Celebrating Our Members
November 2020
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A warm welcome to our newest members!* We encourage you to connect with them soon and see where your next partnership can be!
*Joined 10/1/2020 - 11/4/2020
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Welcome to Courtyard By Marriott, Waterbury |
Health and safety are at the heart of the Courtyard’s approach to hospitality, thanks to new General Manager Tiffany Wilson. The commitment to guests and associates informs the team’s decisions as the Courtyard adapts to new challenges presented by COVID-19. The Courtyard has elevated their standards and rigorous protocols to create hospitality norms and behaviors to address the current pandemic environment.
Weddings, social event, company meetings (small or large), can all be accommodated by the Courtyard’s spacious ballrooms – with emphasis on ensuring your event is memorable and meets all of your expectations. Located in downtown Waterbury with easy on and off highway access, the hotel has 199 comfortable guest rooms from standard rooms to executive or king suites (with kitchen) providing plush bedding, flexible work space, mini refrigerator, 32” TV, complimentary Wi-Fi, 24 hour access to Fitness Center, Business Center, and a designated area to print boarding pass.
At the center of the hotel’s lobby, guests will find our chic Bistro. Start your day with a Starbucks coffee, latte, or a flavored tea and choose from our newly inspired menu offering delicious options for everyone - breakfast, lunch, dinner or a quick bite to take with you. Our guests have enjoyed the assortment of appetizers, local craft beers, wine, and cocktail specialties.
Call or e-mail Carolee Kalita at 203.805.1497 or carolee.kalita@marriott.com to schedule a tour of Courtyard by Marriott. We are confident our talented staff have the expertise to accommodate your special requests.
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On Friday, October 9th, Soapy’s Car Wash held their official ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the business’s opening at 1015 New Haven Road in Naugatuck. Soapy’s features state-of-the-art technology to get cars clean. Pictured participating in the ribbon-cutting ceremony are, from left: Naugatuck Chamber of Commerce Director Courtney Ligi, State Representative David Labriola (R-131), Owner Daniel Camacho, Jr., Naugatuck Mayor N. Warren “Pete” Hess, Naugatuck Economic Development Corporation President & CEO Ron Pugliese, Owner Daniel Camacho, Sr., Chairman of the Naugatuck Zoning Commission Wayne Malicki, Naugatuck Deputy Mayor Laurie Taf-Jackson, and Naugatuck Burgess Rocky Vitale. To learn more about Soapy’s, visit their location in Naugatuck, on facebook at www.facebook.com/soapyscarwashct, or call (203) 632-5863.
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Spirit Café, located at 103 Bank Street in Waterbury, celebrated their Grand Opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, October 29, 2020. Spirit Cafe offers delicious coffee and specialty beverages, as well as pastries, snacks and Ami's bagels. Open 7 days a week, they have your caffeine fix- whatever you are craving. You can call (475) 235-2166 to learn more about their offerings. Pictured in the ribbon cutting are, (from left) Waterbury Regional Chamber President & CEO Lynn Ward, CEO of Main Street Waterbury Carl Rosa, Mattatuck Museum Director Bob Burns, Spirit Cafe co-owner Eddie Fernandez, Director of Economic Development for the City of Waterbury Joseph McGrath, and Spirit Cafe co-owner Michael Dixon.
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Events From Your Fellow Members |
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Main Street Waterbury's Community Partnership Award (November 11) |
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Main Street Waterbury will award Kristen Jacoby, President of the United Way of Greater Waterbury, the annual award at the Palace Theater on Wednesday, November 11th starting at 6:00pm to 7:00pm.
The Award was created by the non-profit Main Street Waterbury to celebrate the leadership and contributions of the late Stephen R. Sasala, former CEO of the Waterbury Regional Chamber and former president of Main Street Waterbury Board of Directors. It is presented to a commendable individual whose initiative, leadership, and personal commitment embody the spirit of partnership and community involvement.
Due to Governor Lamont's recent roll back to Phase II, all in person tickets will be suspended and guests should register for the virtual live stream.
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Webinar: Nursing in the COVID-19 Era (November 18)
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Join Charter Oak State College for a free Webinar on the impact of COVID-19 across the health care system. The fourth and final segment in the series, COVID-19: Health Care Lessons & Emerging Trends will be a Nursing Roundtable.
