Chamber's Mentor Program Year-End Celebration is This Week

Last week was very busy as the continues to be active throughout Middlesex County. 

On Friday, the Chamber held its 29th Annual Golf Tournament at Portland Golf Course in Portland. It was another great event and I want to once again thank the members of our Golf Committee, the folks at Portland Golf Course, our sponsors, the players and those businesses and individuals that donated gifts. 

I want to send out a special thanks to Tournament Coordinator Johanna Bond for her many years of dedication to this event and this Chamber. The golf tournament is very important to our organization and we appreciate the yearly support of our members. We are already planning for 2013, and with a waiting list of 88 golfers this year, next year will be another sellout. 

Tuesday morning, I attended the Campaign Awards Breakfast in Cromwell. I want to recognize United Way Board President Gary Simonsen and Executive Director Kevin Wilhelm for all of their efforts throughout Middlesex County. My friends Buddy McDowell and Harry Burr did a fine job as co-chairs of the 2011-2012 United Way Campaign and I know that Gary Gomola, the incoming chair for the 2012–2013 Campaign will do as well.

On Thursday, I attended a retirement party for Jane Carroll of MARC Community Resources. Jane was an active member of the Chamber’s Central Business Bureau and supported many of our downtown events. I want to thank Jane for her commitment to the Middlesex community and I wish her the best in her retirement. 

I was very fortunate to attend the outstanding 40th anniversary celebration of the over the weekend. As I noted last week, the CHC is a great organization and one that Middletown and Connecticut are lucky to have.  Mark Masselli, Margaret Flinter and their team are simply the best. 

This past Saturday, I attended the annual meeting of Lyman Orchards in Middlefield. It was great to see so many members of the Lyman family at what truly was a wonderful day full of events.  Lyman is one of the true diamonds in Middlesex County which is only getting better with the new Golf Center at Lyman Orchards, a nine-hole training course scheduled to open soon. 

I also want to recognize a good Chamber member, Rick Sharr of Tri-Town Foods in Portland, for being inducted into the Connecticut Food Association Hall of Fame.  Rick is an active participant in the Chamber's Portland Division and engages in a variety of community service activities around Middlesex County. I want to publicly thank Rick for his support of our Chamber and congratulate him on this well-deserved award.

Looking ahead to this week, the Middletown Mentor Program Year End Celebration Picnic will be held this Friday from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Picnic Grounds in Middletown. We are looking forward to honoring both our mentors and mentees and celebrating 20 years of the great work of this program.

I want to close by publicly thanking Commissioner Catherine Smith of the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development who will be speaking to our Chester, Deep River and Essex Division this Friday. This meeting will be held at Valley Railroad in Essex and will be focused on some of the pro-business programs that are currently being implemented at the state level.  Commissioner Smith is always accessible to the business community and I want to recognize her strong leadership in these difficult economic times.

For information, contact Jeff Pugliese at jpugliese@middlesexchamber.com.