SPRING GREETINGS! Mid-April brings Patriots' Day, Spring Vacation Week, the opening of Farmer's Market at Hitchcock Academy and some warm, sunny days, too, we hope! Have you heard about our plans for an early summer coming out party? Thank you to those who have sent in nominations for Local Covid Pandemic Heroes who we will honor at this fun celebration. Are you offering anything special on Mother's Day (May 9)? Let us know by sending us your press releases and entering your big happenings on our calendar. We love sharing your news with our members, neighbors and friends! PS: Business After Hours with Worcester Regional and affiliate Chambers happens on Zoom this afternoon! Register below.
Crossroads is our Members' platform to share their latest news with fellow Chamber Members and our community. Thank you for entering your upcoming offerings on our Events calendar and emailing us your press releases, links and photos for inclusion in Crossroads. May 1st falls on a Saturday, so Crossroads comes the Friday before! NEXT ISSUE: APRIL 30, 2021.
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CHAMBER OFFICE INFO
The Chamber office is open by appointment only.
Please give us a ring at 508-347-2761 if you will be visiting.
Masks must be worn.
THE OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED FOR PATRIOTS DAY ON APRIL 19.
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Help us plan our Summer Coming Out Party!
Nominate your Local Covid Pandemic Hero
Have you heard? The Chamber is planning a humdinger of a coming out party and we can’t wait… BUT, we have to. We are so looking forward to seeing everyone, celebrating with you, enjoying entertainment and libations, and having some laughs. As we await the green light, with the best guess being that this will happen sometime between mid-June and early July, we’re coming up with ways to make this event very special!
Who is your Hero?
We are seeking Local Covid Pandemic Hero nominations from our members, so we can show our appreciation and honor them at this celebration. You may know a healthcare worker, a member of your local police or fire department, an EMT, or just a neighbor who went out of their way to help you get through a difficult time or circumstance over the last year.
Maybe your Covid Hero is the person at church who set up a puzzle swap or a socially distanced drumming circle around a campfire, or someone who inspired a new homebound hobby like playing an instrument, knitting or gardening. Simply email Alix with your nominee’s name and a paragraph or two about their helpful deeds. We’re currently looking into producing a tribute video featuring brief profiles of our heroes and their actions which we’ll get to view during our celebration. We will also have awards to present to these folks who have risked much and gone above and beyond the call in assisting our neighbors and friends during this perilous time. Want to nominate your Local Covid Pandemic Hero? Please email Alix or give us a call if you have any questions. Nominations must be received by the deadline: April 30, 2021.
Sponsorships & Raffle Donations
The Chamber is also seeking companies that would be interested in sponsoring the event and/or donating raffle items and prizes. We would love for everyone to go home a winner on this night! Email Alix if you would like to know more about sponsorship or contribute cool goodies for our raffles. We have four sponsorship levels:
Platinum Sponsor - $5,000 THANK YOU KARL STORZ!
Includes name and logo prominently on all promotion with links, mentions at event and 8 tickets
Gold Sponsors - $1000–5000
Includes name and logo on all promotion with links, mentions at event and 4 tickets
Silver Sponsors - $500-1000
Includes name on all promotion with links, mentions at event and 2 tickets
Bronze Sponsors - $250-500
Includes name on all promotion with links, mention at event
Stay tuned as party plans develop and we’re keeping our fingers crossed that we will soon see the yellow light turn to GREEN for GO!
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Brown Bag Seminars will return in 2021
Do you have a topic to present?
The Chamber's Education Committee is entertaining the idea of getting our Brown Bag Seminars going again. Typically 1-hour long, these seminars are intended to attract intimate audiences of 5-30 people.
Members, do you have a subject you would like to pose for an upcoming seminar? Presenting a Brown Bag Seminar is a great way to shine a spotlight on your business and the services you offer. You create the lesson plan, we do the rest including creating the invitations and promoting your seminar.
We anticipate offering the Brown Bag Seminars in-person by Fall 2021 but we would also be interested in offering seminars prior to the Fall in a virtual format. If you are interested in sharing your expertise with your fellow Chamber Members, in-person or virtually, while promoting yourself and your business, we would love to hear from you!
