The Leominster Credit Union’s (LCU) Board of Directors voted to approve a $600 Stimulus Check for all LCU employees at their recent meeting.
“We know that many individuals have faced struggles and challenges over the past year, in light of COVID-19, and we wanted to assist and support our employees as they continue to navigate through these unprecedented times. We are proud of our employees and the commitment they continue to demonstrate for our organization and our members,” stated Barbara Mahoney, President & CEO, Leominster Credit Union.
Leominster Credit Union is encouraging employees to consider spending the money locally to help initiate some form of stimulus within the communities where we live and work and to acknowledge the appreciation and commitment to organizations and businesses in the area.
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 $700 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.
Join us on Thursday, February 25, 2021 from 7-8:30 PM for a virtual workshop where we will discuss resume writing in general, including, but not limited to: applicant tracking systems, keyword search techniques, content review, formatting choices and a variety of best practices. We will also discuss both chronological and functional resume styles.
Bonus! Participants will have the opportunity to email their resume to Gary for a free, confidential one-on-one analysis.
Gary Gekow is a Senior Employment Specialist/Career Coach with 30 years of recruiting and employment services experience in the New England staffing industry. He works closely with client companies in many industries and job seekers in various specialties. Register: http://tinyurl.com/fplresume and a Zoom link will be sent to you!
This is a free program. For information about this or other Library programs call 978-829-1780 or visit our website: www.FitchburgPublicLibrary.org.
Simplifying Type 2 Diabetes presented by Scherrie Keating, Registered Nurse, & Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist, of Diabetes Kare Consulting, LLC, will be held virtually on Wednesday, February 17, 2021, at 7:00 PM.
Ever feel overwhelmed trying to understand what this condition called Type 2 Diabetes is and how to manage it? Don’t worry, you’re not the only one. In fact, there are currently 34.2 million people living with Diabetes in the US. The key is to have a basic understanding of what Diabetes is and the important role daily self- management plays in keeping your blood sugars under control. Attend this program, walk away with need to know, simplified strategies to help you manage your Diabetes, achieve your blood sugar goals, and prevent potential, serious long-term complications.
This is part two of a three-part series on Diabetes Education, funded by a grant from UMASS Memorial HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital’s Determination of Needs Fund. You may attend all 3, or just one or two. Part 1: Healthy Eating (January 20 at 7pm); Part 3: Take Control of Your Diabetes, Live Healthier & Longer (March 17 at 7pm). By registering, you will be sent links for all 3 events.
This program series is funded by a grant from UMASS Memorial HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital’s Determination of Needs Fund.
This program series is funded by a grant from UMASS Memorial HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital’s Determination of Needs Fund. This is a free program. For information about this or other Library programs call 978-829-1780 or visit our website: www.FitchburgPublicLibrary.org.
The Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI) and Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC) are able to offer a Lean manufacturing course focused on the food and beverage sector due to funding through an EPA Region 1 Healthy Communities grant.
Through the application of Lean manufacturing principles and tools, the course will help food processors and beverage manufacturers identify, adopt and measure the results of Pollution Prevention (P2) as a result of changes in processes, equipment and behavior. The short-term goal is to achieve environmental results in energy, water, waste and toxics use reduction (TUR), while the longer-term goal is to increase the capacity of companies to adopt Lean tools to find P2 opportunities continuously on your own.
Throughout the course, each participant will be expected to focus on a project at their facility related to P2 or TUR resulting in a report at the end.TURI will be using data collected by at least two course participants to write more in depth case studies about your projects.
Examples of P2 or TUR projects for you to focus on over the duration of the course include:
Energy Use – complete a WasteWise or other energy use inventory and learn about areas of improvement
Toxics Use Reduction – evaluate cleaning products used, investigate of hazards and potential safer and effective alternatives
Water Use – meter water use throughout the facility to understand potential areas of improvement
Refrigeration leaks – survey existing equipment and identify areas of improvement and upgrades
Inventory management – understand existing system and evaluate alternatives to reduce food waste as well as resource use
Packaging – evaluate existing materials use and consider new design and materials to reduce use and waste
We look forward to working with you over the Spring of 2021 and beyond to make improvements to your facility and operations, saving you money, labor time, and resources while creating a safer and healthier work environment.
