News from our members

Fidelity Bank Awards $10,000 Grant to Fitchburg Nonprofit NewVue Communities

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(L-R) Fidelity Bank President and COO Christopher McCarthy, NewVue Communities Executive Director Marc Dohan, Fidelity Bank Chairman and CEO Edward F. Manzi, Jr., and CEO of Family Federal Savings Dave Brassard

(LEOMINSTER, Mass.) –, NewVue Communities received a $10,000 investment from Fidelity Bank through their Community Investment Tax Credit Program. NewVue Communities is a Fitchburg based nonprofit dedicated to strengthening communities through home ownership, housing development and small business counseling. “This grant reflects our continuing strong commitment to Fitchburg, which at one time was home to the bank’s only location,” says Fidelity Bank President and COO Christopher McCarthy. “We are proud to support the work of NewVue Communities. Their work aligns perfectly with Fidelity Bank’s LifeDesign promise of being a team of caring people, who take a caring approach, to provide caring solutions for our community, clients and colleagues.” The grant is part of Fidelity Bank’s LifeDesign Community Dividend, which last year paid out more than $330,000 to support more than 250 organizations, causes and events in communities the bank serves, including Fitchburg.

“Fidelity Bank’s support will help us provide services and programs that help create stable and strong communities by investing in both people and places,” says Marc Dohan, Executive Director of NewVue Communities.  Fidelity Bank has provided $40,000 in financial support to NewVue Communities over the past four years.

Fidelity Bank recently finalized its merger with Family Federal Savings. The merger brings together two banks with a long history and commitment to the Fitchburg community. The two mutually owned financial institutions were founded in Fitchburg and have been serving clients, employees, and the community for a combined total of 270 years. The merger adds Family Federal Savings full-service offices in Fitchburg, Stow and Needham, giving the bank a total of 14 full- service offices. Fidelity Bank’s 675 Main Street location in Fitchburg has been relocated to Fidelity Bank’s new full-service banking office at the converted Family Federal Savings’ Fitchburg location at 130 Whalon Street in the Twin City Plaza.

 

Leominster Credit Union Holding Free Mortgage Info Sessions

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Leominster, MA – Leominster Credit Union (LCU) is holding free Mortgage Info Sessions at each branch location beginning Wednesday, March 4, – April 1, 2020. Sessions will be held from 6:00pm – 7:00pm. Visit www.leominstercu.com/homes for branch locations and dates.

These LCU Mortgage Info Sessions will address the specific needs of most homebuyers including first-time buyers, buyers moving after owning for several years, or buyers entering the market after having credit issues in the past. Attend the session and meet LCU Loan Officers, local realtors, attorneys, home inspectors and LCU Financing Specialists who will answer questions regarding the home buying process and what to expect. Topics will include: buying, refinancing, downsizing, second homes, investments, the application process, purchase and sales, inspections, and benefits of borrowing locally.

Matt Dufault, AVP Residential Lending commented, “These seminars provide the basics of buying a home, but also the opportunity to establish a plan for home ownership based on your personal situation.”

LCU has programs available for not only for first-time homebuyers, but for any buyer who needs help getting mortgage-ready. Borrowers may be able to qualify for a mortgage much sooner than they expect.

Seating is limited and registration is required. For more information and to register online, please visit leominstercu.com/homes.

Fidelity Bank Graduates Second Group of LifeDesign University Students

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(LEOMINSTER, Mass) The second graduating class of Fidelity Bank’s LifeDesign University had reason to celebrate at their graduation January 30 at Oak Hill Country Club in Fitchburg, MA. The class of 13 Fidelity Bank employees met every three weeks for two hours over a year long period to complete the professional development program.

The participating students were Timi Whitney of Winchendon, Tanya Quinn of Athol, Kaitlyn Lillie of Fitchburg, Courtney Gatta of Sturbridge, Jessica Woodbury of Leominster, Wanda Walsh of Lancaster, Jessenia Sioris of Westminster, Marcin Wiadrowski of Holden, Brittany Roberge of Rutland, Joseph Murchison of Fitchburg, Alex Petit of Sutton, Zachery Lavoie of Fitchburg, and Jamie Dack of Winchendon.

