After several months of planning,

fundraising and design input, there are 12

beautiful pots of flowers in our historic

downtown. The idea for the flowers came at

the Chamber of Commerce Annual Board of

Directors Retreat that was held at Dylan’s

Restaurant in February. The new

wayfinding signs coordinated by the

Chamber of Commerce and the DBA had

been well received and additional

improvements to the downtown district were

discussed at that meeting.

In March, Chamber member Deirdre

Lonergan of Trek Tours met with Chamber

officials and she also suggested the need for

flowers in the wake of the recent tree

removal program. As a result, the Chamber

met with Mike Miceli of Hardware & Paper

& Party Express, a downtown business, to

plan the “Downtown is Blooming” program.

Mr. Miceli selected flowers that were hardy

for direct sunlight, and designed a mixed

variety of colorful pink and purple flowers,

complimented by daylilies, that should

bloom all season. The Chamber of

Commerce donated 12 pots and put them out

in time for the Virtu Art Festival, one of

downtown’s largest events. Downtown

businesses have sponsored another 6 pots at

$150 to date. Store owners have agreed to

Newsletter June 2011 www.westerlychamber.org info@westerlychamber.org 401.596.7761

INSIDE - Business After Hours

- New Members

- Member News

- Website Overhaul

“Adopt a Pot” and care for their daily

watering. The YMCA Garden Club, led by

John Merkel, will perform periodic

surveillance over the pots to help insure that

they are being maintained properly.

Hardware Paper Party Express will also

monitor bi-weekly.

Pots are placed on the sidewalk in areas

where the removed trees once stood.

Chamber Pres. Rudi Hauser said “We are

sponsoring the flower pots to perk up

downtown and give a coordinated look in

the historic, two-state business district. The

collaboration between the local businesses,

the YMCA Garden Club and Hardware &

Paper & Party Express makes this a great

community effort”.

“We’d love to expand this program

throughout all of downtown and allow other

businesses the opportunity to sponsor a pot

as well”. We have limited resources to work

with, but it’s a start, and we’re very proud of

how it looks” added Hauser.

The total cost of the Downtown is Blooming

was $1740.

If you are located downtown and would

like a pot of flowers, or if you simply would

like to help us expand this program, please

contact Lisa Konicki at 401-596-7761. The

$150 price covers the decorative pot and

flowers being purchased, and delivered to

your storefront.

Thank you to Town Manager Steve

Hartford and Senator Dennis Algiere for

their support.

Board Members Rudi Hauser and Michele

Pendola help distribute the pots.

Is a Westerly Trolley

Happening?

Item # 20 on the Westerly Pawcatuck

Joint Development Task Force Action

Plan. The town’s business groups have been

working for months to try and orchestrate a

trolley that would connect Watch Hill to

downtown and Misquamicut. The trolley

wouldn’t be a “beach trolley”. Chairs and

coolers are not allowed on board. It is

designed as a means of circulating those

people staying in Watch Hill and

Misquamicut and bringing them

conveniently to downtown shops and

restaurants.

The Town of Westerly has committed

$10,000 to the project. The 3 business

groups have committed $3,000 each and The

Chamber will likely be making a

contribution. In addition, the DBA and

Chamber have asked for $15,000 of the

Westerly-Pawcatuck Joint Development

Task Force grant monies to be appropriated

for this project. Since a trolley is #20 on the

Task Force’s “Action Plan”, there is perfect

justification for the funding allocation.

RI EDC Chief Keith Stokes listens to a presentation by Caswell Cooke Jr, Town Councilor.

Business Is Blooming

Chamber Coordinates Downtown Beautification

Pawcatuck River Duck Race Raises over $60,000

for 55 area Non-Profit Partners

Scenes from Business After Hours at

Lisa Konicki presents a check for

$2,500 to Kevin Yorio of

Pawcatuck, grand prize winner of

the Pawcatuck River Duck Race

Congratulations to the Hair

Cuttery for winning $1500 in

the Corporate Duck Race.

Thanks to Cherenzia Excavation for

providing the payloader!

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Buckley Heating & Cooling and

Belmont Market Announce “Heat

and Eat” Campaign to Benefit the

Jonnycake Center of Peace Dale.

