We're Not Just a Chamber of Commerce;
We're a Chamber of Connections
8
October 18, 2022
CHAMBER NEWS & UPDATES
 
Ribbon Cutting Cancelled

Ribbon Cutting on Wednesday, October 19
for new member H2T Skin and Laser Center has been cancelled.

We will inform you when it has been rescheduled.

We Cut the Ribbon at New URCC Member RIHI the Home Improvement Specialist at the Wrentham Village Premium Outlets (also a URCC Member)
Photographs by Andy Heller of URCC member Heller Photography.

Last Friday, we cut the ribbon at new United Regional Chamber of Commerce (URCC) member RIHI the Home Improvement Specialist at chamber member Wrentham Village Premium Outlets. RIHI has 72 employees in its two locations; their other showroom is in Warwick, Rhode Island. Nick Tagg, chief of staff for Senator Shawn Dooley, presented a citation from the Massachusetts House of Representatives. And our own Andy Heller of URCC member Heller Photography was on hand to make it official. As always, thank you, Andy.

RIHI opened its doors in Rhode Island in 1949 and they service Connecticut as well as Massachusetts. In the showroom, RIHI displays a large selection of the latest in home improvement products, including roofing, siding, windows, bathtubs and showers, kitchen cabinets, and exterior doors. In addition to providing installation service for all of their products, they provide design expertise and complete kitchen remodeling services. RIHI features the highest-quality brands, including Owens Corning, Kohler, and Provia.
 
Their showroom offers one-stop shopping for home improvement projects. Customers see actual product samples with working displays, confer with RIHI experts to discuss their projects, and schedule an in-home appointment. This consultation ensures that customers will make well-informed choices and be confident that their home improvement project will meet their expectations. 

Nick Tagg, chief of staff for Senator Shawn Dooley, presented a citation from the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
Three generations are represented by the family at RIHI.
Whether you’re replacing an aging kitchen or remodeling one that is out of date, the professionals at RIHI are ready to help customers every step of the way. Their consultants provide New England homeowners with inspiration, guidance, and installation expertise that gives them peace of mind that their project is in the best possible hands.
 
Contact RIHI at 866-806-7298. Hours are 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. Monday – Saturday and 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Sunday.



Here's What's Happening


Wednesday, October 26; 11:45 a.m.
36 Common Street
Wrentham, MA

Thursday, October 27
Alive After Five
65 Ledgeview Way
Wrentham, MA

Friday, November 4; 7:45 a.m.
URCC Office and on Zoom
310 South Street, Plainville

Wednesday, November 9; 10:00 a.m. - Noon
MassDevelopment Hours at the Chamber

Wednesday, November 9; 11:45 a.m.
36 Common Street
Wrentham, MA

Double ACS
Jack Lank and Kelly Fox Talked about the Programs Offered by the Greater Attleboro Area Council for Children

Last Wednesday, on his cable show facilitated by DoubleACS of Attleboro, Jack talked with Kelly Fox of member Portia Planning and Wealth Management
about the programs offered by the Greater Attleboro Area Council for Children and the upcoming season for Christmas Is for Kids.

We are grateful that we have Kelly in our friend sphere because she is one of the most compassionate people we know.
Tomorrow, Jack will be talking with Cynthia Sierra of URCC member Manet Community Health Center. Manet is dedicated to providing preventive, primary, and non-emergent urgent care to all, regardless of financial circumstance or health insurance coverage status. Manet has been serving the community since 1979 and has locations in Quincy, Hull, and Taunton. In 2020, Manet opened its Community Outreach and Prevention Services office in Quincy and, in July of 2021, the health center opened a new practice site in Attleboro. 

URCC Extreme Networking Group Is Meeting at the Proctor Mansion Inn

Wednesday, October 26
11:45 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Proctor Mansion Inn
36 Common Street
Wrentham, MA

Second and Fourth Wednesday Every Month


This networking group is facilitated by URCC Board Member Charlie Miller, owner of the Business Solutions Advisory Group.




