Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region (CEDRR) is celebrating its first year as a merged organization this October and is reflecting on the work that has taken place. Over the course of the past year, CEDRR continued to collaborate with regional partners to help pave the way for growth in our county. CEDRR continues to pursue the goal of ensuring that the Rutland Region is the best place to live, work, play and grow a business. We have done so with clear statements supporting declarations of inclusion and welcoming refugees, as well as recognizing Castleton University’s impact on our communities.
CEDRR appreciates the significant impact that Castleton University has on Rutland County. We believe that Castleton University is an economic engine for the region. CEDRR and Castleton University have collaborated closely and have formed a community engagement partnership. The partnership engages Castleton students in a diverse range of opportunities, including internships and workplace readiness skill programming. An extension of this partnership was recently added when CEDRR and Castleton announced the opening of the CEDRR Intern Hub on Merchants Row in Downtown Rutland.
A continued focus for CEDRR includes promoting Rutland County through the Regional Marketing Initiative known as Real Rutland. This effort is designed to capture prospective leads who have an interest in moving to Rutland County and then introduce them to the Real Rutland Concierge Program. Each lead is individually matched with a local concierge who shares a similar demographic and similar interests. The Concierge acts as a mentor and support system when it comes to topics such as career opportunities, housing, educational options, and where to dine and shop. Real Rutland would not be possible without support from local businesses, municipalities, and organizations each of whom generously donate to the initiative.
To assist local businesses, as well as those who are interested in moving to the region, CEDRR maintains the CEDRR Career Hub, which posts full-time career opportunities located in Rutland County. Each listing meets or exceeds the threshold for the Vermont livable wage. The Career Hub is staffed and supported by interns from Castleton University. Other interns working with CEDRR have supported the collection of assets for our Real Rutland effort. Those assets include professional-level photography and videography, all highlighting the towns and businesses in the county.
Over the past 12 months, CEDRR hosted events for its members and the community in a safe and mindful way. These events consisted of mixers, ribbon cuttings, virtual webinars, fun with trivia, a mayoral forum, and more. Despite the pandemic, we recognize the essential role that interpersonal interaction continues to play in all of our lives and the livelihood of our local business community. To that end, we had intended to host a Parade of Heroes & Community Celebration to recognize those who continue to put their lives on the line as essential and frontline workers in Rutland County. The Celebration was also intended to announce the first-ever annual Rutland Whoopie Pie Festival. However, the nation saw a rise in COVID-19 cases and CEDRR made the difficult decision to postpone. We look forward to holding the parade and festival in the future. To recognize the heroes of the region, we delivered whoopie pies donated by Vermont Country Store and thank you cards to those who had signed up to march in the parade.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the guiding leaders in our region has been the entire staff and leadership at Rutland Regional Medical Center. We are proud to recognize Rutland Regional Medical Center as the Community Leader of the Year for the unwavering support and quality of service that they have provided to all of us. Other awards that will be recognized at our upcoming annual meeting include Bobby Poquette as Volunteer of the Year, Marie Pavini M.D. as Innovator of the Year, and Laurie Mecier-Brochu as Business Leader of the Year.
Everyone had a great time at our drive-in-style annual meeting last year. So, CEDRR decided to bring it back once again. The movie will take place on Thursday, October 14th at the Vermont State Fairgrounds in Rutland. We look forward to celebrating the accomplishments of our business partners, communities, and families. Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. with door prizes and food trucks. The annual meeting movie will begin at 6:30 p.m. Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit Making Strides Against Breast Cancer in partnership with Allen Pools and Spas. Space will be limited, so we encourage you to purchase a ticket now at www.rutlandvermont.com/annualmeeting/.
We look forward to seeing you!
Lyle Jepson is the Executive Director for Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region and lives in Rutland City.
