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In This Issue
Brown Bag with Chris Tieri
Instagram for Business
MA Paid Leave: Webinar
MEGA Networking
GOLF CLASSIC
Harrington Earns ACR Lung Cancer Screening Center Designation
Savers Bank Supports The Last Green Valley
NBSB 'Feed a Camper' Fundraiser
Wanted: Loan Officers
Heather Sienel Joins the Wound Care Center
NBSB Supports Hearts for Heat
Parzych Named President of United Way SSC
NBSB Participates in Community Reading Day
Brimfield Antiques & Collectibles Shows
Stageloft Theater
Tag Sale at The Overlook
Bird Walk
TLGV's May Events
Asparagus and Flower Heritage Festival
Tantasqua's Team Chef Competition
Painting at Holland Community Center
Cornerstone Bank: Home Buyer's Seminar
FREE Beer Tasting Event
Plan Your Escape!
Cooking with Rico & Dan
Wool Days
Health & Wellness Fair
Altruist Beer Dinner
Dinner Theater at OSV
Quickbooks Course
Venture's Golf Classic
Drover's Roast
Village Toastmasters
SCU Mortgage Loans
Chamber of Commerce 
Board of Directors
Executive Committee
 
Jessica Bettencourt
Chair
 
Laurie Cashman 
1st Vice Chair
Bruce Watkins
Treasurer
Karl Storz Endovision
_________

Board Members

Brad Arcoite
Table 3 Restaurant Group  
 
Michael Checkosky
 
Angela Chviek
 
Kimberly Cobb
 
Rich Eichacker

Michelle Fanion
ERA Key Realty
 
 
Steve Gardiner

Les Gardner
Les Gardner Photography

 
Leila Hurt
 
Lynn Mero
 
Suzanne Parsons
OFS 

Rita Schiano 
 
Rich Suitum
 
Erica Travinski

Michael Wales
Michael L. Wales Painting Co. 
 
Jim Donahue
Honorary Board Member
 
Counsel
Padgett D. Berthiaume
 
 __________

Chamber Staff

Alexandra McNitt
 Executive Director

Paulette Hughes
Finance & Administration

Jack Starkey
Communications Specialist 

Chamber Links

CMS Chamber logo
Stur Townships - Everything but Ordinary  

Welcome to May's CROSSROADS EVENTS!
 
This issue will take you right through Memorial Day and beyond with some terrific things to do and important news from our Members. Join us for one of three replay sessions if you missed last month's webinar on the new Massachusetts Family Leave Act and its proposed regulations which will affect all employers in the state. New England's only Certified Brand Strategist Chris Tieri will present May's Brown Bag Seminar "Using Thought Leadership to Build Your Business." In June, join us and the experts at Exsel Advertising at OSV for a breakfast seminar on Instagram for Business. The Chamber and its partners will be MEGA-Networking with six local Chambers at Indian Ranch in Webster. and we hope to see you there on June 13. Read on for the details on these and the latest news, events and more from our Members and friends.
 
Got news? Thank you for emailing us your press releases, links and photos for inclusion in Crossroads!
Keep posting your events to our online events calendar! We love sharing them with our readers! 
 
Extra for Experts! Connect with us on Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, Twitter and Pinterest for more from your Chamber!  
Using Thought Leadership  
to Build your Business
Presented by Chris Tieri,  
Certified Brand Strategist 
 
Thursday, May 30 at Noon
Chamber Conference Room
46 Hall Road, Sturbridge
 
FREE for CMS Chamber Members
$15 for non-Members.
Space is Limited! Please RSVP. 
Call 508-347-2761 or email [email protected] to save your spot!
 
Feel free to bring your lunch. Use our microwave to heat it up! Relax, learn and grow with us!  
 
It can be hard to get noticed in today's competitive marketplace. Providing your professional point of view and sharing your expertise through thought leadership is paramount to building trust with your audience and prospects. You are a wealth of helpful information, but how do you organize and distribute it in a way that forms the base for a trusting relationship? In this workshop, you will learn about:
  • The key elements to building a personal leadership brand to help you stand out
  • Honing your unique point-of-view
  • Developing a messaging platform you will use to share your expertise
  • Identifying your audience and the problems you can help them solve
  • Creating a content hub, and the various platforms you can use to spread the word
About the Presenter: With a passion for creative problem solving, Chris Tieri helps businesses and their leaders transform their brands from ordinary to extraordinary. As the only Certified Brand Strategist in New England, Chris brings clarity to her clients' visions for the future, uncovers their unique claims of distinction, and builds breakthrough brands that thrive in today's competitive and ever-changing business universe. After selling Idea Agency, her brand and marketing firm of 24 years, Chris now offers consulting for other marketing agencies and non-profits including Old Sturbridge Village.  
 
Chris Tieri, Certified Brand Strategist, 508-397-7312
Instagram for Business
June 10, 7:45-9:00am
Instagram logo
The Fuller Conference Center
at Old Sturbridge Village
1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge
 
Instagram is a simple and effective way to connect to new customers.
No matter what your business is, it pays to build a presence on Instagram. Instagram is a powerful and fun social tool that allows you to market your business to hundreds of new customers every day! There are over one billion Instagram users, and learning simple strategies to gain targeted followers can significantly increase your business's revenue.

Small time investment for a huge customer return! During this seminar, Rich Suitum (President) and Amanda Guilmain (Creative Director) from Exsel Advertising Group will help you understand where you should be focusing your efforts, what kind of content resonates most, and how to track your metrics and key performance indicators (KPI).

The Presenters
Instagram Presenters
Exsel is a driven and agile group of creative strategists. With nearly 30 years of solid work, we thrive on designing experiences that elevate brands. Whether it's identity, design, marketing strategy, websites, SEO, digital advertising, social media, video or even packaging - we've done it, learned it, and lived it.
 