Support part of overall donation of more than $50,000 to help those most affected by COVID-19
LEOMINSTER, Mass – Leominster based Fidelity Bank is providing more than $50,000 in additional holiday support to more than a dozen Massachusetts food pantries to help people affected by the pandemic. The bank has donated a total of $6,000 to Leominster based organizations. The bank has donated $3,000 to Leominster office of Catholic Charities Worcester County, which is committed to meeting the needs of the poor, the homeless and the infirm and to enhancing the quality of life for all. It serves several communities including Leominster, Fitchburg, Gardner, and Winchendon. The bank also donated $3,000 to Ginny’s Helping Hand, Inc , a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the everyday living needs of the less fortunate. They have had a food pantry since 1980. It is located at 52 Mechanic Street in Leominster. The bank has donated $6,000 to Fitchburg organizations – $3,000 to Our Father’s House , a private, non-sectarian agency providing shelter and related services to homeless men, women, and children, including a food pantry. The bank has also donated $3,000 to Leominster office of Catholic Charities Worcester County, which is committed to meeting the needs of the poor, the homeless and the infirm and to enhancing the quality of life for all. It serves several communities including Fitchburg, Leominster, Gardner, and Winchendon. The bank has donated $6,000 to organizations serving Shirley including $3,000 to Clear Path for Veterans New England, which has the mission of building a safe, supportive, and respectful place for Veterans to seek the help and resources they need in order to successfully integrate into their communities. The bank also made a $3,000 donation to Loaves and Fishes, which has been lifting and feeding its neighbors in Shirley (and surrounding towns) since 1983. Fidelity Bank donated $3,000 to Wachusett Food Pantry , which has been serving the Wachusett area including Paxton and Princeton since 1995.
This support is in addition to the more than $100,000 Fidelity Bank gave to various causes earlier in the pandemic through its Caring for Our Communities COVID-19 Response Grants. The money comes from Fidelity Bank’s LifeDesign Community Dividend, which donated more than $330,000 to more than 250 worthy organizations in Central Massachusetts last year. “We all have a duty to reach out to those in need who are enduring tough times due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Fidelity Bank Chairman and CEO Edward F. Manzi Jr. “It’s part of Fidelity Bank’s promise of being a caring bank that supports our community, clients, and colleagues.” Fidelity Bank has given out more than $2 million since the dividend program was formally named in 2013.
About Fidelity Bank:
Founded in 1888, Fidelity Bank is one of the strongest independent community banks in Central and Eastern Massachusetts. Fidelity Bank’s unique LifeDesign approach to banking provides the care and clarity needed to make informed decisions with confidence. The Bank offers a range of personal and business banking solutions to clients in 14 full-service banking centers in Leominster, Worcester, Fitchburg, Needham, Gardner, Stow, 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 2020 Fidelity Bank was voted Worcester Telegram & Gazette Best Financial Services in Central Massachusetts and was named to the Boston Globe’s Top Places to Work list for the sixth time. As of September 30, 2020, the bank had total assets of approximately $1.15 billion. For more information, visit www.fidelitybankonline.com or www.facebook.com/fidelitybankma
Gardner, MA – December 14, 2020 – Heywood Hospital was awarded an ‘A’ in the Fall 2020 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, a national distinction recognizing Heywood Hospital’s achievements protecting patients from harm and providing safer health care. The Leapfrog Group is an independent national watchdog organization committed to health care quality and safety. The Safety Grade assigns an ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, ‘D’ or ‘F’ grade to all general hospitals across the country and is updated every six months. It is based on a hospital’s performance in preventing medical errors, injuries, accidents, infections and other harms to patients in their care.
Win Brown, President and CEO of Heywood Healthcare said, “We are incredibly proud to receive this national accolade. We strive to provide an exceptional care experience for every patient and their family everyday, without exception. We are also tremendously proud of the care provided at Heywood Hospital’s LaChance Maternity Center, recognized as a Newsweek’s Best 2020 Maternity Care Hospital.