October Alive After Five at Springhill Suites/TownePlace Suites by Marriott Wrentham/Plainville

Thursday, October 27
5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Springhill Suites/TownePlace Suites
65 Ledgeview Way
Wrentham

Join us at Springhill Suites/TownePlace Suites Wrentham Plainville by Marriott when they roll out the red carpet for us in October. We had an Alive After Five there last year and wow it was a great one. Director of Sales Kate Hyde and the staff made us feel so welcome. We're looking forward to going back again.

When you stay at this hotel, you'll be within a 15-minute drive of Gillette Stadium and Xfinity Center. This hotel is 3.2 miles from Wrentham Village Premium Outlets and 1.4 miles from Plainridge Park Casino. Talk about a great location!

Please RSVP so we can give Kate and her crew an idea of the number of people who will be coming.



Here's Springhill's Director of Sales and URCC Board Member Kate Hyde with one of her liquor reps at our Alive After Five there a year ago.
Are you coming to our October Alive After Five?
LOCATION
Springhill Suites/TownePlace Suites

DATE AND TIME
10/27/22 5:00pm - 10/27/22 7:00pm

I'll be there!
I can't make it
Job Fair
Check Out Our Job Board

Our Job Board, an exclusive benefit for our member companies, is a valuable tool for hiring managers looking to attract and find new talent.

URCC members ConvenientMD, Home InsteadSterngold Dental, and Stone Ridge Grill and Bar are looking for help.
.
Send your job postings to us and we'll add the information to our Job Board.

And for the past couple of months, we have been offering a new service. Each week, we'll post new job listings on our Facebook page.

Your posting will be seen by many potential job candidates.

Send your job postings to [email protected].

We're looking forward to helping you fill your open positions.
MEMBER NEWS AND UPDATES
Zaharafest Is Happening – No Tricks, Just Treats!

70 Frank Mossberg Drive
Attleboro

Stop by URCC member Zahara Cannabis for its first annual Zaharafest on October 29 from noon - 4:00 pm. This 21+ event is free and open to anyone looking to join in on the festivities.

Enjoy food, beer, music, and activities such as a Pinku donut eating contest, pumpkin carving, a scavenger hunt, and the opportunity to meet their brands.

Costumes are encouraged, but not required.
Amego
Amego Members Looking for Opportunities

Community-Based Day Supports AMEGO Members Excited to be Part of the Local Workforce

URCC member Amego is expanding its volunteer network both for its Day Habilitation Program and Community-Based Day Supports (CBDS). Several CBDS members are ready and excited to be a part of the local workforce while supported by an Amego Job Coach.

Community-based day support services assist clients to build and maintain their ability to participate in community activities by focusing on skill areas that include communication, self-care, relationship-building, and community involvement. The CBDS program provides individuals with opportunities to explore employment and engage in meaningful enrichment and community-based activities. Amego's trained staff encourages individuals to explore their interests, discover new opportunities, and work and participate as an active part of the communities where they work and live.
 
Amego has developed some great relationships with Attleboro area community membership organizations over the years and currently works or volunteers at th:
Hebron Food Pantry, Meals on Wheels, Miller Recycling, Walgreens, Interfaith Collaborative-Summer Kids Cafe, Attleboro Area YMCA, Mass Audubon Society, The Bridge Center, Willow Brook Farms, Attleboro Community Garden, St. Vincent’s, and Habitat for Humanity.

Amego is committed to supporting people living with autism and other developmental disabilities at home, school, and work, and also as members of their families and communities.
 
If your company or organization would like to be part of this program or would like more information, contact Dawn Kafel-Forge, vice president of Adult Day Services at
508-455-6200 extension 332 or [email protected].
A Message from Michelle Carlow
President of URCC Member



Happy Autumn and Happy Cybersecurity Awareness Month!

Cyber-creeps are betting that your eyes glaze over when it comes to protecting your IT infrastructure. These guys are patient though, and come November...when Cybersecurity Awareness Month is over... they'll be in full swing again, especially for those companies that let their guard down after all the buzz.

Lots of hype about "cybersecurity awareness month" to be sure.

It's a great way to bring focus and attention to a mission-critical component of your business continuity plan! Which means, without best practices in cybersecurity, you have no business continuity plan... just a seat of your pants, hope and pray that cyber-creepers prey elsewhere.

Yes, we love the focus on this... but we take a year-long, 365 day view of your data protection and cybersecurity integrity.

