Some of the Goals of the organization are to:

1.) Support & promote Pittsford & Florence businesses.

2.) Encourage new business development in our area.

3.) Advocate awareness of local charities, and other non-profit organizations in our area.

4.) Bring residents and businesses together, to enhance the local economy while building community cohesiveness & pride.

The PBCG is open to all business persons: micro to large businesses, merchants, farmers, artisans, instructors to retirees, etc…

Standard membership Directory Listings are free. However, we are asking for a small donation of $10.00 to go towards our ever growing & improving websites and regular operating costs.

For more information about our web page and Directory, contact Jackson Whelan. Member benefits include: website marketing capabilities, advanced public relations, and member to member discounts.

The PBCG welcomed the following new business members to our group in 2011: Douglas Martin Fine Furniture – proprietor Douglas Martin,  Groundworks Farm – proprietors Margaret Evans & Kevin Brown, Pittsford Village Self-Storage – proprietors Bill & Linda Drummond,   Nickwackett Garage – proprietor Lloyd ”Bud” Provin,  and Kim Lyon-Pratt.

The PBCG holds bi-monthly meetings, and hosts 2-4  seminars & mixers each year. Normally, meetings are either held on a Tuesday- early evening w/ supper,  or as a Thursday morning Breakfast meeting. Please check the website for weekly calendar updates, email notices and posted fliers at www.pittsfordbusinesscommunity.com , or contact Kelley Lyon at 483-2218 and vtmusictherapy@comcast.net.

Group members participated in many area events in 2011:

• February 1st- PBCG hosted the new year’s Annual Meeting.
• March 23rd & 24th- sponsored a business & community Seminar featuring Leanne Tingay, from the Agency of Commerce & Community Development, regarding “The Route 7 Project”.
• May 5th- Hosted a community Mixer at the R.C.Humane Society, featuring a tour, lecture and donation rally.
• May 7th-  teamed up & cleaned up on Green Up Day!
• In June, we co-sponsored the Summer Family Campfire Sing-a-Longs, hosted a Business Market and presented a ‘Charter Day Cake’ to the Town-  at “Pittsford Day”.
• On Sept. 11th- participated at Lothrop’s 100th anniversary, sold campaign signs-  to promote the  Town’s 250th Anniversary: ”Pittsford’s Got You Covered” with a covered bridge – on the reverse “Celebrating 250 Years – 1761″ with Town seal, designed by Winning Image Graphics. This was a non-profit project, designed to promote and beautify our Town.
• October 1st- we sponsored a Business Market booth at the annual Bowen-Walker Harvest Fair, on the PCC grounds & Town green.
• Oct. 2nd- participated at  Pittsford’s Art Lecture/Workshop & Fund-raising Event for the Bowen-Walker Fund- featuring Betty Atwood, at the Maclure Library. As well as, The Blessing of the Animals at the R.C.Humane Society.
• Oct. 8th- we hosted another Business Market booth, at the Town Wide “Irene” Fundraiser, on the PCC grounds & Town green.
• Oct.9th- Vermont Camera Works hosted their annual Sheep & Wool Festival.
• Oct.12th- participated in Pittsford’s Charter Day Celebrations: at the Historical Society’s Lecture & Tour, and at the Maclure Library’s readings & discussion of “In The Shadow of Cox Mountain”.
• Other October member events included: the Recreation Area Pumpkin Party, the Pittsford Haunted House Tours, the Wilson Haunted Castle Tours, and Maclure Library’s Preschool Story & Music Hour/ Halloween Party.
• In November, we participated in Lothrop’s Craft Fair- having 2 tables, and contributing to the Basket Raffle to benefit The Santa Fund. We hung  wreaths on the covered bridges – Thanks to the Highway Dept. for their good humor and help! This kicked off the Community Wide Holiday Decorating Contest! Co-sponsored by the PBCG and the Recreation Dept.
• December 3rd- we participated at the St. Alphonsus Christmas Bazaar.
• Friday, Dec. 9th- we sponsored our 1st - “Holiday Shopping After Hours & Raffle”, 4-9p.m.,25 Businesses and Venues, as well as, a dozen of the area’s finest artisans & crafters participated in this great event! Sixteen prizes were donated for the PBCG’s Raffle – all gratefully received.

