E-Newsletter
An Electronic Publication of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce
Inside this edition, you’ll discover the latest Chamber initiatives and success stories from across our region. From economic development projects and upcoming networking events to policy updates and workforce training opportunities, we’re keeping you connected to what matters most for your business and North Central Massachusetts.
The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce is here to help – with trusted resources, a strong business network, and a support system to keep your business and the region moving forward

The Johnny Appleseed Visitor Center, considered by many the gateway to North Central Massachusetts, opened in 1996 as a way to welcome people traveling through the region and give them a place to stop, stretch their legs, and learn more about the twenty-six communities in North Central Massachusetts and what they have to offer for visitors and families. Open 360 days a year from 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., the visitors’ center greets people from the local community as well as those traveling down Route 2 to their destination and those who are vacationing locally with us.
“It’s important to us that everyone who walks through the visitors’ center doors feels welcomed” said Diane Burnette, Visitor Center Manager for the Johnny Appleseed Trail Association. “Whether we are a daily stop for you, or you are coming into the area for the first time, you should have a positive experience here at the Johnny Appleseed Visitors’ Center.”
The center features a gift shop that carries many local products including jams, jellies, honey, maple syrup, fudge, chocolates, sparkling cider and that local icon of American kitsch – the plastic flamingo! Visitors to the center can also find a wide selection of books highlighting the history of the 
Over 165,000 people walk through the visitor center doors every year. Some come in for a pit stop on their route, some for directions to a local destination or information on local attractions, and some for the local products from across the region that are sold in the gift shop. One thing that every single visitor receives is a welcoming feeling and a nice “hello” and “have a great day’ as they enter and leave again.
The Johnny Appleseed Visitor Center is open daily. Normal business hours are 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The Johnny Appleseed Visitor Center is located at 1000 Rte. 2 Westbound, between exit 34 & 35, in Lancaster, MA. For more information, please call 978-534-2829 or visit www.visitnorthcentral.com.

Attendees on the tour, which also included legislators, economic development officials and members of the media, visited several manufacturing companies where they were able to get an insider’s look at how select manufacturers operate as well as learn about the growing employment opportunities in manufacturing and the necessary skill-sets needed.
The manufacturing bus tour, part of the Chamber’s “Amp It Up!” initiative, included stops at Rocheleau Tool & Die, a family owned and operated business established in 1938 in Fitchburg that specializes in the manufacture of extrusion blow molding machinery, blow molds and related automation equipment; Burkhart-Phelan, Inc., a company founded in 1982 that specializes in the precision manufacturing of high quality flutes and piccolos; Nypro, a world-class leader in manufacturing precision plastic products for customers in the healthcare, packaging and consumer electronics industries; and Mount Wachusett Community College’s Devens Manufacturing Center which offers technical training in a number of different areas including advanced manufacturing with an emphasis on automation and robotics and quality. The tour also included a lunch presentation and discussion by Shailah Stewart of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on ways that schools and communities can collaborate with employers.
North Central Massachusetts boasts the largest concentration of manufacturing in the state. Fully one-third of all private wages paid in the region are from manufacturing jobs. Companies range from the world class plastics industry cluster of more than 140 companies to pharmaceuticals to photonics and paper, as well as biomedical devices.
Manufacturers today are some of the most well-paid, highly trained and in demand employees in the workforce, working on advanced equipment and technology. However, many manufacturers have been challenged recruiting the workers they need. Despite the high wage potential and increasing employer demand, there is both a need for more young workers and a skills gap among an existing and a transitioning workforce.
The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce and the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation remain com
mitted to supporting and growing this critical sector of the region’s economy. The organizations are working with partners to address this skills gap, retain the region’s young talent, and introduce them to the high-tech, high-skilled, and high-paying careers of the modern manufacturing industry. The Chamber believes that building successful education partnerships between businesses and the region’s schools is critical to collective, on-going efforts.
The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce wishes to thank and acknowledge the support and assistance of the following partners who
The purpose of the “AMP it up!” initiative is to leverage new and existing resources to continue ongoing efforts to reach career counselors, community organizations, youth-serving organizations, educators, and most importantly students throughout North Central Massachusetts. The Chamber’s “Amp It Up!” initiative is funded in part through a matching grant from MassDevelopment. Other partners include Fitchburg State University, Mt. Wachusett Community College and school systems throughout the region. Ongoing efforts to promote manufacturing careers have also included engaging the schools and offering career exploration activities to students, hosting student tours, participating in career day activities and promoting manufacturing via a targeted social media campaign.
For more information on the manufacturing bus tour or the “Amp It Up!” Initiative, please contact the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce at (978) 353-7600.
The Department of Industrial Accident’s Office of Safety has released the FY17 Workplace Safety Training & Education Grant Program Application for submission by July 1, 2016.
