Many consider the butterfly to be a symbol of transformation, freedom, new beginnings, and hope amongst other lovely descriptors. Despite being so fragile, the butterfly can flutter gracefully to great lengths for survival, with the Monarch butterfly traveling over 1,000 miles for hibernation. This little insect is best known for the way they change shape as they grow, displaying their beauty and charm every step of the way.

At HopeSparks Family Services, they have been on the same journey for 125+ years to help families in Pierce County grow, transform, experience new beginnings, and most importantly give them hope. The butterfly can be seen in the logo for HopeSparks, and scattered all around the Children’s Developmental Services building located off Union Ave in Tacoma.

The Chamber was recently invited to celebrate the grand opening of the outdoor playground for said building. Being completely designed by the team at HopeSparks, the playground is the perfect space for kids to run around. Of course, the playground would not be complete without the symbolic butterfly, which can be seen not only in the rubberized ground cover, but in a whole climbing statute.

Dozens of guests came to witness the cutting of the ribbon and heard thoughtful words spoken by Heather Moss, Director of Pierce County Health Services; Joe LeRoy, President and CEO of HopeSparks; and Vianeth Zubrod, Director of HopeSparks. Calling it a “collective effervescence”, Joe and his crew could not wait for the playset to be enjoyed by generations of Pierce County tots for years to come.

The Chamber extends its thanks to HopeSparks for allowing us to be involved in their big day and wishes them well and good weather for playtime of course! To learn more about HopeSparks and how to get involved visit their website.

Website: https://hopesparks.org
Phone: (253) 565-4484
Email: [email protected]

Learning to drive is a big step in a person’s life. There's a new sense of freedom with the ability to travel anywhere you set your mind to. Those learning how to drive usually enroll into a driver’s education course where they are taught the rules and laws of driving, receive their learner’s permit to practice, and then an official driver’s license. Now there is a new resource in Tacoma for those looking for a driver's education program!

Complete Driving Experience, also known as CDX, is the perfect place for student drivers to learn the rules of the road in a safe and welcoming environment. At CDX, both teens and adults are welcome to join the program. They offer several services including defensive driving lessons, Washington State approved driver license exams, teen and adult driving courses, and even a driving simulator!

CDX has been helping student drivers for three years and the Chamber was proud to be invited to celebrate their anniversary. Surrounded by family and friends, Mrs. Dubois, the owner of Complete Driving Experience, cut the ribbon to commemorate the milestone. CDX started with the help of The R.I.S.E. Tacoma, but quickly grew and are now located in the historic Tacoma Armory. The office is decorated with hot wheel cars, cute signs with driving puns, and motivational quotes, welcoming visitors and hopeful drivers.

CDX is a family, woman, and black-owned business that is ready to help tailor driving lessons to each student respectively, giving them the skills, knowledge, and confidence to drive safely and legally on the road! To learn more about Complete Driving Experience and what they have to offer, visit their website or contact them via email or phone.

Website: https://www.completedrivingexp.com
Phone: (253) 387-7733
Email:  [email protected]

Last week, SelectUSA Seattle Spinoff welcomed 50 delegates from 11 countries to showcase opportunities in the South Sound! The group visited Tacoma on June 20th as part of the memorable trip.
 
The two-day program provided international companies and investors with research and analysis of the regional economy, tours of innovation and R&D centers, local competitive advantages, and engagement with leaders in both public and private sectors.
 
The Chamber’s CEO and President, Andrea H. Reay, joined the delegates for their Tacoma visit, along with Michael Fowler, Executive Director & Senior Trade Consultant of World Trade Center Tacoma. The sun also made an appearance, which was greatly enjoyed during the waterfront tour in Tacoma!

We love our ambassador team and are very grateful to have their support! Our Chamber ambassadors are an extension of the Chamber staff, allowing our members to have more points of contact. We want to highlight each ambassador as a 'thank you' for their continued support and dedication that they put into the ambassador team.

​What better way to spend an evening than watching the sun set over Chamber’s Bay while networking with those in your community and eating delicious food? Well, guests of the Partner UP & Chamber After Hours on June 13, 2024, did just that.

Partner UP, a play on the acronym U-P for University Place, is a networking event held twice a year put on by the City of University Place. The Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber is proud to have the City of UP as a partner and was eager to jump on board to dual-host their Spring event. The outcome? Partner UP & Chamber After Hours!

We held the event at the Chamber's Bay Golf Course inside their Hospitality Tent, which can also be used for events such as retirement parties, weddings, graduation parties, and the like. The tent is decorated with fairy lights throughout the canopy, and includes a mobile bar, buffet, and plenty of seating for the guests to enjoy.

