Metro South Chamber of Commerce
Leading Businesses. Leading Communities
March 12, 2010
Sponsored by:
WBE New

Tuesday, March 23, 2010
18th Annual Taste of Metro South
Wednesday, March 24, 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Shaw's Center, Brockton

Taste Picture

Participating Restaurants:   Art Kitchen @ the Fuller Craft Museum � Auntie Anne's Pretzel � Baypointe Rehabilitation � Becka's Gourmet Bakery � Bella's II Pizzeria Seafood & Grille � Boston Market � BHS - Fine Arts Cafe � Brockton Rox � Burrito Wraps, Mexican Grill � Bertucci's Brockton � Cabot Creamery Cooperative � Catering by Linda � Chili Head BBQ � Christo's � Costco Wholesale � Crocetti's Oakdale Packing Co. � Edible Arrangements �  El Mariachi � Embassy Rehabilitation and Health Center � Freda's Fine Food & Spirits � Good Samaritan Medical Center � Gourmet Cafe � Gowell's Candy � Halfway Cafe � Hardy Catering � Heights Crossing � Honest Tea Beverages � Irish Cultural Centre of New England � Josephine's Famous Food � Lambert's � Mainha Restaurant � Narragansett Brewing, Co. � Patriot Pub & Grille � Prisco's Market & Deli � Racks Restaurant � Shaw's Supermarkets � Signature Healthcare � Sophia's Restaurant � Starbucks � Stoneforge Grill � Tastefully Simple � Texas Road House � The Breakfast Connection � The Grill Restaurant � The Lobster Barn � The Naked Chicken � The Peruvian Place � The Shaw's Center � TKO Shea's Sports Cafe � Trader Joe's �  X&O Restaurant

Participating Organizations:
1460AM WXBR � Boston Masspass � Brockton Historical Society � Brockton VNA � Crescent Credit Union � Good Samaritan Medical Center � Lincoln Tech � Metro South Chamber of Commerce � Michele's Massage Studio � Nissan 24 � Old Colony Elder Services � Old Colony Hospice � Rob Peters Entertainment � Signature Healthcare � The Enterprise � U.S. Census Bureau � WATD 95.9 FM

Free H1N1 shots courtesy of Brockton Neighborhood Health Center

Visit www.metrosouthchamber.com/taste.html

to learn what each restaurant will be serving.

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Tickets are now available
at the Chamber, 60 School Street, Brockton, Brockton Shaw's Supermarkets or online at www.metrosouthchamber.com/taste.html.
$25 in advance/ $30 at the door
Call 508.586.0500 x 231 for more information.
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Visit Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou, Suzhou, China
October 11-19, 2010
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**Information Sessions**

Tuesday, March 16, 5:45 pm - 7:00 pm
West Bridgewater Public Library
80 Howard Street, West Bridgewater

Sunday, April 11, 1:00 pm - 2:15 pm
The Shaw's Center (at the Brockton Garden Show)
1 Lexington Way, Brockton

RSVP to Lisa Keene at the Chamber, 508-586-0500 x 225,
email [email protected].

2009 ads
NEW China Website
Containing an itinerary, travel info, photos from last year's trip,
info on the 2010 World Expo, and more.


Featured Attractions on the Trip:
World Expo 2010, the Great Wall of China, Terracotta Warriors, Tiananmen Square, Temple of Heaven, Forbidden City, Ming Tombs, Yu Garden, Jade Factory, Summer Palace, Kunming Lake, Longevity Hill, Tiger Hill, Green Tea Plantation, Chinese Acrobat Show, Pudong  Economic Development Zone, Huaqing Hot Spring Park, and more ...

Space is Limited! Reserve your Place Now! *Price of 1,999 is based on double occupancy and deposit before April 30. For more information, contact Lisa Keene at the Chamber at 508.586.0500 x 225 or email [email protected].

Icomply Workshop
Location: Metro South Chamber of Commerce, 60 School Street, Brockton.

Registration:
On-Line Registration iComplyNow (click here):
Questions: Please call (888) 445-4843
Enter Coupon Code at check out: M04202010


Featured Speaker: 
Joe Burns, Author/Director, iComplyNow

Joe Burns is a 40 year information technology veteran and author of The Essential Guide for 201 CMR 17.00 Compliance,

Cost: Members $25 - Non-Members $35

Bonus: Each participant will leave the workshop with a guide for Protecting Personal Information, links to expert sites and a discount coupon worth $250 toward the purchase of The Essential Guide for 201 CMR 17.00 Compliance by Joe Burns (maximum of one coupon per company). Sign-up today for this informative discussion and learn how to "smartly" comply with challenges presented in these regulations.

