ChamberWorks
December 2002
 » Past Issues

 » President's Message
 » January Business After Hours
 » Wine Tasting & Silent Auction Feb. 7
 » 2003 Business Guide & Membership Directory
 » Santa's Arrival
 » Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Audi BAH Recap
 » Welcome New Members!

 
President's Message

We have much to be thankful for this holiday season. Although the economy continues to have its ups and downs, the merchants are feeling positive about seasonal sales. Fairfielders may spend a little less this year, staying away from the malls and perhaps shopping closer to home. Hopefully our local retail merchants and restaurant owners will benefit in some way. I encourage all of our members to shop at our local retailers, dine in our fine eating establishments or see a movie at the Community Theatre.

Fairfield always manages to be festive during the holiday season no matter what the world is dealing with. From Santa's arrival, to the various storefront decorations and to the lighting of the town Christmas tree, Fairfielders get into the holiday groove quite nicely. I am confident we will have a great holiday season!

Our agenda for the coming year remains full, and memberships continue to be the driving theme. Under consideration is hiring a professional firm to kick-start an area- wide campaign to recruit a significant number of new members. Additionally, beginning this month we start our retail meetings. This entails a series of early "coffee" get-togethers to energize the retail merchants, both existing and prospective.

We will be working diligently with town officials and local business leaders to stave off casino expansion as outlined recently by the Paugussett tribe in their brochure Golden Hill Paugusett Tribe Land Claims. (This brochure is available in the chamber office if you wish to pick up a copy.) Business as we know it will change dramatically should a casino be built next door in Bridgeport.

And finally, I want to wish both Patricia Ritchie and Linda Matthews the happiest of holiday wishes. Thanks for all the hard work and long hours you put in to make this chamber great!

Best holiday wishes to all our members and their families!

Mark J. Hawkins
President
Fairfield Chamber of Commerce

« Top of Page

 
January Business After Hours

The January 14th Business After Hours, hosted by Hal Fischel, Fischel Properties, is the annual event that also welcomes teachers new to the Fairfield school system. The event will take place at River View Park, 501 Kings Highway East in Fairfield, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. The teachers are invited as our guests, and have expressed their thanks to the Chamber office for the opportunity to meet with members of our business community. Let's show them our support with a good turnout. A brief tour of the new Fairfield Public School administration offices will also be available. Once again, please respond by making your reservation early. A flyer is enclosed with this issue of ChamberWorks.

« Top of Page

 
Wine Tasting & Silent Auction Feb. 7

Mark your calendars now for the 8th annual Fairfield Chamber of Commerce Wine Tasting and Silent Auction.

Once again the Greenwich Workshop Gallery will host this very important chamber fund-raiser on Friday, February 7 from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. This is a real opportunity for you and your company to receive exposure through planned press releases and at the evening event which we expect will be attended by over 100 individuals.

We are looking for an item, service or gift certificate with a value of twenty-five dollars or more. Do you have concert or theatre tickets you are not planning to use? Do you subscribe to a professional sporting event? Are you willing to offer your vacation home for a weekend or two? How about buying a chamber gift certificate to auction? Can you cook a meal for six? The possibilities are endless.

Please take a moment to think about what you can donate. Call the chamber office at 255-1011 if you have any questions

Your help with this chamber event is critical. Proceeds from the event help to support chamber activities, which in turn make Fairfield a better place in which to live or do business.

« Top of Page

 
2003 Business Guide & Membership Directory

The Fairfield Chamber Business Guide and Membership Directory is once again on the forefront. It's time to update your information: name, address, phone and fax numbers. Also, check the Chamber web site to be sure that all changes have been made. If you are on the Board and haven't had your picture taken, please do so. Call PhotoLand at 367-5816 and ask for Bitan. He'll take your color photo and send us the bill. Additionally, if you plan to advertise in this publication, you need to let The Chamber Publishing Group know now. Call them at 978-741-3344 or E-mail them at chamber@shore.net, or call us here at the Chamber office, 255-1011.

This is the publication that goes out in all our information packages as well as to the entire Fairfield community through distributions at the town hall, library, stores, schools and universities, real estate offices, new member packages and as hand-outs to visitors. The book is published only once and year and its importance cannot be stressed enough.

« Top of Page

 
Santa's Arrival

Santa did not arrive on the traditional reindeer, November 30th. He came via hook and ladder down Reef Rd., and greeted about 800 people waiting patiently for his appearance. Gary Crystal played the part beautifully; and do you believe that he never took one break! I asked him how he managed to do this, and he said he doesn't drink after 7 p.m. the night before. Way to go, Gary! And we hope your knees are feeling better.

If you missed the event, you missed a good one. All twenty-two organizations who said they would be there, were there. Some made more money than others, but everyone made something. Better yet, they were happy that they got their name out to the public. Fairfield Theatre Company filled twenty pages with signatures of people interested in being on the mailing list for future Off Off Broadway shows. The Gingerbread General Contractors sold out their little house/house kits in less than two hours. (All proceeds went to the Bridgeport Hospital Pediatric Unit.) Others like the Rotary Club, gave away Krispy Kreme donuts with the purchase of a set of luminaria, while the YMCA Aquatic Team refilled their canisters five times with coffee donated by the Doughnut Inn. Pizzeria Uno gave away every one of their small pizzas -- just as a way to say hi Fairfield, we're here and we want you to know we care.

The line for Santa went well into the center of town, and, unfortunately, the chamber ran out of plush toys before we got to every child. We blew up every balloon -- over 1,000 of them, and when we ran out of helium, we blew up the last 50 with our own hot air.

The weather was warm and it wasn't until the last kid saw Santa at approximately 3:30 that the rain began to fall. Talk about little miracles.

Thank you volunteers for coming out and enjoying the day with us. Thank you organizations for your willingness to be a part of the festivities. Thank you Firehouse Deli for providing volunteers with a sandwich and hot drink. Thank you to the Shamrock Music Society and Tim Quinn for providing traditional Irish music all day long. Thank you one and all, and most of all, thank you Fairfield community, for coming out and supporting the chamber's efforts.

 
Scenes from Santa's Arrival

« Top of Page

 
Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Audi BAH Recap

There were shrimp platters, salmon, lox and bagels, stuffed mushrooms, eggplant parmigiana, chicken fingerlings, a crudités table, an assortment of cannoli, custard cups, petite fours and miniature cupcakes, coffee and tea and even a uniformed bartender for the open bar. And that's all I can remember, as there was so much more.

Yep, and there was an electronic Yamaha baby grand keyed to play Andrea Bocelli and other selections. The group, in fact, was surrounded by the luxury of luxury cars, tables were set on gray marble floors as if a wedding reception was in progress, and there were even give-aways like hats and mugs and raffle prizes. But the grand prizes were pretty unbelievable…a week's worth of driving a Porsche, a Mercedes Benz or an Audi. Pretty heady stuff. There were three lucky winners, among them Michael Gness, who chose to drive away with the Mercedes. John Gottlieb chose the Porsche and the Audi went to Carol Kellner.

Kudos to Vicky Regina for putting the whole thing together. This automotive group went way beyond our expectations in feeding and entertaining those lucky people who were smart enough to attend. We thank you one and all, and when can we come over again?

« Top of Page

 
Welcome New Members for November!

For contact information, consult our online Member Directory.

« Top of Page

The fine print

© 2008 Fairfield Chamber of Commerce Inc. • Privacy Policy • Terms and Conditions