Just drop Alix a line with the topic you would like to present and your preferred month to get the ball rolling!
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Central Mass South Referral Group: Networking & Referrals
Chamber Members can now join for FREE!
The Central MA South Referral Group is the official networking and referrals group of CMS Chamber.
JOIN FOR FREE! Previously, Membership to the referral group was an additional fee on top of Chamber dues of $45 per quarter. We are pleased to announce that you can now join the group for FREE! Learn more by emailing CMS Referral Group member Rich Eichacker.
ABOUT CMSRG
The CMS Referral Group currently meets each Friday morning virtually. Meetings are designed to provide a venue for networking, enhance your public speaking skills, exchange of business referrals and marketing ideas, and guest speakers who share their knowledge of the latest developments in business. Comprised of local business owners and professionals, CMS Referral Group is committed to establishing and strengthening relationships with companies and community organizations in the Chamber’s service area through networking, education and trust.
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Welcome, New Members!
The Chamber of Central Mass South is very pleased to welcome our new members!
We're All In This Together, Inc. (WAITT)
Community Development & Marketing Company
ACS Services, Inc.
Boston’s premier, full-service IT Solutions Provider.
Our new regional partner through the Worcester Chamber.
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Would you be interested in serving on our Board of Directors?
We are currently accepting letters of interest from Members in good standing who would be interested in serving on the Chamber's Board of Directors.
Service on the Board is typically a 3-year term though we currently have four vacancies with remaining terms between 1 and 2.5 years. All openings are renewable in future terms. This is an excellent opportunity for members to build leadership skills in their employees.
The Chamber's Board of Directors is responsible for the Chamber's governance, ensuring its financial stability, setting policies, and assisting the Chamber in carrying out its mission and objectives.
Board members must regularly attend and actively participate in scheduled Board meetings, hold a seat on at least one Chamber committee, demonstrate public support for the Chamber, volunteer and assist in recruiting new Members, act as ambassadors and advocates, and lend their expertise in support of the Chamber's mission and objectives.
If you would like to serve, please send a letter of interest to Alix by Friday, April 30, 2021.
Mailing Address:
Alexandra McNitt
Chamber of Central Mass South
46 Hall Road
Sturbridge, MA 01566
Feel free to call if you have further questions. 508-347-2761.
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Considering Applying for a PPP Loan? ACT NOW!
If you are planning to apply for an SBA Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan, we highly recommend submitting your application as soon as possible. Though the deadline for applications is officially at the end of May, our SBA contacts inform us that the program’s funds will be exhausted by the end of April. Once the funds are depleted, there will be no more available as we do not expect another round of this program.
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MEMBER2MEMBER DISCOUNT!
774-241-3444
Offers Chamber members 25% off any paint class (Cannot be used for ceramics, alcohol or special events) Chamber members can use: CHAMBER1 as a PROMO Code when they sign up.
Click on the M2M logo to see this and many more great offers from Members... for Members!
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Cornerstone Bank contributes to Worcester Bravehearts charitable programs
$10,000 donation funds youth initiatives; inspires reading and writing
SOUTHBRIDGE, Mass. – Cornerstone Bank, a community bank with 12 locations throughout central Massachusetts, has made a $10,000 contribution to the Worcester Bravehearts baseball team to help promote the love of reading and writing in local youth. This partnership will fund both the Ticket to Read and Pen Pal Club programs, initiatives that reward children who read a set number of books or exchange notes with seniors, with prizes and experiences.
“Helping to fund these critical programs and give back to our community is always rewarding, but even more so given how education has changed so much for students this year,” said Cornerstone Bank CEO Todd Tallman. “We thank the Bravehearts’ organization for having the foresight to infuse fun into reading and writing, and for allowing us the opportunity to partner with them on this.”
The Ticket to Read Program offers students incentives for reading in the form of baseball game tickets, merchandise and even a class field trip by reading 10 books a month. Additionally, the classroom that reads the most books over the year will win a free field trip to a Bravehearts baseball game. Each year, over 30 schools in the Central Massachusetts area and 6,000 students participate in the program.
