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In This Issue
Fun at Five at The Vienna
An Evening with Hank Phillippi Ryan
Annual Award Nominations
Welcome New Members!
Central Mass Candidates Forum
Statewide Ballot Questions
Ribbon Cutting: Hair Gallery Salon & Spa
The 25th Annual Harvest Festival
Next CBA Meeting
SSB Picks Apples for a Cause
Sturbridge Rotary Launches Fundraiser
Cristobal Rivera, M.D. Joins Harrington
September's Everyday Hometown Hero
Hometown Bank Appoints Woodcome
Central Mass Antique Show
Apple Days at OSV
Welcome to Walktober!
Sale at The Book Bear
And Then There Were None
2014 Oktoberfest
Brimfield Antique Auto Show
Holiday Arts & Crafts Festival
Opacum Woods Ribbon Cutting
Rise & Run Road Race
Author Event at Bay Path
Big Brothers Big Sisters Reception
Ribbon Cutting: Harrington in Webster
CBA Speed Networking
24/7 Online Training
New Member Baskets
Save These Dates!
SSB ad May 2013

Advertise in CROSSROADS!

Contact  Jack  for details

Chamber of Commerce 

Board of Directors

Executive Committee

  

Melissa White
Chair

Rehabilitative Resources, Inc.


Michael Checkosky

First Vice Chair

Southbridge Savings Bank

 

Brian Treitman

Second Vice Chair 

B.T.'s Smokehouse

  

Jean Sullivan
Immediate Past Chair 
Sullivan & Company Real Estate


Michael Miller
Treasurer

________________ 


Board Members

 

Cheryl Barber 

Jocelyn Callis

OFS 

 

Kim Cameron 
Alycia Dzik 

Cindy Howard
The Center of Hope


Jordan Hoy

Savers Bank 


Jonathan Krach

The Vienna 

 

John Lafleche
Bay Path RTV High School

Rita Schiano 

Live a Flourishing Life

 
Christine Tieri
smith&jones 
   
Brian Treitman
B.T.'s Smokehouse

Barbara Vacarr
Encore.org 

Jim Waddick
United Lens Company

Michael Wales
Michael L. Wales Painting Co. 

Jim Donahue
Honorary Board Member
Old Sturbridge Village

George I. Hammond

Attorney at Law 

Legal Counsel

______

 

Chamber Staff

 

Alexandra McNitt

Executive Director

 

Paulette Hughes

Finance & Administration

 

Jack Starkey

Communications Specialist

 

M2M logo  

GREAT DISCOUNTS 

FROM MEMBERS...FOR MEMBERS!

Chamber Links

Cms Chamber

Stur Townships - Everything but Ordinary

Welcome to October's Crossroads NEWS! 
Read on for the latest news from our Members plus many fun and interesting events including our Women's Leadership event with Hank Phillippi Ryan, a candidates' forum, Fun at Five at The Vienna, and CBA's Speed Networking event. 

The Chamber is pleased to share our Members' latest news and events with our readers. Have news you want to share?  Email us your press releases, links and photos for inclusion in the next issue of Crossroads! Help us promote your upcoming events! Post them to our online events calendar.

 

Find us on Facebook for the latest posts from our Members and friends!   

Network with Your Chamber!

Fun at Five logo
Monday, October 6 

5:00-7:00pm

at

14 South Street, Southbridge 

  508-867-6629 

 

Come and network with your Chamber and our guests at The Vienna in Southbridge on the evening of Monday, October 6.

 

Mix and mingle with a fun and friendly crowd, enjoy a cocktail, tantalizing hors d'oeuvres, chances to win cool door prizes, and more... all in the enchanting atmosphere of the most unique Austrian and German restaurant in Massachusetts!

 

Bring your business cards! Bring your friends! Bring your appetite for a relaxed and engaging evening at a wonderful venue!

 

The FUN starts at 5... Hope to see you there!

 

RSVP for Fun at Five
by phone at 508-347-2761
or email
[email protected].

 

Thank you to our  

Fun at Five Sponsor!

Harrington Healthcare logo

100 South Street, Southbridge 

508-765-9771

www.harringtonhospital.org

The Chamber of Central Mass South presents

 

"An Evening with 

Hank Phillippi Ryan"

October 14, 2014  

6:00pm to 9:00pm

RSVP by October 6. 

 

Southbridge Hotel & Conference Center

14 Mechanic Street, Southbridge

 Hank Phillippi Ryan

On this special evening, we will be visiting with best-selling author and investigative journalist Hank Phillippi Ryan at the Southbridge Hotel & Conference Center. All are welcome.

 

The evening will begin with registration at 5:45pm. A standing dinner conducive to mixing and mingling will be served at 6:00pm. Ms. Ryan will make a presentation to the Chamber and our guests at 7:00pm. Immediately following there will be time for questions and answers. At 8:oopm, there will be a book signing, and coffee and dessert will be served.