Federal research shows that while all

families increase their expenditures on home

heating fuel during the winter, low-income

families offset this cost by decreasing food

purchases. In response, Buckley Heating &

Cooling and Belmont Market are partnering

in a new “Heat and Eat” Campaign to

benefit the Jonnycake Center of Peace Dale

and increase awareness of its efforts to

create hunger-free communities. The

campaign will award a minimum of 25 new

automatic delivery fuel customers a $25

Belmont Market Gift Card. A matching gift

card will be donated to the Jonnycake

Center of Peace Dale. Buckley Heating &

Cooling Fuel Sales Representative Steve

Maciel, who also runs the non-profit End

Congratulations to Casa Della Luce for

winning the Chowder Cook Off for the

Rotary Club of Westerly. Their chowder

was sampled by hundreds of guests who

voted them tops among 20 local restaurants.

Stop by the restaurant today and sample

some for yourself!

CCI Computer Centers

On-site Computer Support

38 West Broad Street

Pawcatuck, CT 06379

860-599-1947

Waste

Management of

Rhode Island

Commercial Trash Services

(800) 955-0518

Benevides &

Turano LLC,

CPAs and Business

Advisors

85 Beach Street

Westerly, RI

401-596-9797

Casa Della Luce blew away the

competition with a short rib ravioli in

white truffle cream sauce in winning the

Westerly Pasta Challenge at the Wood

River Health Services fundraiser dinner

recently.

A team of celebrity judges awarded

the prize unanimously to Casa owner and

chef Kyle Beausoleil, who opened his

restaurant less than a year ago.

The event, a comedy night, raised

approximately $12,000 for Wood River

Health Services, the Community Health

Center in Hope Valley that serves

southern RI and southeastern CT,

providing medical and dental care and

social services, including referrals,

nutrition counseling, WIC program and a

food pantry, to over 10,000 area

residents.

Pizza Place won the Best Pizza contest

sponsored by The Day. Thousands of voters

participated and Pizza Place beat out a large

field of competition from the entire two state

region! Congratulations to Rosario and his

staff!

Chamber’s New Business

Stimulus Package A Hit The Chamber’s welcome gift for new

businesses continues to be a wonderful boost

assisting a new business in launching their

presence. The package includes free ads in

The Resident, So Rhode Island, The Day,

Westerly Sun, and air time on WBLQ. In

the past month alone, it was given out to:

Donna’s Cucina

Kiefer’s Martial Arts

UME Seafood

The Malted Barley

To date, more than 40 businesses have

benefitted from this fantastic economic

development initiative.

Congratulations to UME Buffet on their Grand

Opening! Located in the new Stop & Shop plaza.

We wish you all the best!

Grand Opening! Congratulations to Kiefer’s

Martial Arts. Located in Granite Shopping

Plaza, at the entrance to the Atrium.

Chamber Website Gets

Major Overhaul The Chamber’s Board of Directors and

staff have been working on the project for

nearly 9 months. Over 150 Chamber sites

across the country were studied to

incorporate the best ideas in the industry.

The Chamber’s Executive Committee had

several primary goals with the new design:

bigger pictures, bold color, less text on the

home page, flashing images that change

with the seasons, and a more user-friendly

design.

“In terms of graphics and design, our

present site has not changed much in years.

It was looking tired and outdated and lacked

the color and quality images we desired to

truly promote the area.” said Rudi Hauser,

Chamber President.

“Chamber sites either have a strictly

business focus, or a tourism focus. We are

an organization that has a dual role and the

people who visit our site expect to find

comprehensive information on both. Now,

it will be easier and faster to find exactly the

information you are looking for” said Lisa

Konicki, Executive Director. Please visit

www.westerlychamber.org and give us

your feedback. The site is a work in

progress and we hope to incorporate more

features and photos in the future.

MEMBER NEWS

Virtu Art Festival

Thanks to Westerly Public Library and

Wilcox Park for hosting this event for The

Chamber of Commerce. The beautiful

setting, combined with 180 quality artists,

makes Virtu one of the nicest art festivals on

the east coast.

Thanks also to our event sponsors:

Golden Palette Sponsors: Geraldine

Cunningham & Associates Financial

Planners, Pam Hurst, The Day, The

Westerly Sun, Sun Graphics, Rescom

Exteriors, WBLQ, The Memorial and Public

Library Association, Providence Phoenix,

Classical 95.9 WCRI, Liberty Rentals, Pro

Wash, Rhode Island Blood Center and the

New York Times. Silver Palette Sponsors:

The Washington Trust Company, Westerly

Community Credit Union, Bronze Palette

Sponsors: E-Z Waste Systems, Inc.,

Webster Bank and our Friends of the Arts:

First Physical Therapy, In Design, Paddy’s,

Stonington Veterinary Hospital and The

Villa Bed & Breakfast.

