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Health & Fitness

Chamber Corner with Larry McHugh

It is late July in Middlesex County and we have reached the second half of the Middletown Summer Youth Employment Program.  80 youngsters are spread out throughout Greater Middletown working at host sites from many different employment sectors.  This program could not be successful without the strong support of our host worksites.  I want to thank all of the following businesses and organizations for their terrific support, and for taking the time to provide valuable work experience and supervision to our program participants: A Better Choice Women's Center, AllState Insurance, Buttonwood Tree (North End Arts Rising), YMCA Camp Ingersoll, Chef's Palate Catering, Middletown Senior Services, Community Foundation of Middlesex County, Community Renewal Team, Middletown Downtown Business District, Easter Seals Goodwill Industries, Futures Inc., Godfrey Memorial Library, Howard and McMillan Counselors at Law, ID Mail Systems, Inn at Middletown, Jackson Chevrolet, Liberty Bank, Luther Ridge at Middletown, Major League Barber Shop, Middlesex County Historical Society, Mike's Barber Shop, North End Action Team, Middlesex YMCA, Northstar Wealth Partners, Oddfellows Playhouse, One MacDonough Place, P.C.I. Medical, Inc., Pamela Roose Specialty Hand Knits, Pegasus Manufacturing Inc., Prudential Connecticut Realty, ReStore (Habitat for Humanity), Russell Library, Ryan Woods Autism Foundation, Salvation Army Middletown, Seasons Federal Credit Union, Strike-A-Pose Hair & Body Salon, The New England Emporium Eatery and Marketplace, Trevor Davis Commercial Real Estate LLC, Tschudin Chocolates & Confections, Universal BACH Transportation Service, Walgreens (Washington Street), William Raveis Real Estate (Main Street). 

Of course, none of this would be possible without our funders, and we cannot thank them enough for making this program a true community youth initiative: 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.

Jeff Pugliese attended the Community Foundation of Middlesex County’s Grantee Reception last Thursday in Essex.  It was a terrific event that featured CFMC staff, funders, grantees, board members and friends.  President and CEO Cynthia Clegg leads a great team at the foundation, and we thank them for their support of the youth employment program and many other important initiatives. 

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The Chamber will be well represented at an event on Wednesday for our good friend Rosario “Riz” Rizzo.  Riz is retiring from Pratt & Whitney after a long and distinguished career.  Riz has been so supportive of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce over the years.  He serves on our Board of Directors, is very active with our Business and Education Partnership Advisory Council, and continues to support Chamber events and other activities.  I have known Riz since his high school days at Xavier, and I am proud of the man he has become.  I want to thank him for his unbelievable support and we all wish him the best in his retirement. 

The Chamber’s Central Business Bureau (CBB) will meet this Thursday, August 1st in the Chamber Conference Room.  Representatives from Yankee Gas will brief members on the upcoming Main Street (North End) Gas Reliability Project that will begin in early September.  Later in the day, Mayor Drew and I will head over to Pamela Roose Specialty Hand Knits for the Grand Re-Opening of its new location on Court Street.

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Our next Chamber Member Business After Work Networking Event will be held next 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.  Let the sun shine on Westbrook and all of Middlesex County next Monday evening. 

The Chamber’s Durham and Middlefield Divisions will hold a special meeting on Thursday, August 8, 2013.  The meeting will begin at 8:00 AM and will be held in the Medical Building on the Durham Fairgrounds.  This is a follow up to a special July meeting which will continue the discussion about the ongoing construction on Route 147 in Middlefield and the effect it is having on business and commerce in the Durham/Middlefield area.  Lyman Orchards, a major tourist attraction in the area, and The 94th Annual Durham Fair, which is scheduled for September 26 - 29, 2013, are the major points of concern for local officials.  Meeting attendees will include Durham First Selectwoman Laura Francis, Middlefield First Selectman Jon Brayshaw and representatives from the Connecticut Department of Transportation including Project Manager James Ruitto.  Representatives from local print and electronic media outlets are also invited to attend. 

As I have noted the past few weeks, The Northeast Regional American Legion Baseball Tournament will be held at Palmer Field in Middletown from August 8th 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. 

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 again 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. 

There continues to be good news on the local economic front. 

The Economic Development Committee recently approved three new businesses for the Remington Rand facility in Middletown: Robert C. White & Company, Nice T Shirt Company, and The ComputerRecycler.com.  The Chamber offered its support for these businesses at a Special Meeting of the Committee held last Monday at City Hall. 

Powder Ridge Mountain Park and Resort in Middlefield is still on track for a late November 2013 opening which is very exciting news for our area.  Sean Hayes and his team have been working very hard on the restoration of the property and they are making great progress.  The ski lifts are almost operational and plans have been further developed for a new restaurant that is scheduled to open in December.  There are fun times ahead in the town of Middlefield. 

The summer is in full swing, and the Middlesex Chamber is on the move.

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