Needham Night Honors Rep. Garlick, Local Businesses

reported by Cameron Morsberger
July 22, 2024

• Established institutions and a new venture will earn special accolades at the Charles River Regional Chamber’s annual event Tuesday night.

Needham Night, a community network opportunity, doubles as an award ceremony honoring local businesses that have made an impact. This year, Bigbelly Solar, The Common Room and the Needham Revitalization Trust Fund will be recognized, as will outgoing state Rep. Denise Garlick, who will finish her 14th and final year at the State House at the end of December.

Needham residents and other community members weighed in via a survey, and a subcommittee at the Chamber decided who would be most worthy of the town-wide honor.

“It’s a really lovely night for mingling and for everybody who doesn’t really get to see each other, from all cross-sections of Needham,” said Lise Ann Elcock, vice president of membership and development at CRRC. “The Chamber really looks forward to getting there and saying hi and seeing the honorees, but also [making] deep connections into the community.”

Since opening in March, the Common Room Grill has garnered “a lot of really positive feedback” from patrons, co-owner Scott McCourt said. The casual, pub-style American cuisine aimed to fill a gap in Needham’s “unbelievable restaurant scene,” McCourt said, and they strive to be the local place to eat and watch a game with family and friends, right off the Town Common.

The Common Room will receive the Sparkle Award, bestowed on Needham businesses or organizations that help to beautify Needham. The honor came as a bit of a surprise, McCourt said, but is a testament to the support from both the community and the Chamber, of which they are a member.

“Dinner rolls around, and you see all the families in the restaurant side, and then on our side, you can have a game going on, and it’s almost like two different places,” McCourt said. “That’s the need that the community I think had.”

The Chamber’s Business of the Year Award will go to Bigbelly Solar, the longtime Needham public space waste business founded by Olin College graduate Jeff Satwicz. Started in 2003 with its first product released in 2005, Bigbelly waste containers are located right in Needham but also shipped to more than 60 countries.

Bigbelly products are “designed in Needham, made in Methuen,” President Brian Phillips said. Having recently celebrated their grand opening in Methuen, Phillips praised the Chamber for their support and assistance with community engagement.

Bigbelly’s first headquarters was located just under “the glowing lights of the You-do-It Electronics sign,” Satwicz said. As they’ve grown over the last 21 years, the business decided to remain in town for the CRRC and “wonderful talent pool of people” here, Satwicz said.

“It’s a really great place to operate a company out of,” Satwicz said, “which is why Bigbelly as a global brand is here, across the street from us is SharkNinja, down the street from them is TripAdvisor.”

Coinciding with its 25th anniversary, the Needham Revitalization Trust Fund will be honored with the Community Impact Award, which goes to businesses or people who go “above and beyond for the betterment of the entire Needham community” and “consistently embodying the spirit of making Needham a special place to live or visit,” according to the Chamber.

Paul Good, who chairs the Needham Revitalization Trust Fund Committee, said the fund has completed more than 40 projects in public spaces in its time, all funded by private donations. Because of that, Needhamites clearly care about the arts, he said.

The fund is responsible for a range of existing art projects across town, including the rotating mural project — From Needham to the World — across from the Town Common. Currently on display is a mural honoring artist N.C. Wyeth. Good said they’re also working to bring a technology-driven art gallery to Eaton Square.

“The variety of art people can enjoy as the cultural experience of our town is tremendous,” Good said, “and the exposure that the very active art community will get through this program is great.”

Receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award tomorrow night is Rep. Garlick, who will close out her last term on Beacon Hill come Dec. 31. Before her tenure, Garlick previously sat on the Needham Select Board and Board of Health.

To be recognized for her public service “fills me with gratitude,” Garlick said.

“I think it really speaks to the Chamber’s strong role in the quality of life in our communities,” she said of the recognition. “I think for them to recognize a partner in public service just speaks a great deal to how positive a force the Charles River Regional Chamber is.”

Needham Night began under the Needham Business Association, which merged into the Chamber back in 2018. Continuing the annual event allows Needham to “revel in” and celebrate those who comprise the community, Elcock said.

“It’s a way to draw attention to the people who go about their everyday lives but make this town just a great place to work and live,” Elcock said. “It was just such a wonderful tradition that we felt it was really important to the Chamber’s core mission to continue.”

Editor’s Note: You can see Needham Channel News coverage of Needham Night in the window below.

The above video ran as part of the Needham Channel News, a weekly newscast airing on The Needham Channel every Thursday at 7:30pm. The Needham Channel News can be found on the Community Channel: Comcast 9, Astound 15 and Verizon 29. Most Thursdays it also can be viewed on our HD Channel on Verizon 2129, Astound 613 and streaming on this site.