 

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN is the on-air investigative reporter for Boston's NBC affiliate. She's won 32 EMMYs, 12 Edward R. Murrow awards and dozens of other honors for her ground-breaking journalism. A bestselling author of six mystery novels, Ryan has won multiple prestigious awards for her crime fiction: the Agatha, Anthony, Macavity, and for The Other Woman, the coveted Mary Higgins Clark Award. National reviews have called her a "master at crafting suspenseful mysteries" and "a superb and gifted storyteller." Her newest thriller, The Wrong Girl has the extraordinary honor of winning the 2013 Agatha Award for Best Contemporary Novel! A six-week Boston Globe bestseller, it is also an Anthony and Daphne Award nominee, a Patriot Ledger bestseller, and was dubbed "Another winner" in a Booklist starred review and "Stellar" by Library Journal.  She's a founding teacher at Mystery Writers of America University and 2013 president of national Sisters in Crime. Watch for her next novel, Truth Be Told, on October 7, 2014. Visit her online at HankPhillippiRyan.com, on Twitter @hank_phillippi and Facebook at HankPhillippiRyanAuthorPage.

 

The Menu

Passed Bruschetta on Garlic Toast

 

Mediterranean Display of Grilled & Marinated Vegetables, Hummus, Tabbouleh, Feta Cheese, Tapenade,

Pita Chips and Breads, Assorted Olives

 

Pasta Display of Elbow Pastas and Shells with two types of sauces - Olive Oil & Garlic and Creamy Cheese with the following toppings: Broccoli Florets, Crisp Pancetta, Sundried Tomatoes, Saut�ed Mushrooms, Caramelized Onions, Saut�ed Peas, Saut�ed Kielbasa, Crushed Barbecued Potato Chips, Roasted Corn, Blue Cheese Crumbles, and Spicy Mustard.

 

Dessert

Coffee Station with Regular, Decaf and Assorted Teas and Simple Flavored Syrups

Assorted Mini Pastries and a Cash Bar.

 

Cost to attend is $39 per person.   

RSVP by calling 508-347-2761 or emailing [email protected].

 

The RSVP deadline to attend is Monday, October 6.

All reservations must be paid in advance by the RSVP deadline and may not be changed after that date.

 

This event is the latest in the  

Chamber's Women's Leadership Series.

 

We are very pleased to thank our event sponsors:

Bay Path University, B.T.'s Smokehouse and  

 Michael L. Wales Painting Company.

 

Annual Award Nominations are Due by October 8

The Chamber of Central Mass South is currently seeking nominations for three awards to be presented at our Annual Meeting in November. To submit a nomination you may download the complete awards criteria and nomination forms at this link.


CMS CHAMBER AWARDS CRITERIA AND NOMINATION FORMS  

 

DEADLINE 

Nominations must be received by  

Wednesday, October 8, 2014.

 

Help us recognize our
Business of the Year,
Chamber Volunteer of the Year,
and
Citizen of the Year!

 

chamber logo

Welcome New Chamber Members!

 

Please join us in welcoming our newest Members!   

 

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central MA/Metrowest

Youth and Adult Mentoring

484 Main Street, Suite 360, Worcester

508-752-7868

www.bbbscm.org 


Brousseau's Flooring 

Retail Sales and Installation of Flooring 

519 Main Street, Sturbridge    

508-347-7377

www.brousseausflooring.com

 

 

Encore.org

Second Acts for the Greater Good
227 Brookfield Road, Brimfield
413-885-7885
www.encore.org  

 

 

Sturbridge Coffee Roasters

Coffee Shop featuring Fresh Roasted Beans 
210 Hamilton Street, Southbridge
508-765-5520
www.sturbridgecoffeeroasters.com

 


LOOKING FOR A CHAMBER MEMBER?  
Vote!

The Chamber of Central Mass South presents

Central Mass South

Candidates Forum

October 9, 2014 at 7:00 pm

Southbridge Hotel and Conference Center  

14 Mechanic Street, Southbridge

 

Get to know your candidates for this November's election!

 

Join us as we meet and talk with the candidates for the November 4 elections.  

In attendance will be:

 

State Senate Candidates for Worcester/Hampden, Hampshire and Middlesex counties:   

Representative Anne Gobi (D) and Michael Valanzola (R).

 

State Senate Candidates for Worcester and Norfolk counties:

Ryan Fattman* (R) and Senator Richard Moore (D). 

 

State Representative Candidates (6th Worcester):

Representative Peter Durant (R) and Karen Spiewak (D).

 

State Representative Candidates (5th Worcester):
Donald Berthiaume* (R) and Matthew Castriotta* (D)

*Invited, attendance pending.

Each candidate will have the opportunity to present 3-5 minutes of opening remarks. Questions for the panelists will be moderated by Chamber Treasurer and moderator for the Town of Brimfield, Michael Miller.  

