rodgers Consulting

MHG  

 Beverage Sponsors - The Crossvines, Gaithersburg CPAs

Tickets are limited! Final Registration Deadline: November 29, or upon sellout.

GGCC Yeti & Beverage Prize Drawing

Drawing Date/Time: GGCC Gala, December 5^th, approx. 9:30pm

Retail Value: Over $1200

Prize includes: Yeti Tundra 65 Hard Cooler, navy blue, assortment of local craft beers, fine wines, fine premium spirits.

Prize package donated by: Grace & Virtue Events (Yeti), GGCC Board of Directors and local beverage producers (beverages)

Tickets: $40 each, max 300 tickets sold

Rules:

• Need not be present to win
• Must be 21+ to enter and to claim prizeN
• ame and contact information must be clearly written or submitted online
• Max tickets sold: 300
• Proceeds benefit GGCC Community Foundation 2025 programming
• In the case that the winning ticket does not claim Yeti & Beverage prize, a second drawing will be held January 6, 2025 with remaining tickets.

Any online purchases will be transferred to a physical ticket. Please make sure you've included your name & email & phone number when you register.

Prize Package includes the following:

TOTAL PRIZE PACKAGE VALUED AT $1401.94

Thank you to our donors: Grace and Virtue Events, GGCC Board of Directors, GGCC Community Foundation Board of Directors, Key Ingredients Catering, Clear Skies Meadery, Lone Oak Farm Brewing Company, Third Hill Brewing, Silver Branch Brewing Company, 7 Locks Brewing Company

INCLUDED IN PRIZE: 

YETI – navy blue, Tundra 65 model, with wheel package

SPIRITS:

• Lagavulin 16 years aged

• Tanqueray Batch Distilled Gin No. Ten

• Noah's Mill Small Batch Bourbon

• Ketel One Vodka 

• Gran gala

• Gentleman Jack Tennessee Whiskey

WINES:

• Chappellet Mountain Cuvée 2021

• La Marca Prosecco Italian Sparkling Wine

• CURRANT BUN RED BLEND 2022

• Cloud Break Chardonnay - 750 ML plus gift card for catering from Key Ingredients Catering

• Chateau Souverain Cabernet Sauvignon NV 750ml

• Tolaini, "Al Passo," Toscana, Italy, Red Blend, 2020

• Chateau Ste. Michelle Sweet Riesling, Columbia Valley - 750 Millilitre

• Moray, Vineyards, and winery, cherry wine, dessert, wine

• JUGGERNAUT CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021

• CAPITAL Z ZINFANDEL 2022

• Meandre Rouge

LOCAL CRAFT BEERS and MEAD:

• Third Hill brewing

• Silver Branch Brewing Company

• Lone Oak Farm Brewing Co

• 7 Locks Brewing Co.

• 3X clear skies meadery, knotty oak plus

• $10 clear skies gift card

Our monthly Nonprofit Direct Connect meeting will be in person in December at GGCC member BlackRock Center for the Arts.

Our next event is our Coffee & Cookies meeting on Monday, Dec 9, at 11 am at BlackRock Center for the Arts. We're discussing end of year activities and challenges, as well as what programming we would like to see next year so we can start planning!

Plans for 2025 to date:

• Monday, January 13,  11 a.m./Location TBD - Heidi Webb, CFRE: Mapping a whole year fundraising plan

• Monday, February 10 11a.m./Location TBD - Dona Deutsch: Tips to a happy, healthy heart/Stress management and wellness activities for small shops

More to come!

Our Nonprofit Direct Connect group typically meets on the 2nd Monday each month virtually or in person. This Direct Connect group is led by Denise Fredericks, Mercy Health Clinic, and Deborah Zimmer, Universities at Shady Grove. All meetings are open to all Chamber members.  For more information on the GGCC's Direct Connect program, please click here. If you need accommodations to comfortably access this event, please email llumbreras@ggchamber.org. 

Join us for this quarterly "Up Upcounty" breakfast series! Each session will include a guest speaker - an elected official or civic leader - to engage in discussion about needs and opportunities in the northern-most footprint of the Upcounty and of GGCC's service footprint, and we'll enjoy great networking of course. Thank you to Hornet's Nest Grille for coffee and breakfast! Free to members! Please join us!

December speakers and guests:

1) Audrey Vogel, Montgomery Planning Dept, will share a recap of the Damascus Placemaking Event and highlight next steps

2) We will share information about the proposal to remove M83 from the Transportation Master Plan and how you can get involved.

3) More to come... 

We are looking forward to our in person SOHO meeting on Tuesday, Dec 10th at 10am!
We will be meeting at Empress Coffee & Cocktails at 325 Main St. Gaithersburg, MD 20878.

Please join us and celebrate the great year we've had with SOHO!
And get ready for a wonderful year of SOHO in 2025!

The Health & Wellness Direct Connect is designed for like-minded business owners committed to learning, growing, and driving success together. This intimate group will focus on exchanging insights, solving problems collaboratively, and holding each other accountable in a confidential and supportive environment.

Bring your lunch and join us to develop relationships and gain fresh perspectives! If you have any questions, please contact Steve Reinhold at steve@phwassociates.com or Wendy Iglehart at wiglehart@wendyiglehart.com.

Join us for the ribbon-cutting celebration of our chamber member, James Bonato Videography, as we celebrate the premiere of his newest documentary film Resilience Has a Face!

The movie will be shown at BlackRock Theater. The event will begin at 7:30 PM with the Ribbon Cutting, followed by the movie from 7:45 PM to 8:45 PM, and a Q&A session from 8:45 PM to 9:15 PM.

To pique your interest, here is the film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_64k15Xsjs

Come visit the GGCC's Germantown Town Center tent with our #ShopLocal campaign for some cocoa and cookies at this wonderful Germantown Holiday event!  You can also learn more about upcoming community activities and planning in the Germantown Town Center business area!

Bring a gently used coat (any size!) for our Coat Drive.  

Any GGCC member may table with us for any portion of the day – let us know in advance by emailing llumbreras@ggchamber.org.

BlackRock Center for the Arts has planned a day full of magic including an outdoor holiday market with child choirs performing your favorite holiday song selections throughout the day! Complete with holiday music, crafts, snacks, and surprises, this festive season kickoff only needs one more thing - you - to complete its winter wonderland magic!

It's MERRY GGCC! Join us at the last networking event of 2024; make it count!  Enjoy appetizers, beverages, great networking, and brighten the holidays with the GGCC!

Sponsorship Opportunities are available!

Please bring:

• A gently used or new warm coat for the COAT DRIVE and/or a $25 gift card to a local chamber restaurant or coffee shop or grocery to be given to our local public safety officials in 5D and 6D who must work on the holidays. Don't have time to pick up a gift card? We can do that for you! Donate here and we'll take care of the rest! 
• An ornament or gift tag representing your business to decorate the GGCC office holiday tree – surprise fun to come! Don’t have an ornament or gift tag? Not to worry, we’ll give you one at the open house!

Please email llumbreras@ggchamber.org if you require accommodations to comfortably access this event.     

Want your logo on the GGCC calendar, shoutouts on socials, and logo on this invite?        

• Catering & Cocktail Sponsorships: $100 
• Gold Sponsorships: $300
   

Thank you to these sponsors!