The Third Annual Whoopie Pie Festival is Rutland's largest event on record.
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Tuesday, September 24, 2024
Read on for:
Third Annual Whoopie Pie Festival and Breaking Record | CEDRR and KPAA October Mixer | CEDRR Annual Meeting |
What's New in Rutland County | Made at The MINT |
Membership Spotlight | Career Hub | Upcoming Events
Photos from the Third Annual Whoopie Pie Festival in Downtown Rutland.
Third Annual Whoopie Pie Festival Success
The Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region (CEDRR) wants to thank everyone who made the Third Annual Whoopie Pie Festival a success!
This event has been heralded as the largest event Downtown Rutland has ever held with over 7,500 people attending!
Sixteen vendors from across the North competed for awards determined by a panel of judges and festival attendees. Cookie's Cupcakes of Otis, Massachusetts, won Most Creative and Overall Best, both voted by the judges. Sweet Birch Coffee Roasters and Bakery of Wallingford, Vermont won the People's Choice Award.
Dream Maker Bakers broke the World's Largest Whoopie Pie record. Megan Wagner's team created a whoopie pie weighing about 120 pounds more than the previous record. Their massive whoopie pie weighed a whopping 1,187 pounds! Maine has us on its radar and the previous record holder has said their bakery will challenge Megan and create an even larger whoopie pie.
The MINT Makerspace held their first Soap Box Derby during the event. Come Alive Outside hosted the Green Street on Merchants Row. The Red Trouser Show performed on Center Street and Merchants Row. There was face painting, caricature artists, a stilt walker, Tom Joyce the magician, and more entertainment!
Thank you to all of our sponsors and volunteers who made this day possible. A special thank you goes to our Premerie Sponsor, Casella Waste Systems.
Check out this video of the day created by PEG-TV →
Here is a funny article from Maine announcing they have lost their title to Vermont →
CEDRR and KPAA October Mixer at Allen Pools & Spas
The Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region andKillington Pico Area Association (KPAA) October Mixer will be hosted by Allen Pools & Spas on Tuesday, October 8 from 5-7 p.m. This annual event is a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society and Making Strides Against Breast Cancer.
Each year, Allen Pools & Spas hosts a raffle for a hot tub and other prizes to benefit Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. Over the past nine years, the company has raised almost $80,000 through the raffle and fundraising efforts. The raffle ends on October 31, 2024. Purchase tickets here.
Bloods Catering will feature heavy appetizers with a pink theme, a signature pink drink, beer, wine, water, and soda, a tent with outdoor heaters and the bar will be set up outside, Aaron Audet will perform, and Fairy Hair with Liz Reedy!
This mixer is co-hosted with the Killington Pico Area Association (KPAA).
Save the Date for CEDRR's Annual Meeting
Wednesday, October 23 from 5-7 p.m. is the Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region Annual Meeting. Join us at The Paramount Theatre for networking, food, and drinks.
During the evening, the teams from StartUp Rutland will take part in a Pitch Competition. The audience will vote for their favorite, and a panel of judges will determine the winner. Awarded teams will receive services and support if their company remains in Rutland, Vermont.
More information to come soon!
CEDRR would like to thank the following businesses for renewing their membership:
Vermont Arts Council Announces Grants to 86 Organizations - 6 in Rutland County
The Vermont Arts Council announces more than half a million dollars in grant awards to 86 Vermont organizations—from arts nonprofits to arts schools, museums to makerspaces, from libraries to community art centers, and more. All are helping to expand arts access through specific programs or are bringing year-round, high-quality arts programs and services to Vermonters across the state. The grants are a part of two programs: Arts Operating and Arts Project.
Arts Operating Grants provide unrestricted, general operating funds to arts organizations that offer year-round, high-quality arts programs and services that support the Council’s mission to “cultivate and advance the arts and creativity throughout Vermont."
Arts Project Grants support nonprofits, municipalities, and schools in their efforts to add vibrancy to Vermont communities through projects that provide equal and abundant access to the arts and cultural activities. It also includes projects that re-envision public spaces, strengthen community identity through the arts, and addresses issues related to the impact of recent flooding. Grant awards range from $2,500 to $4,000.
The following Rutland County Organizations were awarded:
Chaffee Art Center, Rutland
$4,000 to support operating and administrative costs for one year
Reclaimed, Inc, Poultney
$3,000 to support operating and administrative costs for one year
The MINT Rutland Makerspace, Rutland
$4,000 to support operating and administrative costs for one year
Shakespeare in the Woods, Pawlet
$4,000 to support the final week of Shakespeare in the Woods’ 2024 Season
reBHS Corp, Brandon
$15,000 to support the fabrication and installation of eight art bikes as part of the Art Bikes of Brandon micro-mobility project
Rutland Area Art Association
$20,800 to support the installation of heat pumps at the Chaffee Art Center
Rutland County Represents in VermontBiz Rising Stars
VermontBiz has announced the winners of its Rising Stars recognition award. The list is comprised of 40 winners under the age of 40. Award recipients were selected by a panel of judges for their commitment to business growth, professional excellence, and involvement in their communities.