Winners of the Holiday Decorating Contest include:

Residential

1st Prize of $30.00, for Best Night Time/ Home & Yard Display – Terri & Matt Keith, of Plains Rd.

2nd Prize of $25.00, for Most Elegant Greenery & Light Display – Larry & Mary Marzec-Gerrior, of Furnace Rd.

3rd  Prize of a 2012 Recreational Family Pass, for Night Light Display – Marleen Cenate, of Gloriosa Dr.

Agricultural

Prize of $20, for Best Decorated Farm – Janice Fox, of Corn Hill Rd.

Municipal

The Vermont State Police Academy, for best decorated buildings & grounds. Prize- “Pittsford’s Got You Covered” sign.

Commercial

Best In Doors Decorations- Poro’s Pizza & Cassidy’s Hilltop Tavern

Best Out -of-Doors Decorations- Brown’s Salvage & Gecha Fuels.

(all prizes- “Pittsford’s Got You Covered” signs).

The PBCG is non-profit. All proceeds from the raffle will go directly back into community projects.

Other projects completed this year included:

• New Business Group Brochure & a Tourist Brochure with Area Attractions Map.
• Grow an Extra Row for the Food Shelf.

The PBCG would like to thank everyone who contributed to the group’s efforts this last year! Future projects to be discussed at our Annual Meeting (on either Tuesday, 1/17, or 1/24, 5:45p.m., place TBA) include: Seminar featuring Small Business Development & Grant opportunities, promoting Maple Sugar Season & Spring Mixer.

We invite you to come to one of our meetings or mixers. Come and see what we’re all about, and how you can make a difference in your business community!

Respectfully Submitted,

Kelley Lyon- Chairperson

Categories include: Residential, Commercial, Agricultural, and Municipal.

This community event will be judged by a committee of volunteers, based on creativity, appearance and theme.

Formal entries may be entered using the form below, or contact Kelley Lyon at vtmusictherapy@comcast.net , and 483-2218.

However,  festive residents who may not be aware of ‘the contest’ will also be considered, during the judges’ tour.

To be eligible to win, you must be located within the Pittsford/Florence town limits.

Judging will take place the week of Dec.11th. Winners will be notified immediately thereafter.

Prizes will be presented at the Caroling on the Green event Saturday, Dec. 17th.

They can be purchased for $10. For information call Kelley Lyon at 483-2218, or email vtmusictherapy@comcast.net.

• Route 7 Project Update
• Pittsford 250th Celebration
• Pittsford Day: Booth, Volunteer’s, Raffle & Farmers -Market Opportunity
• Summer/ Fall Projects
• New business & Seminar Ideas

There is so much going on this summer and fall, so now is the time to make plans!! Please come and help us celebrate our businesses and our community! We appreciate your participation and input!

If you have any questions please contact Kelley at 483-2218 or e-mail Charla at: charla_dee@gmavt.net

For information contact Robin Rowe at 483-2967

The PBCG is a committee of the Town’s non-profit Pittsford Community Corporation, established in1997.

Some of the Goals of the organization are to:

1). Support & promote Pittsford & Florence businesses.

2). Encourage new business development in our area.

3). Advocate awareness of local charities, and other non-profit organizations in our area.

4). Bring residents and businesses together, to enhance the local economy while building community cohesiveness & pride.

The PBCG is open to everyone. Business persons: small , large or micro, merchants, farmers, retirees, musicians, artists, contractors, private instructors, etc…

There are no membership dues at this time. However, we are asking for a small donation of $10.00 to go towards our ever growing and improving websites, (only from those businesses who want their web-links, photos, or feature page listings to continue, or those businesses without their own websites- wishing to be augmented in the future). Standard membership Directory listings will remain free.

Many thanks to Charla Helton for originally creating and funding the two websites, for the past two and a half years! Also, we thankfully welcomed Jackson Whelan into our group, last May, as our new Web Designer. For more information about our Directory or starting your own web-page, contact Jackson at jacksonwhelan.com.

Other membership benefits include: website marketing capabilities, advanced public relations, and member to member discounts.