Pre-Requisite: Participants are expected to have read and be familiar with the requirements of Code of Massachusetts Regulation 201 CMR 17.00 and its related Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

201 CMR 17.00 - Effective March 1, 2010 - It's Never Too Late!
This strict data security law requires every person (business) who owns or license personal information about a resident of the Commonwealth to implement and to document an information security program that is compliant with the regulations.
You will learn how to:
  • Locate and protect your personal information
  • Factor company size into the compliance equation
  • Perform an assessment of your current information security program and identify areas needed for improvement.
  • Implement and document the complex technical provisions of Section 17.04 of the regulations.
  • Create (and format) your WISP
  • Use your WISP to train employees....and much, much more
Mr. Burns will parse the regulation into its eighteen (18) sections and provide you with "reasonable actions for compliance". iComplyNow employed the industry accepted business development framework of People, Process & Technology to create The Essential Guide for 201 CMR 17.00 Compliance. This business systems development process is being successfully used today by many of your fellow colleagues who are actively engaged in developing their business' WISP.
Carry Census Signs for Brockton

The City of Brockton is asking for volunteers to hold up signs to help raise awareness of the need to mail Census forms back this month.  Dates and Locations volunteers are needed.  Please sign up for one or more days.

Saturday, March 13, 11:00AM - Noon
(a) Main St (Route 28) at Plain St. at Keith Ave.
(b) North Cary St. at East Ashland St.
(c) North Montello (Route 28) at Howard and Albion streets
(d) Pleasant St. at West Street

Monday, March 15th, 7:00-8:00AM
(a) Crescent St. (Rte.27) at Quincy St. and Massasoit Blvd.
(b) Oak Street at Campanelli Industrial Drive
(c) Forest Ave. and Main
(d) Main St. at Center St.

Tuesday, March 16th, 5:00-6:00PM
(a) Forest Ave. and Main
(b) West Chestnut St. and Manley St.

Thursday, March 18th, 5:00-6:00PM
(a) Crescent St. (Rte.27) at Quincy St. and Massasoit Blvd.
(b) Oak Street at Campanelli Industrial Drive
(c) Forest Ave. and Main
(d) Main St. at Center St.

Friday, March 19th, 7:00-8:00AM
(a) Forest Ave. and Main
(b) West Chestnut St. and Manley St.

Saturday, March 20, 11:00AM - Noon
(a) Main St (Route 28) at Plain St. at Keith Ave.
(b) North Cary St. at East Ashland St.
(c) North Montello (Route 28) at Howard and Albion streets
(d) Pleasant St. at West Street

There will be plenty of signs for lots of volunteers. One side in English says:  "United States/Census/2010/Mail-It-In/It Benefits Brockton. The other side in Portuguese says: United States/Census/2010/Participe/E Para O Beneficio de Brockton

To sign up for a time, visit Brockton Census Complete Count Committee or contact Koren Cappiello in the Mayor's office at (508) 580-7123.

March 2010 Action Report
Legislative Luncheon
Friday, April 9,  12:15 pm - 1:30 pm
Bridgewater State College's East Campus Dining Hall

2009 adsSpeaker of the House Robert DeLeo will be the keynote speaker for this fast-paced, educational, and entertaining event. Representative DeLeo became Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 2009. He vowed to target House rules, ethics, transportation and pension reform. Within 100 days of assuming the Speakership, the House passed sweeping reforms in each of those areas.

In addition, many Metro South legislators will be in attendance. This is a great opportunity for business people to interact with their legislators to learn about the most recent proposed business initiatives for the 2010-2011 legislative session.

To register, simply call the Chamber office at 508-586-0500 ext. 221 or register online. The luncheon is $39.00 for Chamber members and $49.00 for non-members. Tables of ten
are also available.


