The Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the 2012 Small Business Award Winners who will be saluted during Cape Ann Small Business Week, June 4 – 11. This year’s recipients, Rick and Jean Grobe of the White Elephant Shop and Transform Fitness in Essex, Deo Braga of Braga Management in Gloucester, Chuck Hayback of Nor’East Frameworks in Manchester and Kirk Keating and Bruce Rowell of Bayside Electrical Company in Rockport, will be honored at the Chamber’s 32nd Annual Small Business Week Luncheon on Monday, June 11, beginning at 11:30 am at the Bass Rocks Golf Club, 38 Beach Road, Gloucester.
The 2012 Cape Ann Chamber Small Business Week Luncheon will feature a keynote address by Robert Nelson, Director of the Small Business Administration’s Massachusetts District Office, on the importance of small business in leading the economic recovery. The seven area high school seniors who have been awarded Cape Ann Chamber Scholarships will also be saluted at this year’s luncheon.
The program is designed to recognize the extraordinary contributions of Cape Ann’s small business community in both exemplary entrepreneurial achievement as well as notable civic and community involvement. This year’s Small Business Award winners will also be honored individually at complimentary receptions in each of their communities during Cape Ann Small Business Week. Please visit capeannchamber.com for a complete schedule of these receptions.
Friends, family members, and colleagues of all small business honorees are invited and encouraged to attend the receptions and the luncheon. Tickets for the luncheon are available to members for $30 in advance or $35 week/day of and $45 for future members.
For more information or to RSVP for this event, please contact Tim Burton at tim@capeannchamber.com or call the Chamber at 978-283-1601.

Dear Joey and GMG FoBs (Friends of this amazing blog 🙂

I’m proud to tell you that I’m going "behind bars" to help in the fight against muscle disease. I’ll be cell to cell with many local people caught doing good work and helping to help raise critical funds for MDA. I need your help to reach my bail!

The Cape Ann 2012 Lock Up takes place on June 6, 2012, but I’m raising my bail before I go to jail! All you have to do is click here to make a secure, online donation today. Your support will help families living in our community with muscle disease, and help guarantee that I get out of jail. I will be sure to add you to my list of contributors.

Please support me in this important goal by visiting my fundraising page and making a contribution. Your tax-deductible donation makes a difference to the hundreds of kids, adults and their families who live right here on Cape Ann.

So come on, Discover Gloucester partners, friends of the blog, and of mine and Nick’s near and far!Thanks in advance for your help. Don’t hesitate to call or email me with questions.

Many Thanks from Linn Parisi

That may not seem so strange, but Maureen Farley is from Ipswich, MA and Jon Bartlett is from Ipswich, England.  They met at the Rhumb Line in Gloucester, although Jon came here specifically to visit Ipswich.  Maureen is a friend of the blog, Jon has now been introduced to the blog and plans to take his shiny new GMG sticker back to England with him and represent from Ipswich, and then take a trip to Gloucester, England and represent from there.  I have a feeling Jon is a new FOB in the making, and that we’ll be seeing him back in Gloucester (USA that is) soon.  And don’t he and Maureen make a cute couple?

E.J. Lefavour