 

This event is FREE and open to the public.

November Elections: Statewide Ballot Questions

The vote is coming on November 4. Are you aware of the 2014 Statewide Ballot Questions that will appear on November's ballot?

The questions are Eliminating Gas Tax Indexing, Expanding the Beverage Container Deposit Law, Expanding Prohibitions on Gaming, and Earned Sick Time for Employees.


Visit this link [
www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/ele14/pip14idx.htm] to view the questions.
Click on the questions for the pros and cons and more information about each issue.


Chamber of Central Mass South Presents:

A Ribbon Cutting Ceremony & Grand Opening Celebration 

Hair Gallery Salon & Spa 

 Wednesday, October 15, 5-7pm 

454 Main Street, Route 20, Sturbridge/Fiskdale

Hair Gallery collage

Join us in welcoming the Hair Gallery Salon and Spa to their new home!

 

On Wednesday, October 15 at 5:00pm, the Chamber of Central Mass South will present a ribbon cutting ceremony to commemorate the official Grand Opening of the Hair Gallery Salon and Spa and welcome them to their new home in Fiskdale. All invited to be a part of the celebration which will commence with dedications, proclamations from local dignitaries, and the ribbon cutting at 5:00pm. Hors d'oeuvres and light refreshments will be served. The celebration continues until 7:00pm with raffles, giveaways, the opportunity to meet the owner Lynda Garieri and her staff, and tour the spa.

The Hair Gallery's team of professionals is dedicated to providing superior services in beauty, health and relaxation. Offering soothing massage therapies, invigorating facials, body wraps, manicures, pedicures, tanning, and comprehensive salon services, the Hair Gallery's family of specialists provide their clients the best possible experience... from head to toe.  

Previously located on Central Street in Southbridge, the salon moved to its new Fiskdale location this summer after extensive renovations to the property. 
 
Find the Hair Gallery Salon & Spa online at www.thehairgallerysalonandspa.com
or give them a call at 508-347-1114. 

The Chamber of Central Mass South & The Publick House proudly present
The 25th Annual Harvest Festival

October 18 & 19, 2014

wheat     

The Annual Harvest Festival celebrates 25 years of fall family fun on the Sturbridge Town Common and grounds of the Publick House Historic Inn. The event includes countless local crafters, artisans, specialty food vendors and farm fresh harvests. The Publick House's Scarecrow Contest is a perennial favorite. Enter your scarecrow for a chance to win incredible cash prizes. Visit The Publick House online (www.publickhouse.com) for more     details and the complete Scarecrow Contest rules.

 

Festival hours are 10am to 5pm on Saturday and 11am to 4pm on Sunday.  

Rain or Shine.

 

Returning Fest Favorites: On Saturday, savor seasonal sensations from the region's non-profit organizations in the big tent and learn more about the vital services they provide for us and our neighbors. On Sunday from 11:00am to 3:00pm, The Chefs of the Community take over the big tent offering their specialties and more delectable tastes of the fall season. 

 

LIVE MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT!

Saturday, October 18

10a-1p: Pirates for Peace (Classic 60s & 70s Music)

1p: Family Fun Magic Show with Fran Flynn, Magician Extraordinaire

2p-4p: Strolling Magic by Fran Flynn

2p-5p: Tequila Bonfire (Contemporary Country & Rock)

 

Sunday, October 19

11a: Comedy-Manipulator/Juggler Bryson Lang "The Cure for the Common Show"

12p-3:30p: The Island Castaways Band (Tropical Rock/Top 40)

 

Sturbridge Town Common & The Publick House
Sturbridge MA 01566
Admission & Parking: Free

 

The 25th Annual Harvest Festival is Sponsored by

STA logo
cba
Next Meeting
Friday, October 10
Member Presenters 
Alycia Dzik, Webster First Federal Credit Union    
Rita Schiano, Live a Flourishing Life™ 
7:15-8:30am 
Oliver Wight Tavern at OSV 
  

Community Business Associates (CBA), the official referral program of the Chamber, is an established business group focusing on networking and community involvement.  

 

CBA meets on the second and fourth Fridays of each month at Old Sturbridge Village's Oliver Wight Tavern. Guests are welcome to attend meetings to learn about CBA activities, and all Chamber members are encouraged to attend meetings with guest speakers.

For the latest information, email 

Southbridge Savings Bank Employees Pick Apples for a Cause  

SSB apples

Southbridge Savings Bank was proud to partner with Cheney Orchards in Brimfield and Community Harvest Project recently to help supply fresh apples to local food banks through Worcester County Food Bank.

The Community Harvest Project, located in Grafton, MA, works with local farms and volunteers to help plant and harvest thousands of pounds of fresh fruit and vegetables annually. This fresh harvest is then donated to local food pantries, shelters and soup kitchens through Worcester County Food Bank. Unfortunately, those in need cannot always afford the basic necessities like fresh fruit and vegetables, so Community Harvest Project is fulfilling an important need in the community.