The objective of this program is to promote safe and healthy conditions in the workplace by awarding state funds to eligible applicants who submit responses designed to provide and improve safety education and training in Occupational Safety and Health to employers/employees within the Commonwealth covered by the Massachusetts Workers’ Compensation Law (M.G.L. Chapter 152). Complete instructions, will be detailed in the FY17 Safety Training Grant Application.
Prepare and submit your grant application as outlined in the instructions. Incomplete applications cannot be processed unless all requested documents are included.
For your convenience, we have created the grant application and contractual documents as writable PDF files. The grant application and supporting documents as outlined in the check off summary must be submitted electronically as one document. Multiple attachments and zip files cannot be accepted.
JOHN DOE CONTRACTUAL DOCUMENTS
JOHN DOE SAFETY GRANT APPLICATION_CONTRACTUAL DOCUMENTS
Please remember to apply for and submit a copy of your Department of Revenue (DOR) Certificate of Good Standing with your application and contractual documents. A Certificate of Good Standing less than 6 months old must be provided at the time of submission. The fastest and easiest way to obtain a Certificate is online through MassTaxConnect https://mtc.dor.state.ma.us/mtc
Applicants must be in full compliance with all obligations to the Department of Unemployment Assistance, Department of Industrial Accidents, and any other obligations to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Applicants found to be non-compliant will be removed from consideration until all compliance issues have been resolved.
Prepare and submit original contractual documents as outlined in the instructions. ALL signatures and dates must be original and in ink. Stamps will not be accepted.
If you have questions or need assistance with grant application only, please contact Deven Awalt 617-727-4900 ext. 7404 or Maria Pesantes at 617-727-4900 ext. 7376. You may also refer all questions to
If you have questions or need assistant with the contractual documents only, please contact Diane Lentini at 617-626-5913 or by emailing
Fitchburg Sports Complex Property Management, LLC
Cordially Invites You to Join
The Honorable Stephen L. DiNatale, Mayor of Fitchburg
The Fitchburg City Council, Distinguished Leaders and Supporters
Witness the official ground breaking Ceremony of Fitchburg Game On Sports & Performance Center which will be a premier sports facility situated on 96 acers. The indoor complex is 115,000 sq. ft. The outdoor complex consist of 9 outdoor lighted fields for soccer, lacrosse, flag football, and other sports complete with a concession stand and restrooms. The indoor facility will house 3 turf fields and 3 full size basketball courts that convert to futsal and volleyball courts. It also includes a fitness center and a state of the art athletic training center as well as a sports medicine and rehab hub. The Complex is located in Fitchburg MA conveniently off Rte. 2
Why Fitchburg? The major reason is Mayor DiNatale, he has been dedicated from the beginning. With his leadership, the mindset among city government is “How can we help?”
Coupled with this, Fitchburg is also easily accessed from major highways, the population in and surrounding Fitchburg meets our business model and there is a tremendous need for sports fields. The commitment from 
This project will be a game-changer for the region, tournaments and events held at the Fitchburg Game On Sports and Performance Complex will not only give locals a great place to gather for sporting events, but will ultimately result in a boost in tourism dollars to local hotels, restaurants and retail in and around Fitchburg.
The sports complex will have an annual direct economic impact between $3 million and $6 million and will result in increase of hotel room stays for North Central MA. The direct economic impact includes spending for lodging, transportation, retail, restaurants and entertainment. The construction and indirect impact on job creation will also be significant for the city of Fitchburg MA.
For more information go to GOSPORTSCENTER.COM
Massachusetts-based independent filmmaker Jennifer Potts will film her latest project, The
Extraordinary World of Cecily Blinkstop, in Fitchburg, Mass., from July 15 through 18, 2017.
Set in 1974 rural New England, this enchanting story moves through the days of Cecily, a
seven-year-old girl who, after the death of her baby sister, lives in a world with no music, no
color, no laughter, no love—that is, until a magical imaginary friend shows up and joins Cecily
on the quest to save her family from the grief that is destroying them. Jennifer Potts wrote the
feature film script The Extraordinary World of Cecily Blinkstop in 2014, and this short version is
based on the first 15 pages of the feature film script. This short film will be produced as a proof
of concept to raise funding for the feature film.
In addition to enlisting at least 80 percent of her cast and crew from the New England region,
Potts is also committed to building a crew with at least 50 percent women. Some highlights to
Potts’ crew include Director of Photography Katherine Castro, originally from Boston and now
living in Brooklyn, N.Y.; Co-Producer Erica Hunter of Fairfield, Conn.; Steadycam Operator Lisa
Sene, of Boston, Mass.; Editor and Set Dresser Luisa Pina of Swansea, Mass.; and Gaffer,
Sam Robinson of Erving, Mass. All crew bios are available at
http://www.cecilyblinkstop.com/filmmakers.
