By Kathy Converse Charbonneau
Orange Chamber of Commerce
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller
Kathy Converse Charbonneau
Last month I wrote about the chamber’s overarching goal of connecting the greater Orange community for the benefit of businesses, nonprofits and residents. When we work together it helps strengthen the community fabric that we all cherish and want to preserve. And that means learning about each other by sharing our goals, challenges and solutions through networking and communication.
One way the Orange Chamber of Commerce is facilitating community connections is through our new networking group, ONET, free and open to all local area businesses and nonprofits. ONET meets on the second and fourth Thursday of each month. Initially, we will use Zoom, but we hope to meet in person as soon as possible.
Benefits of these meetings include updates about opportunities to generate awareness for businesses and organizations; brainstorming sessions to address challenges and share solutions; networking with businesses and community organizations; how to tie in with the chamber’s Orange bicentennial activities; and guest speakers to help navigate the business and nonprofit worlds of today.
If you are a business or a nonprofit organization that would like to receive ONET invitations, email me at director@orangectchamber.com and we will get you on the list right away.
The ONET meeting on Thursday, March 10 is a win-win for both businesses and nonprofits with guest speaker Nadjeska Reilly, employment program manager for SARAH, Inc., a nonprofit that helps disabled adults gain job skills and knowledge. The organization provides insurance for its workers and an on-site job coach. Nadjeska will talk about the skill sets of their teams and different ways businesses and nonprofits can use them. SARAH, Inc. is partnering with the chamber to offer this free staffing resource for chamber members.
We’re thrilled to announce the addition of three new members to our Board of Directors, all with strong ties to our community: Jennifer Schempp of Beers, Hamerman, Cohen & Burger, PC, Amy Neale of Otraway, LLC and Rob Craft of Sentinel Asset Management. All three have hit the ground running with Schempp and Neale ready to spearhead the chamber’s Shop Local Club Committee (with board treasurer Lynda Mason of The Milford Bank) and the Membership Committee. Craft is taking charge of ONET with co-chair Kevin Lai of Whitten, Horton and Gibney, LLP. Schempp, Neale and Craft are truly inspiring with their love of and investment in Orange. We can’t wait to see the impact of their contributions.
In next month’s column I will provide all the juicy details about chamber plans to support Orange’s bicentennial through a restaurant and business week (with the Orange Economic Development Corporation), bicentennial banners for businesses to proudly display and holiday ornaments with the beautiful logo created by designer Michael Ulrich, coordinated by Bicentennial Committee member Mitch Goldblatt and his team of Ginny Proestakes and Polly Demirjian.
Follow the Orange Chamber of Commerce on Facebook for the latest updates.
Kathy Converse Charbonneau is the executive director of the Orange Chamber of Commerce.