The Pen Pal Club encourages students to increase the amount of time they spend reading and writing. The program pairs a local middle school student with a senior citizen and the two write each other monthly letters throughout the school year. Then, during summer break, the pen pals have the opportunity to meet one another and enjoy a Bravehearts game together.
Cornerstone Bank is proud to support these community initiatives and help foster a love of reading and writing in children across the Central Massachusetts area. To learn more about Cornerstone Bank and its charitable donations, visit cornerstonebank.com.
About Cornerstone Bank
Cornerstone Bank is an independent, mutual savings bank serving residents, businesses and communities throughout Central Massachusetts. Our customer promise, Built on Trust, is not just a brand, but also a corporate focus. Whether a business or personal partnership, Cornerstone Bank rests on the foundation that relationships are built on trust. Deposits are insured in full by a combination of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Depositors Insurance Fund. The Bank is an Equal Opportunity Employer, Equal Housing Lender and SBA Preferred Lender. To learn about Cornerstone Bank’s personal and business banking offerings, please visit cornerstonebank.com or call 800-939-9103.
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Hitchcock Academy Opens the Farmer's Market and Announces a Bustling Spring Schedule
Once again Hitchcock Academy in Brimfield is proud to be the site of the area’s earliest Farmer’s Market on April 17. Located in the Hitchcock parking lot at the corner of Brookfield Road and North Main Street in downtown Brimfield, the market is open every Saturday through October 30 (except for Flea Market weeks) from 9 am to 2 pm. While some customers might want to arrive early for the best selection, the 2 pm closing means weekday early risers won’t miss anything if they sleep in.
For 26 weeks, the Farmer’s Market brings the community the finest in home made goods, locally grown, vegetable and flowering plants, produce, meat, baked goods, maple products, ice cream, herbs, soaps, salts, washes, balms, and more from trusted local vendors. Two of the vendors, Flourish Farm and Hunt Road Berry Farm, are set up to process SNAP and Healthy Incentives Program benefits, adding even more incentive to shop locally.
The Farmer’s Market truly functions as a community event, providing an opportunity to become familiar with native goods and to interact with the producers of these goods. Dollars spent at the Farmer’s Market go right back into the local economy and add to the regional wealth, while simultaneously providing the consumer with ready access to a healthier diet. Cindy Skowyra, Hitchcock Academy’s Executive Director, points out that, “the Farmer’s Market also provides a consistent source of high quality goods. Week after week you greet the same vendors.”
While many people have received Covid-19 vaccines, entry into the Hitchcock Farmer’s Market will require a mask. Patrons are also asked to follow current social distancing protocols. Nothing enhances the flavor of food like freshness, and nothing beats a local Farmer’s Market for freshness.
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Help clean up the courts at Hitchcock on April 24!
On April 24th at 9 am, just across the street from the Farmer’s Market, Hitchcock Academy invites community members to participate in its effort to fix up its tennis and basketball courts. Spearheaded by Ken Hawk of Hawk’s Lawncare and Landscaping, clean up projects will include cutting brush and a few small trees, raking leaves and general clean up. According to Skowyra, who honed her tennis skills on the HFA courts, a clean up project has always been a primary goal. When Hawk floated the idea of a community project on a local Facebook website, the response was immediate and it was encouraging, with many people offering to volunteer their time and talents. Anyone who is interested in participating can find information about the project in the Events Section of hitchcockacademy.org. While registration is not required Skowyra says it is helpful for planning purposes. Drinks and snacks will be provided along with lots of encouragement and enthusiasm. Rain date for the clean up project is Sunday, April 25 at Noon. Hitchcock Academy rounds out its April offerings with an online seasonal look at the night sky. Astronomy, which features planetarium software takes place on April 19 and on April 29 Fencing with instructor Andrew Bloch returns.
People thinking ahead to summer gardens need to circle May 22 on their calendars. Hitchcock will hold its second annual Plant Sale Fundraiser in its parking lot on May 22. All types of annual, perennial, vegetable and hanging plants will be on sale in time for Memorial Day planting. Anyone thinning their gardens and finding themselves with an excess of plants is welcome to donate that excess to this fundraiser.
