Davis Mega Maze is the largest of over 50 fun attractions at Davis Mega Farm Festival. Co-owner Larry Davis Says, “This year’s 8-acre maze will challenge your mind, body and imagination.” But don’t worry, according to Einstein, “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.”
Davis Mega Farm Festival opens September 14th and features… – Award-winning, Kansas City BBQ and “foodie” foods, – Craft beer, wine, seltzers, and adult slushies, – Live music, and – 50+ fun attractions, from the Zip Zone Zip Line, to Cannon Blasters, and much more.
Join percussionist/storyteller/educator/author/music historian/and radio host Craig Harris on Thursday, September 26, 2019 at 6:00 pm in the Fitchburg Public Library Garden Room for an action-packed 50th anniversary celebration of the 1969 Woodstock Music and Art Festival that includes archival audio/video, behind-the-scenes stories, joyful singing, guided music-making, and a half-century of memories.
About the presenter: Craig Harris’ latest book, Bluegrass, Newgrass, Old-time and Americana Music, was published in 2018. He’s also the author of The Band: Pioneers of Americana Music (2014), Heartbeat, Warble and the Electric Powwow: American Indian Music (2016), and The New Folk Music (1993). His reviews, articles, and photographs have appeared in countless newspapers, magazines and websites. The written word, however, is only one outlet for his passion for music. As a percussionist/drummer, Harris has accompanied C.J. Chenier & His Red Hot Zydeco Band, Greg Brown, Jonathan Edwards, Rod MacDonald, and Woodstock veterans Melanie, and the late Rick Danko (The Band). He currently plays with an Americana group (Two Days Jeans), a jazz fusion trio (Fuse), and a global-spirit ensemble, the Gaea Star Band, with whom he’s co-hosted a syndicated live music radio show since 2014. After teaching music in public/charter schools for more than a quarter of a century, Harris launched the all-ages program, Drum Away the Blues in 2009. He’s also presented multimedia programs on Amerindian music, America’s musical roots, and Woodstock’s 50th anniversary in libraries in MA, CT, RI, NH, NY, NJ, PA, and FL. His radio show airs on WAMU-FM/bluegrasscountry.org.
This is a free program. Free parking is available in the lot at the corner of Boulder Drive and Newton Place. For information about this or other Library programs call 978-829-1780 or visit our website: www.FitchburgPublicLibrary.org.
Steven Rocheleau, president of Rocheleau Tool & Die Co., Inc. has been elected Chair of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors for 2019-20. The announcement was made at the chamber’s Annual Business Meeting on June 13, 2019.
Headquartered in Fitchburg, Rocheleau Tool & Die is a third generation family owned business that makes extrusion blow molding machinery, blow molds and other related automation equipment. The company was originally founded in 1938 by Canadian immigrant Leopold A. Rocheleau as a small machine shop in the basement of his home. The company initially patented and produced a successful line of cutter grinding fixtures and sliding swivel indicator bases, but expanded over the years to become a leader in the plastics industry.
Rocheleau grew up in the family owned business, starting after completing college as a machine assembler and field service technician, eventually moving into head of sales in 1996. In 2001, he took over as President of the company as it transitioned from second generation to the third generation of family ownership. Under his leadership the company has continued to grow over the years, including expanding its presence in forty international markets and opening a second manufacturing facility in 2014 producing bottles for the dairy industry around the New England and Mid-Atlantic states.
In addition to his involvement with the chamber, Mr. Rocheleau is a member of the Plastics Industry Association, Society of Plastics Engineers, and serves as a member of the Board of Advisors at University of Massachusetts Lowell Plastics Engineering Department. A lifelong resident of North Central Massachusetts, Rocheleau serves as a member of the Capital Planning Committee in the Town of Westminster and a member of the Heritage Bible Chapel in Princeton. He attended Oakmont Regional High School before going on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Bucknell University in Pennsylvania.
He has been married for 30 years to Karla (Swedberg) Rocheleau, and they have four children and three grandchildren. He lives in Westminster, Massachusetts.
Rocheleau was first elected to the Chamber’s Board of Directors in 2015 and has held several leadership positions including Vice Chair, Treasurer and has served on the Chamber’s Leadership Council. He has also served on the Chamber’s Manufacturing CEO Roundtable and its Manufacturing Taskforce. As the Chair of the Chamber’s Board of Directors, Mr. Rocheleau will work with the Board, Chamber staff, and membership to champion the Chamber in its mission to serve the region’s business community.
“As Chairman, Steve will play a significant role in advancing the Chamber’s goals and initiatives,” noted Roy Nascimento, Chamber president & CEO. “We are fortunate to have his respected leadership. We look forward to working with him to advance the interests of our members and promote North Central Massachusetts.”