The PBCG welcomed the following new businesses in 2010: Longhill Sugarmakers -proprietor Reggie Charbonneau, Homespun Cottage & Fiber Farm- proprietor Terry DeYoung, Grandpa Jim’s Seasonings- proprietor James Smith, Sawdi’s Restaurant & Tavern- proprietor Paul Jon, and finally Andre & Claire Konstant of 3 Bears Bakery. We would also like to welcome the Gecha Brothers to their new location on Route 7!

The PBCG holds monthly (or bi-monthly meetings), and hosts 2-4 mixers each year. Normally, meetings will be held the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 6:30p.m., place TBA. However, we try to be flexible with our time slots , in order to accommodate more members. Please check the website for weekly calendar updates, email notices, posted fliers, and mailings or contact Kelley Lyon at 483-2218, or vtmusictherapy@comcast.net.

Group members participated in many area events in 2010. June’s events included: 6/14- Mixer & Grand Opening at the Homespun Cottage & Fiber Farm, 6/18- Family Campfire Sing-a-Long & S’mores Party – Kelley Lyon, 6/26- and a booth at Pittsford Day, for the distribution of group’s brochures, membership recruitment and business networking.

On August 6th, we held a combination business meeting & mixer to, “Welcome Back Members & Hello New Friends”.

On September 24th, we participated in the “Pittsford Community Art & Artisan Silent Auction”, at the Maclure Library, to benefit the Bowen Walker Fund.

October was a very busy month. Pittsford hosted over a dozen Fall events! On 10/2, the PBCG rented a booth at “The 7th Annual Home Grown & Hand Made Harvest Fair” to benefit the Bowen Walker Fund. The following business persons and merchants donated items for us to sell: Three Bears Bakery- Andre & Claire Konstant, Kamuda’s Country Market- Joe & Laurie Kamuda, Anything Graphic- Norma Montaigne, The Inn at Logan’s Run- Charla Helton, Pine Woods Golf Range- Howard Marcell, and Kelley’s Conservatory of Music – Vermont Music Therapy Services & ‘Native Song’ Entertainment Venues- Kelley Lyon. We would also like to thank the PCC for lending their tent and table for the booth. As well as, Neil & Trudi Martinez and Bob Harnish for volunteering their time and manpower at the booth. Enough money was raised to ” break even”, covering the costs of the booth rental and advertisements of Pittsford’s events.< /P>

On 10/3, PBCG members also participated in the Rutland County Humane Society’s “Blessing of the Animals”, 10/17- Pittsford’s Annual Sheep & Wool Festival (at the Vermont Camera Works) in conjunction with the Rutland Area Lamb and Wool Producers, 10/22 & 23- The Wilson Haunted Castle, and on 10/28- the Maclure Library’s Preschool Story & Music Hour/ Halloween Party.

November’s member events included: 11/18- the Maclure Library’s Preschool Story & Music Hour/ Thanksgiving Party, 11/27- Saint Alphonsus Christmas Bazaar, and 11/29- Hanging of the Holiday Wreaths on the Covered Bridges.

In December PBCG members finished the year by helping the Pittsford Food Shelf “Stuff a Bus” on 12/4, on 12/12- K. Lyon sang with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, for their “Holiday Pops Concert” at the Paramount Theater, and on 12/23- the Maclure Library’s Preschool Story & Music Hour/ Christmas Party.

The PBCG would like to thank everyone who contributed to the group’s efforts this last year! Future projects include: expanding our web-site’s services, hosting guest speaker Leanne Tingay – from the Department of Economic & Community Development, promoting Maple Sugar Season, and hosting a Spring Mixer at the Rutland County Humane Society.

We invite you to come to one of our meetings or mixers. Come see what we are all about, and how you can make a positive difference in your business and in your community!

Respectfully Submitted,

Kelley Lyon

A New addition to our ever growing business community is HomeSpun Cottage located on Route 7 in Pittsford, just up from Brandford House Antiques, or before depending on which way your coming! Shepherd Terry has farm fresh wool straight from her sheep for spinning and knitting! Stop by and see all her handmade products and don’t forget to visit the Sheep!! For more information about Terry and her shop please visit her web-site at: www.vthomespuncottage.com .