 "We were happy to volunteer a few hours of our day to help such an important cause. As a community bank, we find it rewarding to volunteer our time for projects that directly impact local families," says Southbridge Savings Bank Human Resource Manager Bonnie Losavio.    

For more information or to find out how to help the Community Harvest Project, visit them www.community-harvest.org.

For more information about Southbridge Savings Bank, call 800-939-9103 or visit them on the web at www.southbridgesavingsbank.com.

Southbridge Savings Bank

Sturbridge Rotary Launches Raffle  


rotary seal

The Sturbridge Rotary Club has recently launched one of its fundraisers which generates most of the funds used for awarding scholarships to seniors at Tantasqua Regional High School.  

 

Purchase a ticket and you could win $1000 in lottery tickets! Winner will be drawn on the first Monday in December. 

 

If you'd like to purchase tickets please contact any Sturbridge Rotarian or click the Contact Us tab on their website at www.sturbridgerotary.org.  They are only selling 1000 tickets so get them now before they are all sold!

Internal Medicine Physician Cristobal Rivera, M.D. 
Joins Harrington in Southbridge

Cristobal Rivera MD Cristobal Rivera, M.D., an Internal Medicine physician, has joined Harrington Physician Services in its Southbridge Primary Care Office where he will work alongside Dr. Marsha Lavoie and Nurse Practitioner Joan McHugh.

Dr. Rivera, who specializes in the primary care of adult patients, is bilingual in English and Spanish. He has a special interest in community-based preventive care as well as chronic disease management. The Southbridge Primary Care office is located inside the Medical Arts building of the 100 South Street campus. Spanish and English speaking patients are welcome to schedule an appointment with Dr. Rivera by calling 508-764-3194.

"The addition of Dr. Rivera will bring a local and bilingual primary care physician to the Southbridge community," said Edward Moore, President and CEO of Harrington HealthCare System. "We are excited to connect local residents with a care provider that's close to home and passionate about the health of a diverse population."

Dr. Rivera received his medical degree from Ponce School of Medicine in Puerto Rico and completed a Residency in Internal Medicine from Damas Hospital in Puerto Rico. He is a member of the American Medical Association and the American College of Physicians.
  Harrington Healthcare logo
Hometown Bank Names Everyday Hometown Hero for September 
Hometown Hero

Brookfield Fire Chief Peter Martell with Hometown's Sturbridge Branch Manager Kathryn Latour

 

In every community, there is a go-to person who always seems to have just the right answer when you need information. In the town of Brookfield, that person is our Everyday Hometown Hero for September, Peter Martell.

 

For the second month in a row, our committee has selected an honoree from this small town with a population of just over 3,000. And like our August honoree, Donna Lafleur, who nominated him, this month's Hometown Hero is heavily invested in the town's fire department and emergency medical service.

 

Peter Martell pretty much exemplifies the term "public servant." He started his volunteer service as head of the town's Civil Defense Department at the age of 19. He went on to join the volunteer fire department and the emergency medical squad and later studied to become a paramedic. Martell is now Chief of the all-volunteer fire department, Captain of the ambulance squad and is still involved in Civil Defense, now called Emergency Management, as its Deputy Director.

 

According to Lafleur, "everyone knows if they need help, they can call on Peter and it will be done right. He has spent many nights alone in the station during bad weather just in case the radio goes down. He works long hours and covers for other EMTs when they are not available." Whenever the community's reverse 911 system is activated during weather emergencies, it is usually Peter's voice that residents hear on the other end of the line. He also writes a column for the Brookfield Citizen, the town's all-volunteer monthly newspaper, to keep residents informed about the fire department.

 

Martell helps to organize the Toys For Joy program for Brookfield and has delivered toys to area children at Christmas for many years. "He has a very generous heart," adds Lafleur. "I have seen him checking in on families that had a loved one taken to the hospital to see if they needed anything. Pete has delivered food for patients that are housebound and has checked in on patients that just needed a little help, but didn't want to go to the hospital. He does all of this silently, without telling anyone or asking for thanks."

 

In short, Peter Martell has dedicated his life to helping the residents of Brookfield and we are all the richer for his selfless actions. In addition to the $100.00 honorarium that comes with being a Hometown Bank Everyday Hometown Hero, a donation in that amount has been made in his honor to the Brookfield Fire Department.

 

Hometown Bank is a $395 million mutual bank with branch offices in Athol, Auburn, Leominster, Oxford, South Lancaster, Sturbridge and two locations in Webster. To nominate an Everyday Hometown Hero from your community, visit the Hometown Bank website at www.hometowncoop.com.  

