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Chamber of Commerce
Board of Directors
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Executive Committee
Erika Travinski
1st Vice Chair
Jessica Bettencourt
Immediate Past Chair
Board Members
Craig Dolphin
Alycia Dzik
Jim Donahue
Honorary Board Member
Counsel
Padgett D. Berthiaume
Chamber Staff
Executive Director
Finance & Administration
Communications Specialist
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Welcome to CROSSROADS NEWS!
Here is one more issue of Crossroads before you head over the river and through the woods to your Thanksgiving celebrations tomorrow! In case you forgot about the holiday, we remind you of the local options for your feast in this issue. We also invite you to join us for a Ribbon Cutting in Sturbridge for the new office of Allstate Insurance on December 6th and our always unforgettable holiday bash at The Publick House Historic Inn on the evening of the 11th! We can't wait to see you there!
On behalf of Alix, Paulette and Jack and the Chamber of Central Mass South, we wish you and your family a joyous Thanksgiving holiday and extend to you our sincere gratitude for all of your support and friendship throughout the year!
CROSSROADS is here to share your news and events! Thank you for emailing us your press releases, links and photos for inclusion in
Crossroads!
We love to share your events with our readers. Keep posting your happenings to our online events calendar so we can share them with our nearly 900 subscribers!
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Holiday Hours:
Please note the Chamber office will close at 2:00pm on Wednesday, November 27 and remain closed through Friday, November 29 to accommodate staff vacation. We will re-open on Monday, December 2 at 9:00am.
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Holiday
FUN at FIVE!
Wednesday, December 11
5:00-8:00pm
The Publick House Historic Inn
On the Common, 277 Main Street
Sturbridge
Join us for some holiday cheer
with our Members and Guests on the evening of
Wednesday, December 11th!
The final Fun at Five of the year will be
a sparkling celebration at
The Publick House in Sturbridge
featuring fantastic food, a joyous atmosphere in a glowing hall, many great prizes and surprises, a 50/50 Raffle, and your chance to celebrate the season with your fellow Members!
WOMAN IN BUSINESS will share a special announcement at the event!
We will be collecting for
THE CENTER OF HOPE'S
HOLIDAY GIVING PROGRAM
at Holiday Fun at Five. If you are able to donate an unwrapped, non-violent new toy, your contribution would be most welcome and help spread holiday joy to the less fortunate right here in our community!
Gifts for teenagers are especially needed and encouraged!
Thank you for your generosity!
We look forward to celebrating with you!
Cost: $20 for pre-registered Members,
$25 at the door, or $30 for non-Members.
Thank you
to our
Holiday Fun at Five Sponsor!
Cornerstone Bank is a local, community bank that delivers a personal touch that only a local bank can offer. We are dedicated to providing high quality, personal customer service for individuals, businesses and community organizations in Central Massachusetts. We work to connect you with opportunities through a broad range of deposit and loan products and services to meet your financial goals with the unique ability for fast, flexible service.
We strive to build lifetime relationships, and our goal is to be the Cornerstone for your success.
Cornerstone Bank rests on the foundation that relationships are built on trust.
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Welcome New Members!
Please join us as we welcome the newest Members to the Chamber of Central Mass South!
High Purity Natural Products
CBD Contract Manufacturer & White Label Services. Tinctures, balms, lotions, edibles, custom formulations.
328 Main Street, Unit 3, Southbridge, MA
774-402-0331
I Am T Shirts
Screen Printing & Embroidery
Screen printing/embroidery for custom apparel and promotional products.
45 Sturbridge Road, Charlton, MA
508-434-0677
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Remember... MEMBER TO MEMBER!
Is it time to refresh or add a new
Member2Member Discount
from your business to your fellow Members
in time for the holidays?
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You're Invited!
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Allstate Insurance
Friday, December 6 at 4:00pm
71 Main Street (Rte. 131), Suite 10, Sturbridge
Join the Chamber, local dignitaries, our neighbors and guests as we welcome Allstate Insurance to Sturbridge! We hope to see you there!
 Come and meet Ary and his team!
Ary Belen, Jr. is a licensed insurance agent with Allstate Insurance, operating exclusively as the Ary Belen Agency located at 71 Main Street, Suite 10 in Sturbridge. What makes Ary different from other agents in the industry? He cares about his customers and is well respected as a trusted advisor.
Ary began with Allstate five years ago in Providence, RI, where his wife, Jeo Sanchez, is an Allstate Agency owner. She opened her office in 2014. Together, they built a very successful agency and Ary decided it was time to branch out into his own agency in Massachusetts. Ary is working hard to build his agency and be a strong supporter in the community and welcomes anyone to call or stop by for a free quote.