Fidelity Bank teamed up with Nichols College to create LifeDesign University to bring a selected group of employees from a variety of departments out of the bank and into the classroom to develop the essential tools to increase productivity, promote teamwork amongst departments and garner skills for the next steps of their careers with Fidelity Bank. The curriculum included coursework and required hands-on skill practice and implementation in areas such as effective communication, supervisory skills, situational leadership, change management, project management, and negotiation.

About Fidelity Bank:

Founded in 1888, Fidelity Bank is one of the oldest independent community banks in Central Massachusetts. Fidelity Bank’s exclusive LifeDesign approach offers a range of banking, investment and insurance solutions to clients in 12 full-service offices in Leominster, Worcester, Fitchburg, Gardner, Shirley, Barre, Millbury, Paxton, Princeton and Winchendon. The Bank has consistently earned a “5 Star” rating from BauerFinancial, Inc., the nation’s leading independent bank rating and research firm. In 2018, Fidelity Bank was voted Worcester Telegram & Gazette Best Bank in Central Massachusetts and Best Financial Services. It was also named Best Bank by both Leominster Champion and Baystate Parent for 2018. It has been recognized by the Worcester Business Journal as a Top Workplace and in 2019 named to the Boston Globe’s Top Places to Work list for the fifth time. As of December 31, 2019, the bank had total assets of approximately $1 billion. For more information, visit www.fidelitybankonline.com or www.facebook.com/fidelitybankma

Rollstone Bank & Trust Gifts Chamber Membership to St. Bernard’s

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Regional Leader member, Rollstone Bank & Trust, has gifted a chamber membership to St. Bernard’s Central Catholic High School of Fitchburg, MA. President of Rollstone Bank & Trust, Martin Connors, is also a proud alum, and felt this gifted membership will better serve the institution as a community partner and collaborator.

“The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce continues its mission of building businesses and building communities. It was without hesitation that when Rollstone Bank & Trust was presented the opportunity to gift a membership to a local non-profit organization, we gifted to my alma mater, St. Bernard’s. This is a remarkable opportunity that we, as a Regional Leader member, can give to such a beloved private institution.”

Regional Leaders within the Chamber have the opportunity to identify a local non-profit, charity or start-up business within North Central Massachusetts and provide them a gifted membership on their behalf.

Calling All Central Mass Community Cyclists!

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Learn Bike Maintenance at High-Performance Leominster Bike Shop

Leominster’s newest shop serving cyclists in central Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire is now bringing the community together with classes in bicycle maintenance.

Tomten is hosting 10 separate classes scheduled for January through March at the shop at 1029 Central Street in Leominster. Basic classes include how to change a flat and essential out-on-the-ride fixes. More sophisticated training is offered on suspension, wheel building, brakes and more. Experienced expert mechanics lead each class. Classes are designed to improve the enthusiast’s riding experience at all levels. A complete list and full class descriptions are available at tomtenbiketown.com. Riders can sign up on a per class basis via email to the shop’s website. Obviously class sizes are limited due to space restrictions and classes are expected to fill up quickly.

Tomten boasts a knowledgeable staff, all of them with many years of experience riding, racing and maintaining bikes. They know the makes of bike that riders are looking for, and they know how to keep them rolling at peak performance.

Customers ride for a wide variety of reasons, so Tomten offers bikes for the casual rider, the amateur enthusiast, and the serious competitor. Riders include those long accustomed to the area’s unique rail trails and mountain bike trails in the state forests and in rural road riding mid-state, as well as BMX enthusiasts and riders just starting out cycling in all seasons. Cyclists will find a huge assortment of bike brands to choose from, including Trek, Specialized, Santa Cruz, Haro, Orbea, Del Sol, Electra, Sunday and Kink.

The shop supports area charity rides with mechanic expertise for Bravehearts and the Tully Lake Triathalon. Tomten annually supports PanMass Challenge riders with donations.

The name of the shop has an intriguing origin. Tomtens are part of Swedish folklore…small mythical creatures with long white beards and funny hats and shoes. They are industrious helpers taking care of chores and keeping everything neat and tidy.

Tomten Biketown opens its doors at 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and 12 noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays. Group rides are posted on the Facebook page, as are other events and promotions. A short cyber-hop to Instagram will reward cyclists with stories and feature articles on the subject of their favorite pastime.

Riders anxious to join in with the maintenance classes can contact Tomten Biketown at 978.840.3221 and at info@tomtenbiketown.com.