The Town has not yet determined if it will pursue a redistribution of the hotel tax again this year. The tax, previously at 7% was reduced to 5% last year. Chamber reps met with leadership from the Providence Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau. Progress has been made to secure marketing coverage for our community from this group that receives over $74,000 a year in Westerly hotel taxes.

1. Go Westerly’s have been on display at their office all year and in the Providence Convention Center

2. Westerly events have been added to their website

3. A FAM Tour of their staff was held recent in Westerly to develop side trips to market to their conference groups.

4. A list of 2016 conference groups has been provided to us so that we can develop day trip add-ons customized to those groups.

This is excellent progress. Regardless of

whether the Town pursues the tax

redistribution to have all hotel tax funds

stay in Westerly, we are greatly encouraged

by the collaboration that has taken place

with the Providence Warwick Convention

Bureau.

7% Providence Hotel Tax

Redistribution

Chamber News March 2016 oceanchamber.org info@oceanchamber.org 401.596.7761

Chamber Secures Westerly’s Win of PBS Features

The content is decided exclusively by the

participants. Rhode Island PBS outfits up to

20 to 25 volunteers with video cameras. For

this project, there are no restrictions as to age

or experience and there is no cost or

compensation to participate. For those with a

story to tell but no camera to capture it,

Rhode Island PBS has a camera to lend by

appointment and with a security deposit,

which is fully refunded when the camera is

returned. Video recorded by the volunteers

will be edited together by Rhode Island PBS to

create a one-hour film of each town.

Westerly's first town planning meeting will be

late April, with the technical workshop to

follow, and filming deadline expected in

September. For information, contact

LKonicki@oceanchamber.org.

Seal & Cannoli Legislation The Chamber’s harbor seal legislation was

submitted by Representative Sam Azzinaro and has received tremendous support so far. The Providence Zoo, Save the Bay, Mystic Aquarium, North Kingstown Chamber of Commerce and Blackstone Valley Tourism Council are all on record supporting the bill. The bill was also covered very favorably in the Providence Journal. Stay tuned for updates about the potential naming of “Rhode Island’s official marine mammal”.

Chamber Executive Director Lisa Konicki

was thrilled to receive word that her

nomination of Westerly to receive the

“Our Town” designation from Rhode

Island PBS was a winner. As a result,

Westerly will be featured in a

documentary filmed this summer and

televised in December 2016.

Our Town is a community project wherein

neighbors become filmmakers and tell the

stories of Our Town. Part fund-raiser, part

community builder, part historical and

cultural documentary, and part “day-in-

the-life” video scrapbook, Our

Town shares with viewers the local

legends, historical happenings, and

backyard secrets of the particular town

and its villages – untold or uncelebrated

stories that capture the essence of the

town. Our Town gives the community a

platform to share stories and perspectives

on the town in their own voices.

Planning meetings and a workshop lead up to two days allocated for filming. During the planning meetings, participants discuss and choose the subjects and locations they want to include in the documentary about their town.

The Chamber’s proposed cannoli legislation will not be submitted. Turns out, the cannoli was a bit too controversial. Some other representatives did not feel it was the right choice, and some felt it simply wasn’t necessary. After conferring with The Chamber, a decision was made to let this effort go for this year and focus on the harbor seal.

INSIDE - New Members - Ribbon Cutting - BIZ CAMP - Ladies Luncheon - Citizen of the Year nomination

NEW MEMBERS

St. Michael School 63 Liberty Street, Pawcatuck, CT 06379 Phone: 860-599-1084 Contact: Doris S. Messina

St. Michael School, a ministry of the Catholic Churches of Stonington and North Stonington, is committed to engaging students in a program of Christian formation characterized by a challenging curriculum in a nurturing environment. A Tradition of Excellence is not merely the school motto; it is a testament to a commitment that St. Michael School made to its students over 140 years ago. We continually strive to ensure that each of our students receives a challenging and rigorous curriculum, and our students continue to prove they have gained the knowledge and skills to be successful as they continue their academic careers. The school serves children in grades K – 8 and is fully accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and the State of Connecticut.