VermontBiz will honor Vermont's most accomplished young leaders at the Rising Stars special event on November 7th. The honorees will also be featured in the November issue of VermontBiz.
Over 180 outstanding nominations were submitted this year. Of the 40 honorees, there are 24 women and 16 men. There are 2 from Addison County, 1 from Bennington County, 1 from Caledonia County, 24 from Chittenden County, 1 from Franklin County, 1 from Grand Isle County, 1 from Lamoille County, 1 from Orange County, 2 from Rutland County, 2 from Washington County, 3 from Windham County and 1 from Windsor County. The average age of the honorees is 34 years old. The oldest is 39 and the youngest is 25 years old.
Our Rutland County honorees:
Megan LaChance (35) works for Rutland City
Nic Stark (35) works for the Rutland Regional Planning Commission
Call for Presentation Proposals
Now accepting presentation proposals for the 40th Annual Vermont Tourism Summit on April 28-28, 2025 at Hotel Champlain in Burlington! The deadline to submit is October 7.
Presentation proposals should address current trends and issues relevant to Vermont travel industry businesses and professionals.
Program topics will focus on:
- Marketing
- Funding/Policy Advocacy
- Destination Stewardship
- Collaboration/Partnership
Proposals that address one or more of these sub-topics will be prioritized for inclusion in the program:
- Diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, belonging
- Research, trends
- Sustainability
Sign up for an Event at The Hub!
CO.STARTERS FALL COHORT REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN
Duration: 10 weeks
Format: Live, in-person sessions
Schedule: Weekly meetings, 3 hours each
The FINSYNC CO.STARTERS program is a comprehensive, hands-on course designed to guide you through the process of launching a business. Over the course of 10 weeks, you’ll deep dive into every aspect of building a sustainable and successful business, from refining your idea to developing a business model and beyond. Due to the interactive nature of the program, enrollment is limited. If you’re interested, be sure to apply as soon as possible to secure your spot.
To apply, or for more information, visit our page here. Please email Bill with any further questions at Bill@rutlandeconomy.com.
HERITAGE FAMILY CREDIT UNION NEW BUSINESS MENTOR ROUNDTABLE
Tuesday, September 24th
5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Streetside Conference Room @ The Hub CoWorks
Heritage Family Credit Union will be hosting a New Business Mentor Roundtable at The Hub CoWorks. The roundtable will bring together a group of mentors offering valuable insights and strategies for small business owners! Panelists include experts from HFCU, the Rutland Redevelopment Authority, SCORE and more. The event is free, but please RSVP by September 20th. A light meal will be served. We look forward to seeing you there!
VERMONT LAW SCHOOL: STARTUP ESSENTIALS FOR A NEW SMALL BUSINESS—FREE SEMINAR
Tuesday, October 22, 2024
2:00-4:00 p.m.
The Hub CoWorks
Calling all new business owners, or soon-to-be owners! Join faculty and law students from the Vermont Small Business Law Center of Vermont Law and Graduate School for a FREE seminar/discussion on what legal matters you'll need to complete or contemplate. There is no charge to attend this event, but you must RSVP as space is limited. Visit here for the full seminar description and to save your spot!
ESTATE PLANNING FOR BUSINESS OWNERS
Thursday, October 24, 2024
8:00-10:30 a.m.
The Hub CoWorks
Hosted by Dolly Donnelly, JD, Director of Wealth Strategies at Wilmington Trust, dive into foundational estate planning, buy-sell agreements, and potential tax changes in 2026. This event is free, but space is limited. RSVP/Learn more here.
FUNDAMENTALS OF MARKETING: STRATEGIES OF THE FUTURE
Thursday, November 14, 2024
9:00-11:00 a.m.
The Hub CoWorks
Join Mimi Damm for her second free marketing event at The Hub this fall and learn how to keep up in today’s fast-paced, digital era. This session will explore the following topics:
- Fundamentals of marketing
- Effective marketing techniques
- Understanding consumer behavior
- Data and analytics
- Brand development and storytelling
To learn more or RSVP for this FREE event, visit our site, here.
Michelle Wilcox, new Real Rutland Concierge Volunteer.
Sarah Furman and her daughter at the Meet and Greet at Mendon Mini Golf & Snack Bar.
Real Rutland Concierge Program Update
September 2024
This month we welcomed Michelle Wilcox as a new Concierge Volunteer. Michelle works at Rutland Regional Medical Center as an Accreditation Specialist. She is very active in the community with other volunteer work. She also enjoys square dancing, paper crafts, and cooking.