Seminar Agenda:
7:45  Registration with Continental Breakfast
8:00  Presentation starts
8:45  Q&A
9:00  Adjourn

Continental Breakfast Menu
Assortment of Mini Croissants, Danish and Muffins
Whipped Butter & Preserves
Fresh Sliced Seasonal Fruit
Make Your Own Parfait Station
with Yogurt, Granola, Raisins, Dried Cranberries
& Chocolate Chips
Assorted Juices
Regular & Decaf Coffee and Assorted Teas
 
COST: Members: $15 Non-Members: $25
Please RSVP by June 4 to save your spot.  
Call 508-347-2761 or email 
Member2Member Discounts
M2M logo    
Click the M2M logo to view all current discounts!  
 
NEW OFFER!
Party Time Caricatures offers 10% off to CMS Chamber members and an additional 30% off for booking early! Give Herve a call to book him for your next big event. 
MA Paid Leave: An Examination of the Proposed Regulations

WEBINAR RECAP
Three Sessions:
Tuesday, May 21, 7:30-9:00 am
Thursday, May 23, Noon-1:30 pm
Tuesday, May 28, 5:30-7:00 pm
Chamber Conference Room, 46 Hall Road, Sturbridge
 
On April 30, we joined a webinar presented by the Employers Association of the NorthEast (EANE) and Skoler, Abbott & Presser which explored the new proposed regulations for the Massachusetts Grand Bargain. We reviewed the highlights of these proposed regulations and what their implementation will mean for all Massachusetts employers regardless of number of employees.
 
Since we were only given short notice to invite our Members to join in on the presentation, we are pleased to announce three sessions in which we will replay the recorded webinar to give everyone the opportunity to learn about these new regulations. There is no charge to attend. Please just drop us a line and let us know which session works best for you. Call 508-347-2761 or email [email protected].
 
We would like to express our appreciation to instructors Mark Adams and John Gannon and the Employer's Association of New England for making this recorded webinar available to our Members.
Mega Networking June 13, 2019
5:00-7:30pm
Samuel Slater's 
at
Indian Ranch
Webster
 
Thank you to our  
supporting sponsor!
Southbridge Hotel & Conference Center 
 
 
REGISTRATION
Cost: $10 - Chamber Members 
$20 - Non-Members
$20 - Members at the door
$30 - Non-Members
Register by calling 508-347-2761 or emailing [email protected]

For questions, contact Lili Zannotti, Programs and Events Coordinator, at 508.753.2924, ext. 224
Golf
CMS CHAMBER
GOLF CLASSIC
June 27, 2019
Heritage Country Club, Charlton
To Benefit the Chamber Charities & Scholarship Fund
 
We hope you will join us as we hit the links at Heritage Country Club for a fun-filled day of golf and camaraderie on the course at our annual Golf Classic! See all the details below. To register, you may download and print the brochure or visit the Golf Classic tab on our website!

Your Day Includes:
Continental Breakfast
Greens and Cart Fees
Cookout Lunch on the Course
Spectacular Raffle Prizes
Contests
Refreshments available on the course!
Reception and dinner after play.
 
Scramble format: All players hit from the best lie.
 
Featuring:

A LeaderBoard Air Cannon Competition!

 

A chance to win a 2-year/30,000 mile lease on a 2019 Mustang GT  

sponsored by Lamoureux Ford!


Registration:
$125 for individual, $475 for foursome
or dinner only ticket for $30.

Schedule:
8:00am: Registration
9:00am: Shotgun Start
2:30pm: Dinner Reception

Tee Box and Corporate Sponsorship opportunities are available. See the brochure for details or call Mike Checkosky for more info.  
 
Questions? Call Mike Checkosky at 508-764-0012 or email [email protected]
 
Thank you to our 2019 GOLF CLASSIC Sponsor!

About Our Host
Heritage Country Club is an 18-hole championship golf course located in the rolling hills of Charlton, MA. It is the home of the Central Mass. Professional Open and has long been considered one of the finest public golf courses in Central Massachusetts. The course is a par 71, measuring 6,710 yards, offering players of all abilities a spectacular golf experience.
Harrington Hospital Earns ACR Lung Cancer Screening Center Designation
 
Harrington Hospital has been designated a Lung Cancer Screening Center by the American College of Radiology (ACR).
 
The ACR Lung Cancer Screening Center designation is a voluntary program that recognizes facilities that have committed to practice safe, effective diagnostic care for individuals at the highest risk for lung cancer.
 
In 2015, Harrington launched its Early Lung Cancer Screening Detection Program, which provides guidelines for high-risk patients to receive a CT scan to identify any areas of concern.
 
Patients who qualify for the screenings are those aged 55-77, current smokers or those who quit fewer than 15 years ago, and those with a personal history of 30-pack years (meaning one pack per day for 30 years, two packs per day for 15 years and so on).
 
The program begins with a consultation from a referring physician and includes a discussion about the patient playing a proactive role in their health.
 
The screening is a 10-minute low-dose CT scan, offered at Harrington's Southbridge and Webster campuses. Harrington's radiology team in conjunction with leading experts at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School study the results. A multidisciplinary team composed of radiologists, oncologists, thoracic surgeons and pulmonologists meet regularly to review the findings and plan appropriate treatment pathways.
 
The program has continued to grow each year. Demographically, Southbridge has one of the highest levels of lung cancer incidences and mortalities in the region.
 
Harrington completed 1,144 scans in 2018, a 24 percent increase over 2017 and a 57 percent increase over the first full year of the program in 2016. Harrington Interventional Radiology Nurse and Nurse Navigator of the Lung Screening Program, Jean Comeau, anticipates a 10 percent increase by the end of 2019, adding close working relationships have been developed, both within Harrington Physician Services and surrounding communities.
 
This is the second year in a row Harrington has also been designated a Screening Center of Excellence by the Lung Cancer Alliance. 
 