Playing the lead role of Cecily Blinkstop is eight-year-old Colbi Gannett of Waterboro, Me. Her
brother, six-year-old Emmett Gannett, also from Waterboro, Me., will play the role of Cecily’s
younger brother, Barney. Six-year-old Molly McCarthy of South Easton, Mass., will make her
film debut in the role of Amanda Jane, Cecily’s magical friend, and Patricia Fitzgerald, a
13-year-old actress from South Yarmouth, Mass., will play the role of Cecily’s older sister, Kim.
Ava Gaudet of Providence, R.I., will play the role of Helen Blinkstop, Cecily’s mother. Will

available at http://www.cecilyblinkstop.com/cast.
Visit The Extraordinary World of Cecily Blinkstop at www.cecilyblinkstop.com, Facebook page:
Cecilyblinkstop, and Twitter handle @cecilyblinkstop.
Jennifer Potts is a Massachusetts-based screenwriter and film director. She is living proof that
life does not need to slow down when you get to the middle. After graduating from Drew
University in 1992 with a BA in Theatre Arts, she co-founded and ran Cornerstone Performing
Arts Center in Fitchburg, Mass., where she oversaw a small non-equity theatre company and
directed multiple productions every year. In 2012, at age 41, Potts returned to school to study
film/video production at Fitchburg State University, where she wrote and directed two short films
and was awarded 2014 Film Student of the Year. In July 2016, Potts received an MFA in Writing
for the Stage and Screen from New Hampshire Institute of Art. Potts’ most recent short film
Charlie & Poppy was selected to screen at 17 film festivals around the world and won two “best
of” awards. Potts’ feature script, The Extraordinary World of Cecily Blinkstop , won the grand
prize of the New England Spotlight section of the Rhode Island International Film Festival’s
2016 Screenplay Competition. Potts resides in Fitchburg, Mass., with her husband of 27 years
and has five grown children. www.jenniferpotts.com
By Elizabeth Dobbins,
FITCHBURG — It’s not just about the food at Al Fresco Fitchburg, a new Main Street event promoting locally owned restaurants.
It’s also about the scene.
“You’re going to have eight restaurants cooking in front of you,” said Joel Kaddy, organizer and Ward 3 City Councilor. “You’re going to have beautiful dinner music. You’re going to have the smell of the food.”
During the event Thursday evening, diners will sit down at tables set up in Main Street to watch chefs cook multiple course meals and dine, Kaddy said.
“The whole idea is to provide outdoor dining and to support locally owned restaurants,” he said.
The event — a collaboration between Kaddy, Fitchburg Pride and the city’s economic development office — will temporarily shut down Main Street between Prichard and Oliver streets.
Tables of six, two for each restaurant, will be seated at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. and diners will eat as soft music is played.
Craft beer and other alcohol will be available at a cash bar until 10 p.m. and afterward diners are encouraged to visit other downtown businesses, like The Boulder Cafe, for drinks.
“I would like some of our customers to visit some of our other locations,” he said.
Unlike many “taste of” events, diners will eat food at the event from only one restaurant — the place where they purchase the ticket.
Tickets are available at Dario’s Ristorante, Zapata Mexican Cocina, The Fay Club, Dickie’s Grillin, Slattery’s, Oak Hill Country Club, Beemers Pub & Grill and Il Ricordi.
Zapata’s offerings will include ceviche, rice, beef, guacamole and smoked churros, owner Michel Coronado said.
A preliminary menu from Slattery’s includes chilled gaspacho, a salad of roasted red and golden beets and a roast tenderloin of beef.
“We’ve always been involved in the city,” Slattery’s owner Dave Celuzza said. “It’s the good will. It’s being part of it with the rest of the city.”
The restaurant’s 24 seats at the event were almost all purchased as of Friday afternoon, according Celuzza.
Kaddy said he hopes diners are inspired to try new restaurants from the food they see at the event.
“We have some wonderful restaurants and some wonderful people running them,” he said.
In the event of rain, Al Fresco Fitchburg will be moved to July 27.
Follow Elizabeth Dobbins on Twitter @DobbinsSentinel
Read more: http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/news/ci_31124849/delicious-event-planned-fitchburg#ixzz4mQtzVERR
When the workday ends and the lights go down, Custom Cleaning Service of Peabody, Inc. gets to work. “We operate as our clients’ silent partner after business hours,” says Adam Paicos, of Templeton, who now serves as Director of Operations and oversees the company’s expansion into North Central MA. “We are not often seen, but we ensure facilities are clean, secure, and ready for business each day while serving as the eyes and ears for our clients when they are not on site.”
Discover local business stories through our Inside North Central Massachusetts Podcast series. Listen as Chamber members share their journeys, insights, and contributions to our thriving regional business community.
Looking for your next opportunity? Explore current job openings from employers across North Central Massachusetts on our Jobs Board. Whether you’re starting a new career or making a change, you’ll find a variety of local positions available to help you take the next step.
CapEx Facility Services & Construction · Leominster, MA
TaraVista Behavioral Health Center · Harvard, MA
DRS Power Technology, Inc. · Fitchburg, MA
AIS · Leominster, MA