“We are extremely grateful to hospital leadership and health care workers who have remained steadfast in prioritizing patient safety as our nation battles COVID-19,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “This ‘A’ is a testament to the care and commitment of those who work for Heywood Hospital. With the current pandemic exposing existing flaws within the U.S. health care system, we appreciate you putting patient safety first. Lives depend on it.”
Developed under the guidance of a national Expert Panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses up to 27 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign grades to more than 2,600 U.S. acute-care hospitals twice per year. The Hospital Safety Grade’s methodology is peer-reviewed and fully transparent, and the results are free to the public.
Heywood Hospital was awarded an ‘A’ grade today when Leapfrog updated grades for Fall 2020. To see Heywood Hospital’s full grade details and access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit hospitalsafetygrade.org and follow The Leapfrog Group on Twitter and Facebook.
About The Leapfrog Group
Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization driving a movement for giant leaps forward in the quality and safety of American health care. The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey and new Leapfrog Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) Survey collect and transparently report hospital and ASC performance, empowering purchasers to find the highest-value care and giving consumers the lifesaving information, they need to make informed decisions. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, Leapfrog’s other main initiative, assigns letter grades to hospitals based on their record of patient safety, helping consumers protect themselves and their families from errors, injuries, accidents and infections.
About Heywood Hospital
A member of the Heywood Healthcare system, Heywood Hospital is a 134-bed acute care community-owned non-profit hospital in Gardner, MA, providing a broad range of high quality medical, orthopedic, bariatric, surgical, obstetrical, pediatric and behavioral health services on an inpatient and outpatient basis. The hospital’s featured Centers include the Center for Weight Loss & Bariatric Surgery. the Watkins Center for Emergency and Acute Care; the LaChance Maternity Center; the Diabetes Center, and the Heywood Heart and Vascular Center.
About Heywood Healthcare
Heywood Healthcare is an independent, community-owned healthcare system serving north central Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. It is comprised of Heywood Hospital, a 134-bed acute care community-owned non-profit hospital in Gardner, MA; Athol Hospital, a 25-bed not-for-profit, Critical Access Hospital in Athol, MA; Heywood Medical Group, with primary care physicians and specialists located throughout the region; and the Quabbin Retreat, our premier destination for treatment of mental health and substance misuse.
The organization includes six satellite facilities in MA: Heywood Rehabilitation Center & Heywood Urgent Care in Gardner, Winchendon Health Center & Murdock School-based Health Center in Winchendon, Tully Family Medicine and Walk-In Care in Athol; and West River Health Center in Orange. The organization also includes the Heywood Healthcare Charitable Foundation. For more information, visit www.heywood.org.
Leominster, MA – Leominster Credit Union (LCU) is proud to support the United Way of North Central Massachusetts and the 2021 Workplace Campaign.
“We would like to thank our wonderful employees and Board of Directors for their support, generosity and kindness during this difficult year. We know that with this $15,000 donation, the United Way of North Central Massachusetts will be able to help so many individuals and families in our communities,” stated Barbara Mahoney, President & CEO, Leominster Credit Union.
The United Way of North Central Massachusetts has continued to work tirelessly to improve the lives in the communities in which we work, live, and serve by providing services focused on health, education, and financial wellness.
“On behalf of those we serve, I’d like to thank the Leominster Credit Union team for their continued support and partnership. As the need for food, heat, and housing support increases due to the recent pandemic, we need all hands-on deck to support those most impacted. The financial support from LCU will go a long way in our work to support our friends and neighbors in need and is just one of many ways LCU continues to demonstrate a clear commitment to our community,” said Kory Eng, President & CEO, United Way of North Central Massachusetts.
For more information about the United Way of North Central Massachusetts and how to donate, please visit https://uwncm.org/.