In order to receive this designation, a facility must be accredited by the ACR in computed tomography in the chest module, as well as undergo a rigorous assessment of its lung cancer screening protocol and infrastructure. Also required are procedures in place for follow-up patient care, such as counseling and smoking cessation programs.
 
Lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography scans, and appropriate follow-up care, significantly reduces lung cancer deaths.
 
For more information about the Lung Cancer Screening Center designation, visit acr.org.
Savers Bank Supports The Last Green Valley
 
Savers Bank continues its commitment to strengthening communities and getting people outdoors by sponsoring The Last Green Valley, Inc.'s Ranger Program and the Hiking, Walking and Strolling Trails Section of the 2019 "Explore!" guide.
 
Savers Bank has donated $2,000 to The Last Green Valley, Inc. (TLGV). The donation will continue the bank's long-standing support of the TLGV Ranger Program, allowing rangers to continue offering programs and educating the public about The Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor at the region's fairs, festivals, community events and civic meetings. In sponsoring the Hiking, Walking and Strolling Trails section of "Explore! Outdoor, Indoor & Around Town Adventures in The Last Green Valley," Savers Bank is helping extend TLGV's efforts to shine a spotlight on the extraordinary, natural, agricultural, historic and cultural resources of the National Heritage Corridor.
 
"The Ranger Program is an integral part of The Last Green Valley and their efforts of spreading the word about the importance of our natural resources," said Joseph Coderre, Chief Executive Officer of Savers Bank. "Savers Bank is proud to support this program and, also, to extend our sponsorship to bring awareness to the vast amount of hiking and walking trails available throughout the area encompassing the National Heritage Corridor."
 
"Savers Bank was an early supporter of the Ranger Program and with its support we've been able to raise awareness and encourage stewardship of the National Heritage Corridor," said Lois Bruinooge, executive director of TLGV. "We're grateful for the bank's ongoing commitment to The Last Green Valley."
 
The Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor is the last stretch of dark night sky in the coastal sprawl between Boston and Washington, D.C.  The Last Green Valley, Inc. works for you in the National Heritage Corridor. Together we can care for it, enjoy it and pass it on!
North Brookfield Savings Bank Continues
Feed a Camper at Camp Putnam Fundraiser
Feed a Camper
 
North Brookfield Savings Bank has been a proud, longtime community supporter of Camp Putnam, making donations exceeding $30,000 over the past years. The strong community connection with the organization continues as the Bank announces that the Feed a Camper at Camp Putnam fundraiser will return again during May and June of 2019.
 
North Brookfield Savings Bank is encouraging community members to once again join forces with the Bank to raise funds and help feed local campers this summer. Nestled in the fields and forests of New Braintree, Camp Putnam provides an authentic, nature-based camping experience for children and is affordable for all families regardless of income. With the help of the community, North Brookfield Savings Bank hopes to ease the concern for campers who may face the struggle of food insecurity during their everyday lives, and allow them to have a carefree, fun-filled camp experience.
 
North Brookfield Savings Bank places a high value on public service, with "Community Support" being one of the five established core values of the Bank. Therefore, the Bank kicked off the fundraiser with a $1,000 donation, in hopes that the continued teamwork with their communities will allow them to raise even more. With a total fundraising goal of $1,500, North Brookfield Savings Bank is asking community members, customers and Bank employees to help raise the remaining $500 during May and June by donating at any branch location.
 
"We continue to be exceptionally grateful for the generous support of the customers, employees and leadership of North Brookfield Savings Bank.  NBSB's support through the "Feed a Camper" campaign assists in us providing three healthy, home cooked meals per day each day to each of our 750+ summer campers. For many of our campers, food insecurity is a real and constant factor in their lives," said Todd Stewart, Executive Camp Director. " The generous support of the "Feed a Camper" campaign assists us in continuing our mission of providing all campers an enriching, safe and productive summer experience regardless of their families' financial circumstances."
 
Camp Putnam spends more than $40,000 on food every summer and proudly serves campers tasty and healthy home-cooked and "kid-friendly" meals such as homemade mac and cheese, tacos, shepherd's pie, fresh fruits and veggies, pancakes, french toast and more.

Stewart continued, " We are entering our 72nd summer of maintaining our mission to serve ALL interested children regardless of ability to pay.  Healthy, filling, family-style meals are central to our programming and to our mission.  There is nothing quite like the atmosphere of our dining hall full of happy campers sharing highlights of their day over a delicious and nutritious meal."
 
Want to know how you can donate? Anyone can make a donation into the designated collection jars displayed along the teller line at any North Brookfield Savings Bank branch location, with branches located in North Brookfield, East Brookfield, West Brookfield, Ware, Belchertown, Palmer and Three Rivers.

"North Brookfield Savings Bank is honored to partner with and support organizations like Camp Putnam, whose efforts help aid in the well-being and happiness of our young, local community members," said Donna Boulanger, North Brookfield Savings Bank President and CEO. "Camp Putnam provides a safe, nurturing, healthy, and fun environment for campers to make friends and experience personal growth. We are hopeful that with our contribution and the generosity of our community members we will once again reach and exceed our goal to help feed campers well-rounded, nutritious meals."

North Brookfield Savings Bank is also a proud $500 Gold Sponsor of the Camp Putnam Ramble Q event taking place on May 19, 2019. The event features a Kid's Fun Run at 10:30am, Red Feather Ramble 5K at 11am, a Chicken BBQ from 12pm - 2pm, and an After Party from 2pm and on with live music, local craft beer, a corn hole tournament and kids games. You can contact Camp Putnam at 774-757-8264 for pricing and tickets or visit them at www.campputnam.org for more information.

