The Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce will transition its staff to working remotely and will close its offices and visitor centers in Camden and Rockland effective today until further notice.  Chamber staff are still working regular schedules and will be available to the local community and prospective future visitors via phone and email.  

Chamber President & CEO Tom Peaco says he has been in contact today with Camden Town Manager Audra Caler-Bell and Maine Lighthouse Museum Director Dot Black to discuss the closures. 

The Town of Camden owns the building housing the Chamber office and visitor center in Camden, and the Chamber rents office and visitor center space from the Maine Lighthouse Museum in Rockland. 

“Obviously, our first priority is the health and safety of our staff and volunteers,” Peaco said, in a news release.  “Additionally, we wanted to follow the guidance of our landlords in both locations.  The Town of Camden has closed town offices, and the Maine Lighthouse Museum is delaying their season opening until at least April 1.”  Peaco also noted that the Maine Tourism Association announced today the closure of all Maine State Visitor Information Centers, adding confirmation to the Chamber’s decision to close until further notice.  

The Chamber also released today a new page on their website to share coronavirus information and resources for businesses, as well as information on local businesses who are closing or changing their times or operating models in response to the pandemic. The page can be viewed at https://www.camdenrockland.com/news/coronavirus

The Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce serves as a primary business conduit for the Camden-Rockland Region, which encompasses 27 municipalities within and surrounding Knox County.  The Chamber provides a variety of platforms and opportunities for close to 800 business and non-profit members to promote themselves to residents and visitors to the region.  To learn more, visit www.CamdenRockland.com or call 207-596-0376.