The Real Rutland Summer Meet and Greet was held on Thursday, August 22, at Mendon Mini Golf & Snack Bar. We had 26 people come out for food, mini golf, and batting cages. Sixteen attendees are new Vermonters! It was a nice evening to meet with new residents and make connections.
The MINT's Soap Box Derby at The Whoopie Pie Festival on Center St in Downtown Rutland.
Derby Recap:
WOW! That was fun!
On 9/14 we teamed up with the Whoopie Pie Festival in downtown Rutland to host our first annual Soap Box Derby. We are tremendously grateful for the community that showed up to support us in various ways. It is just another shining example of how lucky we are to live here among caring, fun people who support each other!
Seven teams from local businesses built out soap box cars and raced them down Center Street. Every single car was a masterpiece, and we were blown away by all the work those teams did! Our fastest car was “The Soil Streaker” built by Foley Services. The Judges chose Weston Theater Company’s incredible ode to The Woman in Black to win overall. The prize for Most Creative went to Maverick Construction for a delicious looking gingerbread house (car?) complete with the whole family of gingerbread people! The team from Come Alive Outside and Heritage Family Credit Union encountered some challenges but still managed to make some speedy runs down the hill! They earned the “Epic Fail” prize for perseverance. Our prizes were generously provided by The Paramount Theater, Bowlerama and The Village Snack Bar. We would also like to thank Forest Immel for taking incredible photos of the event!
We would like to celebrate all of our participants and sponsors-in no particular order- for a great day!
Wonderfeet Kids Museum, sponsored by Killington
Come Alive Outside, sponsored by Heritage Family Credit Union
Brown’s Auto Salvage
Rutland Regional Medical Center
Foley Services
Weston Theater Company
Maverick Construction
If you missed us this weekend, it is not too late! We are having a MINT-acular celebration on October 12th and would love to have you join us!
Please see below for some upcoming classes to keep you inspired:
Mosaic BirdHouses (TEENS): September 21st & 28th
Multi Color Letterpress Printing: September 25th
Intro to MIG Welding: September 25th
Stained Glass Pumpkins: October 5th and 12th
Announcing our September Mix! 🎨
We are so excited to hold our September mix at Kaleidoscope Art Supply in Downtown Rutland! Kaleidoscope is a newer business to Downtown, and has instantly become Rutland's go-to destination for art supplies, local art, and amazing workshops! Please join us on September 26th from 6-8 pm for this fun mix! Light refreshments will be available, and there will be an opportunity to participate in a fun art project too! 👩🎨
Kaleidoscope has also graciously offered 15% off store-wide to RYP members during the mix, and there will be a raffle basket full of fun art supplies!
We can't wait to see you at our September Mix!
The Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region's Career Hub features full-time jobs across Rutland County that provide a salary higher than the Vermont living wage.
Consumer & Mortgage Loan Underwriter
NeighborWorks of Western Vermont is seeking a Consumer & Mortgage Loan Underwriter to join their team.
Public Works Highway Crewmember
The Town of Proctor is seeking a Public Works Highway Crewmember to join their team.
Custom Woodworker
Hirschmann Windows & Doors is seeking a Custom Woodworker to join their team.
View Rutland County career opportunities & post your position →
Side Hustle Success
September 27 | 11:30 AM-1:00 PM | Virtual
This workshop highlights the best practices of navigating a career with multiple ‘gigs’, freelancing, and jobs. Topics focus on bite-sized, tactical tools immediately implementable and offers a variety of tools & hands-on activities to support the establishment of meaning and stability in a work lifestyle.
Join us virtually. Be prepared for working sessions interspersed throughout the workshop.
On Demand: Facebook Post Scheduling & Using AI for Creative Ideas
September 30 | 8 AM-5 PM | Online
Objectives of the Class:
- Steps to creating a social media plan
- Designing social media posts (using Canva)
- Ways to get your social media posts noticed:
- Importance of images and videos
- Importance of using hashtags
- Sharing to personal profile
- Tagging customers
- Getting customers to “Follow” profile
- How to use AI to help with the creative process of social media post development
- Best timing and consistency of social media posting
- How to schedule future Facebook posts using Meta Business Suite
Requirements for joining the class:
Business owner must have a personal Facebook profile and must have created a working/functional Business Page/Profile connected and created through that personal Facebook profile. If the business owner does not have a properly working Business Page/Profile, I will not have time to help them “figure it out”.
The training video will be available on demand, allowing you to access it whenever your schedule permits. Two training handouts and the training's video link will be accessible to you upon purchase.
Retirementality: Blending Attitude, Advice and Accountability for Success
October 2 | 8:30-10:00 a.m. | Virtual
We’ll prepare our mindset for success, then dive into tips to plan for retirement. This will be relevant no matter how near, far or unknown your retirement may be. Leave with strategies to take action and implement what you’ve learned, then continue your steady progress for years to come.
