Salvation Army to Host Networking Luncheon

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Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Joe Parello, GoLocalWorcester Contributor

The Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center is opening its doors for a lunch break that will bring together local business owners.

From noon until 1:30 today, the Center will be providing food and refreshments for anyone looking to establish new business connections. The event is free, and organizer Matt LaBarre of LaBarre Communications says he is excited to get local business owners together in the same room.

"This is strictly a networking luncheon," LaBarre said. "We're expecting somewhere between 75 and 85 local business owners to attend, and it's just a great opportunity for them to get to know each other and establish new business connections."

The event will be broadcast live on WCRN, and is cosponsored by Good as Gold Coffee, the Salvation Army and GoLocalWorcester, among others.. LaBarre says there will be no event program, just the chance to meet with other business owners and governmental leaders. He also believes that holding the event during lunch hours has multiple benefits.

"The idea came from (The Salvation Army)'s advisory council," LaBarre said. "Many of us are single parents or divorced parents, and we understand that lunch time is easier than after work because of all the obligations people have with their kids and families."

LaBarre also says the board wanted to host the event at the Rehabilitation Center to bring in people that may have never seen any of the Salvation Army's properties. To him, it seemed to be an obvious win-win situation.

"We also decided to host it at the Adult Rehabilitation Center to get people in the door so that they can see the place, and the Salvation Army Family Discount Store as well," LaBarre said. "We want people to have a chance to see what we do."