ABOUT NORTH BROOKFIELD SAVINGS BANK
North Brookfield Savings Bank is a mutual savings bank with full-service branches in North Brookfield, East Brookfield, West Brookfield, Ware, Belchertown, Palmer, and Three Rivers Village of Palmer. NBSB offers a wide variety of deposit and loan products for individuals and businesses throughout Central and Western Massachusetts and has been a steadfast supporter of the communities in which it serves since 1854. North Brookfield Savings Bank is a 2018 Banking Choice 1st place award recipient in all categories including Overall Quality, Customer Service, Technology and Tools, and Community Contribution. All deposits are insured by the FDIC and the Depositors Insurance Fund. For additional information, please call 1-866-711-6272 or visit us online at
www.NorthBrookfieldSavingsBank.com .
ABOUT CAMP PUTNAM:
Camp Putnam, located on 150 acres of fields and forest in rural New Braintree, has been serving local children for over 65 years. The Camp provides a safe and healthy summer camp experience that is affordable for all families, regardless of income and is camp in the truest sense of the word; a place where kids and staff interact with nature all day, every day. Camp Putnam encourages and promotes emotional, social, intellectual and personal discovery for children in a safe, structured environment. To learn more about Camp Putnam, visit www.campputnam.org
Norcom  
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)
Heather Sienel, PA, Joins the Wound Care Center at Charlton
 
Heather Seneil Heather Sienel, PA, has joined The Wound Care Center at Charlton, located at 10 North Main Street.
 
Sienel has over nine years of experience in clinical settings, including Urgent Care, orthopedics, Emergency Medicine and Wound Care.
 
She previously worked at the Novikov Wellness and Skin Care Surgical Center in Northborough, where she managed patient care with a diverse clinical team to address acute and chronic wounds of all etiologies.
 
Sienel received her Masters of Science in Physician Assistant Studies from Western University of Health Science in Pomona, California.
 
At The Wound Care Center in Charlton, Sienel will be providing wound debridement, small tumor excision, incision and drainage of an abscess, and biopsies for patients. She will also diagnose and treat various skin conditions.
 
The Wound Care Center at Harrington offers our patients and their physician(s) access to state-of-the-art outpatient clinical wound care and hyperbaric medicine.
 
We are a three-year designated Wound Care Center of Distinction by our partner, Healogics. We specialize in advanced wound care, using a variety of clinical treatments, therapies and supportive services to treat chronic wounds. Our physician-driven, multi-disciplinary approach to outpatient wound care has a superior success rate in facilitating the healing process.
 
For more information, visit harringtonhospital.org or call (508) 248-8105.
North Brookfield Savings Bank Donates $2,000 to Hearts for Heat 
Fuel payments distributed because of NBSB's $2,000 donation to North Brookfield chapter 
NBSB Donates to Hearts for Heat
North Brookfield Savings Bank presented a $2,000 donation to the North Brookfield Chapter of Hearts for Heat. From left to right:  NBSB Senior Vice President of Retail Banking Patty Ostrout, Hearts for Heat North Brookfield Chapter members Tina Buzzell, Michelle Petraitis, Tom Lewandowski, Sue Lewandowski and NBSB Assistant Vice President/Marketing Manager Caitlin O'Connor.

Thanks to the invaluable work of the North Brookfield Chapter of Hearts for Heat, charitable donations from the public, and a generous $2,000 donation from North Brookfield Savings Bank, many residents thankfully did not have to suffer without heat through another winter. 
In March 2019, North Brookfield Savings Bank presented their donation to members of the North Brookfield Chapter of Hearts for Heat, a community-based, non-profit organization dedicated to covering fuel costs in order to provide heat for residents in need. The $2,000 check represented a matching donation, equal to what generous residents contributed during the Hearts for Heat capital campaign.
 
North Brookfield Savings Bank is invested in their local communities and is proud to share kindness and support to those in need. The Bank's core value "Share Kindness" encourages the use of empathy, fairness, and above all, kindness, knowing that even one small act of kindness can make an overall impact that extends farther than expected. 
 
"We are so thankful for the support Hearts for Heat receives from North Brookfield Savings Bank and generous donors from our community. Without their support many in need would struggle through our cold New England winters," said Sue Lewandowski, Hearts for Heat North Brookfield Chapter Founder & President. "In fact, because of the outpouring of support, this winter season we were able to provide two deliveries of fuel to each household in need of fuel assistance." 
 
The North Brookfield Hearts for Heat Chapter confidentially provides fuel, including oil, gas, and wood, to North Brookfield residents on a fixed income, including the elderly, those who are disabled or sick, and unemployed or underemployed individuals and families. Additional Hearts for Heat chapters located in Leicester, Spencer and Princeton, provide the same service for residents of those towns. 
 
"North Brookfield Savings Bank is proud to once again partner with the Hearts for Heat North Brookfield Chapter. We're so happy to be able to be of assistance alongside such an important local organization that helps our neighbors stay warm every winter," said Patricia Ostrout, North Brookfield Savings Bank Senior Vice President of Retail Banking. "We are so thankful for the North Brookfield Chapter of Hearts for Heat's dedication to the community."

For more information about Hearts for Heat, visit www.HeartsForHeat.org .
Harrington's April Parzych named President of  
United Way of Southbridge, Sturbridge and Charlton
 
Parzych April Parzych, a Brookfield native, has officially been named President of the United Way of Southbridge, Sturbridge and Charlton (UWSSC).
 
Parzych has been a local resident for over 40 years. She currently lives in Sturbridge with her husband, Walter. She has been employed by Harrington Hospital for 32 years and currently works as an IT Analyst.
 
A mother of four and grandmother of five, Parzych enjoys giving back to her community and making a difference.
 
"My passion is providing the most vulnerable members of our community with the resources they need. I enjoy collaboratively working to provide needed services," she said.
 
Parzych chaired the UWSSC 2018 Campaign, which raised over $300,000 for local programs and services. She has been on the UWSSC Board for six years and has been a United Way member for 10. Her role as President comes after she completed her Vice Presidency term.
 