Leadership. Innovation. Resilience.
Nursing in the COVID-19 Era
Wednesday, November 18, 2020 at 12 noon, ET
The Health Sciences and Technology Faculty and Program Directors, along with members of the nursing community, will discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic is changing, challenging and providing opportunities for the entire health care system. Please join our distinguished panel of nurses representing education, acute care nursing, skilled nursing facilities and school nursing for a lively roundtable discussion on the future of nursing.
Featuring:
• Linda Perfetto, Charter Oak State College
• Kathy Neelon, Association of School Nurses of CT
• Lisa Rioux, Yale New Haven Health
• Jennifer Terray, LiveWell
To RSVP, please register here:
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Acts 4 Ministry To Benefit From Virtual Trivia Fundraiser November 21, 7 to 9 PM (November 21)
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The non-denominational non-profit Acts 4 Ministry will be the single beneficiary of a Virtual Trivia Fundraiser that will be held on Saturday, November 21, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. The fundraiser will be hosted by GYBO: Get Your Bingo On and sponsored by Halsey Associates. The cost is $20/player and each player will receive their unique access code on November 20. Each player needs a laptop, desktop or iPad, and one smartphone. To register, visit www.acts4.org home page, “Click to Give” in the top right corner, and click Events. All tickets are tax-deductible. Donations can be made year-round by checks made payable to Acts 4 Ministry, Inc. and U.S. Mailed to PO Box 4524, Waterbury, CT 06704.
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Spirit of Franciscan Christmas Fair (November 21-December 20)
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This year, because of the pandemic, the Franciscan Christmas Fair, benefitting the Franciscan Life Center and Franciscan Home Care and Hospice Care will be online. We invite you to join us for The Spirit of the Franciscan Christmas Fair November 21 - December 20, 2020. We will be recapturing the spirit of our Living Crèche from past years, selling fair items online including Christmas trees, wreaths, centerpieces, pottery, handmade miniature reindeer, handmade candles, Merry Miscellaneous items, Holy Land pieces and more. There is a Basket Raffle and Santa and Mrs. Claus will be live from the North Pole. Please join us in supporting The Spirit of the Franciscan Christmas Fair by visiting franciscanchristmasfair.org.
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Looking to advertise your company's news? The Chamber is happy to get updates out to members about your latest news. Click the button below and fill out the form to see your information featured in next month's newsletter! |
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Looking to hire? The Chamber is happy to share your opening with members. Click the button below and fill out the form to see your information featured in next month's newsletter! |
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Main Street Waterbury Continues to Champion Downtown |
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When it comes to downtown, Main Street Waterbury is the leading voice for economic development and community revitalization in downtown Waterbury. With over 75 small businesses, intertwined among government, corporate and global offices and two institutions of Higher-Education, the district serves the community day and night. When the pandemic shuttered the closing of many non-essential businesses; Carl Rosa and Anabela Maia stepped out, masked up, to make wellness visits to check on each small business owner providing them with complimentary face masks, and educational posters in Spanish and English to display.
As an Accredited Main Street America program, this non-profit organization is also experiencing the impacts of financial and economic downturn. Main Street Waterbury, like many non-profit organizations survives on grass roots fundraising and community sponsored events. It’s largest annual fundraising event, the 15th Annual Brass City Brew & ‘Que, was forced to be rescheduled to a Spring 2021 date. Without these funds, it becomes challenging to fulfil our mission to serve Downtown businesses, allocate funds, time and resources but most importantly serve as their advocate.
How can you help? You can provide support in three ways: 1) advocating to your legislators for greater COVID funds to assist small businesses and programs that support continued operations today and beyond the pandemic; 2) support the small shops located in our downtown; 3) make a tax-deductible donation to Main Street Waterbury via paypal by visiting www.mainstreetwaterbury.com
If you have questions or would like to volunteer, please contact the Mainstreet Waterbury offices at 203-757-0701. Your involvement will help us continue to advocate and align resources to revitalize & maintain our downtown Waterbury as a place you can live, work, shop & play!
