Chamber Corner with Larry McHugh

The third week of the Middletown Summer Youth Employment Program begins today.  We continue to receive great reports from our host worksites that are spread out throughout the city of Middletown, and represent many different employment sectors.  I am pleased to announce that a new program funder has come on board.  Middlesex United Way has committed to support the program for the second consecutive year.  I would like to thank the United Way and Executive Director Kevin Wilhelm, Senior Director for Community Resources Ed Bonilla, and their Board of Directors for the tremendous support of this program and of so many community initiatives.  The support of the United Way will allow us to increase the number of students working this summer which we can all agree is a good thing.  I want to once again send out a special thank you to all funders of the 2013 Middletown Summer Youth Employment Program: Workforce Alliance, City of Middletown, Liberty Bank Foundation, Middlesex United Way, The Peach Pit Foundation, Middle Oak, The Community Foundation of Middlesex County, The New England Emporium Eatery and Marketplace, Jackson Chevrolet, Pegasus Manufacturing, Guilmartin, DiPiro and Sokolowski, and Seasons Federal Credit Union.

Last Monday evening, the Chamber held a terrific Business After Work Networking Event at the Mattabesett Canoe Club at Harbor Park in Middletown with over 225 members attending.  Danny Cronin and his team at the Canoe Club did a great job with this event which featured terrific food and refreshments.  I want to thank them again for hosting us and for their strong support of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce. 

Earlier on Monday, I had a great meeting with Michele Rulnick, the new Executive Director at the Middlesex YMCA.  Michele is off to a terrific start in her new position and I look forward to working with her and the entire YMCA team as we move forward. 

As I noted last week, the Chamber has become an official partner in the marketing of the C-PACE Program. C-PACE, or Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy Program, is a program allowing commercial and industrial building owners to finance qualifying energy efficiency and clean energy improvements through placing a voluntary assessment on their property tax bill. The following towns in our service area have taken the necessary steps to opt into the C-PACE Program: Durham, East Haddam, Middletown and Westbrook.  Other towns in Middlesex County are considering opting into the program.  We look forward to working with the staff at The Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority as we implement a comprehensive marketing strategy for the program. Jeff Pugliese from the Chamber staff will attend a kick-off event for municipal marketing liaisons today in Rocky Hill.  We look forward to assisting in the marketing of this program throughout our service area. 

The next Chamber Member Business After Work Networking Event will be held on Monday, August 5th, at the Water’s Edge Resort and Spa in Westbrook. This is always a very popular event on the water, and I know our members are looking forward to a terrific evening which will feature complimentary beer, wine, a great spread of food, and the best networking around.  I want to thank the entire Water’s Edge team for hosting us at what is sure to be a fun event in the down county region. 

Looking ahead, The Northeast Regional American Legion Baseball Tournament will be held at Palmer Field in Middletown from August 7th to August 12th.  The Middletown Post 75 team will serve as the official host for the tournament.  The other seven teams in the competition will be the state champions from Connecticut, New York, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.  The winner of the tournament will advance to the American Legion Baseball World Series which will be played in Shelby, North Carolina this year.  There will be a pre-tournament banquet held at the Courtyard by Marriott in Cromwell on Wednesday, August 7th.  Roger Bidwell, Head Coach, UCONN Avery Point, will serve as guest speaker at the banquet where he will address local officials, the players, coaches, and other key individuals.  I want to once again thank Phil Cacciola, Commander, American Legion Post 75, for leading the charge to get this outstanding tournament back to Middletown. 

The 8th Annual Middletown Motorcycle Mania, presented by the Hunter Family, is scheduled for Wednesday, August 14 from 5:00-9:00 PM in downtown Middletown. This huge event attracts thousands of bikes and thousands of spectators to downtown. Proceeds from this event help support the Middletown Mentor Program, the Chamber's Business and Education Partnership, and other Middletown youth programs. There is a suggested donation of $5.00 per bike and $10.00 for bikes entered for awards. I would like to offer a special thank you to our major sponsors: Hunter Limousines Ltd, Hunter’s Ambulance, and the City of Middletown. Our supporting sponsors: Bank of America, Gengras Harley Davidson, Home Team Supply, Fabian Associates, ModSpace, Liberty Bank, Mezzo Grille, First and Last Tavern, Charles Computer Services, Haymond Law, Middletown Downtown Business District, Minuteman Press, and Coca Cola. We are certainly looking forward to another great edition of this terrific event for downtown. The Rain Date for Middletown Motorcycle Mania is Wednesday, August 21st. 

The Chamber is once again seeking nominations for the William J. Pomfret Veteran Community Service Award.  This prestigious award is presented annually at our annual Support the Troops & Honor the Veterans Member Breakfast Meeting. This year, the event will take place on Monday, November 4th at the Crowne Plaza Cromwell with guest speaker, former Army Captain Paul W. “Buddy” Bucha, a Recipient of The Medal of Honor.  The William J. Pomfret Veteran Community Service Award is presented to a Veteran of the United States Armed Forces in recognition of his or her distinguished service to the citizens of Connecticut, and selfless commitment to public service.  The recipient of this award is decided by a committee of its previous winners.  Candidates for this award must live or work in the following Middlesex County towns: Chester, Cromwell, Deep River, Durham, East Haddam, East Hampton, Essex, Haddam, Middlefield, Middletown, Portland or Westbrook.  He or she must have served in a branch of the United States Armed Forces and continue to promote Veterans Affairs.  Finally, he or she must participate in local and state community organizations and/or initiatives.  Nominations must be received at the Chamber office by Friday, August 16, 2013.  Nominations can be submitted to Jeff Pugliese, Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce, 393 Main Street, Middletown, CT 06457 or jpugliese@middlesexchamber.com. 

I want to close this week’s column by honoring William H. Mann of Middletown who passed away recently.  Bill Mann served in both the United States Marine Corps and the United States Army in World War II, and returned to active duty in the Korean War.  He was extremely active in the Middletown community throughout his life, including the American Legion, Ancient Order of the Hibernians, Knights of Columbus, St. Pius X Church and many other organizations and initiatives.  He also served six consecutive terms as City Treasurer in Middletown.  On a personal note, I was honored to have coached both his son Ed, and his Son-In-Law Dennis O’Rourke, at Xavier High School.  Both of these outstanding athletes have developed into upstanding citizens of our county and I know that Bill was a real role model for both of them.  We appreciate Bill’s service to our country and our community, and our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Carol and their entire family during this difficult time.

Just a reminder, the sun always shines in Middlesex County. 

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