FITCHBURG, Ma., November 30 – Workers Credit Union has received the 2020 Spirit of North Central Award for Corporate Leadership of the United Way annual campaign. During the United Way’s Annual Meeting heldearlier this fall, Workers was honored along with three other local businesses.
The award recognizes corporate partners that embody an overall spirit of giving through contributions of time, leadership and resources in support of United Way of North Central Massachusetts’ work. The recipients demonstrated excellence during a particularly challenging time through robust volunteerism and participation in the United Way workplace campaign. Each year, Workers Credit Union employees participate in the United Way in a variety of ways: payroll contribution, Day of Caring volunteerism, and employee-led fundraisers throughout the year.
“Receiving this award from the United Way is a testament to our employees’ dedication to the community and the overall culture here at Workers Credit Union. Each year, we are able to collectively donate thousands of dollars to support the important work of the United Way and help build a stronger North Central Massachusetts. I am proud to work with such caring people,” said Doug Petersen, president and CEO of Workers Credit Union.
“It’s more important than ever to support our local organizations to ensure they can continue to provide relief to the community,” said Tim Smith, Chief Financial Officer of Workers Credit Union and Vice Chairman of the Board at the United Way North Central Massachusetts. “We hope other businesses will join us in sponsoring the United Way for the 2020-2021 campaign year.”
Donations toward the United Way of North Central Massachusetts can be made at www.uwncm.org.
Workers Credit Union, a $2 billion federally-chartered credit union headquartered in Fitchburg, MA, is a member-owned financial institution with full banking services to meet a lifetime of financial needs, including the Workers Way™ and the GiveBack program. With branches in Athol, Chelmsford, Fitchburg, Gardner, Groton, Hudson, Lancaster, Leominster, Lunenburg, Orange, Townsend, Westford and Worcester as well as online, mobile, telephone, and video-teller banking, Workers proudly serves more than 106,000 members.
Move Aims to Help Businesses during the Covid-19 Pandemic
GARDNER – November 10th, 2020 – Gardner Mayor Michael J. Nicholson is pleased to announce the City of Gardner is suspending fees for liquor licenses for Gardner businesses that apply for on- premise consumption liquor licenses for the 2021 calendar year.
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, businesses across the City have been forced to adapt to a difficult and ever changing set of circumstances. This was particularly hard for businesses in the restaurant industry that had to close for a portion of the year due to regulations put in place to curb the spread of the virus. It is Mayor Nicholson’s hope to lessen the burden these businesses are facing by temporarily suspending food and liquor license fees.
“I would like to sincerely thank Mayor Nicholson for finding new ways for the City to help alleviate the small business crisis precipitated by the pandemic,” said Rick Walton, owner of Gardner Ale House and Moon Hill Brewing Company “For so many of us, the cash flow just isn’t there; waiving the liquor license fee helps a lot.”
Under Massachusetts General Laws, fees for liquor licenses are set by vote of the License Commission. This group of three individuals are appointed by the Mayor with approval by the City Council. Mayor Nicholson presented the commission with his proposed order suspending these fees for the coming year at their meeting on November 10th, and they voted unanimously to endorse the Mayor’s proposal.
“This has been a tough year for everyone in the City, particularly for our restaurants who had to close and then were only able to operate on a take-out basis for the majority of this past year. This has only been exacerbated by the cooler temperatures causing many locations to end their outdoor seating option” said Mayor Nicholson. “We are taking this move to help our local businesses get back on their feet and get through this pandemic even with the challenges that we are facing. Thank you to the License Commission for voting to approve this proposal, and I look forward to seeing how it can help our businesses during these trying times.”
Liquor license applications run annually with the calendar year with the License Commission voting to approve applications during the month of December. This proposal would only be in effect for the 2021 calendar year. “I think this is a great way for us to be able to help businesses who have been struggling,” Michael Fitzsimmons, chair of the Gardner License Commission said during the meeting.
Twenty-seven businesses in Gardner annually apply for liquor licenses- including restaurants, social clubs, cafes, and other food establishments across the City. This waiver does not extend for licenses for off- premise consumption, as those establishments were able to remain open during the COVID-19 shut down.
