MWCC's weekly e-newsletter

Friday, Oct. 28, 2005

LUNENBURG STARTUP WINS GRAND PRIZE IN MWCC’S
FIRST ANNUAL BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION

By Kimberly B. Caisse

Speed-Demon Inc. of Lunenburg won the grand prize in Mount Wachusett Community College Entrepreneurial Resource Center’s first annual Business Plan Competition. The announcement was made at the conclusion of the finalists’ presentations Thursday, Oct. 27 at MWCC’s Gardner campus.

	From left, president of High Impact Health & Fitness Steve Holt, founder of Speed-Demon Richard Fischer, product inventor at Speed-Demon Jon Fischer, Crystal House Clubhouse employment coordinator Lisa McLeod, Crystal House director of community services Brenda Castrichini, and a member of Crystal House stand with their award certificates.

The competition’s three finalists, Speed-Demon in the startup business category, High Impact Health & Fitness Services in the Fitchburg “Main Streets” category and Crystal House Clubhouse of Gardner in the nonprofit category, each won $2,000 in cash and $2,300 in services in the semi-finalist contest on Wednesday, Oct. 26. Based on Thursday night’s results, Speed-Demon also won $4,000 in cash and $2,900 in services; High Impact received the Fitchburg business grant award of $3,000 in cash; and Crystal House Clubhouse won the job creation prize of $2,000 in cash.

“These businesses and their services will strengthen our communities,” said MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino. “I’m so proud of the winners and all the entrepreneurs who submitted business plans for this competition. They’ve shown the entrepreneurial spirit is strong in our region.”

Announcing the results of the finalists’ presentations, competition judge Kim Philbrick McCabe, executive director of the Center for Nonprofit Management at Stonehill College, called the Speed-Demon software “a terrific product” and said company president Richard Fischer’s level of energy during the business plan presentation showed an understanding of “what it takes to launch a company.”

Speed-Demon is a high-tech startup that has developed a product that would allow parents to monitor the driving habits of their teenage drivers. A portable box mounted on a car dashboard will record speed and GPS data. Once parents remove the device, they can plug it into a PC loaded with Speed-Demon software, which uses Google’s map technology, and see what roads their teenager traveled and if they drove dangerously fast on any of them. Speed-Demon, the result of Jon Fischer’s Lunenburg High School science fair project, is expected to cost $99.95.

While the main goal of the company is to be profitable, a secondary purpose is to spark a dialog between parents and their teenagers about safe driving. In 2003, 3,657 drivers 15 to 20 years old were killed and 308,000 were injured in motor vehicle accidents, according to the National Center for Statistics and Analysis.

	Finalist judges, from left, are Chris Bowman, chief of staff of the Massachusetts Office of Economic Development, Ron Ansin of The Ron Ansin Foundation, Reinaldo Lopez, CEO of Resource Management Inc. and Kim Philbrick McCabe, executive director of the Center for Nonprofit Management at Stonehill College.

Fitchburg-based High Impact Health & Fitness Services, led by MWCC graduates Steve Holt and Bill Stefaniak, and has two divisions: Wellness Connection and Premier Health & Fitness Resources.

Wellness Connection is a national vendor for one-stop health and fitness services that allows corporations, organizations and communities to access resources for health screenings, wellness program consultation, fitness center development and Internet services.

Premier Health & Fitness Resources supports a new website for health and fitness professionals that features a variety of educational, networking and resource-sharing materials.

Company president Steve Holt operates High Impact out of his home in Fitchburg and pledged to locate an office in the city as the company expands.

Crystal House Clubhouse, a nonprofit vocational program for mentally ill citizens, has operated in the greater Gardner area since 1997 and now seeks to expand. One of its purposes is to provide transitional employment and support for independent employment to its members at area businesses. Clubhouse staff learns jobs and then trains members to do them. They will perform the jobs when members cannot be at work.

Brenda Castrichini, director of community services at the Crystal House Clubhouse, said there are about 20 members who could be placed in transitional employment if more companies agreed to hire them. To find more interested employers, Crystal House needs to increase its visibility among and the marketing of its job-placement programs to area employers.

“It was not an easy decision because all of you did a wonderful job presenting,” judge Kim Philbrick McCabe said. “You have a lot of great, innovative ideas.”