Hitchcock Academy also looks to a busy June with the 11th annual Town Wide Tag Sale scheduled for June 5 and the first annual Golf Tournament on tap for June 26. The Golf Tournament will be held at the Heritage Country Club in Charlton. Skowyra says that sponsorship opportunities are available for this event. For more information contact execdirector@hitchcockacademy.org.
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Think outside the books.
Nature’s Classroom and the Prindle Pond Conference Center
For over 45 years, Nature’s Classroom has given students and teachers the opportunity to experience education
from another perspective: outside the walls of the classroom.
Renew your mind, spirit, and body at Prindle Pond Conference Center in Charlton, MA. A fully accessible and modern conference center sits on over 600 acres of wooded property on serene Prindle Pond. Nature's Classroom hosts a wide variety of weekend and week-long events, and can provide programming and team-building facilitation to meet the goals of your retreat. Offering guests inspiration for personal growth, creativity, and renewal by offering accommodations for workshops, meditation, individualized retreats, and encounters with nature.
Nature’s Classroom is a residential environmental education program operating at four locations in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island offering immersive programming tailored to the needs of each group.
If you have any questions about services or availability, please contact Nature's Classroom director, Lee Wyant:
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Second Chance Launches Plates for Pets
Fundraising Initiative Aims to Help Pets and Local Restaurants
EAST BROOKFIELD, MA (April 6, 2021) – For over 22 years, local restaurants have supported Second Chance, donating gift certificates for raffles and auctions in support of pets in need. Now Second Chance is flipping the script with the launch of a fundraiser called Plates for Pets to help local restaurants while helping pets.
The idea is simple – purchase a gift card at your favorite local restaurant and donate it to Second Chance for their upcoming dinner auction or golf tournament.
“We are always looking for new ways to help pets and the people who love them,” says Second Chance Development Director Lindsay Doray. “As we began planning this year’s dinner auction, we all agreed it would be difficult for many of our longtime restaurant supporters to donate to this year’s auction. Saddened for our friends, we brainstormed for ways to support local restaurants in our fundraising.”
“If Plates for Pets takes off, we hope to have a special 'Restaurant Week' for our online auction. We love the idea of encouraging bidders to try a new-to-them restaurant.” Doray says she is always looking for new restaurants to visit. She worked as a waitress for over 10 years and is very sympathetic to the challenges restaurant owners and staff have faced over the past year. She encourages restaurant owners to reach out to her if they would like to promote the fundraiser at their location.
Gift certificates can be dropped off at any Second Chance location or mailed to PO Box 136, East Brookfield, MA 01515. Tickets are now on sale for Second Chance Animal Services’ 22nd Annual Dinner Auction. The fundraiser, to be held May 15th, will give attendees the option to pick-up their meal in advance and join the festivities online or attend the event in person that evening at the Southbridge Hotel & Conference Center. Either way, supporters will be helping pets in need while enjoying a delicious meal and bidding on the opening block of auction items.
Second Chance is now accepting sponsorships and item donations for the dinner auction. Doray is grateful to the many sponsors who have already stepped up to support pets, including RE/MAX realtor Wendy Johnson who was also last year’s major sponsor.
The annual dinner auction is Second Chance’s largest and most important fundraiser, providing funding for all the programs that help pets in need from adoption services to vaccine and spay/neuter clinics to access to veterinary care for all.
For anyone interested in sponsoring, donating or participating in the Fetch! Sit! Stay! Dinner Auction, complete information and tickets can be found at www.secondchanceanimals.org/fetch.
PHOTO: Six-year-old Thelma and Louise are currently at Second Chance’s Adoption Center. They are looking to find a forever home together.
About Second Chance Animal Services:
Second Chance is a nonprofit 501c3 tax exempt organization that began in 1999 in East Brookfield and relies solely on donations from grants to operate. The organization operates an adoption center in East Brookfield, Community Veterinary Hospitals in North Brookfield, Springfield, and Worcester. Second Chance helps over 40,000 pets a year through adoption, spay/neuter, veterinary care, community outreach, educational outreach programs, training, and a pet food pantry. For more information, visit Second Chance’s website at www.secondchanceanimals.org.