Winning Government Contracts
Thursday, April 1, 8:30 am - 10:00 am
Metro South Chamber of Commerce, 60 School Street, Brockton


WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
� A description about this market and how it works
� Why the government is the biggest and best customer is the entire world
� Why the government wants to pay you in thirty days
� Why you will not get a multi-million dollar contract.
� Explaining away the myths
� Where you must register in order to be awarded contracts.
� Where some of the sales opportunities are.
� What is set-aside for small businesses?
� What is the definition of a Minority Owned Small Business;  Women Owned Small Business;  Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB); Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB)
� What you must do to fill out a bid that is estimated to be $25,000 and ABOVE and where they are located.

To register for this free Member-Led workshop with Malcolm Parvey, contact Lisa Keene at 508.586.0500 x 225, or email
[email protected].

As an independent sales and marketing professional, Malcolm Parvey has more than 30 years of experience assisting small businesses in selling their products and services to the United States federal government. He has completed hundreds of offers for clients from many different industries--from individual distributors to manufacturers and service related companies. Mr. Parvey works exclusively to assist small businesses with every aspect of the federal government marketplace. Mr Parvey is the author of "Winning Government Contracts". His new book, "The Definitive Guide to Government Contracts" will be available in the summer of 2010 at amazon.com and all Barnes & Nobles.
Living your Dream, Starting Your Own Business
SCORE Small Business Workshop
Thursday, March 30, 9:30 am - 12:30 pm (reg. at 9:00 am)
Massasoit Conference Center, Brockton


Take the first step to success in SCORE's interactive workshop where
SCORE will help you test the feasibility of your idea, understand financing,
and get you started on marketing your business. SCORE counselors assist clients on opening almost 20,000 new businesses each year.
Topics include self assessment, financing requirements, cash flow and
basic money management, financing a startup and marketing.

This workshop is free for Chamber Members. Register by calling Lisa
Keene at 508.586.0500 x 225 or email [email protected]. The cost for non-members is $25.
Social Media Workshops at the Irish Cultural Centre

MA Small Business Development Center, Metro South Chamber of Commerce, Neponset Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Irish Cultural Centre of New England are joining to offer a series of social media workshops.

LinkedIn & Facebook
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Join us for this FREE workshop that will teach you how to open a
LinkedIn and Facebook account. We will discuss registering businesses in both networks along with fan pages and discussion groups.

Tweets & Blogs
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Join us for this FREE workshop where you can learn strategies for
creating business communities using Twitter and blogs.

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All workshops will take place at the Irish Cultural Centre of New England, 200 New Boston Drive, Canton.For registration/information, contact Tammi or Alison at the MSBDC at 508-673-9783 or register online at www.msbdc.org/semassand click on Event Calendar. Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Chamber Member/ Community
Events & Workshops


Friday, March 12: Marrow Drive and Bake Sale, 10am-2pm at Kindred Hospital, 907 Sumner Street, Stoughton, MA. More than 35,000 patients per year, many of them children, are diagnosed with diseases treatable by marrow or stem cell transplants.  These diseases include leukemia, lymphoma and other cancers and genetic diseases.   Only 25% find a match.   Catastrophic illnesses have no age limits. Initial testing to join the donor registry is painless and is done with a cheek swab.  To qualify for the donor registry you must be between the ages of 18-60 and in good general health.

Saturday, March 13: Brockton Historical Society 2010 Thomas Edison Awards Ceremony.  -The Brockton Historical Society in partnership with the Brockton Public Schools, will host its annual Thomas Edison Essay and Multimedia Contest from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Brockton Public Library, 304 Main Street in the Lingos Room.   The contest is open to all third grade students in the Brockton Public Schools.  The program for the event will feature a demonstration of the many significant inventions of Thomas Edison's by Curator Emeritus Gerald Beals detailing the impact on the greater Brockton area and light refreshments will be served.  Students will be awarded certificates and trophies for their submissions.  The event is open to the public.

Saturday, March 13: The Irish Cultural Centre of New England located at 200 New Boston Drive in Canton presents the 3rd Annual St. Patrick's Day Community Open House. The family friendly festivities begin at 1 PM and will include an inside look into Irish Heritage and Culture. A full schedule of activities is available at the Irish Cultural Centre's website. Family activities will wind down at 6PM and will be followed by a Traditional Irish Catholic Mass. For your dancing pleasure, the Andy Healy Band will be playing at 7PM along with Traditional Irish Music Sessions, Irish Karaoke and the South Shore Rose of Tralee taking place throughout the building. The Cultural Centre's Pub will be open throughout the day serving traditional Irish Buffet including Corned Beef Dinner for a nominal fee.

