Groton — Entrepreneurs over 50 are being encouraged to attend a free crash course about programs to help them during a meeting from 10 a.m. to noon Aug. 20 at Webster Bank.

The boot camp-style event, co-hosted by the Connecticut chapter of AARP and the U.S. Small Business Administration, is open to anyone, but a special focus is being placed on so-called “encore entrepreneurs” who are at least 50 years old.

Among those making opening remarks will be Julio Casiano, deputy district director of the SBA; Tony Sheridan, president and chief executive of the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut, and Nora Duncan, state director of AARP Connecticut. Boot camp presenters will be Kristin Havrilla Clarke, economic development specialist for the Town of Groton; Michael Del Vecchio, certified mentor for the business advisory group SCORE; Matthew Nemeth, an advisor at the Small Business Development Center, and Milena Erwin, program director at the University of Hartford Entrepreneurial Center.

A representative of FranNet, an organization that consults with entrepreneurs about franchising opportunities, also will be on hand.

“There is an opportunity for networking both before and after the formal presentation,” Duncan said in an email.

Duncan added that the SBA has held similar events in other cities during recent years, but this is its first time in the Groton-New London area.

The event is at 654 Long Hill Road. For more information, go to www.sba.gov/ct or

http://www.aarp.org/ct. Also check out #EncoreEntrepreneur through various social media.