Letter from the President

WELCOME TO THE WOOD RIVER VALLEY

LETTER FROM OUR BOARD PRESIDENT

PECK FAMILY

I love this community and it’s why I’m proud to be a part of The Chamber.

I am truly a local. I was born in Hailey and raised in Blaine County. My father was born in the J.C. Fox Building in downtown Hailey, where the City now has its offices, and he and my mom raised our family in Carey. I’m now raising a family of my own in Hailey and I couldn’t think of a better place to grow up. 2020 was a challenging year. It was hard on some businesses and caused others to thrive. Construction, landscaping, recreation and real estate did really well, while lots of hotels, restaurants and retail stores struggled.

Even though at times we had some of the highest rates of COVID in the country, we have done a great job of knocking those numbers down. It has been exceptional the way we’ve been able to keep COVID under control, especially when you consider the amount of tourists and people from out of town coming to our valley.

Our lives were definitely disrupted because of COVID, but we’re still lucky to live in a place where we can continue to enjoy recreational activities like hiking, hunting, fishing, mountain biking, skiing, snowmobiling ... it’s endless. These same activities are what drive so many people to visit this beautiful place every year, including 2020. More people visited and decided to make the Wood River Valley their permanent home than ever before. Some families are living here now while their children are participating in online schools as far away as California and New York.

By the summer of 2021 we are beginning to return to a sense of normalcy. The events we’re used to are starting to come back, like outdoor concerts, the Summer Symphony, the Fourth of July and Sawtooth Rangers Rodeo. We also have some of the best restaurants, hotels and shopping in the state and they're hopefully going to fill back up again.

Our goal at The Chamber is to help local businesses thrive and make the visitors' experience the best possible for those coming to our valley, whether they’re coming from Boise, Chicago or abroad. We want them to want to come back and to tell their friends and family what a great time they had here.

The great outdoors, art, culture, shopping, world-class restaurants, spas and theatre, and lots of great libations, we’re living the good life here. Thanks for helping us keep it that way.

Marlon Peck President, The Chamber, Hailey & the Wood River Valley