Hometown Bank
Woodcome Appointed to Hometown Bank Board of Directors 
 

Edward Woodcome Edward L. Woodcome, President of Woodcome Insurance Agency, 166 Hamilton Street, Leominster, has been appointed a Director of Hometown Bank, according to Board Chair Jeanne L. Katrenak.

 

"We are delighted to welcome Ed to the Board as we prepare to open our Leominster branch office," said Katrenak. "Ed has been servicing the insurance needs of Central Massachusetts for over thirty years and brings a wealth of business knowledge and expertise to the Hometown Bank team."

 

Woodcome is well known in the Leominster market as an insurance expert, community activist, sportsman, golfer, friend and neighbor. In May, 2014 he was elected a Corporator of Hometown Community Bancorp, MHC. He has been married to his wife, Sue for 32 years and has three grown children.

 

Hometown Bank is a $395 million mutual bank with offices in Athol, Auburn, Oxford, South Lancaster and Sturbridge and two offices in Webster. The Bank is opening its eighth location at 9 Sack Boulevard in Leominster, with a grand opening celebration slated for Saturday, October 18 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and a special ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for 10 a.m. The event, which is free and open to the public, will include entertainment, giveaways and refreshments.

Hometown Bank

New Antique Show to Extend the Holidays! 

Central Mass Antiques Show

 

The Chamber and Central Mass. Convention & Visitors Bureau is proudly supporting this show featuring more than 75 dealers that is expected to bring more than 3,000 visitors to Sturbridge on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

 

Your business can also gain notice through this new holiday tradition, put together and promoted by Chamber member David White of Navigator Publishing. It will give visitors from Central New England and beyond a great alternative to football at a time when holiday gift recipients will seek items that are genuine and original.

 

"Our mission is to put on a truly memorable, entertaining event, attracting not only the best dealers Central New England has to offer but also the passive shopper, looking for something fun to do on New Year's Day," Dave says.

 

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITY

Everything Sturbridge and The Townships have to offer is being promoted through the media and online for this show.

 

Individual businesses and attractions can put themselves in front of show visitors, including overnight guests, with a sponsorship through the Show Program being distributed in advance and all through the weekend. Please connect online for details about the show and promotional opportunities.

 

Apple Days festival at Old Sturbridge Village October 4-5

Antique apple tastings; cider mill in action

 

OSV apple barrel With its "living collection" of heirloom apple trees, Old Sturbridge Village is one of the best places in the country to learn about rare varieties of antique apples. During the museum's annual Apple Days festival, Saturday and Sunday Oct. 4-5, visitors can taste heirloom apple varieties, see the ox-powered Cider Mill in operation, tour the apple orchards, and take home apple seeds to plant. The Village blacksmiths will make a vintage-style apple peeling machine; the coopers will craft an apple barrel; the "tinners" will make an old-fashioned apple picker, and in the Village's households, historians will demonstrate how apples were used and stored in root cellars. For times and details: call 800-SEE-1830 or visit 

www.osv.org

In early New England, apples were an important food source all year long and were used fresh, dried, or pressed into cider. Some varieties, like Baldwins and Roxbury Russets, were excellent "keepers" - lasting for months. Children had the important job of checking the apples stored in barrels in the root cellar, making sure that "one bad apple" did not "spoil the bunch." Although most supermarkets are limited to a few varieties, there were once thousands of apple varieties recognized in North America, with distinctive tastes and colorful names like "Sheepnose," "Westfield-Seek-No-Further," and "Hubbardston Nonesuch." Thomas Jefferson favored a dessert apple called "Esopus Spitzenburg," which was discovered in Esopus, New York. Most supermarket varieties today are favored because they ship and store well, or
are easier to harvest by machine. OSV maintains a heritage orchard of apple trees that produce apples with unique flavors and other characteristics - such as apples that are exceptional for drying or baking.

Old Sturbridge Village celebrates New England life in the 1830s and is one of the largest living history museums in the country. The museum is open daily 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. seven days a week. OSV offers free parking and a free return visit within 10 days. Admission: $24; seniors $22; children 3-17, $8; children 2 and under, free. For times and details of all OSV activities visit: www.osv.org or call 1-800-SEE-1830.

The Last Green Valley Wants To Know, "Do You Walktober?"

 

TLGV logo The Last Green Valley (TLGV) is looking forward to sharing a fun-filled month and then some during its 24th Annual Walktober. Walktober features 155 super activities led by our members and volunteers including 107 FREE walks/hikes, 5 paddles and 3 bike rides (from September 27th through November 1st) as well as 40 events (throughout October and continuing into November) that highlight the special cultural, historic or natural resources throughout the 35-town bi-state National Heritage Corridor. These activities are an exceptional way to discover hidden treasures in The Last Green Valley - a new hiking or paddling area, amusing historical facts, colorful vistas, busy beavers, rivers and rails, gardens and graveyards, architecture, and lots more. Once you have been introduced to these delights, you won't be able to resist returning over and over again!