Thanks to Beth Tillman Brown, Wilcox

Park Chairman, and Alan Peck of Wilcox

Park for their dedication and support all

weekend. Thanks also to the army of

Chamber volunteers who helped out

including Michelle Pendola, Wendy Carr,

Nicholas Cozzolino, Jack & Carole

Marshall, Christine Neves, Mark Perino,

Mike Benevides, Stephanie and Ricky

Shawn, Bill Ferguson, Donna Greene,

Kirsten Petrizzo, Rayna Mayo, Arthur

Smith, Carol, Eric, and Amy Benevides,

Alex, Michael and Madison Konicki, Taylor

Stillman, Rich Stockman, Theresa Cavalier,

Morgan and Jen, Rita Christian, Dr. Michael

and Terri Weaver, Everett Blanchard, Lori

Stockman, Deb Turrisi, Margaret Warfield,

Carlene Donarummo, Rudi Hauser and his

entire family, Sergio Cherenzia, and the

fabulous team from the Washington Trust

Company, and Westerly Public Works Dept.

And to anyone else we may have missed,

please know we appreciate your help!

And finally, a heartfelt thanks to Angie

Smith who has chaired the event for 15

years. Angie does an exceptional job and

makes it seem more like fun than work.

.

Cuda Lawn Care – Landscaping

23 Pound Road

Westerly, RI 02891

401-596-4099

Contact: James P. Cuda Cuda Lawn Care – Landscaping is a

complete and professional lawn care service

with a personal touch. After 30 years, the

business continues to be owner operated

with James always on-site. In addition to

mowing, the service offers a fertilization

program with pesticides and herbicides

applied as needed. Shrub and hedge

trimming and pruning is masterfully done.

Also provided are spring and fall cleanups,

brush removal, weeding and edging beds

and mulching. Licensed and fully insured.

The Malted Barley

42 High Street

Westerly, RI 02891

401-301-2254

Contact: Stephanie Bennett The Malted Barley is downtown Westerly’s

first riverside beer bar. Opening its doors

this spring, The Malted Barley will offer the

following: 35 draft and microbrews on tap,

20+ bottled beers, 15 rotating lines – come

often to try all the new beers! Cocktail menu

and wine list, Gluten free beer and pretzel

options, 10 variations of the soft pretzel,

Outdoor patio seating on the river this

summer! TVs, sports and games downstairs.

Available for private parties.

The Resident Supports

Flood Businesses

Thank you to Alexis Ann from The

Resident for dedicating an entire full page

ad to the Westerly-Pawcatuck flood

businesses. To show her support of those

companies hit hard last year, she ran the ad

on the anniversary edition of the flood. Her

generosity is truly appreciated!

Elmer Named Dedham High School

Outstanding Alumni Recipient for 2010-

2011 Robert E. P. Elmer III, Class of

1965, has been selected to receive an

Outstanding Alumni Award for 2010-2011.

This award is given to past Dedham High

School graduates who deserve to be

recognized for the significant contributions

that they have made to the community

and/or society.

The billboard has a rental opening for the

2nd two weeks in October 2011. The cost is

$1,600. Contact Donna at

dgreene@westerlychamber.org.

Last Call for Italy Trip! July 12 is the deadline to register for the

Chamber’s trip to Tuscany and the Amalfi

Coast. A $500 registration fee is required

for each traveler by that date. We hope you

will join us for an incredible adventure. In

September, The Chamber will host a free

one hour meet-and-greet with all trip

registrants at Maria’s Seaside Cafe. We will

enjoy foods, new friends, and one hour of

basic Italian lessons by Catena Bellone.

Blood Drive and Bone

Marrow Registration at

Chamber of Commerce The Chamber will be hosting its first ever

blood drive on Friday August 19 from 9am-

12noon.

All blood donations will make a

difference in someone’s life. A significant

amount of the blood collected at the RI

Blood Center drives will go towards treating

children with leukemia, automobile accident

victims and patients needing organ

transplants. It is because of generous folks

from the community that the RI Blood

Center is able to give hope to patients and

their families.

The actual donation process will take

place on the donor coach and registration

along with interviews will take place in the

Conference Room and that spare office.

Bone marrow registration will also take

place via a simple oral swap. Chamber

Director Lisa Konicki will be registering as

a bone marrow donor, and she encourages

you to do the same!

