Agenda
YMCA Celebration at Basketball Hall of Fame
June 18: A celebration of the YMCA’s 160th anniversary will be staged at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, starting at 6 p.m. The event will feature a keynote address by sports and business leader Mannie Jackson and Boston Globe sportswriters and ESPN commentators Jackie MacMullan and Bob Ryan. MacMullan and Ryan, both Basketball Hall of Fame Award winners, will share their thoughts and experiences covering the celebrated Boston sports teams, with a special concentration on the Boston Celtics. Jackson is a former player for the Harlem Globetrotters who, after a successful business career, purchased the Globetrotters from near-bankruptcy and extinction, reinvigorating one of America’s most popular sports brands. He is now a philanthropist and author who recently released a book called Boxcar to Boardrooms: My Memories and Travels. Tickets to the June 18 celebration are available by contacting Peggy Graveline, development assistant at the YMCA of Greater Springfield, at [email protected], or by calling (413) 739-6951, ext. 179. Tickets are $160 each or $1,500 for a table of 10. All proceeds from the event will benefit the YMCA of Greater Springfield’s 2012 Annual Scholarship Campaign.
Health Care Expo and Career Fair
June 19: The Greater Chicopee Chamber of Commerce has partnered with Health New England to produce a Health care Expo and Career Fair to be held at The Castle of Knights on Memorial Drive in Chicopee, from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. According to Gail A. Sherman, President of the Greater Chicopee Chamber of Commerce, the Healthcare Expo has a multi-level purpose. “It is an opportunity for companies in the health care industry to promote their products and services; but it will also include what we are calling the “Corridor to Your Career” section where companies that have job openings in the healthcare industry will be there to welcome and meet job seekers in that field.” Companies that are in the health care industry can reserve a skirted-marketing table. If they are members of the Greater Chicopee Chamber of Commerce, the cost is $125. For non-members, the cost is $175. Admission to the event is free. Health New England’s Lynn Ostrowski, director of Brand & Corporate Relations, will launch the day’s event by teaching attendees how to effectively manage their energy throughout the day. Complimentary coffee, herbal tea and seasonal fresh fruit will be available until 9:30 a.m. To sign up or to learn more about this event, call Sherman at (413) 594-2101.
Elder Planning Seminar
June 20: Williamstown Commons Nursing & Rehabilitation Center will host “The Ins and Outs of Health and Long-Term Care Planning” at 6 p.m. Elder-law attorney James Sisto of the Berkshire Elder Law Center — a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and a certified public accountant — will discuss strategies for seniors in preparing for long-term care, financial planning, and estate planning. Certified senior adviser Kira Breard, branch manager of Interim Health Care, will discuss services designed to help with health and personal-care needs, as well as sharing information on a variety of programs and services available to seniors in Berkshire County. To RSVP for this program, call (413) 458-2111.
40 Under Forty
June 21: BusinessWest will present its sixth class of regional rising stars at its annual 40 Under Forty gala at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. The gala will feature music, lavish food stations, and introductions of the winners. Tickets are $60 per person, with tables of 10 available. Early registration is advised, as seating is limited. For more information, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or log onto www.businesswest.com.
WBOA 30th Anniversary
June 21: Chez Josef in Agawam will be the setting for the 30th anniversary celebration of the Women’s Business Owners Alliance of the Pioneer Valley (WBOA) at 6 p.m. The WBOA will recognize its 2012 Business Woman of the Year, as well as its 2012 Outstanding New Member, and will name its Top Women in Business in the Pioneer Valley. Renate Oliver, WBOA founder, will also be a featured speaker. The event will feature entertainment by Jeannie Pomeroy-Murphy, as well as a raffle fund-raiser. For more information or tickets, call (413) 525-7345 or visit www.wboa.org.
Walk for Miracles at Six Flags
June 23: Six Flags New England will host Walk for Miracles, a Children’s Miracle Network initiative to raise funds for patient-care programs at Baystate Children’s Hospital. “Six Flags New England is thrilled to be the sponsor of this incredible walk that benefits our local community,” said John Winkler, the park’s president. “We are proud of our commitment to our philanthropic work.” Registration for Walk for Miracles begins at 7:30 a.m., followed by step-off at 8:30 a.m. for a family-friendly stroll of about 1.5 miles inside the amusement park. Following the walk, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., there will be a special celebration including music and entertainment, as well as a medal ceremony for Baystate Children’s Hospital’s “Miracle Kids.” Registration fee is $10 for all walkers and includes participation in the walk, a light breakfast snack, and a T-shirt, while supplies last. Walkers who raise $50 or more for their efforts will receive free admission to the park on June 23. Walkers who do not raise $50 are also welcome to enjoy the park at 50% off general admission. All proceeds will remain local and support pediatric needs throughout Baystate Health, including equipment, outreach programs, and services at Baystate Children’s Hospital in Springfield, Baystate Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield, Baystate Mary Lane Hospital in Ware, and Baystate Visiting Nurse Assoc. & Hospice. To register, visit helpmakemiracles.org/event/walkformiracles.
