The Charles River Regional Chamber on Friday, Nov. 1, held its annual Fall Business Breakfast, which sent the full house of attendees off with a message that regardless of what happens on Election Day, you’re going to be alright. But you should also make sure that the people around you are alright, and to do what you can to support them.

The message of community and neighborliness espoused at the meeting was so strong that I thought I might never get out of the parking lot at the Boston Marriott Newton: The freshly inspired masses from Needham, Newton, Watertown, Wellesley, and elsewhere were being sooo polite about letting each other cut in (“you go,” “no, you go first…”).

In light of the upcoming election and the anxiety surrounding it, Chamber President & CEO Greg Reibman and team orchestrated a largely politics-free event.

Opening speaker Kathleen Marchi, who heads up social services and suicide prevention non-profit Samaritans, Inc., followed Reibman’s introductory remarks by discussing ways to support those feeling anxiety and stress. “Central to everything we do is human connection,” she said, emphasizing the need for authentic and compassionate listening to others, including those whose mental health may be affecting their job performance. She cited the ways she dealt with stress before throwing out the first pitch before a baseball game at Fenway Park.

Kathleen Marchi of Samaritans (Photo courtesy of the Chamber and Leise Jones Photography)

Next up was the presentation of the Chamber’s big recognition, the R.L. Tennant Award, to Newton’s Darryl Settles of Catalyst Ventures. An entrepreneur and activist with his fingers in a seemingly endless number of projects and causes, Tennant has played a big role in empowering minorities in the greater Boston area in everything from business to real estate. Reibman, in presenting the award to Settles, also described the heartbreaking loss that Settles and his wife suffered after their teenage son (Preston) died following cardiac arrest on the basketball court in 2022, and the many ways in which they have since honored him and helped others in Preston’s name since then. An emotional Settles began his remarks with just “Wow,” then after collecting himself, graciously accepted the award, and encouraged all attendees to help their neighbors thrive. “Every day I try to do something that makes me the kind of neighbor that I would like to have,” Settles said. He received standing ovations at the start and end of his remarks.

Darryl Settles at chamber fall breakfast — R.L. Tennant Award winner Darryl Settles (Photo courtesy of the Chamber and Leise Jones Photography)

The event concluded with a freewheeling motivational presentation by Needham High grad and Newton resident Steve Gross of the Life is Good Playmaker Project, which boils down its mission as teaching early childhood professionals to help kids heal from trauma. Life is Good also sells lots of t-shirts and other gear, though Gross described that merchandise as “a vehicle to… spread the power of optimism.”

Continuing on the event’s theme of really seeing others and helping them, Gross instigated “a mind-altering experience”—a room-wide rock paper scissors tournament that involved wildly cheering on one another and culminated in a best of three title match on stage. Even members of Wellesley’s Select Board got into the action, with at least a few of them earning early-round wins.

Bringing a sense of play and joy to whatever you do is the key to seizing opportunities as an individual and community member despite life’s challenges and pain, Gross told the crowd.