"April has been a longtime supporter and a board member for a number of years. She is very passionate about the mission of the United Way and has always advocated for those in need in the Tri-Community," said Mary O'Coin, UWSSC Executive Director. "We look forward to her leadership over the next year and know we are in good hands."
 
The United Way improves lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities around the world to advance the common good. To learn more about the UWSSC, visit www.unitedwayssc.org.
North Brookfield Savings Bank Participates in  
Community Reading Day at Warren Community Elementary
NBSB reads  
North Brookfield Savings Bank proudly participated in Warren Community Elementary School's recent Community Reading Day along with many other community volunteer readers. North Brookfield Savings Bank Senior Vice President of Retail Banking Patricia Ostrout (Left) and Three Rivers Branch Manager Rachael Slozak (Right) read books to the students of Mrs. Rainaud's and Mrs. Cygan's fourth grade classes and are shown in the school's library.
 
North Brookfield Savings Bank loves interacting, supporting and offering educational resources to local community members whenever possible, including even the youngest of citizens. It is no surprise that when the Bank was given the opportunity to visit students of Warren Community Elementary School to participate in their May 3rd Community Reading Day they jumped at the chance. As a part of their continuing initiative to commit to excellent and help encourage literacy, North Brookfield Savings Bank employees read to students in various classrooms. The Bank was in the company of an impressive group of local professionals and community leaders, who also read to students as a part of the event.
 
Patricia Ostrout, Senior Vice President of Retail Banking read Letting Swift River Go, by author Jane Yolen, a book about the flooding of the Quabbin Reservoir as told through the eyes of a young girl, to Mrs. Rainaud's 4th grade classroom. Rachael Slozak, Branch Manager read the book Each Kindness, by author Jacqueline Woodson, to 4th graders of Mrs. Cygan's class. The book followed Chloe, a young girl who learns that even small acts of kindness can have a profound impact.
 
Students were very excited and eager to listen to the books read to them by special guests. Patty and Rachael began by briefly sharing what their role is with the Bank, how they help customers with their finances, and discussed with students their current saving habits and ways they could become super savers. Afterward, the Bank gave students piggy banks so they could begin or continue to practice early saving habits.
 
"It was so wonderful to participate in the Community Reading Day at WCES and to interact with all of the enthusiastic students," said North Brookfield Savings Bank Senior Vice President of Retail Banking Patty Ostrout.  "At North Brookfield Savings Bank, we care about all of our community members. Just one of the ways we demonstrate this is through involvement with our local schools - promoting literacy through Reading Days, Financial Literacy Programs, among many other fundraisers such as our School Supply Drive."
 
North Brookfield Savings Bank is a proud supporter of their communities and is a great promoter of literacy education for all generations. Evident through their steadfast community outreach and involvement, the Bank proudly teaches Financial Literacy classes in local high schools, participates in Community Reading Days at various schools, attends school Financial Aid Nights, and strongly supports literacy focused organizations assisting older generations such as Top Floor Learning in Palmer and The Literacy Project's Ware Classroom. The Bank understands that continuing financial and literacy education is of course important for adults, but just as important for the upcoming generations.
 
Ostrout continued, "These children are our future, and we know it is important that we give them every opportunity, every resource, to be confident, strong and successful members of our society. We are so grateful to the school for giving us this opportunity."
"May, more than any other month of the year, wants us to feel alive."
 -Fennel Hudson
Brimfield Antiques & Collectibles Shows 
2019 Shows: May 14-19, July 9-14, September 3-8
 
"The Queen of the outdoor shows" is on now! A New England tradition, the extravaganza represents the largest outdoor gathering of antique and collectibles dealers in the country with acres of tents showcasing the merchandise of thousands of dealers! As many as 4,500 dealers make Brimfield their home away from home three times a year (in May, July and September) and sell their wares on a one mile stretch of Route 20.  Brimfield offers all amenities to buyers which makes Brimfield a buyers' paradise you will want to experience again and again.  Join the thousands of shoppers who make the Brimfield Shows their #1 destination for the finest in antiques, collectibles and the unusual.  There are 20 shows for your shopping pleasure.
 
Visit our Information Booth and say Hello!
The Chamber's booth is between the Brimfield Annex and the Brimfield Public Library. 
Thank you to our amazing volunteers for welcoming visitors to the May shows! 
Brimfield Flea Finder 
Don't get lost in Brimfield! Get the App!
Get the smart phone app that uses GPS technology to help you find the treasures you seek at the Brimfield Shows! Great tool for shoppers and dealers! It even helps you find your car after a long day in the fields. Check it out and download this amazing app today! www.brimfieldapp.com 
Join Stageloft for their 25th season and enjoy another year filled with laughter, music and inspirational performances!
 
DRINKING HABITS
A Farce by Tom Smith
May 10 - 26
Fridays & Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 2pm
 
Accusations, mistaken identities, and romances run wild in this traditional, laugh-out-loud farce. Two nuns at the Sisters of Perpetual Sewing have been secretly making wine to keep the convent's doors open, but Paul and Sally, reporters and former fiancees, are hot on their trail. They go undercover as a nun and priest, but their presence, combined with the addition of a new nun, spurs paranoia throughout the convent that spies have been sent from Rome to shut them down. Wine and secrets are inevitably spilled as everyone tries to preserve the convent and reconnect with lost loves.
 
Presented by special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc.
 
Visit online or call for tickets. 
Stageloft Theater         450A Main Street, Fiskdale         508-347-9005 
The Overlook 
Tag Sale
Saturday, May 18th, 8am - 1pm 
 
Office furniture, cubicles, household furniture and used appliances.
Priced to sell fast! Cash & Carry.
 