The other finalist judges were Ron Ansin of The Ronald M. Ansin Foundation, Chris Bowman, chief of staff of the Massachusetts Office of Economic Development and Reinaldo Lopez, CEO of Resource Management Inc.

Fourteen entrepreneurs, small business owners and nonprofit organizations submitted business plans by Aug. 29. The field of competitors was narrowed to seven semi-finalists, who presented their plans to a panel of judges Wednesday, Oct. 26 at the Gardner campus.

For more information about the competition, contact Lisa Derby Oden, director of the Entrepreneurial Resource Center, at (978) 630-9548 or loden@mwcc.mass.edu.

MWCC HOSTS RED CROSS DISASTER TRAINING SESSIONS

To assist with the national response to Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma, MWCC will host disaster training by the American Red Cross North Central Massachusetts Chapter at the college’s Gardner campus on Friday, Oct. 28 from 5 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 29 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The following classes will be held in MWCC’s North Cafeteria:

Introduction to Disaster Services and Mass Care: An Overview
Friday, Oct. 28, 5 to 9 p.m.

Shelter Operations and Disaster Damage Assessment
Saturday, Oct. 29, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Intro to Disaster Services
After completing this course, participants will be able to:
• Identify what Disaster Services is and why it is needed.
• Describe how individuals in Red Cross Disaster Services contribute to preparing for and alleviating the effects of a disaster through ongoing activities.
• Identify ways in which to volunteer with or contribute to the activities of Red Cross Disaster Services in the local community.
• Contact the local Red Cross to learn more about volunteering with Red Cross.
ARC 3066

Mass Care
As a result of this training, participants should be able to:
• Describe the role of Mass Care on Red Cross disaster relief operations and the services provided by this function.
• Explain how Mass Care workers deliver quality service to clients.
• Match their interests, abilities and skills with those needed in each Mass Care activity.
• Develop a plan of action for further involvement with the Red Cross.

Shelter Operations
After completing this course, participants will be able to:
• Describe the procedures for opening, operating and closing shelters.
• Explain ways to demonstrate quality service.
• Organize available human resources as a shelter operations team.
• Identify resources available to assist shelter workers.
• Organize the physical facility and material resources to meet the needs of the people in the shelter.

Damage Assessment
As a result of this training, participants should be able to:
• Explain the importance of accurate disaster assessment information to the disaster relief operation, the affected chapters and the Disaster Operations Center (DOC) and how it helps to shape an effective Service Delivery plan.
• Identify and give examples for each of the two categories of decision making for which accurate and timely disaster assessment information is critical.
• Identify and explain each of the five steps of the Disaster Assessment Information Cycle.
• Describe the four methods of disaster assessment data collection.
• Define each of the five Damage Assessment Classifications.

For more information, contact Molly Lew Piscia, the North Central Massachusetts chapter’s disaster services director, at (978) 537-3339 ext. 12 or PisciaM@usa.redcross.org, or Amy Casavina Hall, MWCC’s director of civic engagement and outreach, at (978) 630-9201.

	The New England Institute of Art President Stacey Sweeney and MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino shake hands after signing a BCT program articulation agreement.		Prospective students and their families learn about MWCC programs and services at the annual Discover MWCC Expo Thursday, Oct. 27.

	Students parade by the costume contest judges at the annual Scary Karaoke Night Thursday, Oct. 27 in the North Cafe. Current students, alumni, faculty and staff were invited to participate.		The prosecutor addresses the jury during the mock domestic violence trial sponsored by Paralegal Studies, the Worcester County District Attorney's Office and Battered Women's Resources on Monday, Oct. 24 in the North Cafe.