 

Many of the 35 towns in The Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor will host at least one event, and Norwich has an amazing 39 walks and 5 events! You can zone in on fun at a Zombie Walk with cast members from the thriller Remains, filmed in Norwich (#12), Hike Mount Misery in Pachaug State Park & Forest with Chief Ranger Bill (#21), or paddle the French River (#15) in Oxford, MA. Gravestones and their carvers tell many colorful stories of the past, and there are many opportunities to hear the bones rattling ~ or is that just the leaves falling? (#61, #64, #69, #76, #102, #104).

 

Complete details about all of The Last Green Valley's Walktober experiences can be found in our free, full-color Walktober brochure. You can obtain one by emailing [email protected] or calling 860-774-3300 and requesting a copy. The brochure is also available at all TLGV Information Racks and a PDF version is available for download online at www.thelastgreenvalley.org. All updates, additions and cancellations will be posted on the Walktober 2014 page on TLGV's website and Facebook page so please check them often.

 

The Last Green Valley is a National Heritage Corridor - the last stretch of dark night sky in the coastal sprawl between Boston and Washington, D.C. A dynamic nonprofit organization, TLGV works for you in the National Heritage Corridor. We help you to care for it, enjoy, and pass it on!

   

Visit this link for more info and to download the Walktober 2014 brochure.

Brochures are also available at the Sturbridge Visitor Info Center.

 
The Book Bear is having a SALE!
October 2, 3, 4 and 5
Everything in the store 35% OFF

OPEN 7 DAYS: 10-6    508-867-8705
80 West Main Street, Route 9, West Brookfield,
www.thebookbear.com
And Then There Were None
Gateway
Gateway Players Theater, 111 Main Street, Southbridge

Show dates are October 2, 3, & 4 at 7:30pm, and October 5 at 2pm.  
Tickets are $13 for adults and $11 for seniors and youth under age 18.  
There is a $2 discount for advance sales purchased through the box office by October 1st. 
Tickets can be reserved by calling 508-764-4531 
Directed by Erin Morin, and Produced by Mary Gahagan.  
Presented by permission through special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.

Ten guilty strangers are trapped on an island. One by one they are accused of murder; one by one they start to die. In this superlative mystery comedy statuettes of little soldier boys on the mantel of a house on an island off the coast of Devon fall to the floor and break one by one as those in the house succumb to a diabolical avenger. A nursery rhyme tells how each of the ten "soldiers" met his death until there were none. Eight guests who have never met each other or their apparently absent host and hostess are lured to the island and, along with the two house servants, marooned. A mysterious voice accuses each of having gotten away with murder and then one drops dead - poisoned. One down and nine to go!

2014 Oktoberfest Rapscallion Brewery and Hyland Orchards present:

2014 Oktoberfest

Apple Picking & Rapscallion Oktoberfest Beer!

LIVE MUSIC by Big Jon Short and Drunk Stuntmen! Saturday and Sunday!

Don't miss the Tap Room exclusive launch of Rapscallion's Oktoberfest beer at $6 a pint.  

Food by King's. Family and dog-friendly event.

October 4 & 5, 12pm to 10pm

FREE ADMISSION

195 Arnold Road, Sturbridge

508-347-7500 

www.drinkrapscallion.com


Auto Show

October 4, 10am to 3pm

Heart-o-the-Mart Show Grounds, 37 Palmer Rd., Brimfield

REV YOUR ENGINES for this year's Auto Show!


The Annual Brimfield Antique Auto Show is in gear!  The entire family will have fun checking out the amazing mix of hundreds of vehicles, ranging from antique cars to classic trucks, muscle cars, street rods, custom cruisers and classic imports. Special guest Steve Magnante of SPEED-TV and Barrett-Jackson fame will join us again this year to chat with visitors.  This year there will be over 26 categories, 81 trophies, and 3 "Best-in-Show".   

 

There will be food, music, and all-day fun for all ages.  The Auto Show is a fundraising event supporting Hitchcock Free Academy, a non-profit community center providing cultural, educational, and recreational programs for area residents.  

 

For more information, visit www.hitchcockacademy.org or call (413) 245-9977.  

Auto admission is $10 per vehicle. General admission is $7 per person.  

Seniors 65 and over, children 12 and under as well as military and veterans are all FREE.  

Rain Date Saturday October 11.

 

Oct. 4-5: Hertan's Holiday Arts & Crafts Festival  

red-fall-leaves-banner.jpg

 Centrally located on Route 20 in world famous Brimfield, Massachusetts, this fall festival will celebrate the creative talents of up to 200 artists, artisans and crafters. Enjoy the tent covered or open air exhibits from 9am to 5pm, Saturday and Sunday, October 4 & 5, 2014.  

(Rain dates: October 11 & 12.)