He succeeds Stephen Mullaney, president SJ Mullaney Engineering Inc., who now moves to the position of Immediate Past Chair of the Board of Directors.
“It is an honor and privilege to have been elected Chair of this dynamic and respected organization that plays such an important role in supporting businesses of all sizes in North Central Massachusetts,” expressed Mr. Rocheleau, “I am excited to continue Steve Mullaney’s efforts and work to ensure the Chamber remains a strong resource for the local business community.”
In the same election, David Duval, president of Protective Services, Inc. in Lunenburg was elected Vice-Chair and director Rachel Lopez, president of Resource Management, Inc. of Fitchburg was elected to the position of Treasurer. Board members elected for a three-year term were Steve Duvarney, owner of Duvarney Jewelers in Fitchburg and Clinton; David Duval, president of Protective Services of Lunenburg; Dr. Richard Lapidus, president of Fitchburg State University in Fitchburg; Anne Leader, president of Vision Payroll in Leominster; Christopher McCarthy, president of Fidelity Bank in Leominster; Cheryl Molebash, general manager of Dixie Consumer Products in Leominster; and John O’Brien, president & CEO of Leominster Credit Union in Leominster.
Continuing current terms on the Board of Directors are Neil Abramson, CFO of ECI Stores in Leominster; Will Aubuchon, president & CEO of W.E. Aubuchon Company in Westminster; Matthew Fournier, president of Elite Construction & Design in Fitchburg; Mark Freeman, president of SteelFab, Inc. in Fitchburg; James Vander Hooven, president of Mount Wachusett Community College in Gardner; Anthony Mercadante, managing partner of Mercadante & Mercadante, CPA of Fitchburg; and Henry Tessman, general manager of Great Wolf Lodge in Fitchburg.
Building on the success of their Nauti hard seltzer line, Wachusett Brewing Company is now stepping into the hard cider ring with their latest platform, Fifty Trees Hard Cider. Fifty Trees Hard Cider will be launched with two styles, both featuring local apples from farms in North Central Massachusetts. The first style, Fifty Trees Original, is blended with a touch of European Bittersweets for a semi-dry character that features a flavorful apple taste with a crisp, clean finish. The second style, Fifty Trees Cranberry, features the tart, refreshing flavor of locally sourced cranberries.
“We have been making hard cider pretty consistently over the last two years” saidWachusett President Christian McMahan. “Craft cider shares all the same values ascraft beer. It has an incredible history, it’s handcrafted, and it allows for incredible diversity and creativity. We have done a ton of experimentation over that time and are proud to finally be able to launch Fifty Trees to a wider audience.” McMahanconcluded.
Fifty Trees Hard Cider is handcrafted in Westminster, Massachusetts, in the heart ofthe state’s apple growing region, aka “Johnny Appleseed Country.” It pays tribute to the legendary orchardist and nurseryman who was born right down the road. In theearly 1800’s, he helped frontier settlers establish land rights by planting fifty apple trees on their land to establish permanent residency as required by Congress at the time, taking advantage of the Northwest Ordinance. Interestingly, the fruits born from these trees were not culinary apples for eating but instead were destined for producing hard cider. Fifty Trees represents a nod to this pioneering spirit and is also exploring other cider styles using ingredients indigenous to the New England agricultural region.
For more information about Wachusett Brewing Company, visit www.wachusettbrew.comFor more information about Fifty Trees Hard Cider, visit www.fiftytreeshardcider.com.
The Wachusett Business Incubator, a business environment dedicated to fostering economic growth in the North Central Massachusetts region is pleased to announce the addition of our first Candidate for our Leadership Candidate Program.
We welcome Justin and Kate Robichaud to the WBI family. The up and coming business is known as ‘Wood You Build It’. The company is growing exponentially since its start in 2018. Wood You Build It provides custom cabinet products to clients regionally, blending personal service and craftsmanship while engaging clients in the online realm.
Working with WBI, Justin and Kate intend to scale their business nationally while building a portfolio of commercial real estate all while providing meaningful work opportunities for others.
“We are absolutely thrilled to engage Justin and Kate in our unique Leadership Candidate Program” said WBI executive director Scott M. Graves. “The projected growth of their company is significant and a clear example of their steadfast belief in themselves as entrepreneurs. Their company’s mix of leveraging modern tech with the traditions of Gardner’s craftsmanship past makes for the perfect early candidacy in our program.”