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Cornerstone Bank contributes to Nichols College educational fund
$15,000 donation to K. Michael Robbins Endowed Scholarship in honor of retired CEO
SPENCER, Mass. – Cornerstone Bank, a community bank with 12 locations throughout Central Massachusetts, has donated $15,000 to the K. Michael Robbins Endowed Scholarship fund at Nichols College in honor of recently retired Cornerstone Bank CEO Mike Robbins. This scholarship will be awarded to students in the central Massachusetts community, both incoming and returning Nichols College students are eligible.
“Mike had an incredible impact on Cornerstone Bank and everyone he worked with during his 34 years here,” said CEO Todd Tallman. “When the opportunity to donate to a scholarship at his alma mater arose, we knew it would be an amazing way to show how much we appreciated his hard work and dedication to us and the people we serve. We are proud to help students achieve their educational goals, especially those who live and learn in our community.”
Robbins graduated from Nichols College in 1980 and started working at Spencer Savings Bank a few years later, eventually becoming President & CEO of Spencer Savings Bank/SpencerBANK in 2003. When SpencerBANK and Southbridge Savings Bank merged in 2016 to become Cornerstone Bank, he was named Chairman & CEO. He retired this past December.
A major supporter of the community, Robbins remains active on the finance committee at Harrington Hospital, on the boards of the Worcester Club and Worcester Research Bureau and is a proud advocate of Juvenile Diabetes Research.
“Mike is a distinguished alumnus who proudly represents the ideals of Nichols College as a business leader in the community,” said Bill Pieczynski, VP for Advancement at Nichols College. “This scholarship will provide local students with the opportunity to pursue a dynamic career focused education with the same valuable experience that benefitted Mike. We are grateful to Cornerstone Bank for helping to fund this scholarship as a way to honor Mike on his retirement.”
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Mini-Grant Funding is Available for One-on-One Technical Assistance
Do you need one-on-one assistance? Do you need specific professional consulting? Are you ready to grow? We can help.
Areas of individual consultation often include one or more of the following:
• Marketing to expand customer base
• Financial record-keeping and accounting
• Industry-specific assistance
• Reorganization to return to profitability
• Website design or other tech solutions
• General Business Planning
Call (413) 967 3001 for more information.
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Spring Break Teacher's Special! April 16-25
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Bid Local To Support the WOMAN IN BUSINESS Scholarship Program
For 30 years, Woman In Business, Inc. has raised money for and awarded over $60,000 in scholarship prizes to over 100 well-deserving students from our community high schools for their continuing education. We raise money for our scholarship program all year long through raffles at our monthly meetings and at our annual fundraiser held in conjunction with the Tantasqua High School Drama Club. We don’t need to tell you that this year is different, especially for our graduates who have already missed out on so much!
One of the signature features of WIB’s annual fundraiser is our auction of local items and packages donated by members and other community businesses. This year, because we have been unable to hold our monthly meetings and cannot plan for a fundraising event, we have taken our auction online. And we would appreciate your help.
Can you donate a service, product or experience to our auction? We are looking to showcase our region and all we have to offer, so we are looking to keep our auction items local in theme but our auction open to bidders everywhere through a special online bidding platform. Our online auction will be held May 12-19, 2021. More information will be announced shortly.
If you are interested in making an auction donation please complete the attached form. You can email it back ( info@wibsturbridge.org), mail it in (PO Box 483, Sturbridge, MA 01566) or drop off your item and form at the office of Your Hometown Shopper, 46 Hall Road, Sturbridge, MA (call first: 413-329-6554). All donation items are due April 16th.
Thank you for your support!
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Virtual Photography Travelogue!
Our Virtual Photography Travelogue program is narrated by professional photographer Ron Rosenstock whom I represent through Sbrogna’s Artistic Promotions.
We offer many one-hour virtual programs for purchase. A few locations which might be of interest to your staff or to your residents in Senior Living are Italy, Morocco, Ireland, and Iceland/Greenland. Please click on the thumbnail below to see a trailer for our Italy presentation!
