The Network recently held two more virtual events to keep our members connected during this time of not being able to gather in person.

The first was held on June 5 – the original date of our signature event, SGForum, which had to be rescheduled to November 19 due to the ongoing impact of the pandemic. In an effort to still have some fun together, we hosted virtual trivia focused on how well you know Springfield.

Questions ranged from facts about our history, like the hotel Elvis Presley stayed in after playing at the Shrine Mosque, to present-day info like the number of miles of greenway trails in our area. Participants had 20 seconds to answer each question and there was a prize at stakes, so the competition level was high. The lighthearted event was a unique opportunity for members to take a break in their day and learn some new and fun facts about Springfield.

The second event was a virtual social hour. Brushing up on networking skills and staying connected is still important, even if we can’t meet in person! The event started with members offering self-introductions, sharing their name, professional information and discussing something they have missed during the quarantine.

Here were some of the things our members have missed:

• Large group gatherings
• Concerts
• Sporting events
• Travelling
• Going to the movies
• Hand shaking
• Hugging
• And much more!

We couldn’t agree more! After group introductions, members split into breakout rooms to discuss prompted questions in smaller groups. Although networking over Zoom is not the same as in the Lobby of Hotel Vandivort, we are grateful to stay connected in these unprecedented times.