Rep. Jon Zlotnik, a tireless advocate for the WBI said, “I’m very pleased at the progress at the business incubator. It’s exciting to see more and more business activity and it’s a testament to the work and perseverance our group has put into this idea. I look forward to its continued success as well as the success of the businesses being formed and grown with the incubators support.”
The Leadership Candidacy Program of Wachusett Business Incubator, the first known of its kind in the United States is fast becoming a premier alternative to the ‘Hollywood’ model of incubator and accelerator programs. To find out more about our exciting opportunities write to Scott Graves or 978-410-9250.
Wachusett Business Incubator is also engaging additional clients and intellectual property. The organization is developing several event series and is actively fielding candidates.
Our website: http://wachusettincubator.com
All Other Inquiries
Scott M. Graves Wachusett Business Incubator 35 Sanborn St. Gardner, MA 01440
978-410-9250
Matthew S. Sosik, CEO of Hometown Financial Group, Inc., announced that Karen Yancik has been promoted to the position of Senior Vice President, Senior Compliance and Risk Management Officer. Yancik has responsibility for internal audit, compliance and risk management for the subsidiary banks of Hometown Financial Group; bankESB, bankHometown and Abington Bank.
Yancik joined the company in 1987 and has held significant positions in the areas of internal audit, compliance and risk management, and most recently, Vice President of Compliance and Risk Management.
Yancik received her Bachelor’s Degree from Nichols College. She is also a member of the Massachusetts Bankers’ Association Legal and Regulatory Compliance Committee, the Eastern Massachusetts Compliance Network and the Western Massachusetts Compliance Association.
Yancik resides in Dudley, Massachusetts with her twin sons.
About Hometown Financial Group, Inc.
Hometown Financial Group, Inc. is a $2.7 billion mutual multi-bank holding company headquartered in Easthampton, Massachusetts and is the parent company of bankESB, bankHometown and Abington Bank. These separate and distinct banking franchises offer a complete line of consumer and business deposit and lending products through its 30 branch offices located throughout Massachusetts and northeastern Connecticut. For additional information about Hometown Financial Group, please visit www.bankhfg.com.
Leominster Credit Union will hold a Shred-A-Thon at its 910 West Boylston Street, Worcester, MA location on Saturday, September 14, 2019 from 9:00AM – Noon.
Los miembros y no miembros pueden deshacerse de documentos viejos y sensibles triturándolos y reciclándolos en la Shred-A-Thon. Todos los artículos serán triturados en el lugar por un servicio de trituración seguro, New England Security Shredders.
Members of the community can bring up to three legal size file boxes or three 13-gallon kitchen trash bags to be shred for free. However, we will be accepting donations to Habitat for Humanity during the event. The Shred-A-Thon helps raise awareness about recycling and of course the importance of shredding personal documents to protect against identity theft.
Los documentos importantes para llevar al Shred-A-Thon incluyen estados de cuenta bancarios, declaraciones de impuestos, facturas médicas, estados de cuenta de tarjetas de crédito y otros documentos personales.
Para más información, contacta a Joanne Lattanzi, AVP/Marketing al 978-466-7240 o .
Thomas Littlepage, AVP & Branch Manager of Workers Credit Union, was recognized as the 2018-2019 Ambassador of the Year by the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce at the Chamber’s 35th Annual Business Meeting on June 13, 2019.
Chamber Ambassadors are valued volunteers to the Chamber. They serve as a public relations branch, as well as assisting the Chamber with communications to new and existing members. Tom was voted Ambassador of the Year by his fellow Chamber ambassadors at a recent meeting. The Chamber is pleased to recognize Thomas Littlepage for his consistent support and dedication to the Chamber and the community.
“We are so grateful to Tom for his unwavering support of the Chamber and our efforts to advance the region,” said Roy Nascimento, president & CEO of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce. “His passion and dedication to community involvement help make North Central Massachusetts a better place to live, work and grow a business.”
As a Branch Manager at Workers Credit Union in Leominster and active ambassador for the Chamber, Tom has played an important part in Workers’ involvement in the local community. We thank Thomas Littlepage for his helpful work and commitment. We look forward to seeing where the future takes him in the Chamber and in the North Central Massachusetts community.
This weekend will mark the inauguration of what is now a legislatively mandated annual tradition- the Sales Tax Holiday. Unsurprisingly however, the rollout of this law has not been without issue. The State House caused confusion when it initially included restaurant meals in the upcoming tax holiday. After learning of concerns from restaurant owners themselves however, the Governor has amended the statute to exclude that industry.