 

Free admission & parking. Food and refreshments are also available.

Located at Hertan's show grounds on Route 20, Brimfield.  

(GPS address is 6 Mill Lane Road, Brimfield, MA 01010)

 

Join us for this exciting new show featuring exhibitors with:

Baskets, Candles, Dolls, Clothing, Fin Arts, Floral Creations, Folk Art, Glass, Jewelry, Leather, Metal, Ornaments, Paintings, Pet Accessories, Photography, Pottery & Clay, Sculpture, Soaps & Herbals, Specialty Foods, Textiles, Wood, and more!

 

6 Mill Lane Road, Brimfield MA 01010, www.hertansbrimfield.com

Contact: [email protected] 413-626-0927
Life Scout Logan Melican finishes Foot Bridge Rebuild at Opacum Woods;  Public Invited to Ribbon-Cutting on October 4

Scout Logan Melican adds final railings to his project at Opacum Woods in Sturbridge.

 

Tantasqua High School student and Life Scout Logan Melican has completed his most recent community service project, designing and rebuilding the foot bridge crossing Honey Brook in the Opacum Woods conservation land in Sturbridge.  Melican was responsible for raising funds for materials, as well as soliciting volunteers to assist in both dismantling the old, and building the new bridge.  This project fulfills one more requirement towards Melican's Eagle Scout status with Sturbridge Boy Scout Troop 161.

To celebrate this project, Opacum Land Trust Board of Directors and Execute Director Ed Hood invite the public for a guided walk through the Opacum Woods on Saturday morning, October 4th.   We'll meet at the trailhead at the end of Old Brook Circle in "The Preserve" subdivision.  We'll have coffee, hot cider and doughnuts to share starting at 9:30, then at 10:00, we'll head into the woods.  At 10:15, we will cut the ribbon on the new trail bridge spanning Honey Brook.

Following the ribbon cutting, Stewardship Coordinator and Board member Howie Fife will lead the Last Green Valley Walktober  tour of the 2.5 mile trail looping through the diverse landscape of this 266 acre parcel. This is an easy hike passing interesting geologic and man-made features, and now is the time of year that the Opacum Land Trust's namesake, the rare marbled salamander, Ambystoma Opacum, makes its appearance in these woods. Other members of the board will join this tour to talk about the features of Opacum Woods and the work of the Land Trust that spans 13 towns from Monson to Charlton.

To get to Opacum Woods, take New Boston Road north from Route 20 in Sturbridge, just east of the 131 intersection.  On New Boston Road take your fourth right into "The Preserve" subdivision, and then your second left on to Old Brook Circle.  The trailhead is at the end of the cul-de-sac.

For more information go to www.opacumlt.org, or call 508-347-9144.

RRI's 21st Annual Rise & Run Road Race 
October 5, 9:00am to 1:00pm 
Rehabilitative Resources Inc.
Enjoy an early morning run through historic Sturbridge, beginning on the Sturbridge Town Common. 10K & 5K races will begin at 9:00 a.m.; 1 mile race will start at 10:30a.m.  
People of all abilities are encouraged to enter.   
Proceeds will support people with developmental disabilities in our community.

Visit the Road Race webpage for more information. 
Meet Author Luis Carlos Montalv�n  Author event

October 7 at Bay Path Vocational High School

 

Meet Captain Luis Carlos Montalv�n and his dog Tuesday.  On October 7th at 7:00 PM, Capt. Montalv�n, author of Until Tuesday: A Wounded Warrior and the Golden Retriever Who Saved Him, will be speaking at Bay Path Vocational High School in the Gymnasium.  This engagement is FREE to the public.  Afterward, he and Tuesday will be there to meet, sign books and take photographs.  

 

Bay Path Vocational High School's 2014 Summer Reading Book

Please join us in reading:  

Until Tuesday:  A Wounded Warrior and the Golden Retriever Who Saved Him

And then come and meet Capt. Montalv�n and Tuesday!

Big Brothers Big Sisters to Launch New Program, in Partnership with
Nichols College, to Serve Children in Southbridge, Sturbridge & Charlton
Mentoring Matters Information Reception Scheduled for Tuesday, October 7
at Table 3 Chefs & Catering in Sturbridge

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Mass/Metrowest, Inc. is preparing to launch expanded mentoring programs in 2015 that will serve children in the towns of Southbridge, Sturbridge and Charlton.

The agency, which is headquartered in Worcester, MA, currently serves nearly 1,200 children in 40 communities throughout Central Massachusetts and Metrowest Boston.  In 2015, the agency plans to hire a Program Specialist to focus exclusively on matching adult volunteer mentors with at-risk children in southern Worcester County communities including Southbridge, Sturbridge and Charlton.   In addition to recruiting more adult volunteers who will meet with their child mentees weekly, the new hire will also work to launch after-school mentoring programs in both Southbridge and Webster in early 2015.  

