Denise Desrochers of Plainfield, originally from Biddeford, Maine, has been named program and event manager at the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut.

Desrochers holds a Bachelor of Arts in classical vocal performance from the University of Southern Maine and a Master of Arts in translation studies from the University of Portsmouth. Prior to moving to Connecticut, she was an active member and served as chair for the Heart of Biddeford main street organization, developing programming with residents and local businesses to improve community quality of life.

Julia Florence of Voluntown will serve as the chamber’s new communications manager, overseeing internal and external public relations and marketing initiatives. An alumna of Eastern Connecticut State University with a Bachelor of Science in communication, she brings a background in marketing, having previously worked for New London-based agency Quinn & Hary.

Chamber President and CEO Tony Sheridan noted that the organization now employs 11 professional staff at its 92 Eugene O’Neill Drive headquarters in New London.

People & Places

Lawrence + Memorial Hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Advanced Certification in Spine Surgery by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. L+M is the second Yale New Haven Health hospital to receive this designation, along with Yale New Haven Hospital – Saint Raphael Campus. They are among only 25 hospitals across the country to receive the certification.

Patrick Doherty, chief of neurosurgery at L+M and associate professor of clinical neurosurgery at Yale School of Medicine, praised the commitment of physician assistants, nurses, therapists, coordinators and physician colleagues. To be eligible for ACSS, organizations must implement evidence-based care and clinical practice guidelines and participate in the American Spine Registry, a national quality improvement registry for spine care.

To learn more, visit https://www.lmhospital.org/services/neurology-neurosurgery/spine.

Thames Valley Council for Community Action has welcomed Max Logan of Quaker Hill as its new senior director of budgeting and accounting. He will be working closely with all TVCCA’s programs and directors, helping to streamline financial processes and automate tasks, as well as working with TVCCA’s state funding sources.

Brian Vanasse, TVCCA’s chief financial officer, cited Logan’s “wealth of expertise and knowledge.”

For more information about TVCCA’s programs throughout eastern Connecticut, which include housing/homelessness prevention, senior nutrition, WIC, early childhood education, senior volunteer opportunities, family support, energy assistance, and community outreach, call (860) 889-1365 or visit tvcca.org.

The Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce announced Yanitza Yepes as the latest nominee in the Community Proud series, presented by CorePlus Federal Credit Union.

With nearly a decade of experience in hospitality, Yepes is known for her positivity, genuine personality, and the unique way she connects with guests, creating memorable dining experiences. Currently bartending and serving at PEARL Provisions + Tipples, she brings impressive culinary knowledge from her diverse background, which includes roles at Chapter One and Koto Japanese Steakhouse.

Having called Mystic her home for the past nine years after relocating from Virginia Beach, Yepes is proud to be a part of the New England community. "My advice to the younger generation is to try everything — travel, become cultured, try out different jobs, and figure out what you’re passionate about," Yanitza says. "It’s important to be well-rounded."

Two locally owned businesses have collaborated to organize a Dinner and Wine event at 6 p.m. Oct. 9 at La Belle Aurore Restaurant in Niantic. The idea was to bring the East Lyme and Waterford communities together, create an enjoyable and educational experience, and support these family-owned establishments: La Belle Aurora and Wines of Illyria, a small woman-owned importer and distributor of natural wine and spirits based in Waterford.

Indira Bayer, who founded Wines of Illyria in 2016, will introduce unique and authentic wines paired with dishes created by the La Belle Aurore’s Chef Dawn in this six-course meal (you must specify vegetarian or gluten free in advance).

Tickets can be ordered for $100 a person at https://www.labelleaurorect.com/classes/wines-of-illryia-october-9. For more information, email IndiraBayer@winesofillyria.com or visit www.winesofillyria.com.

On Sept. 18, Bradley Airport hosted its third “Autism Flies” event in partnership with Autism Double-Checked and Breeze Airways.

Alan Day, co-founder and CEO of Autism Double-Checked, said the event gave families with children on the autism spectrum a chance to practice going through the airport.

“Our pilots and flight attendance have all gone through training, so that they know exactly how to manage and make comfortable the flying experience for our guest on the spectrum,” Breeze Airways Chief Guest Officer Fiona Kiesel said.

Over 200 people checked in at the Breeze Airways ticketing counter, received boarding passes, went through security, waited at the gate and boarded the aircraft.