Vintage Cigar Lounge & Club 47 High Street, Westerly, RI 02891 www.vintagecigarlounge.com Contact: Greg D. Williams

The Vintage Cigar Lounge & Club is a luxury cigar lounge. We offer a wide variety of cigars and accessories for public retail. Our lounge setting offers an adult atmosphere for the beginner to avid cigar enthusiast. Come in and let out friendly knowledgeable staff guide you through the process of selecting the perfect cigar and spirit for your enjoyment. If you prefer an even more exclusive experience, please inquire about our private membership only rooms. As always membership has its privileges, discounts, extended hours, lockers, member only trips and dinners....just to name a few. Please stop in and enjoy!!

The Ocean Community Chamber of Commerce promoted “Leap of Kindness Day” which was held on February 29, 2016 The Chamber encouraged everyone to use this “extra” day by doing something kind for someone else. A list of suggested ideas was provided on The Chamber’s website. Suggestions include numerous small gestures ranging from volunteer opportunities, making donations to charity, being generous to those in the service industry and more. Participants were asked to photograph their good deeds and use the leapofkindness hash tag so that images can be collected documenting this initiating. The Ocean Community Chamber of Commerce would like to acknowledge its peers at The Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce who developed this creative idea and shared the logo with our chamber. We were delighted to partner with them on this wonderful initiative. We were the 2nd chamber of commerce in the nation to commit to the program and we encouraged others to follow suit. Even though leap day has passed please check out our website and consider doing a #leapofkindness all year long! If you have photos from your #leapofkindness actions please feel free to share them with the Chamber at info@oceanchamber.org or on our Facebook page.

Safe pedestrian crossing in our downtown should be an ongoing priority. Wakefield, RI uses an orange flag system that is simple and effective. Might this be good for our downtown? The Chamber has asked officials to look into a similar program, especially at the crossing between Mel's Downtown Creamery and Modern Barber and Shave in Pawcatuck.

Safe Crossings

US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse spent 45 minutes visiting with Chamber Executive Director Lisa Konicki on February 17. Whitehouse, a champion of the environment and proponent of legislation that addresses climate change and sea level rise, sought an update from Konicki about Westerly’s efforts to be more resilient post-Superstorm Sandy

He reviewed survey results from businesses in Misquamicut who received grants and town/state services after the storm, and took particular interest in the many comments that detailed what was lacking in terms of services. State and regional tourism marketing support, on-site mental health services, access to capital and accountability of fundraising from pop-up funds and national organizations were specifically cited. The meeting focused on ways to better aid the Westerly business community in the future.

Senator’s Visit

The Chamber’s first Biz Camp program took place February 15-19, 2016. Seven bright, dedicated students from Westerly High School and Chariho High School gave up their entire school vacation to dedicate 45 hours of their time to developing soft skills and digital literacy. Their goal was to make themselves a valuable asset in the workplace. The students benefitted from a curriculum that was developed with input from area employers, taught by business leaders and included modules on Conveying Professionalism, Communication, Customer Service, Problem Solving, Time Management and more. They performed field studies at four manufacturers and two hospitality businesses to learn first-hand how these essential skills are applied in the workplace. The messages they received about work ethic, punctuality, and respect resonated at each location. On the final day, a resume workshop and mock interviews took place, allowing the students to hone their skills with 6 area human resource specialists. The Chamber is sincerely grateful for the widespread community support of this program, and in particular, the employer partners listed who volunteered their time to participate in this workforce development initiative. An April Biz Camp will take place and is free, and open to students age 14-17. For more information, contact Lisa Konicki at LKonicki@oceanchamber.org.