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Comcast RISE program Announced |
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As you may have heard, Comcast has committed to a multiyear plan to fight injustice and inequality. As part of this commitment from Chairman and CEO, Brian Roberts, we are allocating substantial resources to help small businesses. Small businesses are core to who we are, and we know that businesses owned by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) have been impacted at a higher rate this year.
With that in mind, we have developed Comcast RISE – a program that stands for Representation, Investment, Strength and Empowerment. The program will start in 2020 with an initial focus on Black-owned businesses. The next submission cycle will open up eligibility to all BIPOC business owners, those next hit hardest by the effects of the pandemic.
If your business qualifies, you’ll have the opportunity to receive marketing consultations, media placements, commercial creative production services, or technology services from Effectv and Comcast Business.
The Comcast RISE program will initially be available for Black business owners. Beginning November 28, 2020, all BIPOC business owners will be eligible to apply for Comcast RISE.
Please use this link to review the selection criteria and apply. Recipients will be announced at the end of each quarter.
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Quassy Launches Virtual Learning Program About ‘Trolley Park’ Heritage |
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Quassy Amusement & Waterpark has announced the release of a new virtual learning experience which highlights the property’s heritage as one of the few remaining “trolley parks” in the nation. The online package includes a four-minute video and 10-question quiz which teachers may use as a history project in the classroom or as a virtual exercise for students who are working from home. “We put some time and effort into this project,” said park President Eric Anderson. “It’s been a challenging year for everyone, and we wanted to again reach out to educators with a worthwhile program that can be administered either in school or online.” The park official continued, saying: “This virtual educational program really highlights some of the history about Quassy and the amusement park industry in general.” After the COVID-19 crisis swept the nation earlier this year, the family-owned business stepped to the forefront by offering a number of online educational projects for youngsters who were forced to learn at home due to the virus.
The virtual learning program complements Quassy’s existing free educational offerings, which include a history tour at the park, amusement ride physics projects, “It’s Elementary” worksheets and “Wacky Science” stage presentation. Overviews of those programs may be seen at https://www.quassy.com/group-rates-catered-outings/school-trips. “Wacky Science” and the history tour, available during the park’s 2021 season, do require reservations through the park office at 203-758-2913. For more information about amusement park history, visit the National Amusement Park Historical Association website at www.napha.org.
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Connecticut Community Foundation and the United Way of Greater Waterbury Receive Support for COVID-19 Relief Work Assisting Systematically Under-Resourced BIPOC Communities |
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Connecticut Community Foundation and the United Way of Greater Waterbury have been awarded a $65,000 grant from the newly-formed Momentum Fund to continue their response work supporting local organizations working with communities of color, low-income populations, and other groups being disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant was one of 129 grants, totaling $8.5 million, awarded by the Momentum Fund to organizations around the country managing COVID-19 relief funds that provide grants and other forms of direct support to address critical needs caused by the pandemic, particularly within communities of color and historically marginalized populations. Connecticut Community Foundation and the United Way launched their joint COVID-19 Response Fund in March, and have distributed over $600,000 from the fund so far to organizations working to meet the basic needs of local residents in Greater Waterbury and the Litchfield Hills.
“We are extremely appreciative of the Momentum Fund’s donation to the COVID-19 Response Fund. These dollars could not have come at a better time as we continue to respond to the shifting needs of our community including food insecurity, emergency childcare, telehealth, housing, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for frontline nonprofits and more,” said Kristen Jacoby, President and CPO of United Way of Greater Waterbury.
The COVID-19 Response Fund was designed to rapidly deploy resources to community-based organizations on the frontlines of the pandemic. The fund aims to address and minimize the social and economic consequences of the pandemic, and to stem the widening of inequities in education, employment, housing, and health. To that end, Connecticut Community Foundation and the United Way have directed resources to organizations – including grassroots efforts – that are meeting the needs of residents who are particularly vulnerable during the pandemic, including communities of color, immigrants, older adults, and people experiencing or in danger of homelessness, among others.
“For more than seven months, we have seen the disproportionate, negative impact of COVID-19 among our most vulnerable neighbors and in our most at-risk communities,” said Julie Loughran, President and CEO of Connecticut Community Foundation. “The Momentum Fund grant will enable us to expand support to organizations working to mitigate inequity and to improve local systems, with the aim of ensuring that people have the resources they need as the pandemic wears on.”