On Tuesday, Sept. 17, Griswold Public Schools hosted a ribbon cutting for the relocated and reimagined Griswold Soule Street Academy. The Academy, formerly the Griswold Alternative School on Rt. 201, is now located in the renovated former home of the Griswold Senior Center on Soule Street in Jewett City.

The Academy serves special education students in grades 7-12 from Griswold and other local districts who require additional daily supports. Superintendent Sean McKenna called the Griswold Soule Street Academy “a truly Griswold project,” with Fred Marzec & Associates Inc. as the architect and Sarazin General Contractors Inc. as construction contractor. The School Building Committee’s clerk of the works was Wes Greenleaf.

Christopher Champlin, director of student services at the Academy, completed the ribbon cutting with the help of Griswold Board of Education Chairperson Mary Beth Malin and BOE Facilities Subcommittee Chair Martin Osga. For more information, visit https://gssa.griswoldpublicschools.org/.

Nonprofit News

New England Science & Sailing Foundation’s SEA AmeriCorps members began their year of service by participating in the Sept. 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance.

This year, NESS SEA AmeriCorps launched a unique and environmentally conscious project in collaboration with the Stonington Borough, with members designing and painting a storm drain in front of NESS’s Stonington location to promote clean water and environmental stewardship. This painted baleen whale artwork highlights the importance of keeping our waterways clean and protecting the environment for future generations.

Bridget Nelson, director of NESS SEA AmeriCorps, invites community members to experience the Storm Drain Art Project and follow their progress on social media and NESS’s website at NESSF.org/Partnerships/AmeriCorps.

The American School for the Deaf has partnered with the Connecticut Hospital Association to produce a training video to raise awareness and improve communication access for deaf, hard of hearing, and DeafBlind patients across the state. Academy Award-winning actor Marlee Matlin provided the introduction for the video, which is being shared with hospitals.

The video can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPMS74Uf6Yo. For more information, visit www.asd-1817.org or cthosp.org.

Opportunities

Chelsea Groton Bank is hosting a career fair for candidates interested in pursuing a career in banking on Thursday, Oct. 3, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the bank’s Groton headquarters , 904 Poquonnock Road.

Candidates are encouraged to bring a resume and to dress professionally. Bank team members will meet with candidates and hold interviews on the spot.

To review open positions before attending, visit www.chelseagroton.com/Careers. For other questions, email Renee Simao at rsimao@chelseagroton.com.

Applications for Home Energy Assistance for the 2024-2025 heating season are now being accepted by Access Community Action Agency. Help is available for all income-eligible households in Windham and Tolland counties that use oil, coal, propane, kerosene, electric, pellets, wood, or natural gas heat, as their heating source as well as heat included homes.

To qualify, you must have an annual household income (before taxes) that is below 60 percent of the State Median Income. For example, a family of four can make up to $87,511 before taxes and qualify for assistance.

Applications can be done either by phone, by mail, in-person, or directly online at the CT Energy Assistance Program. Residents of Windham and Tolland counties can contact Access in Willimantic at 860-450-7400 or in Danielson at 860-412-1600 to make an appointment. Press 3 to reach the HEAP Department.

American Farmland Trust opens applications for the Brighter Future Fund’s New England Regenerative Livestock Farming Grants on Oct. 1. New England livestock farmers adopting regenerative agriculture or soil health practices can apply through Nov. 29 at https://farmland.org/brighterfuture/, or send questions to Kristen Irvin, Program Associate, at kirvin@farmland.org.

The grants provide up to $10,000 to livestock producers in select counties that improve soil health through the adoption of regenerative agricultural practices, and fund projects that include fencing, cover crop seeds, reduced tillage equipment, irrigation, pasture establishment, pollinator habitat, and other conservation practices.

Chamber News

A ribbon cutting will be held by the Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce for the new Brick & Basil Wood Fired Pizza grand opening at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2. The pizza haven had been operating out of a truck for many years on West Town Street.

On Friday, Oct. 4, from 8 to 9 a.m., the Norwich chamber will host its First Friday Meet & Greet at Dodd Stadium, 14 Stott Ave., Norwich.

For information, email info@norwichchamber.com or call 860-887-1647. To register, visit https://web.norwichchamber.com/atlas/events/11036/register.

The Buzz is a weekly roundup of business news compiled by Business Editor Lee Howard. To get in The Buzz, email businessbriefs@theday.com. To easily access urls cited in print, go to www.theday.com and type “The Buzz” into the search bar.