Ary is collecting items for Toys for Tots! If you would like to contribute a new unwrapped toy, your gift would be most welcome. Thank you!
Enjoy complimentary hot chocolate and some sweet desserts from The Publick House at the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony! Everyone is welcome!
Contact Ary at 508-909-6784.
Allstate Insurance, 71 Main Street (Ste 10), Route 131, Sturbridge
No RSVP necessary! Just come on by!
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Spotlight on Tuscany
September 30 - October 8, 2020
9 Days, 10 Meals
Get away with your Chamber as we offer this 9-day trip
to Tuscany in Fall of 2020!
The trip includes a single hotel stay (Hotel Ercolini) from which you will visit Montecatini Terme, Florence, Lucca, the World War II Gothic Line, Pisa, take a cooking class, Siena (choose to visit a gothic cathedral or take a guided tour through a Siena neighborhood), take a Winery Tour, visit a Cheese Farm
and San Gimignano.
You can also find pricing and more details.
For more information or to book, please contact
Patti Wilmot or Joe Fitzgerald at
(800) 267-1858 or (413) 668-6202
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Brown Bag Seminars Seek Presenters for 2020
The Chamber's Education Committee is currently planning our schedule of Brown Bag Seminars for the first half of 2020. Typically
1-hour long, these seminars are intended to attract intimate audiences of 5-30 people. Seminars are held at the Chamber office on the 4th Tuesday of the month at noon.
Presenting a Brown Bag Seminar is a great way to shine a spotlight on your business and the services you offer. You create the lesson plan, we do the rest including creating the invitations and promoting your seminar.
We are now planning for the months of
January, February, March, April, May and June. If you are interested in sharing your expertise with your fellow Chamber Members while promoting yourself and your business, we would love to hear from you!
Just drop Alix a line with the topic you would like to present and your preferred month to get the ball rolling!
Email Alix at [email protected]
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3rd Annual Membership Directory Photo Contest
We are seeking your best photos to showcase
our region in all 4 glorious seasons!
The Chamber of Central Mass South is calling on all photographers, amateur and professional, to submit images which represent the four seasons in our area.
The photos cannot contain any distinguishable advertising or business entities and they must be easily identifiable with one of the four seasons.
Submit one or all four seasons!
There will be one winning photo chosen for each season, selected by the Chamber's Promotions Committee. The 4 winning seasonal photos will be used on the cover of the 2020 Membership Directory and the runners up may be used in the 2020 Annual Report and other Chamber publications with a photo credit to the photographers where possible. All submitted photos become property of the Chamber of Central Mass South.
The photos must be high resolution (300 d.p.i. or greater)
and submitted digitally by email to Alix.
by December 15, 2019.
Thank you in advance for your best photographs of our towns!
Southbridge, Sturbridge, Charlton, Brimfield, The Brookfields,
Holland, Spencer, Wales, Warren, Northern CT
Chamber of Central Mass South
Questions? 508-347-2761
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Save the Date!
CMS Chamber's Annual Meeting: January 22, 2020
The Chamber's Annual Meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 22, 2020 from 11:30am to 1:00pm at The Barn at Wight Farm, 420 Main Street, Sturbridge. Our keynote speaker will be
Dr. Charles Steinberg, President of the Worcester Red Sox. CMS Chamber's Annual Meeting is sponsored by Quinsigamond Community College.
Stay tuned for the menu and more details coming soon.
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Patricia Bernard of North Brookfield Savings Bank Earns
Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager Designation
 North Brookfield Savings Bank is proud to announce Patricia Bernard, Senior Vice President and Compliance Officer recently earned the Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager (CRCM) designation from the American Bankers Association.
The CRCM certification is awarded to individuals who demonstrate excellence in the field of bank regulatory compliance. To qualify for the CRCM certification, individuals must have certain levels of experience and education in the compliance profession, pass an exam and agree to abide by a code of ethics. The CRCM exam covers regulatory requirements as they relate to credit, deposits/securities, safety and soundness, information reporting and corporate responsibility. Annual continued education in the field of bank regulatory compliance is required to maintain the designation of CRCM.
"Patty possesses in-depth experience and understanding in the bank regulatory compliance industry. Her success in earning her CRCM designation just further validates her commitment to excellence in her role as Senior Vice President, Compliance Officer," said Donna Boulanger, North Brookfield Savings Bank President and CEO. "We are proud of Patty for her accomplishments and know her expertise will continue to bring great value to the Bank."