Mondays and Wednesdays, March 15-28: Reading and Math Enhancement Class: Improve reading comprehension and math skills necessary for success in advanced certificate courses, Improve test taking skills, Practice pre-enrollment assessments for allied health certificate programs or college programs. 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm at the Adult Learning Center, 211 Crescent Street, Brockton.  Class size is limited.  Call 508-580-7475.

March 16 and 17:  Good Samaritan Medical Center continues its outreach program that is designed to be "one-stop shopping" for cholesterol, blood sugar (glucose), body mass and blood pressure screenings.  The next screenings will be held at the Adult Learning Center, 211 Crescent St, Brockton. TheThey are open to people of all ages and no insurance is necessary to undergo the screening. Call 1-800-488-5959 to register.There will be two sessions of screenings on March 16 from 9 to noon and from 6-9 p.m. On March 17, the screenings will be held from 9 a.m. to noon.

Wednesday, March 17: Attend a FREE SBA workshop designed to highlight the various SBA programs and services that are available to prospective or current entrepreneurs who need assistance in starting or expanding their business. General information will be provided on the following: Small Business Counseling (SCORE),  Small Business / Development Centers � Business Information Center SBA 7(a) � Loan Guaranty Program � 8(a) Business Development HUB/Zones � Small Disadvantaged Business Assistance � Government Contracting Opportunities The workshop will be held at CareerWorks, 34 School Street, Brockton from 2 - 4 pm. Contact CareerWorks at 508.513.3400.


Wednesday, March 17: Mayor Linda M. Balzotti invites the public to join her at the City of Brockton's Irish Heritage Day celebration on City Hall Plaza at 10:00 a.m. The celebration will feature the raising of the Irish Flag. This event is free and open to the public. For additional information, please contact Maysa De Oliveira, director of constituent services for the City of Brockton at (508) 580-7123.

Wednesday, March 17: Go green for St. Patrick's Day at the Children's Museum in Easton from 12 to 4:00 p.m. Build a leprechaun trap, make some tasty chocolate shamrocks, and create your very own rainbow. Come try your luck in an exciting pot o' gold treasure hunt.  Free with admission.  Call 508-230-3789 for more information.

Wednesday, March 17: Senior Education Majors, post baccalaureates, APT students, M.Ed. and M.A.T. Candidates do not want to miss the Gearing Up for the Education Job Market event from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. in the Bridgewater Dtate College Campus Center Auditorium & Ballroom.  You'll have the opportunity to meet and network with hiring personnel and superintendents from over 40 school districts in Southeastern, MA.  To get a jump start on your job search, visit the Gearing Up webpage at www.bridgew.edu/CareerServices/GearingUp.cfm for an up-to date listing of participating school districts and to register for the program.

Thursday, March 18:  Free Sales Workshop.  Winfree Business Growth Advisors will conduct a free workshop for business owners and Independent Agents.  Do you need to get in front of better prospects, hire a top performer, or eliminate "think it overs"?  Get the answers here.  The session will be held from 8:30 am to 10:30 am at 25 Braintree Hill Office Park, Suite 200, Braintree, MA.  For reservations call Ken Cheo at 781-930-3220 or email [email protected]

Thursday, March 18: Spring Into Education Event @ Lincoln Technical Institute - Brockton Campus!  11am-4pm.  We are opening this up to the local community.  Children are welcome. This event is open to the public.  We will be serving refreshments & looking to have local businesses display their information at our informational tables. We will be performing Chair Massages, Doing Blood Pressure Checks, BMI's and having a Clinic on PC Repair!  There is no fee to have a display - in lieu of a fee we ask that you bring one canned good or non-perishable so that we can make a donation to a local shelter.  Contact Kerrin at 508-941-0730.

Thursday, March 18: Lincoln Technical Institute invites you to attend the Allied Health Breakfast Advisory Meeting.  7:30am-10:am the Holiday Inn, 195 Westgate Drive, Brockton.  Please rsvp to Bonnie Black by 3/15/10 at 608-941-0730 x 43503 or email [email protected].