Upcoming Campus Events:

• The LIFE program’s third Wachusett Writer’s Conference will be held Friday, Oct. 28 and Saturday, Oct. 29 at the Colonial Hotel in Gardner. Friday night’s reception will include a portrayal of America’s first recorded and published female poets, Anne Bradstreet and Phillis Wheatley. The roles will be played by Patricia Cosentino and Nazaleem Smith, and they will appear in period costume. They will read from the early works of these poets. Winners of LIFE’s second annual writing contest will be invited to read their winning pieces at this event. There will be an open mic session, and refreshments will be served. The cost is $10. Saturday’s session will begin with a continental breakfast and registration at 8 a.m. The keynote speaker, Archer Mayor, a mystery writer with the Policeman Joe Gunther series, will address the audience with “A Conversation with Archer Mayor.” Morning workshops will follow with three genres: poetry, mystery and short fiction. A delicious luncheon will precede the afternoon workshops. Attendees may choose one morning and one afternoon workshop. For more information, contact Lorraine Wickman at (978) 630-9176 or lwickman@mwcc.mass.edu.

	"Alexander" is ready for his "Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day."

• Theatre at the Mount will present one performance only of the children’s musical “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” on Saturday, Oct. 29 at 2 p.m. “Alexander” is based on the book by Judith Viorst and features music by Shelly Markham and lyrics by Judith Viorst. Tickets for “Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day” are $4 and may be purchased at the Theatre at the Mount box office or online at http://theatre.mass.edu. The Box Office phone number is (978) 632-2403.

• The Student Government Association (SGA) is accepting donations for their Thanksgiving Food Drive. This year, the collection will benefit MWCC students who could use assistance. There are two ways to help: Donate non-perishable food items and make a monetary donation to go toward purchasing Stop & Shop gift certificates. Each student on the list to receive assistance will be receiving a $20 gift certificate along with a box filled with non-perishable food items. The gift certificate is meant to be used towards the purchase of a turkey and other perishable food items. After purchasing the necessary gift certificates, monetary donations may also be used to purchase any additional non-perishable food items still needed to fill the student boxes. Two grocery carts will be located on the first floor to collect the non-perishable food items. After the non-perishable food items have been distributed to the MWCC students, the remainder of the food will be donated to the MassPirg Fill the Chair campaign, which benefits the Gardner Community Action Committee. For more information, contact Student Life Director Greg Clement at (978) 630-9252 or gclement@mwcc.mass.edu.

• Phi Theta Kappa and MassPirg’s Winter Clothing Drive will run from Tuesday, Nov. 1 and Friday, Nov. 11. Collection boxes will be located on the first floor of the Gardner campus. Gently worn coats, jackets, sweaters, sweatshirts, pants, scarves, hats and other clothing items are appreciated. The clothing will be donated to Our Father’s House in Fitchburg. Our Father's House is a private, non-sectarian agency providing shelter and related services to homeless men and women. For more information about the drive, contact Professor Sheila Murphy at (978) 630-9331 or smurphy@mwcc.mass.edu.

• In observance of National Family Literacy Month, Pathways to Family Success, a MWCC program, and its partners are teaming up to bring a variety of literacy activities to Leominster families throughout November. It starts Tuesday, Nov. 1 with distribution of Gov. Mitt Romney’s and Mayor Dean Mazzarella’s proclamations to all public and private elementary and middle schools in Leominster. Along with the proclamations, copies of the Massachusetts Family Literacy Consortium’s Family Literacy poster in English, Spanish and Portuguese will be distributed. Copies of the National Center for Family Literacy’s calendar (in both English and Spanish) promoting daily activities for parents and children to do together will be distributed to every child in grades PreK-4 in Leominster Public Schools. On Wednesday, Nov. 2, Dr. Theresa Callahan from Medical Associates Pediatrics will speak at the Leominster Public Library at 6:30 p.m. She will discuss the role of parents as teachers and what their active involvement in their children’s lives means to their education, health and well-being. For more information, contact Pamela Banister at (978) 534-0964.

• Photographs by Ellie Moore and MWCC Professor Joyce Miller of Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s work “The Gates, Central Park, New York City, 1979-2005” are on display in the East Wing Gallery through Friday, Nov. 18. “The Gates,” free-hanging, saffron- colored fabric panels suspended from gate structures, were installed around New York City’s Central Park in February 2005. For more information, contact Professor Joyce Miller at (978) 630-9221 or jmiller@mwcc.mass.edu.

• Artist Christopher Willingham work is on display in the East Wing Gallery of MWCC’s Raymond M. LaFontaine Fine Arts Center through Friday, Nov. 18. For more information, contact Professor Joyce Miller at (978) 630-9221 or jmiller@mwcc.mass.edu.

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