NETWORKING

The Young Professionals of Eastern CT will host a networking event on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Filomena's Restaurant, 262 Boston Post Road, Waterford. Admission is free for YPECT members, $10 for non-members. Learn more and register at www.YPECT.com or call the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT at (860) 701-9113. YPECT is administered as a division of the Chamber. Its Gold Sponsors include Atlantic Broadband and McCue Mortgage/Keith Turner.

The Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT will host its Business After Hours networking event on Jan. 24 at Hoffman Audi, 490 Broad St., New London, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Admission is $15 for Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT members, $25 for non-members. Register in advance to avoid an additional $5 walk-in fee at www.ChamberECT.com/events or call (860) 701-9113.

The Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT will host a Business Luncheon with U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney on Monday, Jan. 22, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Groton Inn & Suites, 99 Gold Star Highway. Admission is $20 for Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT members, $25 for non-members. Register in advance to avoid an additional $5 walk-in fee at www.ChamberECT.com/events or call (860) 701-9113. Atlantic Broadband is the sponsor. 

WORKSHOPS

CorePlus Credit Union will hold free seminars on “Senior Financial Scams: How to Protect Family and Friends:” Thursday, Jan. 18 at 10.45 a.m., Rose City Senior Center, 8 Mahan Drive, Norwich; and  Tuesday, Feb. 27 at 1 p.m., Lyme/Old Lyme Senior Center, 26 Town Woods Road, Old Lyme. 

SCORE will host free workshops on:

“(Taking the Fear out of) Small Business Selling," Tuesday, Jan. 23rd, 6–7:30 p.m., Od Saybrook Town Hall, 302 Main St. Presenter is Eric Munro. For more information contact Anne Driscoll at anne.driscoll@scorevolunteer.org.

“Marketing Your Small Business,” Wednesday, Jan. 24, 10–11:30 a.m., East Lyme Public Library, 39 Society Road, Niantic. Presenter is  Tanisha Baptiste of the Small Business Administration. For more information contact Anne Driscoll at anne.driscoll@scorevolunteer.org. 

“How to Start and Run Your Non-Profit Business,” Wednesday, Feb. 7, 10–11:30 a.m., Old Saybrook Town Hall, 302 Main St. Presenter is Bob Potter; contact him at bobpottr@aol.com.

EVENTS

The Community Concierge program invites residents to a cooking class on Thursday, January 25, 6-8 p.m. at Coogan Farm Kitchen, 162 Greenmanville Ave., Mystic. Guests at this event will learn the basics of pie making techniques and will learn to bake using fresh seasonal fruits such as rhubarb, apples, or blueberries. Guests will taste-taste their pies. Admission is $25 per person requested in advance. Learn more by visiting www.ChamberECT.com or call (860) 701-9113. Community Concierge is an initiative of the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT to welcome newcomers to the region with special events, personal guidance, and a directory of local resources. Learn more at www.CommunityECT.com. Community Concierge is made possible with the support of CTNext and is sponsored by Atlantic Broadband.

The Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce will holds it 2018 Annual Meeting & Awards Banquet on Jan. 18, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Three Rivers Community College, 574 New London Turnpike, Norwich. There is no cost for members and $20 for non-members. Angelo Yeitz of the Norwich Public Works Department and the American Group will receive Community Awards. The sponsors at Norwich Public Utilities and the American Group. For more information, call (860) 887-1647 or visit www.norwichchamber.com.

GRAND OPENINGS

Planet Fitness held a Grand Opening at its Groton facility on Jan. 10 hosted by the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce. Planet Fitness is located at 656 Long Hill Road, Groton.

Laundromat Express, formerly the It's a Wash laundromat, is open under new ownership in the Stop & Shop Plaza on Boston Post Road in Waterford. The owners are husband and wife Brian and Melissa Rheaume. For more information, visit waterfordlaundry.com.

HONORS

Bloomberg Pursuits, the lifestyle, food and travel hub of Bloomberg News, has named Grass & Boneas one of "The Most Exciting Butcher Shops in America." Bloomberg highlighed offerings such as the Grandpa Reuben (made with house-made pastrami) and bronzed rotisserie chicken with garlic mayo. The focal point of the space is a refrigerated case filled with cuts of meat dry-aged up to 90 days and sometimes more, Bloomberg said.

Daniel Meiser and James Wayman, owners of Oyster Club, Engine Room and Stone Acres Farm, opened the shop last summer at 24 East Main St., Mystic. For more information, call 860-245-4814 or visit www.grassandbonect.com.

The Westerly Community Credit Union has recently been voted the #1 Best Bank by the Sun Media Group's Second Annual Readers' Choice Awards 2017. In the poll conducted by the Sun Media Group, over 14,500 reader votes were cast for their favorite goods and services, dining, entertainment and shopping. The votes came in from the South Kingstown, Westerly, and Mystic-Groton area towns.

Westerly Community Credit Union serves over 18,000 members with branch locations in South Kingstown Richmond and Westerly. For more information, visit www.westerlyccu.com.

GIVING

Pfizer Groton Labs has opened the call for local non-profit organizations to apply for Pfizer’s 2018/2019 competitive grants. Applications from organizations serving communities in southeastern Connecticut, the greater New Haven area, and southern Rhode Island will be considered. Priority will be given to programs that bring science and math to students from elementary through high school. Additional grants will be made to programs that provide for the underserved or to support local civic and cultural institutions.

Grants will range from $1,000 and will not exceed $10,000. Organizations can apply online at http://pfizercommunitygrants.versaic.com no later than March 31 for programs taking place July 2018 through June 2019. For more information, email PfizerConnecticutLabs@Pfizer.com.

MEMBERSHIP

The Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT welcomes new members Journey Found, Inc. and The Pink Mermaid. Journey Found, Inc. is a Manchester-based organization that provides residential and other services to adults with pervasive developmental disorders and intellectual disabilities. The Pink Mermaid, 1313 Gold Star Highway, Groton, carries everything needed when going through breast cancer treatment. Website: Find a full list of the Chamber's newest members at www.ChamberECT.com.

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