Table 3 Restaurant Group has donated their new function facility, Table 3 Chefs & Catering, at 420 Main Street in Sturbridge, as well as refreshments, for a special Mentoring Matters Reception on Tuesday evening, October 7th from 5PM until 6:30PM.  At the event, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Mass/Metrowest will provide more details on the new initiative and the Nichols College partnership.  Those interested in attending the reception or for more information are invited to email John Slattery at [email protected].  

Nichols College has pledged to support Big Brothers Big Sisters mentor recruitment efforts, and help identify students interested in meeting with children once a week after school in Southbridge and Webster.  Nichols College may also provide space for the agency to operate a satellite office for the region.

"We are thrilled that Big Brothers Big Sisters is focusing energy and resources on southern Worcester County," said Nichols College President Susan Engelkemeyer.  "Through our past association with the agency, we have seen the impact our student athletes can have on children facing adversity.  We know that this new program, which will include occasional visits by the Littles to Nichols College, will serve to inspire the children to succeed with their academics.  And as an added benefit, our student athletes will be inspired and humbled by the experience as well. "  

"Our agency is very lucky to have so many committed and passionate friends in Southern Worcester County.  From Sturbridge resident and agency Corporator Pauline White, who is a tireless volunteer for Big Brothers Big Sisters, to the administration and students at Nichols College, to the support and partnership of Glenn Juchno  and the Tri-Community YMCA, we are excited about the reception we have received and our ability to raise the needed funds to effectively serve the communities of Southern Worcester County," said Jeffrey Chin, Big Brothers Big Sisters CEO.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Mass Metrowest, Inc. 
Big Brothers Big Sisters Central Mass/Metrowest has served youth in Worcester County since 1963.  The agency's mission is to provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally-supported, one-to-one relationships with adult mentors, which will change their lives for the better, forever. The Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring model works.  Children in Big Brothers Big Sisters Programs are 89% less likely to engage in risky behavior and 95% report improvement in educational success. Learn more at www.bbbscm.org.

Harrington HealthCare System and the Hubbard Health Systems Board of Directors  

Invite You to Join Us for an Exclusive

Harrington Ribbon Cutting

for the Remillard Family Emergency Department at Harrington HealthCare at Webster.

 

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

340 Thompson Road, Webster

Event commences at 9 am. Speakers begin 9:30 am.

RSVP: 508-765-3146 by October 6

 

A public Open House for the Remillard Family Emergency Department will be held at a later date, for which we also look forward to your presence.

  Harrington Healthcare logo
cba
SPEED NETWORKING EVENT
Friday,
October 24, 7:15am 

 

Community Business Associates is hosting a speed networking event that is not only fun but a perfect chance to help promote your business. CBA is expecting approximately 50 people from all spheres of influence, and the greatest effort will be made to introduce as many people as possible.  The goal is to facilitate new connections, and really maximize the time spent of all the attendees.  There is no cost to attend, feel free to invite a neighbor business along.  We would love to have a full house, and can accommodate as many people as would like to come.  

 

The event is October 24th at 7:15AM at the Oliver Wight Tavern at Old Sturbridge Village. 

If you're able to make it, please RSVP asap.  


To RSVP, email 
Coggno Training Click on the image to browse our catalog of training courses!
Your Goodies Needed to Fill our New Member Baskets

 

New member Baskets The Chamber has teamed up with the Center of Hope to create gift baskets to welcome new members to the Chamber of Central Mass South. We will be creating gift baskets that will not only have a monetary value but also to give the recipient an opportunity to learn more about other Chamber members and their services. These baskets make a terrific first impression on our new members and are a great way to introduce your business to new prospects. Can you help us fill these baskets with interesting goodies? 

 

Items to be included can be modest gift certificates, discount coupons, items with your company's logo, free trial items, small items your company manufactures or whatever else might promote your company and be a value to our new members. We are looking to assemble about a dozen baskets at a time so that time sensitive material will not be out of date when received. If you would like to donate items for this program, please drop them off at the Chamber office or the Center of Hope. You can also give the Center of Hope a call and they will pick up your donated items. Contact Cindy at 508-764-4085 or e-mail [email protected] if you have any questions or to arrange a pickup. Thank you!

 

Important Dates to Save!

October 6: Fun at Five at The Vienna with Harrington HealthCare System
October 9: Central Mass Candidates Forum at Southbridge Hotel   
October 14: An Evening with Hank Phillippi Ryan 
October 15: Ribbon Cutting Celebration at Hair Gallery Salon & Spa 
October 18-19: 25th Annual Harvest Festival on Sturbridge Town Common  
October 24: Speed Networking Event with Community Business Associates  

FIND THESE EVENTS AND MORE ON OUR CALENDAR
VISIT US ONLINE FOR LOCAL EVENTS AND MORE
new business chamber logo 
  www.cmschamber.org