The San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce hopes a local rally next week will galvanize community action and influence Google to bring its fiber optic trial to San Luis Obispo. 

The “Make SLO Faster” rally, organized by San Luis Obispo-based business-to-business networking group Tech Networking, will provide insight on what Google fiber can offer the community and send a clear message to Google that San Luis Obispo is the place for this opportunity. The rally is at Mission Plaza on March 16 from 5 to 7 p.m. 

“This Google Fiber project is the greatest potential economic, cultural and social enhancement opportunity that I have ever seen for San Luis Obispo,” explained Jeff Buckingham, a local entrepreneur who helped form the Chamber’s ad hoc Google fiber group and has volunteered with the Bring Fiber to San Luis Obispo initiative. “To make it happen, we need our community to create and attend multiple initiatives and events just like the Make SLO Faster meet-up before the March 26 deadline.”

Speakers include: Buckingham; Chamber President Dave Garth; Susan Opava, dean of Research and Graduate Programs at Cal Poly; Howard Gordon from Surveyor Corporation; and Digital West CEO Tim Williams. The event will be moderated by Tech Networking President Amy Kardel of Clever Ducks. 

The “meet-up” with begin at Mission Plaza in downtown San Luis Obispo, and at 5:45 p.m. attendees will walk together to the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art (formerly The SLO Art Center), where they will gather to “Make SLO Faster.”

“We’ll have computers setup at the Art Center, so attendees can get the word out live from the event, and we’ll have a videographer there to showcase the event on YouTube. We’re encouraging everyone to come with creative show-and-tell items to ignite conversation about Google fiber,” Kardel said. 

The Chamber and Tech Networking group encourages anyone thinking about attending to bring neighbors, friends, coworkers and signboards. If it’s raining, attendees can go directly to the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art (The SLO Art Center). 

Snacks and refreshments will be available. To make wine or food donations to support this event, please contact Jami Fawcett at (805) 540-8929.

Individuals can do their part by visiting the Google Fiber for Communities Web site and filing their own application form, becoming a fan of the "Bring Google Fiber to San Luis Obispo, CA!" Facebook fan page and suggesting the Facebook page to their San Luis Obispo Facebook friends, and by visiting the Softec Web site and joining the community discussions.

Click here to learn more about how you can get involved in bringing the Google initiative to San Luis Obispo.