This will give you an idea of what you can expect if you should invite us to do a virtual program at your facility. If you’re interested, please check out our website at www.sbrognaart.com and/or email at linda@sbrognaart.com or call me 508-318-3267.
We are working hard to find ways to continue to inspire, educate, and show the beauty of our world to the community as we all continue to go through our current health crisis.
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Members of the Chamber of Central Mass South have access to special partner discounts every time they shop in store. They can save on an assortment of products, from signage to PPE to business essentials and more.
20% off your in-store Print & Marketing Services order
• Floor decals, signs and posters
• Indoor and outdoor banners
• Disposable menus and more
10% off your in-store purchase of regularly priced items
• Safety essentials like face masks, sanitizer and more
• Office supplies like paper, ink and toner and more
• Remote furniture like chairs, desks and more
Ready to start saving? First, you must be a Staples Rewards Member.
Already a Staples Rewards member? You'll just need your Rewards number to enter on the sheet linked below.
To get your number, login to your account, click Rewards, and then click Rewards Profile to locate your Rewards number or call 800-793-3320 for assistance.
Click HERE to add your name and info to the CMS Chamber Discount enrollment spreadsheet.
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JC Penney Sturbridge Location is
CLOSING
Sturbridge Plaza, 194 Main Street, Sturbridge, MA
Retail Fixtures, Furniture & Equipment for Sale
Clothing Racks, Mannequins, Jewelry Displays, Christmas Décor, File Cabinets, Office Furniture,
Pallet Racking, Shelving, Select Shopping Carts, Salon Equipment & more!*
*Selection may vary by location.
The sale is now, but most of the items can't be released to the buyer until the store is done with them.
Currently, the store is scheduled to close May 16.
For more information please contact:
David Seim
(843) 412-1274
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Nueva edición!
Reach the Hispanic Market directly with the #1 Statewide Hispanic Newspaper in Massachusetts. Email advertising@vocerohispano.com to get started.
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Online Opportunities
This afternoon, Worcester Regional Chamber offers Business After Hours via Zoom with all affiliate chambers from 4:00 to 5:00pm. You'll also find FREE online workshops and courses from SCORE and MSBDC. Got something going on? Please add your happenings, online or in-person, indoors or out, to our calendar or email Jack the pertinent info and we will share in the next CROSSROADS!
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Business After Hours with Affiliate Chambers (Auburn, Blackstone, CMS, Wachusett and WDO)
(see the graphic above)
Virtual via Zoom
TONIGHT! Thursday, April 15, 2021, 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM on Zoom
FREE for Chamber Members
Business After Hours is an opportunity for you to network with other Chamber members and guests. Meet new contacts, develop new leads, and exchange ideas. Includes break-out groups for networking. Join us and hundreds of area professionals for a fun, informal networking event! Click on the graphic above or here to REGISTER.
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WORCESTER REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Financial Services Roundtable
Sustainable Investing: Aligning Your Money with Your Values
Tuesday Apr 27, 2021, 10:00AM - 11:00AM
Zoom invitation will be shared with all registered attendees.
Fees: No charge. For financial services industry only.
Sustainable investing is one of the most rapidly growing sectors in the investing marketplace—currently one in three dollars are invested using sustainable investing strategies. But what is sustainable investing? Presented by: Karen Shapiro
FREE ONLINE BUSINESS WORKSHOPS OFFERED BY SCORE
SCORE, the nation’s largest network of volunteer, expert business mentors, is dedicated to helping small businesses get off the ground, grow and achieve their goals. Since 1964, SCORE has provided education and mentorship to more than 11 million entrepreneurs.
How to Write a Low-Cost Digital Marketing Plan
Thurs | April 15 | 12:00 pm
Hope is not a marketing strategy! Every business needs a marketing plan to grow and prosper, especially now with the pandemic. Learn what you need to include (and why) in a comprehensive marketing plan that delivers results. REGISTER
Marketing - It's More Than Advertising
Tues | April 20 | 9:00 am
Marketing is the part of your business that drives revenue. This webinar will cover the key introductory principles of marketing, and help you to understand how to leverage your brand and integrate all aspects of your business to get and keep customers and give you tactical concepts that will help you achieve your marketing objectives. REGISTER
Will Your Business Idea Fly?