Patricia Bernard, of Palmer, has over 19 years of experience within the banking industry. As North Brookfield Savings Bank's Senior Vice President and Compliance Officer she is responsible for the development, continuous improvement and administration of the Bank's comprehensive compliance program which entails overseeing related policies, procedures and processes, staying informed of all changes within the compliance environment and offering support to foster overall organizational compliance. In addition, she holds a Certified Community Bank Compliance Officer (CCBCO) certification. She also chairs the Bank's Regulatory Compliance Committee and is responsible for administering the Bank's Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) program, in addition to assisting the Bank's BSA Officer in carrying out their entity-wide BSA program.
Financial services professionals, working through ABA, initiated the CRCM certification and seven others in order to establish meaningful standards of knowledge in specialty areas of the financial services industry. ABA Professional Certifications formally recognize those who meet these standards and meet professional continuing education and development requirements.
If you want to reach Patricia Bernard, call 508-637-7408 or email
[email protected]
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On Gratitude: A Message from Rita
Rita Schiano recently completed her term on the Chamber's Board of Directors, on which she has served since 2014. We are extremely grateful for her service, and for her positivity and inspiration! Visit RitaSchiano.com to contact Rita for strategic life coaching, mentoring, workshops, books and motivational speaking.
Psychological research finds that people's happiness levels are remarkably stable over the long-term. A possible explanation comes from studies in the psychology of gratitude. Yes, you read that correctly -- being thankful just may be the secret to happiness.
The study* cited that people who were in the gratitude condition felt fully 25% happier -- they were more optimistic about the future, they felt better about their lives.
The words "gratitude" and "grace" share a common Latin origin,
gratus, meaning "pleasing" or "thankful." When you are in a deep state of gratitude, you may feel the presence of grace. Reflect on this. As we become more mindful of the present moment, we begin to recognize the things around us that we may have taken for granted.
Learning to practice gratitude is one of life's most valuable lessons. As Aristotle taught us, all virtues have value and the virtue of gratitude helps to increase feelings of satisfaction with our lives and keeps us from falling into the excess of a greedy or entitled frame of mind.
There are many simple, yet powerful ways to practice gratitude on a daily basis.
- Thank, separately, both the cashier and the bagger at the grocery store.
- Send a hand-written thank you note when you receive a gift, however small.
- Make "thank you" a common phrase in your vocabulary.
- Keep a gratitude journal. Each night write 1-3 things for which you were grateful during the day.
Have a joyful Thanksgiving everyone. And remember to live a gracious and flourishing life.
Rita
*Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(2), 377-389
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WANTED
Norcom Mortgage is on the hunt for licensed and experienced Loan Officers.
Do you have 2+ years of MORTGAGE EXPERIENCE?
Do you have a solid knowledge of FHA, CONVENTIONAL & VA LOANS?
*WE ARE NOW OFFERING REVERSE MORTGAGE LENDING*
INTERESTED?
CONTACT KRISTEN WALTHER
774.241.0770
LEARN MORE BY VISITING US AT
Please share this information with your friends and colleagues who may have an interest!
Thank you!
This is not an offer to make a loan or to make a loan or any particular terms. All loan applicants must qualify under underwriting requirements and satisfy all contingencies of loan approval. Rates and terms subject to change without notice. NMLS ID #71655 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org)
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Oh, hear the bells ring, "Ting-a-ling-ling!"
Hurrah for Thanksgiving Day!
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Thursday, November 28, 2019
Seatings from 11:00am -7:30pm
Adults $55.00 Children $22.00 (3-12) Inclusive of Tax and Gratuity
4-Course Plated Dinner
Advanced Payment Required
Call between 8:00am-9:00pm to schedule your reservation
The Menu
PUBLICK HOUSE BREAD BASKET
APPETIZERS
SALADS
(Choice of One)
*Must be pre-ordered at time of making reservation.
Tofurkey Dinner
Roasted Cider-Glazed Salmon
Butternut and Goat Cheese Risotto
Gluten Free Turkey Dinner Available
DINNER
Roasted Native Turkey with Gravy
Accompaniments include: Cornbread-Sausage Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes, Butternut Squash and Cranberry Sauce
Call Publick House at 508-347-3313 for reservations.
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Traditional Thanksgiving Day Feast
Thursday, November 28, 2019 at The Duck
Join us for a bountiful and festive dinner prepared by Head Chef Eric Jolin with all your favorites-and some of ours too! There will also be a great selection of scrumptious desserts.
Last year was a sell-out, so make your reservation early by calling The Duck at 508-347-2321.
Be sure to ask about our early bird special.
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KEEP IT LOCAL FOR THE HOLIDAYS... and every day!
November 29 is Black Friday.
November 30 is Small Business Saturday.
THANK YOU FOR SHOPPING SMALL AND SHOPPING LOCAL.
IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE!
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