The business advisory group SCORE will be hosting a two-part webinar series on QuickBooks sponsored by Essex Savings Bank.

Presented by Intuit ProAdvisor Elizabeth Santaus, the series can be attended separately, but pre-registration is required.

Part one, “Managing Your Business Finances with QuickBooks,” will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 9. This part will explain the Chart of Accounts and its critical importance in the correct use of QuickBooks.

Part two, “Choosing the Right QuickBooks: The Basics of Setting Up Your QuickBooks Company,” will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. May 10. This session will compare features of QuickBooks Desktop versus QuickBooks Online. A QuickBooks Desktop company will be started from scratch, reviewing the setup preferences and decisions along the way.

For information, contact Anne Driscoll, anne.driscoll@scorevolunteer.org.

SPECIAL NOTE

The Day’s business page on Sunday is looking to feature a small local business every week. To contribute, email a picture of your business (and you) to businessbriefs@theday.com. You will need to provide the name and address of your business, name of owners, when you started in business, how many employees you have, contact info (website, email address and/or email), plus a description of your business specialties. Stories will be edited for brevity and clarity.

PEOPLE & PLACES

The Rotary Club of Mystic has awarded seven community grants to area nonprofits.

Always Home Inc. received support for a Childcare Solutions Program.

Covenant Shelter of New London Inc. received support for the installation of two security/safety cameras at its emergency shelter for families and single adults.

Groton Community Meals was given a grant to assist in providing To Go Meals to Groton community residents suffering from food insecurity.

Mystic & Noank Library was given funding for the purchase of computer software identifying employers who “match” employee donations.

Riverfront Children’s Center in Groton was awarded a grant for tuition subsidies for children 12 weeks to 9 years old from low income homes.

South East CT Community Center of the Blind Inc. received funds to assist with travel needs of the blind.

Yellow Farmhouse Education Center Inc. in Stonington won funding to purchase and deliver kelp to 15 high school culinary classrooms in the region.

UPCOMING

Beer’d Brewing Co. in Groton and Sen. Heather Somers, R-Groton, are inviting the public to an Earth Day Clean Up event starting 10 a.m. Sunday, April. 16 at Bluff Point State Park.

“Spring is here, and it’s a great time to get together to help beautify a wonderful resource like Bluff Point State Park,” Sen. Somers said in a release. “We look forward to seeing folks on Sunday. We’ll also be unveiling a game we call ‘Trash Bingo’, so we will all have a fun time during the clean-up process.”

The event will be held at 55 Depot Road, Groton. Trash bags will be supplied to volunteers. For more information, contact Mariah.Lupo@cga.ct.gov.

Business After Hours with the Eastern Connecticut Chamber of Commerce will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 19, at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy’s Alumni Hall, 47 Mohegan Ave, New London. A valid photo ID is required for campus entry.

An evening of networking is on tap, with complimentary food from multiple caterers, drinks, door prizes and a view of the Thames River.

On Thursday, May 5, the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut will hold its 12th annual Military Appreciation Breakfast from 7:45 to 9:15 a.m. at the Mystic Marriott Hotel and Spa.

The cost is $28 for members, 38 for nonmembers and $15 for veterans, vet retirees or military spouses.

Join the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce for a Business After Hours event hosted by The Homeport Team at Remax Legends and Deans Mill Farm from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 18. Drinks and small bites will be provided, along with raffle prizes. Cost is $10 for members, $25 for non-members. To register, go to www.mysticchamber.org and visit the Events tab.

The antiques and vintage store Friedman Found will hold a Thursday After Hours event from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 20, at 33 Boston Post Road, Waterford. These events, including music, art and munchies, will occur the third Thursday of every month. This month, Margot Friedman will teach a free yoga class at 6 p.m. For information, visit FriedmanFound.com.

EVENTS

The Friends of Gillette Castle State Park and Hadlyme Country Market hosted an April 2 celebration of the Chester-Hadlyme Ferry’s 253-year legacy of service on the Connecticut River. Attendees included Department of Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto, who cut a ribbon before welcoming new passengers aboard. Other officials at the event included state Rep. Christine A. Palm, D-36th; state Rep. Irene Haines, R-34th; state Rep. Devin Carney, R-23rd; state Sen. Norman Needleman, D-33rd; Lynn Wilkinson, president of the Friends of Gillette Castle State Park, and Tyke and Theodora Niver, performing as William and Helen Gillette.

On March 15, United Way of Southeastern Connecticut celebrated the conclusion of its Student United Way cohort — the first of its kind in New England. The 20 students in the program had monthly sessions during which they learned about the needs in New London County, visited nonprofit agencies, and volunteered. The students also participated in a decision-making process to award a $2,500 grant. The students were: Alexander Salerno, Carly Curtis, Mackenzie Hope, Stormy Carter, Khalfani Campbell, Sham Qarqour, Grace Buecker, Karla Flores, Andrew Palomino Soria, Aidan Pomerenke, Aurora Clinton, Jacob Fields, Isaiah Imasuen, Mariah Wright, Jayra Azcona, Abby Jarrard, Vaysi Suhana Sharma, Kyijong Tenzin and Brianne Kolcomons.

VOLUNTEERING

Volunteer positions are available at both Olde Mistick Village and the Hilton Mystic. Check-in, merchandise tent, hospitality, parking, registration, course monitors and cyclists are some of the positions that need to be filled.

Proceeds will support the many Mystic Rotary charitable contributions given back to the community, including scholarships for Mystic area graduating seniors and grants to local nonprofits.

Sign up for the event at tinyurl.com/mystichalf, or get information at www.mysticrotary.org.

NONPROFITS

Operation Fuel’s winter/spring energy assistance program ended April 14, as the nonprofit has helped more than double the number of households it typically serves in a program year.

“There has been an unprecedented request for energy assistance this year, so Operation Fuel has made the difficult decision to close our program for 2022-23,” said Operation Fuel’s Executive Director Brenda Watson in a release.

Between December and April, Operation Fuel has provided nearly $8 million in energy assistance to 8,000 households. The nonprofit last year served 6,502 households all year.

During February and March alone, Operation Fuel received over 6,000 calls, and about 100 applications a day, according to Watson. Operation Fuel plans to resume providing energy assistance when its summer/fall program opens on Aug. 1, for fiscal year 2023-24. Call 211 for assistance.

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