Friday, March 19th: Animal Protection Center of Southeastern Massachusetts is excited to be hosting the annual dinner & silent auction, "Paws for Celebration"! The fun starts at 7pm at the Shaw's Center in Brockton and features the tastings of fine wines and locally made chocolates, along with passed hors d'oeuvres, pasta stations, a cash bar and musical entertainment.   Plus there is the opportunity to bid on fantastic merchandise with proceeds going to provide compassionate care to animals in need and match families with a new friend. $35.00 per person (attendees need to be 21 & older) and reservations can be made at the shelter or online at www.apcsm.org.  Business leaders are invited to contribute an item for auction in exchange for promotional recognition; please contact chamber member Chuck Givonetti at [email protected] or 508-584-0071 for further details.

Sunday, March 21: The Easton YMCA will present a live musical theatre event "Click Clack Moo" at 1pm at the Oliver Ames High School Auditorium.  The one hour musical is based on the popular Caldecott Award-winning book by Doreen Cronin and is for ages 4+.  All proceeds will provide financial assistance for Easton families and children in need through the Y's "Strong Kids Campaign." Tickets are sale now by phone or in person at the Y. 508.238.9758.  $15 orchestra, $10 mezzanine.

Tuesday, March 23: The D W Field Park Association will host Ranger Yahrmarkt, supervisor of Borderland State Park  at the Brockton Parks and Recreation Department 45 Meadow Lane. Doors will open at 7:00 p.m.  The public is welcome to learn about  "Fauna and Flora Growing Naturally In Our Parks".  For more information please contact Pat at 508-586-4425.


Wednesday, March 24: The Spring 2010 Job Fair will be held at Bristol Community College, 11 Field Road, Attleboro, 9am-1pm. Meet with leading regional employers. Free and open to the public. Bring plenty of resumes and dress for success! For more information, or if you are an employer interested in participating, contact Michael Tartaglia at the Self Help, Inc. Employment Opportunity Center at508-588-4049.

Wednesday, March 24:  Blood Drive at Brockton Masonic Hall, 279 Prospect Street.  Complimentary lunch.  For appointment, call 1-800-redcross or visit www.redcrossblood.org.

Saturday, March 27: Michele's Massage Studio Customer Appreciation Day.  Public Welcome.  1-4pm at 455 West Centre Street, West Bridgewater.  Check out the new location.  Offering free chair massages from professional trained therapists from Lincoln Tech and discounts on gift certificates from the studio.  In addition, Tastefull Simple will offer delicious samples from the Spring line and recipies that are easy to prepare.  Margery Kager will also be on hand demonstrating Emtional Freedom Tapping, EFT.  Now introducing Karen Boyle, new Massage Therapist Extraordinaire.

Tuesday, March 30: Blood Drive, American Red Cross Bus at Lincoln Tech, 375 Westgate Drive, Brockton.  For appointment, call 1-800-redcross or visit www.redcrossblood.org.


Thursday, April 8: Signature Healthcare Prostate Health Education Evening. Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer affecting American men, yet prostate health is little understood.  On April 8th at 6:30pm, improve your knowledge of prostate health, symptoms and treatment options available at this free event.  Men and women are invited, a light supper will be served, and all attendees will have the chance to win a $50 gift card to Modell's or Macy's. Location: 110 Liberty Street, 3rd floor conference room, Brockton MA 02301. Call our registration line at 508-941-7550 to register for the event.

Thursday, April 15:  As lawmakers in Washington grapple with healthcare reform, a panel of local experts will discuss the issue during the 19th annual Peter Mareb Memorial Lecture.
"A Rational Talk About Rationing Care- Looking at Final Options" will be the topic of this year's Mareb Lecture.  The event will take place on April 15 at the Joseph W. Martin Jr. Institute for Law & Society at Stonehill College. A reception will take place from 6-7:15 p.m. with the lecture immediately following.


Saturday, April 17: Please join St. Joseph Manor in celebrating their 45th Year Anniversary at their Anniversary Dinner Dance on Saturday, April 17, 2010, at the Massasoit Conference Center, 770 Crescent Street Brockton, MA.  Cocktails at 6:30 p.m. and Dinner at 7:30 p.m.  Entertainment will be provided by the band GQ and the Lady.  Come join us for this special event and enjoy a fabulous night of dinner and dancing in addition to great raffle prizes and silent auction items!  Admission is $60 per person.  Tickets are available at St. Joseph Manor, 215 Thatcher St., Brockton, by calling 508-583-5834, or emailing [email protected]


Saturday, April 17:  Brockton City Lights, at Brockton Public Library, 304 Main Street, Brockton, 7pm-1am.  Please join us for an elegant and stylish party, cocktails, dinner and dancing and live muisc, eye popping artwork and a great night to remember.  For tickets, visit www.brocktoncitylights.com.