So... we are NOT going to flood your email inbox with daily tips rehashed from Internet articles.

We are going to help you keep the focus on your cybersecurity plan - so it is robust, meets all of your compliance and insurance requirements, and most importantly, keeps your company up and running!

Here are FOUR ACTION STEPS, the first of 16 we will share, week to week:

  1. You've heard it before. Company-wide password updates for all devices on your network. All users, including vendors, consultants, customers, and employees accessing the company IT systems.
  2. WiFi Access needs your attention. Change passwords. Separate public and private access. Hackers can come in through your wireless printer!
  3. Launch your company-wide employee awareness program.
  4. Check your firewall configurations and data backup integrity.

There's more... but pay attention to the above THIS WEEK.

Let's get focused in a big way this month. We can help you on many levels, including full monitoring and support, education, consulting and deployment of technology and policy updates.

Your intention is to protect your company. Let's revisit or create meaningful and attainable IT security goals to keep you safe and operational.

Stay tuned for more next week. Questions? Call us, or email us at [email protected]

Ever Vigilant,

Michelle Carlow
President
CTS Services, Inc.
508 528 7720
From the MSBDC
FREE Legal Clinics are back!
Friday, October 21, 2022
Registration is Now Open!
 


Entrepreneurs and small business owners are eligible to meet one-time, one-on-one for 30 minutes, to discuss general legal questions such as corporate structure, leases, contracts, insurance, employment, franchising, and various other business related issues.

These sessions will be held via Zoom.
 
All services are provided by Partridge Snow & Hahn (PSH) which is not acting as an agent or representative of the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network (MSBDC). By meeting with PSH you agree to indemnify and hold harmless the MSBDC from any and all claims and liability arising from your session with PSH. 

Old Colony Habitat for Humanity Has Opened Up the Family Application for Pike Ave. in Attleboro

Old Colony Habitat for Humanity is pleased to announce that the Family Application for 134 Pike Ave in Attleboro is now available.
 
Completed applications should be mailed to:
Old Colony Habitat for Humanity, PO Box 100, Attleboro, MA 02703
Do NOT mail to the ReStore

Deadline for the Receipt of COMPLETED Applications is
Tuesday, November 8th, 2022 at 4:00 p.m.
 
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Old Colony Habitat for Humanity by telephone at 508-203-6852, or by e-mail at [email protected].
Personal Best Karate's 2022 Thanksgiving Brigade 
November 19 and 20

URCC member Personal Best Karate's biggest annual event is a Thanksgiving food drive known as the Turkey Brigade. It’s hard to believe that right within our local communities, we have neighbors who don’t have the means to enjoy a holiday meal. To date, Personal Best Charity has delivered over 30,000 meals to local families.
 
Their goal is twofold -- provide the meals and give the experience of being of service. To this end, children, and families from our four Personal Best Karate schools (Easton, Foxboro Norton, and Raynham) are intimately involved in the raising of funds, the manual labor of packaging the meals and the final stage of delivering the meals to the recipients.   

URCC Chairman's Circle Member Plainridge Park Casino



The Patio, the Loft, and the Revolution Lounge -- So Much to Do. Entertainment. Cornhole. And, of Course, Slots and Table Games. Wow!

301 Washington Street
Plainville, MA

Open 24 hours a day

If you're looking for excitement and winning at a New England casino, Plainridge Park Casino, the hometown casino is for you. You can play at over 1,200 slots or electronic table games, enjoy live local entertainment, choose from seven outstanding dining outlets, or hold your meeting or reception at one of their event venues. And they simulcast horse races around the country. You'll find an exciting experience and hometown hospitality every time you visit.

Plainridge Park Casino is proud of its myheroes program and excited to keep growing. To celebrate hitting 100,000 members, they recently donated $100,000 to local veterans and first responder organizations across the country. Thank you to the veterans and families for your service to our country!

Slack's Oyster House and Grill and the Food Court are open.
You can make reservations on the Plainridge Park Casino home page.

Wow! Check out their promotions page and their My Choice App.

