July Chamber Newsletter

Counting our Local Blessings

Chamber folks tend to be glass-half-full types, but we truly believe we have so much to be thankful for around here. The Biddeford & Saco area has many unique attractions and amenities that you just don't find anywhere else.

For example, we have a pristine coastline, amazing hiking and biking trails, a thriving and walkable downtown featuring two excellent Main St. organizations, a food and drink scene that garners national attention, and educational facilities and opportunities that are second to none.

Another valuable local jewel is The City Theater in Biddeford, a 500-seat theater that recently celebrated its 127th anniversary! Is there another area our size that has a mostly-volunteer theater effort that puts on such high-quality and affordable entertainment year-round?

The theater is largely funded by Sponsors who help underwrite each show and benefit from all the positive advertising, PR and awareness they receive as a result. Right now the theater team is actively seeking sponsors, large or small, for this coming year's great line-up of plays and musicals and more.

If you are interested to learn more about how you can partner with the theater to help them keep bringing amazing shows to our community, please reach out to City Theater Board President Steve Ellis at: Steven.ellis@citytheater.org for more information about the theater's audience and reach, sponsorship levels, and more.

Welcome New Chamber of Commerce Members This Past Month

Please join us in welcoming our most recent new members:

U.S. Senator Collins York County Office - Senator Susan Collins District Office is located on Main St. in Biddeford. We recently met with the new team there and they encourage folks to reach out if they can be of help on any federal-related matters.

KPort Concierge - This luxury rental home management company offers premium rental services to homeowners and vacation renters on the beautiful coast of southern Maine.

Conlon Realty - This full-service residential real estate agency based in Saco works creatively to serve sellers and buyers.

What's It Like To Be A ...

Marketing Director??

Chamber Summer Intern Ariana Cote will be conducting interviews of varied Chamber members to learn more about their job and their company. These interviews will be featured in our monthly newsletters. This first interview is of Robyn King, Director of Marketing at Atlantic Federal Credit Union.

READ THE INTERVIEW HERE

Members in the News:

Rousseau Insurance Agency

Rousseau Insurance Agency recently announced their acquisition of the Audie Agency. For 65 years, the two family agencies operated as friendly neighbors just a few doors down from one another in Biddeford. The two agencies share a similar generational history that make the acquisition a natural fit.

Rousseau Insurance Agency was established in 1959 by Paul and Therese Rousseau out of their home in Biddeford. Paul & Therese retired in 1995 passing the business down to the second generation – sons Marc Rousseau and Jim Rousseau and son-in-law Ray Lambert. Today the agency is owned and operated by the third generation: Matthew Rousseau, James Rousseau Jr., and Emily (Rousseau) Pelletier. After 65 years of professional service, Ray Audie and Ben Audie have retired, and Matthew, James and Emily are honored to continue to serve their clients going forward. Congratulations!

Members in the News:

The Ecology School

The Ecology School in Saco is now in its 25th year educating students on ecology, sustainability and environmental stewardship. And they recently celebrated great news, marking the official announcement of their campus' growth to include the neighboring 202-acre Fogg Farm. This new land addition will allow for more agroecology farming and programming at The Ecology School and makes the full bend in the Saco River officially part of their campus. Congratulations to the outstanding team at the school for continuing to make such a positive and enriching impact with the next generation and in our community.

Age Friendly Saco Update

Age Friendly Saco was recently awarded an AARP/Toyota Foundation Demonstration Grant to expand transportation options for older residents beyond their current medical rides program. Age Friendly Saco currently has 14 volunteer drivers that have provided over 800 rides to Saco residents for medical appointments and through another grant they received from the Huntington Commons Fund, they will be seeking to expand the volunteer driver program to all 3 communities as well. To learn more about all the great work that the volunteers at Age Friendly Saco are doing and for contact info, go to: https://agefriendlysaco.org/

Next City Theater Show: Sweet Charity

July 21st thru August 6th

Sweet Charity explores the turbulent love life of the unflappable Charity Hope Valentine, a hopelessly romantic but comically unfortunate dance hall hostess in New York City in the mid-1960s. Musical numbers include: “Big Spender,” “If My Friends Could See Me Now,” and “The Rhythm of Life”. With music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Dorothy Fields and book by Neil Simon, Sweet Charity is a toe-tapping must-see classic that will amuse and delight all theater goers. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets.

ChamberFest Is This Thursday

The 3rd annual ChamberFest celebration will take place once again in Mechanics Park in Biddeford this Thursday, July 13th from 5pm to 7pm.

This event is a combination member-appreciation get-together and a business expo. Bring a table and showcase what you do for other members and the community. Or just plan to join us to enjoy great food and drinks from Dizzy Birds Rotisserie, fun lawn games, and connection-building with other members. Also, Chamber Summer Intern Ariana Cote will be back again this year performing live music in the park's gazebo during the event. Hope you can join us!

To Sign Up as an Exhibitor - CLICK HERE

To Register to Attend - CLICK HERE

The July Monthly Biddeford Art Walk

is Friday 7/21 from 5:30pm-7:30pm

Click on the ads below for more information: