News from our members

ConvenientMD Partners with Local Nonprofits to Promote Health and Wellness

Boys & Girls Club & ConvenientMD

ConvenientMD presents The Boys & Girls Club of Fitchburg & Leominster with sponsorship in the gymnasium of the Leominster Branch of the Boys & Girls Club.

ConvenientMD, New England’s leading urgent care provider, has announced partnerships with several local organizations to promote health and wellness in the community, including Leominster Little League, Leominster Central Massachusetts Basketball, Leominster Youth Soccer, and the Boys & Girls Club of Fitchburg and Leominster. ConvenientMD recently opened its newest urgent care clinic at 20 Commercial Road in Leominster.

“As a healthcare provider, ConvenientMD recognizes the importance of physical activity in maintaining good health. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to support programs that encourage kids to stay active and engaged, while also promoting mentorship and leadership development,” says ConvenientMD Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO Gareth Dickens. “We are proud to work with these outstanding organizations to help create a healthier, more vibrant community for all.”

ConvenientMD recently presented its sponsorship of The Boys & Girls Club of Fitchburg and Leominster. The club works in youth development with young people ages 8-18, from many economic, social and family circumstances. The Club has over 300 registered members with many more participating in the variety of programs that the club offers.

“The partnership between ConvenientMD and the Boys and Girls Club of Fitchburg, Leominster, and Gardner, exemplifies the collective efforts of both organizations to make a lasting impact on the lives of children and strengthen the fabric of our community,” said David Ginisi, Senior Director of Marketing & Development at the Boys & Girls Club. “By investing in youth development and fostering a passion for sports, ConvenientMD and the Boys and Girls Club are championing the values of resilience, determination, and teamwork, paving the way for a brighter future.”

In addition to the Boys and Girls Club, ConvenientMD is supporting the Leominster Central Mass Youth Basketball, Leominster Little League, and Leominster Youth Soccer, all non-profit organizations focused on establishing safe and fun environments for kids to be active and learn teamwork. Combined, these organizations serve more than 1,500 local children each year.

ConvenientMD Urgent Care clinics treat a broad range of illnesses and injuries – from colds, coughs, and flu, to stitches and broken bones. Additional services include COVID-19 testing, free flu shots, youth sports physicals, IV fluids, EKGs, and employer health services. The modern, comfortable facility also offers on-site labs and X-rays for quick, convenient diagnoses. With the opening of the Leominster clinic, ConvenientMD operates 39 urgent care centers throughout New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts.

More information about ConvenientMD, visit convenientmd.com.

 


About ConvenientMD

Headquartered in Portsmouth, NH, ConvenientMD is a walk-in and virtual healthcare provider dedicated to delivering the best medical care and experience for patients throughout New England. By offering fast, quality care at an affordable rate, ConvenientMD is raising the bar for urgent care and reshaping the delivery of modern healthcare. Each urgent care center provides an advanced array of services—including X-rays, IVs, labs, and minor surgical procedures—as well as staff committed to following an innovative, full-service approach to satisfying patients’ demands for convenient, compassionate treatment in an urgent care setting.

Paper Organizing Workshop in Central Massachusetts

PAPER FLYER ORG DUCKGain more time this summer!

You will become proactive as you learn the skill of paper organizing and begin to process your paperwork in a timely manner. Grab a box of manilla folders, and gather your unfiled and unprocessed papers scattered throughout the house to join us for some training and some productivity! Once you understand the system, you can maintain the concepts throughout your life.

During this safe and non-judgmental session conducted by a professional organizer you will learn a system to follow and be led through processing as much as a laundry basket full of your paperwork, all while socializing and enjoying some snacks.

Location: Bin There Dump That, 615 South St., Fitchburg, MA 01420

$50 fee includes training, champagne toast, coffee bar, water, and snacks. Price is discounted until 7/15.

empHowered PR expands to Worcester

empHowered PR, a boutique public relations firm specializing in highly-tailored communications services for businesses and non-profit organizations, today announced a second location at the Worcester Idea Lab, located at 20 Franklin Street in Worcester. The business is headquartered in Leominster.

Founded in 2020 by Lauren Howe, an award-winning public relations professional with more than 20 years of experience in the healthcare, manufacturing, and non-profit industries, empHowered PR has grown to provide services to clients around the region, making Worcester an ideal location to expand its footprint.

“While we’ve always called North Central Massachusetts home, I realized we needed a location in Worcester to meet with potential and current clients closer to their locations,” said Howe. “The Worcester Idea Lab is a great place for us to work and meet with clients while also engaging with other entrepreneurs as part of Worcester’s innovation ecosystem.”

The Worcester Idea Lab, a project of the Worcester Business Development Corporation (WBDC), is a collaborative workspace for entrepreneurs and other business-minded professionals to grow their business in a central location right in the downtown district.

“The Idea Lab at 20 Franklin was constructed to give entrepreneurs a professional space to grow their business, make valuable connections, and eventually expand out to Worcester’s downtown,” said Roberta Brien, executive vice president, Worcester Business Development Corporation. “Entrepreneurs are key members of our small business community and WBDC is proud to support them at every stage of their business. We are thrilled to welcome Lauren Howe, founder of empHowered PR to our space, as her unique approach to public relations for businesses and non-profits is the perfect fit for the downtown and our other Idea Lab members.”


About empHowered PR
Founded in 2020, empHowered PR is a boutique public relations consultancy firm specializing in highly tailored communications services for businesses and non-profit organizations. Focusing on brand strategy, executive communications and thought leadership with expertise on corporate social responsibility and media training, empHowered PR partners with small businesses to global corporations to develop trusted brands focused on objectives, audiences, channels, delivery and feedback to achieve goals and reach success. To learn more, visit www.empHoweredPR.com.

Fitchburg Public Library announces additional $1.5 million in funding from Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners for construction, renovation project

Funding to complement rising construction, labor costs

The Fitchburg Public Library announced it will receive approximately $1.5 million in additional funding from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC). The additional funding will help offset the rising construction and labor costs currently being experienced throughout the Commonwealth.

“As one of only 10 other libraries receiving this additional funding throughout the Commonwealth, we are grateful to the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners and our local legislators for seeing the value our renovation and construction project will bring to the community,” said Fitchburg Public Library Director Deb Hinkle. “We appreciate the MBLC’s continued support to ensure our library will remain sustainable for years to come. We are also grateful to State Senator John Cronin and State Representative Michael Kushmerek for working alongside other Massachusetts legislators to advocate for this additional funding.”

The funding, which supplements the $12.5 million total grant award from the MBLC through the Massachusetts Library Construction Program, will support the $40 million renovation, modernization and expansion of the library. Ten libraries in the state were awarded the additional funding as a result of adding 15% to the total eligible cost used to calculate the current grant.

“The Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program is pleased to partner with local communities, like Fitchburg, using state funding to make building and renovating libraries possible,” said MBLC Director James Lonergan. “In the 35 years since the program’s inception and the more than 200 communities that have benefited from it, we have not encountered circumstances like those brought on by the pandemic. The additional funding recognizes those circumstances and further supports Fitchburg’s project which will bring economic, social, cultural, and educational opportunities to every resident of the community.”.

The Fitchburg project is expected to begin later this year.


About Fitchburg Public Library
Founded in 1859 and home to one of the first children’s rooms in the country, the Fitchburg Public Library is a centerpiece on Main Street in the city, providing generations the opportunity to experience programming and services that open a world of learning. For more information visit http://www.fitchburgpubliclibrary.org/.

Joshua Allen Design now offering free 30 minute long virtual interior design advice sessions!

Joshua Allen DesignGrab your notebook and a pencil — this 30 minute long virtual meeting can cover any room, any space, and any interior design questions you may have! (including questions about additions and new builds!)

Have your design questions answered so you can get started! Get expert design advice! Let’s come up with a roadmap to get your project moving forward!

Interview us! Ask questions about our process, discuss specific concerns about your project, hiring a designer, anything! We’re yours for a half hour.

Appointments will be open for a limited time only, contact Joshua Allen Design to sign up!

 

United Way Food Drive Collects Nearly $30,000 in Food for Local Pantries

Over 600 households to benefit from drive thanks to community collaboration

April Foods Drive

Ginny’s Helping Hand and St. Leo’s de Paul Food Pantry collected donations from the April Foods Drive. From left to right, Joe Tammaro, Betsy Tammaro and Laura Burns from St. Leo’s; Dave Bergeron from Ginny’s Helping Hand; Brandon Robbins, Ginny’s Helping Hand Executive Director; Crystal Nash from Leominster Credit Union; Judy Thomlinson, UWNCM Director of Community Impact and Missy Teken from LCU.

The United Way of North Central Massachusetts (UWNCM) recently distributed nearly $30,000 worth of food and essentials to local food pantries for their “April Foods Drive.” Running April 1- June 8, the drive provided critical supplies to 12 food pantries throughout North Central Massachusetts and is expected to feed more than 600 households.

The food drive is part of United to Feed North Central Mass, a new initiative run by UWNCM that brings together community partners to fight food insecurity in the region. Using the tagline “Hunger is No Joke,” the April drive collected twice as much worth of food as the initiative’s 2022 holiday food drive.

The drive was a true community effort, as residents donated non-perishable food through boxes hosted at nearly 40 establishments, including banks, grocery stores and libraries. UWNCM also provided family food staples such as peanut butter and oatmeal and worked with Leominster-based non-profit Growing Places to source a variety of fresh produce from local farms, ranging from carrots and potatoes to leafy greens and herbs.

Throughout the drive, volunteers picked up donated food from boxes, and on June 7-8, a dozen local pantries came to UWNCM to load their vans, many of which were completely filled. The drive sought to restock food pantry shelves during a time when many pantries are low on resources as they approach their fiscal year ends.

The Montachusett Veterans Outreach Center (MVOC), a non-profit based in Gardner, was both a participant and recipient in the drive, as they donated leftover Bombas socks from their clothing pantry and also received donated food items.

“This food drive came at a critical time in MVOC’s pantry,” says Stephanie Marchetti, Executive Director of MVOC. “Our regular suppliers have been low on shelf stable items, and since it’s the last month of the fiscal year we did not have the funds to cover this gap. The United Way stepped up, coordinated with lots of great local partners, and we can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that our veterans and their families will have what they need.”

As part of the drive, Catania Oils, based in Ayer, ran an internal food drive, collecting more than $550 worth of food donated by employees.

“One of the fundamental principles embedded in Catania Oil’s purpose statement is to make a lasting impact on the community. Our employees consistently demonstrate their willingness to support and uplift the community in various ways,” says Annemarie Abdo, Vice President of Human Resources at Catania Oils. “As a result of the tremendous effort put forth, we were able to collect a substantial amount of food, reinforcing our commitment to addressing food insecurity and supporting those in need. Moving forward, we are enthusiastic about further collaborations with the United Way, participating in their upcoming community events. By joining forces, we can continue making a positive difference and fostering a stronger, more vibrant community together.”

UWNCM will launch their next food drive in fall 2023 to provide food for the holiday season. Judy Tomlinson, UWNCM Director of Community Impact, says, “We are grateful to everyone who helped make our April Foods Drive such a success, including local companies, volunteers and generous donors, and we look forward to continuing to unite community members to feed those in need.”

The United Way of North Central Massachusetts serves the communities of Ashburnham, Ashby, Athol, Ayer, Devens, Fitchburg, Gardner, Groton, Harvard, Hubbardston, Leominster, Littleton, Pepperell, Lunenburg, Petersham, Phillipston, Royalston, Shirley, Templeton, Townsend, Westminster and Winchendon.

Leominster Credit Union Donates Books to Local Organizations

Leominster Credit Union has proudly participated in Children’s Book Month for over 20 years, an annual event sponsored by the Cooperative Credit Union Association.

During the month of April, donations of new and gently used children’s books were accepted at all LCU locations. LCU employees participated in Jeans Days raising funds to purchase books. This year’s event was organized by Rachel Terrell, Executive Assistant, assisted by Linda Taratuta, Elizabeth Bushnell, Mary Marchant, Nicole Florio and Amy Lacouture. LCU members and employees generously donated over 990 books.

Books were distributed to various organizations including; MOC (Child Care and Head Start Center), Sunrise Assisted Living, Fitchburg Public Schools, Boys & Girls Club of Fitchburg/ Leominster, Johnny Appleseed School, Clinton Preschool, Elementary and District Resource Center, Wachusett Regional High School Preschool and the Francis Drake School.

About Leominster Credit Union (LCU)

Founded in 1954, Leominster Credit Union (LCU) is a member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative with a full range of deposit, lending and other financial services. Headquartered in Leominster, Massachusetts, LCU is proud to claim nearly 50,000 members and more than $850 million in assets. LCU has seven branch locations in Leominster, Clinton, Holden, North Leominster, Sterling and Worcester with ATM services at all branch locations. LCU also provides 24-hour banking via Mobile and Online services. Visit leominstercu.com or call 800-649-4646.

MWCC Awarded Early Childhood Career Pathways Grant for Fiscal Year 2024

Mount Wachusett Community College is pleased to announce that the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) has appropriated $515,055 for Fiscal Year 2024 to continue funding the Early Childhood Career Pathways Grant program.

The Early Childhood Career Pathways Grant aims to help interested students and early childhood educators advance their careers. The mission of the grant program is to help alleviate the early childhood educator shortage and increase the education levels of educators already in the field. Students receive free courses, books, and the Child Development Associate (CDA) certification visit and exam required to earn the CDA credential. English-language tutoring support and one-on-one advising is also provided. The program goal is to service 120 students in Fiscal Year 2024.

“We are thrilled to receive continued funding for this vital program,” stated Grant Coordinator Jonie Latimer-Brady. “We not only have been able to help students earn their CDA credential, but many have continued on to earn their Early Childhood Education certificate.”

Funds will also be used to increase the number of Spanish-speaking instructors and advisors for the new Spanish language college level ECE Certificate program. Students will earn their EEC Lead teacher certification by starting with courses that are taught in Spanish and will take a contextualized college level ESOL course concurrently.

To learn more about the ECE Career Pathways program and determine eligibility, visit https://mwcc.edu/early-childhood-education-career-pathways/

Fitchburg Civic Days Announce Raymond & Diane Burnette as Grand Marshalls’ of the 61st Annual 4th of July Parade

Mayor Stephen L. DiNatale and the Fitchburg Civic Days Committee are proud to announce Raymond and Diane Burnette as the 2023 Fitchburg Civic Days 4th of July Parade Grand Marshalls’ in recognition of their service to the Civic Days Committee for eleven years, and their dedication to the City of Fitchburg.

Living nearly forty years as residents of the City, Ray and Diane have volunteered their time in several capacities throughout the city from volunteering with the Fitchburg High School Cheerleading Squad to working numerous public events. Beginning in 2011, the Burnette’s felt a call to action to help make the Civic Days events return back to the days Diane remembers so vividly as Old Fashioned Days on Main Street. What began as making small improvements turned into a decade-long mission of spreading Fitchburg civic pride through multi-day celebrations of our great city. Enlisting the help of their daughters and local volunteers, Diane and Ray moved Civic Days events back to Main Street, added vendors, created events, and ensured that there was fun to be had for all ages. From dancing in the street to a wrestling ring, street performers, and even creating a beer garden for those old enough to participate – Diane and Ray had one thing in mind: showcasing all that Fitchburg has to offer to her residents and those that reside in surrounding communities. Fitchburg Civic Days events grew from 1,000 participants in 2011 to over 20,000 participants in their decade of volunteerism.

“Through Ray and Diane Burnette’s efforts, Fitchburg Civic Days has grown into a regional tourism event because of their passion and love for our city,” said Mayor Stephen L. DiNatale. “Fitchburg Civic Days is one of the city’s oldest traditions, and we owe a debt of gratitude to the Burnette’s for making Civic Days the best it has ever been since its inception.”

In recognition of the theme of the parade this year, “Honoring The Past and Inspiring The Future,” resembles the thousands of hours of devotion Ray and Diane provided to make Civic Days the impressive event it has become. Although Civic Days 2022 was their last year as volunteers, Diane and Ray reflect and acknowledge the success of the 4th of July events in Fitchburg would not be possible without the help of their two daughters Kylee and Katie, the Mayor, city departments, Committee Members, volunteers, vendors, and most importantly the Civic Days participants.

The 4th of July Parade starts at 10:00 AM and can be viewed along Summer Street and Main Street to the Upper Common. This year’s Civic Days Parade will be broadcast live on FATV by Travis Condon, Glenn Fossa and Thomas Hughes. The parade will feature community organizations, sports leagues, local businesses, and a variety of local and regional bands. For more information visit: www.fitchburgma.gov/civicdays.

Accelerate Your Business with the Law of Compound Growth: Insights from The Profit Finder, Brian Carmody

The Profit Finder, Brian Carmody’s expertise on the power of compound growth in business has gained recognition in Brainz Magazine. In his article, “How To Use the Law of Compound Growth To Accelerate Your Business,” he shares valuable strategies for entrepreneurs. Recently, Brian was featured on The Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur Podcast, where he discussed compound business growth without paid ads. Along with the podcast episode, Brian has provided captivating video clips. Discover his insights for exponential business growth below.

Podcast Episode:

Episode #594 of The Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur Podcast explores “Compound Business Growth Without Paid Ads” with Brian Carmody.

Video Clips:

“Grow Your Business by Swiping Ideas from Other Industries”
“Tacticians Know One Tactic… Everything Looks Like a Nail”
“The Role of Lifestyle Design in Your Business Growth”