Chamber President Salutes Veterans on Independence Day

Happy Fourth of July, Middlesex County! As I always say on holidays of this nature, it is important to understand what a day like the Fourth of July——is all about.  On top of celebrations with our friends and families, and time off from work for some, we should recognize our servicemen and women who protect this independence on a daily basis. 

Over two centuries ago, the predecessors of our service people battled to liberate this country from oppression.  The servicemen and women of today all have taken on the responsibility of defending freedom and I truly admire them for what they do.  I hope that we all keep them in our thoughts and prayers not only on Wednesday, and not only this week, but every day. 

We are all very fortunate to live in a nation with the highest standard of living in the world.  Our service people are truly the ones who make this standard of living possible, and I commend them for upholding the same values that we celebrate on the Fourth of July.  I am proud to be an American and I know that the United States is and will continue to be, the land of the free and the home of the brave. 

In our county, I am proud of all of the local veterans’ organizations that are members of our Chamber: , the National Guard, the , the U.S. Air Force Recruiting Station, American Legion Post 75 and American Legion Post 206 in Middletown, the Council of Jewish War Veterans, The Catholic War Veterans and the American Legion Department of Connecticut.  They have our thanks. 

This holiday weekend is truly the first big weekend of the summer and I trust that there will be many more great weekends to come of enjoying the outdoors with friends and family.  Just as home gatherings and cookouts are a great way to enjoy the summer season, I also encourage everyone to get out and take advantage of the many tourist attractions the County has to offer.  Connecticut is after all, still revolutionary. 

Looking ahead, we are very excited for our next member breakfast which will feature guest speaker , Middletown native and NASCAR star.  This event will be held on July 11, 2012 at the Crowne Plaza Cromwell. 

Joey is in his fourth full season on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series circuit and is a member of Joe Gibbs Racing.  He is sponsored by The Home Depot and Dollar General and drives the No. 20 Home Depot/Dollar General Toyota.  Winner of the Pocono 400 on June 10, 2012, he currently ranks 15th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings.  He also has 14 career wins on the Nationwide Series circuit including five so far this season. 

Joey was born in Middletown and began his career by racing quarter midgets at age seven.  On June 28, 2009, he became the youngest driver to win a race at NASCAR's highest level with a victory at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, NH.  He is also the youngest driver ever to win the Raybestos Rookie of the Year Award which he captured in 2009.  Join us in Cromwell on July 11 for a great member breakfast with Joey Logano. 

On Tuesday, July 17th, the Chamber will hold a Member Business After Work Networking event at ’ new Golf Center and Apple Nine Course, a comprehensive golf learning center with a nine-hole executive course in Middlefield.  This event will feature complimentary hot and cold hors d'oeuvres, wine, beer & soft drinks, and of course, terrific networking.  The new Golf Center and Apple Nine Course is a real gem and I want to once again thank all members of the Lyman family, CEO Steve Ciskowski, and their entire staff for hosting this event, and for their unending support of our Chamber. 

The following night, July 18, will be the Citizen’s Bank 5K Summer Fun Run in downtown Middletown. This is another great event for downtown and I want to once again thank Citizen’s Bank for stepping up to be title sponsor.  Proceeds from this event help support some of the Middletown youth programs, including the Middletown Mentor Program which provides students attending Middletown Public Schools with mentors, valuable role models and trusted friends; a significant element which is often missing from their lives. 

Last Friday, I attended the sold out Xavier Alumni Golf Classic which was held at Portland Golf Course.  It was great to see so many alumni and friends of Xavier High School at this special event but it was a real thrill for me to see the group honor Rich Feitel.  Rich is one of those really special people, a former teacher, coach and fundraiser and the man who established the Alumni Association. He is always there for his friends, former Xavier students, and many others in our community. Congratulations to a truly outstanding man who I am honored to call my friend. 

Also last Friday, I had a visit with Bob Landino at the headquarters of his in Middletown. Centerplan is a fast growing company that along with its sister organization, Greenskies, is doing great work in Middlesex County and the state of Connecticut. 

Have a great Fourth of July and never forget those who defend the freedom we hold so dear. 

For more information on Chamber events and activities, please contact Jeff Pugliese at jpugliese@middlesexchamber.com.