Party with the Animals
June 23: The Zoo in Forest Park & Education Center is holding its 10th annual “Party with the Animals” fund-raiser at 5:30 p.m. under the big tent at the zoo. The October snowstorm hit the zoo especially hard. “We suffered damage to almost every exhibit at the zoo, from falling limbs from the trees that surround the zoo,” said John Lewis, executive director. Fortunately, the zoo was able to open on schedule this spring, but some exhibits are still undergoing repairs and renovations. The Party with the Animals includes gourmet food prepared by Noble Feast, a full-service bar, and music provided by the Westfield High School Jazz Band. Attendees will enjoy close encounters with some very special animal friends. The live auction, with Ray Hershel of Channel 40 as auctioneer, always generates an entertaining bidding frenzy. This is an adult-only event, and dress is casual-elegant. Tickets are $100 and can be ordered at www.forestparkzoo.org, or by calling (413) 733-2251.
Fork It Over
June 26: From 5 to 7:30 p.m., Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts present Fork It Over, a competitive, culinary fund-raising event featuring some of the region’s top chefs, who create original appetizers and desserts using Girl Scout cookies and present their creations to the public and a panel of judges at Storrowton Tavern and Carriage House. Participants include Hofbrauhaus, La Cucina di Hampden House, Magic Spoon Catering, School Street Bistro, Cornerstone Café, Nadim’s Mediterranean, Chandler’s, Johnsens Catering, Hampden Country Club, Eighty Jarvis, Four Main Street Bar & Grill, McLadden’s Irish Publick House, Chez Josef, Dana’s Grillroom, and Great Grapes Catering. The panel of judges who will determine the winners in both sweet and savory categories is led by Peter Rosskothen of the Log Cabin and Delaney House, and includes Lon Breedlove of the Massachusetts Restaurant Assoc., Bon Appetit Contributing Editor Dede Wilson, and West Springfield Fire Chief William Flaherty. Attendees will vote for a people’s-choice favorite. Live music will be provided by Ethel Lee and her Jazz Ensemble, and a raffle will feature items from dozens of Pioneer Valley businesses. Tickets are $30 each or four for $100 for advance purchases, and are available online at www.gscwm.org or by calling (413) 224-4031. All tickets at the door on June 26 are $30 each.
NYC Bus Trip
June 30: The Chicopee Chamber of Commerce will host a bus trip to New York City, leaving the chamber parking lot at 7 a.m. and returning around 9:30 p.m. Participants are on their own for the day in New York City. Tickets are $45 per person. For more information, contact Lynn at (413) 594-2101.
Massachusetts Chamber Business Summit
Sept. 9-11: The Massachusetts Chamber board of directors will conduct its annual Business Summit and Awards Ceremony Sept. 9-11 at the Resort and Conference Center at Hyannis. The two-day meeting allows participants to meet with business professionals from across the state, as well as listen to state and local elected officials who will discuss the future of business in Massachusetts. Additionally, representatives from the Mass. Office of Economic Development will discuss loans, grants, and tax incentives available to business owners. Industry experts will also be on hand to discuss topics such as leveraging social media, search-engine optimization, and health care cost containment. The winners of the Business of the Year Award and the Employer of Choice Award will also be announced during the summit. For more information, call (617) 512-9667 or visit www.masscbi.com.
Western Mass.
Business Expo
Oct. 11: BusinessWest will again present the Western Mass. Business Expo. The event, which made its debut last fall at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield, will feature more than 180 exhibitors, seminars, special presentations, breakfast and lunch programs, and the year’s most extensive networking opportunity. Comcast Business Class will again be the presenting sponsor of the event. Details, including breakfast and lunch agendas, seminar topics, and featured speakers, will be printed in the pages of BusinessWest over the coming months. For more information or to purchase a booth, call (413) 781-8600, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.wmbexpo.com.
