The holidays seem to remind us of the great people in our lives.

We take special time to celebrate with family and friends, co-workers and colleagues.

I love giving gifts and hand written cards with a big heartfelt “thank you”... to remind our members, sponsors, volunteers and partners of how grateful we are to have their support throughout the year. For many nonprofits and not-for-profits, it is the board members, committee members and volunteers who are the incredible support system we all depend upon.

The following are three wonderful gifts that we receive throughout the year from the many people, who volunteer and support our efforts, for this, we thank you:

First, the gift of Time: Thank you to our many volunteers who give us countless hours of time assisting at our events, planning our programs, strategizing on future goals and attending committee meetings.

Second, the gift of Treasure: As a not for profit organization, we depend on sponsorships, memberships and partnerships to fund our programs, initiatives and the organization. Many thanks to our partners who continue to support our efforts that in turn support our businesses and communities throughout the county.

Third, the gift of Talent: In order to be successful, you need talented individuals with great ideas working together toward a common goal. We thank our members, volunteer leaders and partners for the talent they bring to the table in areas such as education, tourism and accommodations, marketing, finance, economic development, manufacturing and strategic planning.

In the New Year, surround yourself with people who will give you valuable and rewarding time, treasure and talent and be grateful for the gifts you receive to help you succeed.

Please plan to join us in 2020. Join a committee, attend and event and get involved — your time, treasure and talent will lead you to great networking opportunities to strengthen your business, and our awesome county.

Marlyn Kissner is Executive Vice President, Northern Region for the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce and Carbon Chamber and Economic Development.