Wednesday, April 28:  13th Annual Career Day at The Shaw's Center in Brockton from 8:15-11:45.  This initiative is designed as an opportunity to build stronger connections between schools and the community.  By connecting schools with area businesses and organizations, students can see the meaning and relevance of what they are learning in school, invigorating the school culture and the classroom, while they begin to consider their potential careers.  Businesses, organizations, and High Schools wishing information on participation can contact Cheryl Showstack, Educational Outreach Manager at 508-427-4010.

Thursday, April 29: The second session of Sandler Training Sales Seminar at the Metro South Chamber of Commerce: "Upset about long sales cycles? Tired of giving unpaid consulting? Strategies on how to move your opportunities forward!" Sandler Training's clients include Fortune 500 companies, as well as Massachusetts based businesses involved in financial, professional services, technology, manufacturing, construction, staffing, human resources, business consulting, and more. To register, contact Lisa Keene at 508.586.0500 x 225 or email [email protected].

Sunday, May 2nd: 3:00 P.M.  Brockton Symphony Spring concert at West Middle School. Admission $20, $15 for seniors and students. Works by Stravinsky-Firebird Suite, Rimsky- Korsakov-Capriccio Espagnol, Lalo-The cello concerto, featuring 12 year-old Leland Ko, and other works. Visit www.brocktonsymphony.com for further information.

Friday, May 21: The Brockton Area Arc is giving you a chance to win $10,000! Only 300 tickets will be sold! Once there're gone, there're gone.  For $100, you could win $10,000 and you and a guest will enjoy music and entertainment by Boston legend, Jim Plunkett; dancing, yummy hors d'oevres, cash bar and a night out.  There will be other raffle tickets for sale & a Silent Auction.  The event will be held at The Shaw's Center in Brockton.  Contact the Brockton Area Arc for details and tickets at 508-583-8030 or check out our website at www.brocktonareaarc.org where you can download a form and mail it in.

Friday, May 28:  The Brockton Rox will kick off the baseball season with a three game home set against the Worcester Tornadoes.  For a full schedule, visit www.brocktonrox.com.


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The Irish Cultural Centre of New England in Canton is offering Tin Whistle, Bodhran, Fiddle, Gaelic Language, Set Dancing, Step Dancing, Rambling House and Irish Banking classes for beginners to advance levels.  For dates, times and prices, please visit www.irishculture.org or call 781-821-8291.

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Clothing & Food Drive for Haiti Relief

Please bring your canned goods, non-perishables, toiletries, clothes, shoes, sandals, diapers, towels, etc. to My Storage Space, Brockton, 230 Oak Street, Brockton, 02301.  Call 508-941-0009 for more information.

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Massachusetts Community Health Services
WATER, FLASHLIGHTS & BATTERY Drive for Haiti

1106 Main street Brockton MA, (508)427-6671, 10am-7pm
Please start bringing in your water, flashlights, batteries and money to help the relief efforts in Haiti. Massachusetts Community Health Services (MCHS) is a 501.(c) (3) corporation serving the Haitian community in the Greater Brockton area since 2000.  MCHS's mission is to promote health and foster economic development in a culturally and technologically appropriate manner for immigrant newcomers, particularly Haitians living on the South Shore of Massachusetts.  Mass Community Health Services has collaborated with the MASSACHUSETTS HAITIAN-AMERICAN EARTHQUAKE TASK FORCE , GEP for Haiti, Mass Emergency Relief Fund and Center for Haitian Civic Rights by providing English as Second Language (ESL) and Civic Education classes to Haitian immigrants on this effort.
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Special Discount for Chamber Members
 
Visit Living the Dream Auto Care and receive 10% off any repair or service over $100 until March 31st  2010.  Located at 363 Neponset Street, Canton.  Visit www.ltdac.com for more information or call 339-237-4711.
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Fuller Craft Museum

455 Oak Street, Brockton, MA 02301
www.fullercraft.org

Members Free, Adults $8, Seniors and Students $5
Children under 12 Free, Wednesday 5:00-9:00pm Free.
Open Tuesday- Sunday, 10am-5pm. Closed Mondays.