“We are witnessing a historic and unprecedented level of suffering and need that must be addressed before this nation falls even further into a state of absolute humanitarian crisis,” said Amanda Misiko Andere, CEO of Funders Together to End Homelessness and Chair of the Momentum Fund Advisory Board. “It is essential that the philanthropic sector continues to dedicate itself to this work, which includes addressing the devastating and deadly human health, economic, and social impacts that are befalling millions of people of color and vulnerable families across the nation every day.”
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Branagan Communications Consultants LLC Launches Publicity Campaign for Acts 4 Ministry's Virtual Trivia Fundraiser |
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Barbara Branagan-Mitchell, owner of Branagan Communications Consultants, LLC (BCC) for 27 years, a public relations, publicity placement and marketing communications specialty agency, launched a publicity placement campaign for Acts 4 Ministry’s November 21 Virtual Trivia fundraiser (www.acts4.org/TRIVIA). A BCC client for over six years, Acts 4 Ministry will benefit from the fundraiser to be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Branagan Communications Consultants specializes in ‘creating positive awareness’ of a company or organization via press releases, event listings, and public service announcements (P.S.A.) placements with newspaper and broadcast media outlets across Connecticut. BCC offers free phone consultations to help businesses/organizations learn how they can publicize upcoming activities, achievements, recognitions, etc. Visit https://www.branagancommunications.com, call Barbara Branagan-Mitchell at 860-210-0149 or email to barbara@branagancommunications.com.
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Traver IDC Featured on Made in America |
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Watch an all new episode of Made In America, featuring Traver IDC ’s Nancy Traver. As an Industry Specialist, Nancy shares her insight on decision-making, empowering employees, and best practices for growth and success. Watch Now: https://youtu.be/JCZVWWL8HFU
Don't forget to follow Traver IDC on all of your favorite social media for more exclusive content!
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Valued Technology Services Offering FREE IT Networking Assessments |
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Thanksgiving Dinner to Go Available from the DoubleTree by Hilton |
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Connecticut Manufacturing Assistance Center |
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Upgrade your business with the help of CMAC, an industry leading specialist in hand assembly and quality assurance. At CMAC, the quality, care and control are the same as you would want in your own facility. Let us take your hand assembly needs and execute them to your specifications and on your schedule.
Planning your next move?
Look no further! The Connecticut Manufacturing Assistance Center is here for all your hand assembly and quality assurance needs. Centrally located in Waterbury, CT, CMAC’s unique operation can assist by providing a high quality and on time product for you. For more information contact: Zachary Westfahl 920-204-4969 or email Zach.zach.westfahl@gmail.com
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AARP Connecticut Offers Year-Round Discounts |
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AARP Connecticut offers members terrific year-round opportunities to save money and connect them with people and places in their community while supporting local, nonprofit educational and cultural venues.
Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall – AARP members can enjoy great discounts on admission and memberships to a variety of Connecticut museums and cultural attractions, local theater, musical performances, educational classes, and more!
New offers are added throughout the year so bookmark www.aarp.org/ctdiscounts and check back often for information about current discounts for AARP members and updates. Special restrictions may apply, so please be sure to read all offer details before purchasing. For information about discounts for AARP members from exclusive merchants and national retailers, click here.
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Palace Theater Affinity Program |
Did you know that as a Chamber member you get special discounts to select shows at the Palace Theater? As an affinity member, you receive a minimum 10% discount off most Palace events with the opportunity to receive even larger discounts on certain performances. When you purchase tickets by phone at 203-346-2000, or in person at the Palace Theater Box Office, mention to your sales and service representative before the point of purchase that you are a Waterbury Regional Chamber Member and would like to take advantage of the Affinity Discount. If you are purchasing tickets online, at www.palacetheaterct.org, use the Promotional Code: WRC. Please keep in mind that some restrictions may apply and discounts may only pertain to certain seating sections based on performance restrictions. For more information on show specific discounts, please contact the Palace Theater Box Office at 203-346-2000.
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RECEIVE OUR TEXT ALERTS!
Text "chamber" to (203) 496-4462 to receive a few updates or reminders from the Chamber. You can respond to any text and we will receive your response!
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