Tues | April 20 | 12:00 pm
Everyone who thinks about starting a business believes they have a great idea. But does your idea have real potential to become a successful business? Will this business be worth all the time and effort you will pour into it? Will it eventually be able to support you (and your employees)? This event is intended to be a discussion. YOU WILL BE ON CAMERA AND MIC. LIMITED Registration. Intended to be interactive discussion. REGISTER
MORE UPCOMING SCORE WEBINARS
View Previously Recorded SCORE Webinars Here.
BUSINESS WORKSHOPS OFFERED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER NETWORK
Statewide Training & Event Calendar
Apr 20 Getting Relief for Shuttered Venue Operators
Apr 20 How to Open a Business in Massachusetts Legally
Apr 27 Federal Government Contracting (Part 2)
Apr 29 Using a Risk-Based Approach to Build Your Export Compliance Program
Visit the online calendar for more info and to register for these and more.
COGGNO is the Chamber's 24/7 Training platform. Low cost and even free online courses are available for CMS Chamber Members.
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Help Opacum Land Trust clean up our trails!
Join Opacum Land Trust for property clean-up days this April so we can get our trails ready for everyone to enjoy!
Help update trail markers, repair bridges, clear out fallen trees, and clean up the trails. Opacum will keep the groups small and everyone distanced for safety. Kids and families welcome.
Please wear a mask and bring work gloves, water, clippers, loppers, and hand saws if you have them.
No tools? No problem, just let us know and we'll bring extra.
We'll start at 9 am on the days below and will finish up by 12.
Please RSVP so we know how many people to expect and so we can contact you if it's rained out.
Want to help, but can't make it on these days? Let us know & we'll make sure to notify you about future workdays.
APRIL 15
Dingley Dell - Brimfield
51 Monson Road, Brimfield, MA
The trailhead and gravel parking lot are located at 51 Monson Road, just east of Sutcliffe/Dingley Dell Road in Brimfield.
APRIL 17
Opacum Woods - Sturbridge
Old Brook Circle, Sturbridge, MA
APRIL 29
Quinlan Memorial Conservation Land - Monson
Reimers Road, Monson, MA
Meet at the trailhead on Reimers Road in Monson, approx. 1 mile from the intersection with Silver St and approx. 1 mile from the intersection with Stebbins Rd. There is limited parking in the parking lot, but plenty of parking available on the side of the road.
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Cooking with Rico: Flavors of Tuscany
Thursday, April 15, 2021 at 6:30 PM
Join us for the first Cooking with Rico of the 2021 season...Tuscan cuisine—or Rustic Italian Country Cooking—is appreciated the world over for its natural and flavorful ingredients. Tuscan food is based on the Italian idea of cucina povera or “poor cooking.” A concept that’s about simple meals that are inexpensive and could easily be made in large amounts. It is also the typical expression of the Mediterranean diet, considered among many to be the most wholesome and delicious. With a few basic top-quality ingredients, Tuscan chefs can create exceptional dishes.
In this Cooking with Rico series, Rico will demonstrate how with just a few regional ingredients, simple and marvelous rustic Italian dishes can be prepared. Who doesn't need this at home right now?
As always, each course is accompanied by a specially chosen wine pairing. This event is $55 per person with wine pairings, or $45 without. Tax and gratuity are not included. Make your reservations now by calling Avellino at 508-347-2321.
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Earth Week at Old Sturbridge Village
April 17-April 25
Times: The Village is open from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm
Seed, sow, celebrate! Join us throughout the week for a wide variety of talks, walks, workshops, and activities related to nature, ecology, stewardship, and our climate. Our interpreters will host talks exploring the deep connections between the environment and early 19th-century life and begin the seasonal work of preparing and planting the fields and gardens. This week will feature a different theme each day including, harvesting crops, sowing fields, planting seeds, and much more spring time preparation! You can also celebrate Patriots' Day at the Village on April 19!
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Healthy kids, happy home
Celebrate Healthy Kids Day® at the YMCA with a community event to get kids moving and learning, and families living healthier.