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Free Tax Preparation

If you are a low to moderate income family, live in the Greater Brockton area and at least one member of your household worked, even part time in 2009, you may be eligible for this free service.  Don't go to tax preparers who charge you to do your taxes and charge you again to get a loan for an early refund.  Most people can get their state refund in 3 to 5 days and their federal approximately 7days later and save hundreds of additional dollars in preparer and loan fees.  Claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), a federal and state tax benefit for people who work.  With both the federal and state tax credits, workers may get up to $5,657 in refunds.  Workers can claim both the federal and state EITC, even if they do not owe income tax, simply by filing federal and state income tax returns.  You will receive a state credit equal to 15% of the federal amount.

Where and When:
Mondays from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. starting February 1, 2010:
MultiCultural Banking Center, HarborOne, 68 Legion Parkway, Brockton
Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. starting January 30 and Wednesday evenings from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. starting February 3, 2010: Self Help Healthy Housing and Community Resource Center, 142 Crescent St., Brockton

 
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Want to see your workshops and events here? email Alison van Dam a short description of your event with "eUpdate" in the subject line. First come, first served basis.  Please submit in the format you see above.

Sandler Sales Training Workshops
April 29, 8:30 am - 10:00 am
Metro South Chamber, 60 School Street, Brockton


Join Bill Scher and Peter Oliver of Sandler Training for a series of Member-Led sales training seminars designed to help you grow your business.

April 29: "Upset about long sales cycles? Tired of unpaid consulting? Strategies on how to move your opportunities forward."

Bill and Peter's training clients include Fortune 500 companies, as
well as Massachusetts based businesses involved in financial, professional services, technology, manufacturing, construction, staffing, human resources, business consulting and more.

These workshops are free to attend. To register, contact Lisa Keene at 508.586.0500 x 225, or email [email protected].
Added Benefits for Chamber Members

Constellation NewEnergy Power Program: An Electricity aggregation program to help members better manage their energy costs.

Expanded Health Insurance Services from Health Services Administrators (HSA): Introducing the One Resource Solution website, offering up to dating information and resources to help you, your business and employees find the best plan.

For more information on either of these programs, visit www.metrosouthchamber.com/insurance.html
NEW: Metro South Chamber Social Network
(Exclusively for Chamber Members)

New Networking Site
 
Please take a moment to sign up at mymetrosouthchamber.ning.com.
This site has a lot of potential in the future for maintaining a strong Chamber and a strong business community. Over 35 Chamber members have already joined.

Contact Alison at 508.586.0500 x 222 if you have any questions.
green plus
Take the Sustainability Survey


A recent study revealed that 83% of consumers say it is somewhat or very important to them to purchase products and services from responsible, sustainable companies, but few companies know how to improve sustainability performance and communicate their green and sustainable efforts to customers and employees. 
 
The Metro South Chamber has partnered with Green Plus (www.gogreenplus.org) to announce a new initiative which will allow businesses to achieve a credible "green" certification in order to convey their commitment to responsible and sustainable operations. Please complete a brief survey on sustainability so that the Chamber may assess the needs of the business community and help to increase knowledge, community engagement, environmental impact and business success.   Sustainability Survey.


In This Issue
CHINA Info Sessions
iComply Workshop
Census Volunteers
Action Report
Legislative Luncheon
Winning Gov Contracts
IComply Guide
www.iComplyNow.com

For more on an iComply 201CMR 17.00 Workshop on April 27, 2010, see left column article.

Upcoming Chamber Meetings:

March 16:
Taste Committee Meeting
More Information

March 16:
China Trip Info Session
More Information

March 24:
Taste of Metro South
Register

March 30:
Starting Your Business Workshop
More Information

April 1:
Winning Government Contracts
More Information

April 9:
Legislative Luncheon
Register

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CHAMBER
SOCIAL
NETWORKING
SITES


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Chamber

Website


Visit  our  Website!

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Videos Now
Online!


A new video component
has been added to the
Metro South Chamber of
Commerce website! 

jeff taylor


Watch videos from the
2009 Small Biz Awards
Featuring Jeff Taylor,
Monster.com and
Eons.com creator.

Watch Videos here



NEW BROCKTON VIDEOS
60 second commercials written and produced by the Chamber currently running on NECN and BCA

Brockton Video
Brockton Commercial

Buy brockton video
Buy Brockton Commercial

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