Attendees heard from the General Manager of Chamber’s Bay Golf Course, Matt Cohen; the City of University Place Mayor, Javier Figueroa; the City of University Place Community and Economic Development Business Outreach Liaison, Becky Metcalf; the Chamber's Ambassador Team; and Emily Cook, Director of Membership and Development for the Chamber.

At the end of the program, three lucky attendees won the giveaway prizes which were Tacoma-themed wine bottles, and four complimentary appetizer or dessert vouchers for any Anthony’s restaurant, generously provided by John Little of Boathouse 19. 

Once again, the Chamber wants to extend our gratitude to Chamber’s Bay Golf Course for allowing us the opportunity to gather at their beautiful venue and to the City of University Place for being such a wonderful partner. Thank you to all who were able to attend our event!

Founded in 2010, Spaceworks Tacoma has grown to be a pivotal partner in many Tacoma artist’s careers. The program has helped artists and curators launch their businesses and has instilled beauty to vacant storefronts through the rapid mural project, giving Tacoma a refreshing perspective.

Each year, Spaceworks hosts a summer fundraiser called CACHET: Made in Tacoma. This event provides the community an opportunity to network, catch-up with alumni, enjoy delicious food, and give back to Spaceworks through monetary donations. Because Spaceworks is made possible through grants, the money received from CACHET is unrestricted funds which can be used for other aspects of the program, besides keeping it in business.

This year’s fundraiser took place at the historic Tin Can Alley, the signature bright pink building located by the Tacoma Dome. The night was filled with color, Tacoma pride, creative cocktail outfits, and of course, much art. Attendees were welcomed into the venue by an extraordinary display of decor provided by Tin Can Alley. Once you made your way past the Almond Roca table of goodness and the luxurious graze of food provided by Jan Parker Cookery, guests were able to check out the 'Off the Wall' exhibit filled with canvasses of original art provided by Spaceworks alumni. Each piece of art was hand painted by the respective artist and had one criterion: the art had to reflect Downtown Tacoma. This included nods to the Tacoma Dome, Sasquatch himself, Port of Tacoma bridge, Glass Musuem, Union Station, and many other Downtown staples. 

A silent auction was displayed for guests to try their luck whilst sipping on a signature mocktail provided by Aafiya Lounge, beer from 7 Seas Brewing, and wine from OBK Winery. The silent auction proved to be a popular attraction of the night as the selection featured curated products and services from beloved Tacoma artists. As the evening continued, attendees enjoyed cake bites provided by Love by The Slice and took advantage of the photo op in front of the marquee heart

Emcees, Chris Staudinger of Pretty Gritty Tours, and Jeremy Hamel of Velvetone Events, kept the audience engaged with many laughs and interesting Tacoma knowledge throughout the night. Soon enough, it was time for the live auction where eight memorable auction items went to the highest bidder, all of whom were greatly appreciative of Spaceworks. One of the memorable live auction items proved to be the tickets to stay overnight at Court House Square for a night of scary stories, Halloween movies, and ghost hunting. The 30 tickets available for this particular auction item were quickly snatched up by excited bidders.

This year's CACHET was truly one for the books! Thanks to the incredible generosity of the donors and the dedication of the volunteers, we’ve made another year possible of Woolworth Window installations, murals, and invaluable business training and support. Together, we’re making a real impact in the support of small businesses and paid artist opportunities. 

Join us in celebrating the graduation of our latest Business Plan Cohort from the Spaceworks Incubator Program!

Over the Spring, thirteen talented entrepreneurs have honed their skills, developed innovative ideas, and crafted strategic business plans for success. With guidance from mentors and support from their peers and past Spaceworks alumni, they're ready to grow their businesses with a stacked tool belt of resources.

On May 28, 2024, these amazing Tacoma entrepreneurs presented their businesses during their graduation ceremony hosted at Court House Square. We are happy to welcome them into our alumni network of over 450 small businesses!

The Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber and Pierce County Economic Development recently celebrated the graduation of Cohorts 15 and 16 of the Pierce County Business Accelerator! Over the past six weeks, these cohorts of local entrepreneurs and business owners have been hard at work engaging in trainings, coaching, technical support, and networking to accelerate their businesses. 

Our Chamber is honored to have played a role in the Pierce County Business Accelerator from the beginning as the program administrator, in partnership with Pierce County. The Pierce County Business Accelerator serves entrepreneurs and business owners throughout Pierce County with a focus on BIPOC, veteran, and women-owned businesses to help foster innovation and create wealth-building opportunities. Congratulations to these amazing groups of graduates! 

View photos from the Cohort 15 & 16 graduations below, and learn more about the Pierce County Business Accelerator at www.pcba.biz!