YOUR WEEKEND STARTS ON THE PATIO and at the Home Stretch Food Truck

Live music every Friday and Saturday from 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Cornhole, signature brews, and good times all summer long! Register to play cornhole in the Plainridge Park Summer Series Powered by Scoreholio and Operated by Wicked Cornhole Events.

The Loft features a wide variety of entertainment from stand-up comedians and comic hypnotists to live swing bands and musicians. Looking for an intimate night out? Come to The Loft and see what everyone is talking about.
Friday and Saturday from 8:00 p.m. to midnight, the Revolution Lounge features the area's best live bands and DJs. Whether you want to dance the night away, or relax and hang out with friends, the Revolution Lounge is a great place to unwind after a long week. Best of all, all shows at the Revolution Lounge are completely FREE with no cover charge. No ticket or reservation required!

Here's the schedule for the rest of October and November.

October 21, Mugsy
October 22, Played Out
October 28, Front and Center
October 29, Lovesexy
November 4, Dave Macklin Band
November 5, Guilty Pleasure
November 11, Thirty Six Red
November 12, Below Deck
November 18, The Tenderheds
November 19, Played Out
November 25, Front and Center
November 26, Lovesexy



URCC Corporate Partner 


Check out their calendar page for October and November events.
Chelsea Clinton will be there tomorrow night.

An Unlikely Story
111 South Street
Plainville
(508) 699-0244


Sign up for their weekly enewsletter on their home page.

Peruse their Staff Picks section and take advantage of the expertise of their amazing booksellers.

Be sure to visit the Unlikely Café for a hot chocolate or delicious hot soup!

Café: 10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. daily
Kitchen: 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. daily 
An Unlikely Story is partnering with KNEAD Doughnuts to bring more deliciousness to Plainville. Sundays only, limited supply…so get there early. Seriously, these donuts are unbelievably delicious, and come in vegan and gluten-free flavors. 

Order baked goods here -- please give 72 hours' notice.
Corporate Partner Botera Offers a One-of-a-Kind, Modern Consumer Experience

More than 75 Strains of Flower

Botera
1256 W. Central Street, Suite 6
Franklin, MA 02038
(508) 298-7199

Hours of Operation:
Sunday - Wednesday: 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Thursday - Saturday: 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Botera offers high-quality cannabis products in a comfortable, welcoming, and modern environment. With more than 75 strains of flower, they focus on the complete customer cannabis experience with budtenders who are specially trained to educate and assist clients by facilitating product choices to maximize satisfaction. Come in to Botera's interactive facility, where you can view and smell the different strains on their bud table.

MEMBER OPPORTUNITIES


MassDevelopment Hours



Jay Pateakos, vice president of Business Development for the South Region of MassDevelopment, continues to hold office hours at the United Regional Chamber office at 310 South Street in Plainville.

Jay is available to provide information and answer questions about how MassDevelopment can help businesses, financial institutions, and municipalities in southeastern Massachusetts.

He has announced his office hours for the remainder of 2022. Every date is a Wednesday and Jay is here from 10:00 a.m. - noon.

November 9 and December 14
  
For more information, email Jay or call 508-678-0533, ext. 1201.

Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Meetings Conducted via Phone and Conference Call




Nancy Lowd, Senior Business Advisor at the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center (MSBDC), will be conducting meetings by phone and conference call for the foreseeable future.

Call 508-673-9783 for a virtual appointment
The MSBDC is committed to helping your business succeed in Massachusetts. They provide free, confidential, one-to-one business assistance, and free or low-cost educational training programs to prospective and existing small businesses throughout the Commonwealth. The MSBDC fosters the start, growth, and sustainability of small business by providing high-quality, in-depth advising, training, and capital access.
JOIN US
URCC MONTHLY MEETINGS

Our networking group meets on the first and third Wednesday of every month at 11:45 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., either at member Proctor Mansion Inn, 36 Common Street, in Wrentham or on Zoom (your choice). Only one person from each profession is invited to join this exclusive group that focuses on providing referrals.

Executive Express-O is meeting both in our office and remotely on the first Friday of every month.

MassDevelopment Jay Pateakos, vice president of Business Development for the South Region, is holding office hours every month.

Small Business Advising with the Small Business Administration is available remotely.

Help Us Thank Our Chairman's Circle Members
Help Us Thank Our Corporate Partners