  The Overlook, 88 Masonic Home Road, Charlton, MA 01507, (T) 508-434-2331
Opacum LT  
Bird Walk at Mashapaug Woods
Saturday, May 18th, 9:00 to 11:00am
 
Please join us with bird expert Bill Cormier of the Bird Store and More in Sturbridge, for a birding tour of a new property soon to become an Opacum conservation property, in Union CT, Mashapaug Woods.
 
This beautiful and important property consists of 134 acres of forested land and 1 ¼ miles of the shoreline of Mashapaug Lake, just over the CT state line, and only a short drive from the Sturbridge area.
 
An RSVP is required and needed to provide directions to the program, and a liability waiver must be signed by all participants as the property is still private and we are accessing it with the owner's permission. To RSVP, please email [email protected] or leave a voice mail at 508-347-9144, leaving the names of all who will attend and how we can contact you. Directions to the property will be provided to your contact information.
 
TLGV's May Events
 
Acorn Adventure - Underwater Exploration: 1 -2:30 pm, May 18, 276 Mashamoquet Road, Pomfret, CT 06259. What lives under the water in a stream? Explore Mashamoquet Brook with a professional biologist looking for the critters who live there. Ranger Jean has been teaching our water quality monitoring volunteers how some of the bugs that live in our healthy streams help us to understand a lot about the water quality in them. She is inviting all our Acorn adventurers to help her with a stream assessment by catching and examining the squigglies living in the brook. Become a water quality detective for a day. Wear waterproof boots if you want to help collect the bugs. Follow the Acorn Adventure signs after you pass the parking area for the swimming pond.
 
TLGV's 2019 Annual Meeting: 5-8 p.m., optional pre-meeting activities begin at 3:30 pm, May 30, UConn Alumni Center, 2384 Alumni Drive, Storrs, CT.  Please join us as we enjoy each other's company and celebrate 25 years of The Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor!  3:30 - 5 p.m.: Optional Activities at 3 locations across the UConn campus; 5 - 6 p.m.: Social Hour with cash bar in the Alumni Center's Husky Heritage Sports Museum; 6 - 7 p.m.: Buffet Dinner in the Great Hall of the Alumni Center; 7 - 8 p.m. Annual Membership Meeting, Awards, 25th Anniversary Celebration and Dessert.Cost of the dinner (soup, salad, assorted wraps/sandwiches, cake and UConn Dairy Bar ice cream) is $25 per person. You may attend the Annual Membership Meeting for free if you do not wish to come for dinner. Non-members are welcome to attend but cannot vote at the meeting. For more details visit www.TheLastGreenValley.org . Please RSVP no later than May 22  registering online or by calling the office at 860-774-3300.
Asparagus and Flower Heritage Festival
May 18, 10:00am-4:00pm
 
Join West Brookfield in celebrating all things asparagus, as well as recognizing our heritage.
2019 Asparagus and Flower Heritage Festival will be held, rain or shine, Saturday May 18, 2019! 10-4 on the beautiful West Brookfield Town Common.
 
Live music, Artisans, "Clowning for Kidz", Ed the Wizard, Asparagus Alley Food Court,  
Kids Activities, Frog Jumpin' Contest, Local Growers, over 100 Vendors.
 
Free Parking/Shuttle Available
Admission: FREE!
 
Tantasqua's Team Chef Competition 2019
 
The Tantasqua Senior High School's Culinary Arts Program is holding its 9th annual Team Chef Competition on Sunday, May 19, at the Sturbridge Host Hotel from 12-3 P.M.
 
Students are teamed up with local restaurants for a friendly competition for judge's, and people's choice for best entrée, and dessert. This year's ''featured'' ingredient is Chili Peppers, which will be used by each restaurant team in some form, for both entrée, and dessert items.
 
Proceeds from this event go towards the Tantasqua Culinary Arts/Hospitality Scholarship Fund. The public is invited to come taste, and vote on, all the exciting foods, and meet the students and area chefs who created them. Raffles will also be available at the event. The fee for the event is $10 for adults, and $5 for kids between 5 & 10 years in age.
 
Questions? Call Louis in Culinary at 508-347-9301.
Painting
Afternoon Painting at Holland Community Center
May 22, 1:00-3:00pm 
40 Brimfield Rd, Holland, 413-245-3163
 
Come relax and do an afternoon painting with me! Just $15 and you will get all supplies, including an 11x14 canvas, step by step instruction and assistance. No experience necessary.
If you would like come for lunch right before, just $3!

SEE MORE ACTIVITIES AT HOLLAND COMMUNITY CENTER ON FACEBOOK
Cornerstone Bank  
Shopping for a Home? 
Join us for a FREE Home Buyer's Seminar!
 
Sturbridge Branch - 200 Charlton Road   
Wednesday, May 22, 6:00-8:00pm
 
 
Learn about the application and closing process. Take this FREE opportunity to get your questions answered. This seminar will feature expert speakers who will guide you through the process.  
There will be a door prize drawing and light refreshments will be served.
 
Please R.S.V.P. by Tuesday, May 21st to Mike Checkosky at 508.764.0012.
   
BEER TASTING
AT THE COMFORT INN AND SUITES
JOIN US! SAMPLE LOCAL CRAFT BEER
MAY 23RD 6-8PM IN OUR LOUNGE!

HELP US RENAME OUR LOUNGE WHILE YOU ENJOY A COLD ONE!

YOUR FEEDBACK WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED WITH MAKING OUR DECISION!

THIS IS A FREE EVENT!
Comfort Inn & Suites Sturbridge, MA
83 Hall Road or (Rt. 20), Sturbridge, MA 01566
Office: 508.347.3306
Cruise
Plan Your Escape!
Thursday, May 23, 2019, 6:00p - 8:00p
Knights of Columbus, 44 Circuit Ave N, Worcester, MA 01603

Dream Vacations would like to invite you to come join us for a night of information from Royal Caribbean and Club Med representatives. They will tell you what each one has to offer for your next vacation. Coffee and pastries will be served. Raffles available. Club Med will be giving away a 5-night Caribbean get away.

