Rotary Club, Belknap Mill and Contigiani's Catering co-hosting Business After Hours on Thursday

Laconia Rotary Club President Cassandra Bradley, John Moriarty, executive director for the Belknap Mill and Jim Contigiani, president of Contigiani's Catering Service are inviting the Lakes Region business community to join them for a Business After Hours networking event on Thursday, Jan. 15 (5 to 7 p.m.) at the Belknap Mill.

Laconia Rotary is comprised of 75 men and women business owners and leaders in the community. It is one of the oldest Rotary clubs in the state; as it was chartered in 1925.

Rotary is a civic-minded organization whose motto is to instill world peace and understanding and "Service Above Self". As such, Laconia Rotary supports numerous worthwhile local community programs as well as a variety of projects internationally. Rotary also promotes civic-minded individuals at the high school level by supporting a group of students, "Interact", who also provide assistance to various causes throughout the community.

Some of the projects Rotary has funded include: Rotary Riverside Park, Laconia Library, $244,000 in college scholarships, the Belknap Mill, Laconia Police and Fire Departments, Laconia softball, hockey, basketball and Little League, LHS Band, Pure Water for the World, Shelter Box, Polio Eradication, Hands 2 Honduras and Wheel Chairs to Armenia just to name a few.

Bradley is going to India at the end of January representing the Rotary Club and she will have a special collection box for the children in India at Thursday's event. If you would like we will be collecting t-shirts, baseball caps for the boys and/or scarves for the girls. Your donation will help to make a difference.

The historic Belknap Mill is the Lakes Region's Art & Cultural center and is the official Meeting House of New Hampshire but is perhaps best known of its industrial knitting museum. The Mill is the sole surviving, unaltered architectural specimen of the American Industrial Revolution. The Mill was built in 1823 and made

of bricks using clay harvested at the brickyard just north of the Weirs. Until the Civil War era it produced woven textiles but converted to circular knitting to fill a niche market using then cutting edge technology. The Mill changed ownership several times but ceased on premise manufacturing and power generating in

1969. Through tough times, spanning nearly half a decade, several forward minded individuals resisted national trends, preventing the certain destruction of the Mill which was to make way for a parking lot.

Today on-going efforts to preserve this natural treasure, not only as a natural icon of the regions 19th century industrial mite, but more as a place to explore art, music, public discourse, our selves and the world around us.

Contigiani's Catering Service was established in 1965. Over the past 40 years the food and service of Contigiani's have been delivered to and enjoyed by a wide variety of clients at countless events. To name a few, Contigiani's has serviced corporate social gatherings, luncheons & dinners, trade shows, weddings, family

outings & birthdays. The events ranged from as few as 10 to as many as several thousand people. They have served such dignitaries as President Richard Nixon, President George W Bush, Senator Bob Dole, Governor Mitt Romney and Governor John Lynch, and the list goes on.

Contigiani's is on their 4th generation of family traditions. They continually work hard to develop an excellent rapport with its clients by providing the highest level of quality and service available. Customer Service is their first priority and they look forward to servicing you at your next function.

Business After Hours is a program of the Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce and this networking event promises to be an evening of great food, fun and prizes. The Belknap Mill staff will also be offering guided tours throughout the evening.

Members, non-members and invited guests are welcome to attend.