The Greenway Challenge - September 27, 2008

Happy Holidays
Mark Your Calendar for Next Year's Challenge .......September 27, 2008.

UniBank Blackstone River Valley Greenway Challenge Steering Committee Presents Bikeway Association with Check

Members of the UniBank Greenway Challenge Steering Committee presented the Blackstone River Bikeway Association with a check for $2,500 at the Corridor Commission Meeting on November 15th in Douglas, MA.

The Bikeway Association was recognized as the 2007 charitable organization recipient because of their work in the development and promotion of the valley's greenway and bike connections.

Organizations chosen to receive a charitable donation from the Challenge must demonstrate their commitment to developing and promoting the blueways and greenways of the Blackstone River Valley.

Pictured left to right from the Blackstone River Bikeway Association are Beckley Gaudette, Heather Elster and Katie Stark with the Greenway Challenge Steering Committee members Pat Nedoroscik, Lisa Mosczynski, Capt. Armand Morin, Irene Blais and Barbara Dixon

If your organization works with the Valley's blueways and greenways and if you would like it considered as the 2008 charitable recipient, please contact Barbara Dixon for more information at 401-762-0250x30. The deadline is May 1, 2008.

Millbury Federal Credit Union Challenges Dean Bank

Millbury Federal Credit Union’s team receiving their award for placing third in the Recreational Division at the Finish Line at Waters Farm in Sutton, MA. Pictured from left to right are Richard “Boo” Reil, John Reil, Michelle Katz, Lisa Bean, John Piscitelli and Tony Figueroda.

In a gesture of friendly competition, Millbury Federal Credit Union’s Vice President Richard Thomas challenged Dean Bank’s Assistant Branch Manager Diane M. Jordan to September’s 2008 UniBank Greenway Challenge at a recent Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce event.

After a brief replay of how well the Credit Union’s team had done in this fall’s 54 mile Challenge, -- third in the Recreational Division in a division field of over 45 teams -- Thomas turned to Jordan and threw down the gauntlet and “challenged” Dean Bank to participate next year. “I'm letting you know your team will be facing the smell of rubber, dust in the face and following in our wake all day long! We'll have a hearty toast and a friendly greeting for you at the finish line,” he added.

According to Thomas, part of the friendly competition comes with recognizing that doing business in the Blackstone Valley means supporting its events as well. He says that the Greenway Challenge is a very well run, very well organized event that goes a long way towards showcasing the beautiful area where we live and work. Millbury Federal Credit Union’s team has competed in the Challenge for the last seven years.

“We accept your challenge, Dick,” Diane Jordan countered. “But it will cost you lunch! This will be the first year that Dean Bank, with Blackstone Valley branches in Blackstone and Mendon, MA will compete in the Greenway Challenge. Dean Bank is the third bank in the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor to participate in the UniBank Greenway Challenge. “This is a logical extension of the friendly competitive nature of the Valley’s community banks,” Steering Committee Chairperson, Charlie Thompson, stated. “I’m sure that UniBank’s President Ken Redding and Millbury Federal Credit Union’s Vice President Dick Thomas welcome the opportunity to take on newcomer Dean Bank. Let’s get more community banks – and businesses -- into the action!”

UniBank became the title sponsor of the Greenway Challenge in 2007 and has competed in the event since its inception in 2001. The 2008 UniBank Greenway Challenge will take place on Saturday, September 27 2008. In keeping with Challenge tradition, the course will be different from years’ past and will be announced in early September.

Fill your Christmas Stocking with GC Merchandise & Photography

We have just recently revamped the Greenway Challenge home page and merchandise section of the website. Please consider ordering t-shirts, hats, jackets, vests, or pictures through our Gear Shop. We also realized that some of the needed links were not correct. We apologize for this and hope you'll think of ordering for the holidays!

Greenway Challenge 2007 Feedback Survey

Please take our 2007 Greenway Challenge Survey. This survey, which we ask our athletes to fill out once per year, helps the Steering Committee make decisions for the next Challenge. Please fill it out only once. If you did not receive the email with the survey link, please use this link to fill it out. Thank you very much.