CLASSROOM TRAINERS Kasey Johnson………………………………..The Education Exchange David Preka………………………..…..Advanced Improvements LLC Bryan Kielty…………………………………………………...Perks & Corks Anabel Montalbano …...................................Westerly Fitness Kurt Harrington……………………………………….…Something Fishy Beth Frenette………………………..…Washington Trust Company Gina Laudone…….Literacy Volunteers of Washington County Police Chief Ed St. Clair……………Westerly Police Department Kerin A. DaCruz………………………………………..Westerly Hospital Jan Chamberlain………………………………..First Physical Therapy Jennell Westervelt………………………..Ocean Community YMCA Erin Bacon……………………………………………South County Health Linda Morales……………………………………..The Moore Company Michelle Colluci Pinto…………………………………………The Andrea Angela Thoman………………………………………Paddy’s Beach Club Chief Ed. St.Clair……………………….Westerly Police Department Lisa Konicki…………Ocean Community Chamber of Commerce Maria DiMaggio….Ocean Community Chamber of Commerce

FIELD STUDY LOCATIONS – TRAINERS Dan Hostettler………………………………………………...Ocean House Kirsten Walker…………………………………………………Ocean House Jenny Gibson………………………………………………….Cooked Goose Andrew Nathan……………………………………………..Cooked Goose Rudi Hauser, Jr………………………………………. Hauser Chocolates Kevin Adams ………………………………………………. J Mack Studios Mary Adams………………………………………………….J Mack Studios James Traskos……………………………Traskos Manufacturing Inc. Jen Brinton ……………………………………………….Grey Sail Brewing

SPECIAL CONTRIBUTIONS BY Dennis Algiere…………………………………………….RI State Senator Todd Grimes……………………………………….Westerly High School Derrik Kennedy…………………………………………Town of Westerly Sheldon Whitehouse ……………………………………….U.S. Senator

BIZ CAMP

Thanks to Senator Dennis Algiere for securing a $1,500 grant to support lap tops for the chamber's Biz Camp!

Grant for Laptops

Benevides &

Turano LLC,

CPAs and Business Advisors

85 Beach Street Westerly, RI

401-596-9797

Upcoming Chamber Events!

The region’s most prestigious honor is clearly The Chamber’s annual Citizen of the Year award. Bestowed to an individual who has selflessly made significant contributions in our community, this award takes place at the annual meeting on June 15 at Venice Restaurant. Criteria include community service, efforts to enhance the community image, professionalism, contributions to the quality of life in Westerly-Pawcatuck and more. A nomination form is included in this month’s newsletter. Please take the time to consider who might be an excellent candidate for this honor, and send in your nomination by March 9. A list of former honorees can be found on The Chamber’s website at oceanchamber.org.

The Green Economy Bond contains a 10 million dollar line item that specifically supports the extension and connection of bike paths in southern Rhode Island. One of the many projects that could stand to benefit is the proposed recreational path in Misquamicut. The Ocean Community Chamber of Commerce has been a partner with “Rhode Island Paths to Progress” since its inception nearly a year ago. Our work involves regular meetings with leaders in the recreation and biking communities, as well as political leaders, who are dedicated to expanding Rhode Island’s recreational paths and making a statewide system that connects every community. Passage of the Green Economy Bond would be a crucial first step towards that goal.

Citizen of the Year Nomination Sought

Westerly Bike/Recreation Paths

RED HOT LADIES LUNCHEON

Luncheon held at Sea Goose Grill & Raw Bar on February 12th. Over 35 women wearing red were in attendance! Guest speaker was Jeri Menard from South

County Health. Proceeds from this luncheon went to benefit the AHA.

March: 9 - Business After Hours : ServiceMaster By Mason 19 – Easter Egg Hunt : Wilcox Park 23 – Brown Bag Lunch/ Chamber: Health Insurance 29 – Statewide Business After Hours: Rhode-on-the-Pawtuxet (booths still available)

April: 13 – Business After Hours : ServPro (rescheduled) 20- Fashion Trashion: Granite Theater 30 – 18

th Annual Pawcatuck River Duck Race

May: 13 – Fusion at Velvet Mills Studio 28-29 – 19

th Annual Virtu Art Festival: Wilcox Park

Please visit oceanchamber.org for more information.