Following a year of social distancing, virtual school, mask wearing, and endless hours of screen time, the Tri-Community Family Branch YMCA welcomes you & your family to join us Saturday, April 24 from 10:00AM-12:00PM for Healthy Kids Day. Together, we'll celebrate all that makes the children in our lives so special.
In-person activities will be physically-distant & in accordance with CDC and state/local recommendations. There will be arts & crafts, a magic show, games, a kid-sized obstacle course, and more. Plus, you'll learn a few tricks to keep your little one as healthy as they are unpredictable.
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It's Official!
Salem Cross Inn will be reopening on May 6th!
OPEN for Mother's Day!
Seatings are at 12, 12:30, 2:30 & 3:00pm
for the latest updates.
508-867-2345
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May 15: Fetch! Sit! Stay! Annual Dinner Auction
The annual dinner auction is Second Chance's largest and most important fundraiser of the year. Because we need to be there for all the pets who need help now, we invite you to Fetch! Sit! and Stay! for pets in need on Saturday, May 15th.
You'll have the opportunity to Fetch a delicious family-style meal & swag bag, Sit down at home and join us online for dinner and Stay tuned as we share amazing stories of the animals we've helped and take part in our online auction.
OR you can choose to join us in person! We are now accepting reservations for parties of 6 for our LIVE EVENT in accordance with COVID restrictions. There will be a limited number of tables available so we would like to accommodate as many supporters as possible in compliance with state restrictions. We may open up reservations for smaller parties, based upon availability, at a later date.
Whether you choose to join us in person or from home, you'll be helping pets in Massachusetts and beyond.
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Venture Community Services
23rd Annual Charity Golf Classic
Friday, June 18, 2021
9am shotgun start
Blissful Meadows Golf Club, Uxbridge MA
Proceeds to support programming for people with developmental disabilities.
Visit Online for more! REGISTER TODAY!
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STEMing into Sports Program
In-Person Offered Weekly July - August 2021
Early Bird Special $50 Off ends May 1st, 2021
Nichols College, 121 Center Rd., Dudley MA, Davis Hall
The purpose of Our Bright Future STEMing into Sports Program is to provide Robotics and Sports for youth ages 9 years old to 17 years old in a safe, caring, and supportive environment at Nichols College Campus in Dudley, MA. Our Bright Future is structured to develop and implement programs and activities that prepare youth for success. Members are encouraged to participate in all 5 core areas of programming: Character & Leadership Development, Education & Career Development, Health & Life Skills, The Arts, Sports & Fitness, and Recreation. Children within Our Bright Future STEMing into Sports Program receive the benefits of a structured child care program within a full-functioning safe environment.
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN
For more information and registration, please visit:
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SAVE THE DATE!
THE 2021 CMS CHAMBER GOLF CLASSIC
AUGUST 5, 2021
HERITAGE COUNTRY CLUB, CHARLTON
STAY TUNED FOR MORE INFO COMING SOON!
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Executive Committee
Erika Travinski, Chair
The Center of Hope
Laurie Cashman, Immediate Past Chair
Yellow Iris Farm
Bruce Watkins, Treasurer
Karl Storz Endovision, Inc.
Board of Directors
Brad Arcoite
Table 3 Restaurant Group
Michael Checkosky
Cornerstone Bank
Nicole Courtemanche
Connectivity Point
Alycia Dzik
Webster First Federal Credit Union
Rich Eichacker
Vibrance Technology Corp
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Michelle Fanion
ERA Key Realty
Steve Gardiner
Southbridge Hotel & Conference Center
Les Gardner
Les Gardner Photography
Nathan Hardt
Old Sturbridge Village
Kelly Hibbard
Harrington Hospital
Rich Suitum
Exsel Advertising Group
Michael Wales
Michael L. Wales Painting Company
James Donahue
Old Sturbridge Village
Honorary Board Member
Counsel
Padgett Berthiaume
Berthiaume & Berthiaume
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46 Hall Road
Sturbridge, MA 01566
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Alexandra McNitt
Executive Director
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Jack Starkey
Communications & Media
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