Must RSVP to Patti at 800.267.1858 or [email protected] before 5/16/19.
Dream Vacations 
Avellino
Cooking with Rico and Dan: Mediterranean
Thursday, May 23, 2019, 6:30pm

Mediterranean cuisine is the foods and methods of preparation by people of the Mediterranean Basin region. The idea of a Mediterranean cuisine originates with definition the three core elements of the culture as the olive, wheat, and the grape, yielding olive oil, bread and pasta, and wine.

The region spans a wide variety of cultures however, the historical connections of the region, as well as the impact of the Mediterranean Sea on the region's climate and economy, mean that these cuisines share many dishes such as roast lamb or mutton, meat stews with vegetables and tomato (for example, Spanish andrajos and Italian ciambotta), and the salted cured fish roe, bottarga, found across the region. This event is $55 per person with wine pairings, or $42 without. Tax and gratuity are not included. Make your reservations now by calling Avellino at 508-347-2321.
Wool Days  
Memorial Day Weekend: May 25-27 
Old Sturbridge Village 
 
Wool Days Discover how New Englanders reared sheep for their wool in the 1830s at Old Sturbridge Village's annual sheep shearing festival - Wool Days - on Memorial Day Weekend, May 25-27. Welcome our spring lambs and see the adult sheep get their annual "haircut."
 
Throughout the weekend, farmers will perform sheep-shearing while costumed historians will demonstrate the entire wool textile process, from scouring and carding the wool to spinning, and then knitting the hand-spun wool yarn. Visitors can even try their skill at hand-carding the wool.
  • Learn about the natural dyes used to produce an amazing array of colors in the 19th century and about the different kinds of wool from different animals.
  • See how wool is transformed into household linens and garments with demonstrations of the spinning wheel and loom.
  • Meet the animals - lambs, chickens, cows, and oxen
  • Watch a host of daily demonstrations, including musket firing, hearth cooking, printing, coopering, blacksmithing, shoe-making and more!
May 25 - September 2:
Open Wednesday - Sunday | 9:30 am - 5:00 pm
OSV  
Tri-Valley proudly announces its 2nd Annual
Health & Wellness Fair
Sponsored by Baystate Benefit Services
May 30, 2019
10am - 1pm at our 10 Mill Street, Dudley Headquarters
A FREE event designed for Older Adults & Caregivers featuring

AAA     Central Mass Agency on Aging
Dudley Fire, Police & Veteran's Agent      Holden Hearing Aid Center
Lions Club, Millbury    OEI CapTel Captioning Phone     Page Chiropractic
Second Chance Animal Services (mobile adoption vehicle)     SHINE
United Way of Webster & Dudley     Webster Five
Webster Senior Center   WDO Chamber of Commerce

Discover the Programs & Services offered through Tri-Valley
Benefits Enrollment Center, Options Counseling, Alzheimer's Network, Personal Care Attendant, Adult Family Care, State Home Care, Information & Resources, Caregiver Support & Healthy Aging, or learn how to become a Volunteer at Tri-Valley

FREE 30-minute seminars: 10:30 am Webster Five - Senior Fraud: What to Avoid
11:15 am AAA - Travel Tips
Plus - Healthy Cooking Demos throughout the day by our Nutritionist

FREE screenings & assistance: Lions Club (vision screening), Holden Hearing Aid Center, Page Chiropractic, and Benefits Enrollment Specialist (enrollment assistance by appointment)

RAFFLES
3 raffle packages of one-night stays for two including breakfast donated by:
The Publick House Historic Inn, Southbridge Hotel & Conference Center
and Sturbridge Host Hotel & Conference Center

FREE BEVERAGES, SNACKS & the OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A REAL CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE!
See you on Thursday, May 30th!

TRI-VALLEY, INC., 10 Mill Street, Dudley, MA 01571
TEL 508-949-6640, 1-800-286-6640, WEBSITE www.trivalleyinc.org
Tri-Valley, Inc., a private, non-profit agency, receives funding from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts through the Executive Office of Elder Affairs and federal financial support under the Older Americans Act furnished by the Central Mass Agency on Aging and the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs. Funds are also received from public and private sources.
The Duck 
Altruist Beer Dinner  
Thursday, May 30, 6:30pm
 
Altruist feels strongly that their hand-crafted recipes should be brewed with love. They never skimp on quality ingredients and work tirelessly to maximize flavor and body to elicit a well-balanced and delicious beer that everyone can enjoy. They will never compromise quality for anything! They will also never stop learning and improving in an endless pursuit of perfection to create the most amazing craft beer ever tasted. They don't just make the beer, they love the beer!
 
Highest quality ingredients and amazing great tastes... sounds very similar to the philosophy of the culinary team at The Duck. The Chefs have developed a menu that will pair distinctive cuisine with several Altruist standards and special offerings. This event will have limited seating. Price is $47 per person, (tax and gratuity are not included). Please call The Duck at 508-347-2321 today and reserve your place for this special event.
Gateway Players 
Stranger in the Attic
May 31 at Old Sturbridge Village 
 
Old Sturbridge Village is proud to welcome Gateway Players to our stage with an exciting dinner theater experience. On May 31st, join us for dinner and the production of "Stranger in the Attic". Dinner and show tickets are $40. Show only tickets are $20. TICKETS FOR THE DINNER AND SHOW MUST BE PURCHASED IN ADVANCED. Tickets for just the show will be available at the door. Dinner begins at 5:30pm. Show begins at 7:30pm. This is a fundraiser for the "Gateway to the Future Fund".  
The menu is Tossed Mixed Greens Salad, Cole Slaw, Corn on the Cob, OSV Macaroni and Cheese, Boneless BBQ Chicken Thighs, Beef Brisket, Pulled Pork, Rolls with Whipped butter, and Strawberry Shortcake with fresh Whipped Cream. Tickets available by calling Kim Dolan at 508-347-0397.
 
