Chamber Anticipates Paul Pasqualoni's Visit

This week, the Chamber will host a Business After Work for members at Water’s Edge Center for Health and Rehabilitation in Middletown.

It is important to not that this location should not be confused with the similarly-named Water’s Edge Resort & Spa in Westbrook. 

Since we have held Business After Work events at this Westbrook location in the past, I would like to remind everyone that this month’s event will take place Tuesday at 111 Church Street in Middletown.  Water’s Edge Health and Rehabilitation Center did a spectacular job last year as a host and we expect the same this time around.

On Friday, state Department of Transportation officials will give full reports on the progress of the Arrigoni Bridge construction at the Arrigoni Bridge committee meeting at the Chamber. Now that the summer season is winding down, the focus will shift toward the fall and what to expect as we move along.

It is also important to keep in mind that we will welcome for the first time new UConn head football coach Paul Pasqualoni at our Chamber breakfast meeting on Aug. 25.

The sixth annual Middletown Motorcycle Mania was a rousing success last week with record numbers for attendance. Event organizers estimated that there were close to 8,000 people on Main Street and nearly 4,000 motorcycles last Wednesday.

The crowd, local residents and first-time visitors, was able to truly get a taste of what Middletown is all about. I am very happy for all the restaurants in downtown because each business had a wall-to-wall crowd.

This event would not be possible if it were not for the wonderful sponsors from our business community:

Presenting sponsors Hunter’s Ambulance, Hunter Limousines, and the Hunter family; Diamond sponsor Liberty Bank; Gold sponsors Haymond Law Office, Gengras Motorcycles, and Charles Computer Services; Silver sponsors Downtown Business District, ServPro Middletown/New Britain, Home Team Supply, Stone Depot, Minuteman Press, and Coca-Cola of Northern New England; and Bronze sponsor Fabian Associates. 

Also thanks to Illiano’s Restaurant for its support.

I thank co-chairs Rich Greco and Norm LeBlanc and each person on the Motorcycle Mania Committee for their true commitment to making this event a success. This event was held for the third year in memory of the late Dan Hunter.

Dan also would be happy to have seen the great cross-section of people who now come to this event. Many young people with their families were out to enjoy themselves along with the group of motorcycle enthusiasts. The image of this event clearly has changed and it is one that the entire family can enjoy.

Volunteers do the thankless and tedious jobs that are critical to putting on an event of this caliber, and we are lucky to have such people in our community.

Cathy Duncan from the Chamber is always a quiet, driving force behind the event and should be recognized for her year-long commitment.

The Middletown Police, Fire and Public Works departments did an outstanding, professional job with the event.

I also remind everyone to get nominations in for the William J. Pomfret Award, which we will present to a deserving veteran who has served his or her community in November. Each year there are dozens upon dozens of nominations for the award and our committee has a tough task of picking only one for this prestigious local award.

For information, contact Matt Fraulino at (860) 347-6924 or Matthew@middlesexchamber.com.