Though held in the past, the state’s Governor was never required to designate a tax holiday weekend until passage of the Grand Bargain last year. In an expansive compromise with labor groups, that legislation mandated that an August weekend would be selected to serve that purpose annually. As reported by State House News Service, the Grand Bargain’s language made no distinction between retailers and restauranteurs, leading legislators to interpret it as applying to both. Restaurant owners objected however, explaining their point of sale systems did not enable them to separate taxes for alcohol- which was never included in the tax holiday- from meals. For that reason, Baker filed legislative amendments excluding meals from the Holiday, which the House and Senate immediately approved.
To ensure these revisions are understood and acted upon by business owners, the Commonwealth’s Department of Revenue has issued an updated Technical Information Release (TIR 19-10: Sales of Meals Excluded from the Annual Sales Tax Holiday Weekend) and a new list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). This year, the weekend will run from Saturday, August 17th, through Sunday, August 18th. During that time, no sales tax should be applied to purchases that are for personal, non-business, use and do not include individual items priced above $2,500.
It should be noted that, beyond meals, drinks, and individual items priced over $2,500; there are some ineligible acquisitions, for which sales tax must still be applied. These include the purchase of:
items on layaway
telecommunications services
tobacco products
marijuana and marijuana products
gas
steam
electricity
motor vehicles- including motorboats
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Christopher McDermott, the Chamber’s public affairs manager, at (978) 353-7600, ext. 224; or via email at .
The Chamber is one of 35 state and local chambers chosen to take part in a prestigious national program aimed at addressing critical education and workforce issues. Sponsored by the U.S. Chamber Foundation, the Business Leads Fellowship Program trains and equips participants with resources, national expertise and a network of peers to build their capacity to address the most pressing education and workforce challenges.
“Businesses in North Central Massachusetts are struggling with the same challenges their peers are throughout the country.” says Christopher McDermott, Public Affairs Manager of the Chamber, who is participating in the third cohort of the program on behalf of North Central Massachusetts. “This is a great opportunity for the Chamber to actively contribute to the national conversation while learning best practices from our counterparts in other states that can help us make an impact locally.”
The Chamber was chosen through a competitive selection process. The four-month fellowship will cover the entire talent pipeline, including early childhood education, K-12, higher education and workforce development.
The objectives of this program align with the Chamber’s efforts around improving the workforce, which are most recently exemplified by the publication of our recent report Build North Central: Improving the Industrial Heart of Massachusetts. ◊
The Chamber and its economic development arm, the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation, have commissioned the UMass Donahue Institute to develop a robust data driven economic profile of the region. This economic profile is intended to provide focused data and research for North Central Massachusetts that will be used to support our economic development goals. We anticipate that the data will be used to showcase the region, answer queries about the region, support ongoing projects and help make evidence based decisions.
The customized profile is expected to combine detailed economic, labor market and socioeconomic data, as well as provide analysis on the economic conditions within the region. The project is expected to be completed by October, 2019. ◊
Sponsorships are now available for this year’s Habitat for Humanity North Central MA’s 7taAnnual Building Dreams Golf Tournament. The event will be held at Shaker Hills Country Club in Harvard, MA on Tuesday, September 15ta. All proceeds from this event will benefit the work of Habitat for Humanity NCM, for building and repairing affordable homes throughout the organization’s 25 towns and cities in the region.
Sponsorship opportunities for the golf event are still available and local businesses and organizations are encouraged to apply. Sponsorship benefits include recognition and company branding at the event and in all printed and digital releases. Participating sponsors will also be highlighted on Habitat NCM’s website and Facebook page. Branding will be imprinted on event giveaways and rates vary, depending on level chosen.
Individuals interested in golfing at the event can sign up as foursomes ($640), groups of three ($505), pairs ($345) or singles ($185) on Habitat NCM’s website. Registration includes greens fee, cart, golf shirt, morning refreshments and lunch. Each golfer will also receive a generous swag bag filled with golf accessories and snacks. The shotgun start is at 9:00 am. Registration begins at 7:30 am. Multiple Contests on the course are available to participants looking to snag bragging rights, trophies and pro shop prizes. These include Longest Drive, Closest to the Pin, Hole in One and Closest to the Flamingo. A silent auction will also be featured. To register for the event, please visit the Habitat for Humanity North Central MA website. Deadline to register is August 30ta.
Habitat for Humanity North Central Massachusetts
Habitat for Humanity North Central Massachusetts offersa hand up, not a hand out,to hard-working, low-income central Massachusetts families seeking affordable home ownership. It is a non-profit housing ministry that builds simple, decent houses with people in need, serving 25 towns and cities in North Central Massachusetts. Habitat NCM also operates the Leominster ReStore, 637 Lancaster Street (Route 117), which raises funds through the sale of discounted and recycled materials and furniture.