Synopsis: Gateway Players Theatre presents "Stranger in the Attic" by John Kaasik, directed by Lynn Boucher. The cast includes Billy Bolster, Lou-Ellen Corkum, Ed Humphries, Stephen Jean, Joni Metras and John Turpin. Chris McTigue is the stage manager and Barbara Day is producer. 
 
Story: Set in the country home of freelance writer Brian Hollander and his wife Dana, their quiet life is unexpectedly upset by the arrival of a stranger named Kendrick, who is offering an exclusive story to Brian about a murder that has not happened yet! Brian pursues discussions of the story with Kendrick, and meets his neighbors Douglas and Margaret Brendan who tell Brian and Dana a disturbing story about a stranger who may be stalking them. Detective Hal Nelson comes into the play to try and unravel these interlocking stories and prevent a murder from happening.
QVCDC
REGISTER NOW FOR A QUICKBOOKS COURSE
 
Get your business's books in order!
This 5-week QuickBooks course (desktop version)  
is led by Doris Towns, CPA, a QuickBooks ProAdvisor.
 
June 3, 10, 17, 24 and July 1
5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Jacob Edwards Library
236 Main St., Southbridge, MA
 
The cost is $525, including book and supplemental materials.  
Financial scholarships are available for small business owners.
 
For more information, or to register, contact Melissa  
at the Quaboag Valley Community Development Corporation
at 413-967-3001 or [email protected].  
 
The Quaboag Valley CDC/BAC is an equal opportunity employer, lender and provider and does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, family/parental status, national origin, race, religion, sex, gender identity (including expression), sexual orientation, marital status, income derived from public assistance programs, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA. The QVCDC is a 501(c)3  
non-profit organization, certified by the State of Massachusetts and CDFI.  
Venture CS logo 
22nd Annual Charity Golf Classic
Blissful Meadows Golf Club, Uxbridge 
 
We hope you can join us at our 22nd Annual Charity Golf Classic. Proceeds from the tournament will benefit programs and services at Venture including our new autism programming that features free adaptive yoga and free family social skills groups.  We sincerely appreciate your support! 
 
Friday, June 14, 2019
Registration opens at 8:00am - will be held in the Pavilion
9:00am Shotgun Start
$150 Per Golfer

Includes: Greens fees and cart, morning coffee, boxed lunch, buffet dinner in the Pavilion, one free drink, Venture logo gift.  
 
For more information and to register visit: www.venturecs.org/event/golfclassic2019/ 
Salem Cross Inn logo
260 West Main Street, Route 9, West Brookfield, MA
 
Rich with history, the Salem Cross Inn is a restored 18th century farmhouse  
nestled on 600 acres of New England countryside.  
 
A Wedding Wire Couples' Choice Award
and The Knot Best of Weddings Award recipient for 2019.
 

Drover's Roast - Father's Day (June 16)
Join us for our popular Drover's Roast outdoor dining event, where we prepare a 1700's American trailside feast recalling the days of John Pynchon, the colonies' first cattle drover.  Experience our version of the Drover's Roast as we prepare the feast as you watch; hand rubbed prime ribs of beef with an age old recipe of spices are slowly roasted for hours over a huge fire pit; fritters are made by hand and cooked; chowder of the sea is slow-cooked in cast iron cauldrons over open fires.
 
These are just the beginning of an endless feast (eight tables long!) including other seasonal entrées and a large variety of hot and cold vegetable dishes. After your feast it's time to enjoy an assortment of delightful baked goods and fresh. home baked shortcake or pies topped with real whipped cream.
 
As if the feasting weren't enough, there are festivities you can enjoy throughout the day; enjoy horse drawn wagon rides, music and other live entertainment, demonstrations by period crafts people, a Cow Puncher Drink, and more!
 
FESTIVITIES begin at 1:00pm 
FEASTING begins at 2:30pm
 
The Drover's Roast is an advanced ticket only dining event.  
Visit the link for details and to reserve.
 
Open Full Schedule:
APRIL 4-DECEMBER 30, 2019
Tuesday to Friday (Lunch & Dinner) - 11:30am to 9:00pm 
Saturday (Dinner) - 5:00pm to 9:00pm 
Sunday (Dinner) - 12 Noon to 8:00pm 
 
Village Toastmasters Weekly Meetings
Thursday Evenings, 7:00-8:15pm
CHAMBER OF CENTRAL MASS SOUTH CONFERENCE ROOM
46 Hall Road, Sturbridge
Village Toastmasters
Village Toastmasters is a local group focused on helping its members improve their public speaking and leadership skill while building confidence in their abilities.  
The club has recently moved its meeting location.

As of Thursday, April 27, 2017, Village Toastmasters will meet every Thursday from 7:00-8:15 pm at the offices of the Chamber of Central Mass South, located at 46 Hall Road, Sturbridge.
Thank you to the Chamber of Central Mass South for serving as the new meeting location!
We are grateful to our community partners!

Guests are always welcome!!  
Please arrive 15 minutes early (6:45pm) as meetings start promptly.  
 
Coggno Training
Click on the image to browse our catalog of training courses! 
Save these Dates!
 May 14-19: Brimfield Antiques Shows
May 18: Asparagus & Flower Heritage Festival   
May 19: Tantasqua Team Chef Competition   
May 25-27: Wool Days at OSV
  May 27: Happy Memorial Day!   
May 30: Brown Bag Seminar with Chris Tieri
June 10: Instagram For Business Breakfast Seminar at OSV    
June 13: MEGA Networking with 6 Chambers at Indian Ranch, Webster 
June 14: Venture's Charity Golf Classic 
June 27: CMS Chamber GOLF CLASSIC 

Thank you for posting your events to our Events Calendar!

Chamber logo with tag