PORTSMOUTH— There is a lot to do in Portsmouth, with event planners and organizations struggling to plan functions without bumping into others and competing. Whether you use the city’s website, the Chamber of Commerce, the Daily Times, or another resource for announcements and scheduling, you can always depend on the fact there will be something for you to do. That is what three partners try to highlight with the quarterly Portsmouth Today meetings held in the Community Action Scioto County Welcome Center.

Started by Main Street Portsmouth in Bloom and the Chamber of Commerce, the event added the Scioto County Visitor’s Bureau to the list of sponsors last year.

Each quarter, the groups bring in no more than ten organizations to speak on updates, events, and business. The event is then closed with a few minutes for networking. The event usually takes around 90 minutes to accomplish the goal. It is open to the public and anyone is encouraged to attend.

The most recent installment of the event was held January 24 at the Community Action Organization Scioto County Welcome Center. They welcomed seven speakers.

“Portsmouth Today went very well,” Portsmouth Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lisa Carver said. “We had about seven presenters and had close to 40 in attendance. We always like to say when you come to one of the Portsmouth Today meetings that ‘you hear it here first.’ It’s encouraging to see all that going on in the area, all over the county. It’s wonderful to see the networking and collaborations taking place in the room as people discover new avenues in which to place their energies.”

Some of the speakers at the last function included John Lorentz, talking about his Dreamland Pool documentary; Casey Thornsberry, with the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts, to discuss the Cher Show; Beau Mohl, who discussed the homeless count; Jill MacDonald, of Seven Nation Celtic Club, who discussed the St Patrick’s Day Parade; Robert Black, of the Boneyfiddle Project, who spoke about the Final Friday events for 2024; and more.

“All the presenters were very interesting,” Carver recalled. “Dr. Lorentz gave a plethora of information on his upcoming dreamland documentary, including how it started, and how it changed courses throughout the course of making it.”

Carver sees the health of the community as strong, and the event showcases that proof.

“There is so much going on and most people just don’t realize it, which is another reason we host this event,” Carver explained. “We always have an agenda outlined with planned speakers, but, by the time the event is over, we always learn of one or two more things going on. We have a lot of great events and progress going on. If you look at the Chamber calendar online, you’ll see there is something educational, or fun, or designed to better your health every day.”

The next Portsmouth Today is scheduled for April 17, 9 a.m., at the Community Action Organization Scioto County Welcome Center. To be placed on the agenda, reach out to Carver. Anyone is welcome to attend.

Some of the current upcoming speakers and organizations include the Trillium project, Scioto Literacy, Scioto County Public Library, ARC of Appalachia and more.

“Portsmouth Today has been a very successful collaboration between the Chamber, Scioto County Visitors Bureau, and Main Street Portsmouth in Bloom since its inception in 2019,” Carver said. “It gives the community a chance to hear firsthand what is going on in terms of area events and programs. So much wonderful information is exchanged, and many ideas have grown from networking. It’s been going great, with attendance just at where it was before Covid,” Carver said. “The biggest value of it is keeping people in the community informed of events, not only Chamber events, but additional events throughout the community. It is also nice giving members of the community a chance to have breakfast with community leaders and be able to shake hands and ask questions.”

Visitor’s Bureau Executive Director Nate Welch echoed Carver’s sentiments.

“Porstmouth Today is an important community meeting,” Welch said. “Not only does it provide a place to network with community members and organizations, it also is an excellent source to learn about happenings throughout Scioto County.”

Reach Joseph Pratt at (740) 353-3101, by email at [email protected], © 2024 Portsmouth Daily Times, all rights reserved.