September Business Connection |
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Board of Directors
Chair of the Board
*Robert Ferrini
McGowanPRO
Past Chair of the Board
*Alisia St. Florian
Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane
Treasurer
*James Donellon
Gray, Gray & Gray, LLP
General Counsel
*Thomas Flaherty
Bacon Flaherty LLC
President/CEO
*Thomas O'Rourke
Neponset River Regional Chamber
Anthony Brown
Dedham Savings
Mary Chetwynd
Rockland Trust
Todd J. Chipman, MST, CPA
John T. Chipman & Co., CPAs
Peter Ellis
ServPro of Norwood and West Roxbury
Steve Forrest
CertainTeed
Rhonda Kale
Bank of Canton
*Michael Kennedy
Norwood Bank
Paul Kouri
Keller Williams
Jon Levy
American Holt Corporation
Michelle Llorett
Fairfield Inn & Suites
Mark LoVuolo
Liberty Mutual Insurance
Ashley Mansfield
Dedham High School
*Tim McCabe
The League School
Julie Molloy
Compass Real Estate
Sal Perla
Norwood Hospital
Cynthia Peterson
Brigham and Women's/Mass General Health Care Center
Christa Seychew
Legacy Place
*Member of the Executive Committee
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Shop Local Campaign Kicks Off |
Last week Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Governor Karyn Polito announced the launch of an effort to encourage residents of the Commonwealth to support their local economies by shopping at local Massachusetts businesses and attractions, safely – in person, online, and using curbside pickup or takeout.
The “My Local MA” advertising campaign kicked off on Friday in tandem with the Sales Tax-Free Weekend, and was developed as a response to the economic impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on Massachusetts local businesses and communities. Chambers of Commerce from throughout the state had been encouraging such a campaign on our weekly conference calls with the administration.
The intent of the campaign is to showcase Massachusetts’ vast array of businesses and attractions – from family owned-restaurants to artisan boutiques to museums – that are a critical part of the Commonwealth’s economy. From Stockbridge to Provincetown, our local retailers and restaurants are open for business, utilizing safe practices and, in many cases, for online shopping, curbside pickup or takeout and delivery.
The campaign, running through December, will include print, broadcast, billboard and digital ads, along with social media. The website, FindMyLocalMA.com, will feature resources for consumers and more information on the campaign.
Naturally there is much to see and do right here in the Neponset River region and we hope you will continue to support our local economy by doing business with fellow Chamber members. You can find them on our online directory here. Remember, money spent locally stays local.
Tom O'Rourke, CCE
President and CEO
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COVID-19 and Reopening Resources
Be sure to check out our webpage for a complete list of resources for your business during the COVID-19 crisis. |
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Chamber Members in the News |
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Sherwin-Williams in Dedham recently celebrated their grand opening with an open house. Chamber President, Tom O'Rourke stopped by and was given a tour of the new showroom by Noella Howard. They are located at 880 Providence Highway (Route 1 North). |
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Rob Peters Entertainment is pleased to introduce DJ Dogs, our mobile food! DJ Dogs specializes in combining music and food to create a fun experience and our “Twist” on the All American Hot Dog! RPE is excited to add this new venture to the fun we create for our events, as well as offer a fun experience to the public.
In addition to being available for events, we are looking for high traffic locations to bring DJ Dogs on a regular (weekday or weekly) basis. Contact us today if you would like to discuss having us at your location for FREE.
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Thank You! The following members have renewed their membership with the NRR Chamber
We understand the difficulties that many of our members are dealing with at this time. We know that many may not be able to renew their memberships until the situation improves.
We are grateful to those who are in a position to support the Chamber, including the following who have recently renewed:
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American Auto Transporters
Ameriprise Financial Services - Roger Cummings
AWS Business Services
Brigham & Women's Health Care Center - Westwood
Cadence Academy Preschool
Comcast Business Services
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Gentle Dental Norwood
Residence Inn by Marriott, Norwood
South Shore Staffing
King, McNamara & Moriarty, CPA's
Legacy Place
Reiser
Wegmans
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Last Call: Sign Up Your Foursome for Golf |
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Community Health Needs Prioritization Session |
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For the last few months, Mass General Brigham (formerly Partners HealthCare) has been conducting a study to understand better our community's health needs and strengths. Findings will be used to help identify priority areas for action.
A virtual Prioritization Session is being held tonight Wednesday, September 2nd from 6-7pm where the research team will present study findings and then meeting participants will discuss and vote for the top priorities to guide future action and community investment for the next several years.
Please share this opportunity with your colleagues, friends, families, and neighbors, as all residents are welcome to attend even if they did not participate in the assessment.
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Norwood Awards 18 Businesses Funds Through COVID-19 Small Business Grant Program |
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NORWOOD -- The Town of Norwood is pleased to announce that 18 Norwood businesses have been awarded grants through the town's COVID-19 Small Business Grant Program.
"The COVID-19 pandemic brought many changes and unprecedented challenges to our local businesses and their operations," General Manager Tony Mazzucco said. "We are pleased to have been able to provide these grants for 18 Norwood businesses as they work through and begin to recover from the negative economic impacts caused by the pandemic."
In response to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 global pandemic, the Town of Norwood made available $75,000 to Norwood businesses negatively affected by the pandemic.
In total, the town awarded 18 local businesses with grants totaling $70,766. The grant recipients included restaurants, spas, hair salons, a business in the trades and a newspaper.
“Once again the Town of Norwood has shown that they stand by local businesses in times of crisis. These grants will help ensure that businesses keep their doors open, maintain staff and continue to provide products and services to residents of the community," Neponset River Regional Chamber President and CEO Tom O'Rourke said.
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Member Spotlight: Profile by Sanford |
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Thanks to Darryn Carroll, Norwood Video for providing our monthly spotlights.
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Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) is coming |
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The Department of Family and Medical Leave (DFML) is on schedule to launch the PFML program in January 2021. We are committed to delivering a reliable program that meets the needs of both employers and employees in Massachusetts. We are hard at work developing reliable tools that are accessible and easy to understand. This includes a new benefits portal for employers and employees to get information on eligibility and manage benefits.
If you still have questions about the law, our employer toolkit can help.
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STEP Grant Application Open! |
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The application period is now open for the Massachusetts STEP Grant Program!
The STEP program is intended to help offset international business development and related costs for small businesses. Eligible businesses may apply for grants ranging from a minimum of $6,000 to a maximum of $12,000 per business to reimburse for costs associated with pre-approved projects, activities or services undertaken during the period October 1, 2020 to September 30, 2022. Click here for full details and requirements.
Application deadline is Wednesday, September 30 at 5:00 p.m. There is no advantage for early applicants. We encourage you to participate on the September 16 webinar and compile a thoughtful, strategic application for the greatest chance of approval.
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