Attorney Thomas Liguori received

the Rhode Island Bar Association’s 2011

Dorothy Lohmann Community Service

Award for his volunteer work on behalf of

Stand Up For Animals.

N E W M E M B E R S

Scenes From Business After Hours

Buckley Heating and Cooling would

like to thank Belmont Market for being a

partner in the Heat and Eat Campaign. The

campaign was created in response to the

national dilemma known as the “Heat or

Eat” syndrome, where, according to Federal

research, low-income families are faced with

having to offset increasing heating costs by

decreasing food purchases.

The campaign was designed to help

alleviate the challenges families face to

afford both heat and food. Thankfully, with

the help of Belmont Market and the 25 area

residents who joined Buckley Heating and

Cooling’s family of customers, we were able

to provide $625 to the Jonnycake Center of

Peace Dale for distribution to local families

in need.

Congratulations to Chamber Events

Manager Rayna Mayo who was recently

wed to Carlo Giorno. Best wishes to the

couple for a lifetime of happiness!

Please share your family beach photos,

event photos, landscapes, and local

landmarks with The Chamber for possible

consideration in next year’s Go Westerly

Magazine. Candids are best, and bright

colors are preferred. We especially want to

capture the blue skies and white sandy

beaches. Send any photos to

LKonicki@westerlychamber.org.

Businesses Reiterate Request

to Redirect Task Force Funds

Carrie Baird, an Officer of the Downtown

Business Association

The Downtown Business Association

secured 311 signatures on a petition calling

for the resignation of Task Force Board

members and redirection of funds. Letters

from 4 former Task Force Board members

have been published, all echoing the same

sentiment. 14 people came to Town Hall to

speak to the Council on May 23, all with the

same message: The Task Force should turn

over its funds to the Town EDC and dissolve

as a 501(c)3 entity.

It is hoped that the remaining funds from

the defunct Task Force can be utilized for

some of the proposals submitted by the

DBA/Chamber of Commerce. It is expected

that the historical walking tour book will be

funded to completion, as more than $6,000

in state grant funds have already been

dedicated to this $7,400+ book. Despite the

6 year lag time with this project, honoring

state grant allocations is important for the

Town to retain its credibility for future fund

requests.

Going forward, Westerly could still

secure funds from the State of RI through

The Chamber’s “Greater Westerly Chamber

Foundation” entity. The Town has

partnered with the Chamber of Commerce

for years on the Blues on the Beach

program, and with the Jump Start Small

Business Recovery Program last spring. RI

EDC has issued grants to our Chamber

Foundation in the past. Rep. Peter Lewiss

was a strong advocate for The Chamber and

secured a $1,500 legislative grant to support

the creation of our brochure breezeway in

2006. Senator Dennis Algiere also secured

$500 from RI EDC to support an economic

development guide that we produced several

years ago.

Re-allocating the remaining funds will be

a positive ending to an organization that has

made a significant impact on downtown in

the 1990s and through 2004.

Maria Allen receives the 2011

Leading Age RI Quality of Life

Award for Outstanding Volunteers

Jim Nyberg, Director of Leading Age RI and far right-our Board Chair, Ann Lain. Maria received the Outstanding Volunteer Award at the 2011 Leading Age Rhode Island Quality of Life Award Luncheon held at the Crowne Plaza

The award was established to honor the

unselfish, consistent giving of time, energy,

and/or talents. Kelly Lee of Adult Day

Services of Westerly nominated Maria. She

wrote “Maria Gabriele Allen first became

acquainted with our Center only last year,

when one of the Chair’s of our Capital

Campaign recommended her for our

Leadership Team. Her effervescent

personality and commitment to her

community were immediately evident. To

our Center, Maria has been an invaluable

contributor of time, talent and treasure. She

has been a leader in securing pledges and

donations for the capital campaign (for the

renovation of our new home); as well as

enhancing the offerings at our new Center.

Thanks to Maria’s generosity, our new

Center now has a beautiful and

professionally equipped salon. Bella Vita

Salon (Maria’s business) employees painted

the room and Maria outfitted the space in its

entirety. She personally provides salon

services at no cost to participants (for the

first year) as well, three days each week.”

Congratulations to Maria Allen!

The Parcel Center Inc. earns top

Shipper Award! United Parcel Service has

announced Parcel Center Inc as a top 2010

Shipper Facility. The award is presented

annually to the top 100 shipping facilities in

the country.