'Tis the Season

Yesterday was Storey's annual Holiday Party, and we celebrated in Storey style!

Diane Chalfonte, Maya Bonatz, and Neysa Beaudreau

Our party was in an empty office space adjacent to the Storey offices, and our set-up team transformed the room into a beautiful banquet hall. The main courses of our meal were prepared by Lickety Split and Red Sauce (both local eateries) and included turkey, ham, eggplant parmesan, and ziti. But the majority of our food was potluck, brought in by the many foodies here at Storey. We had tofu sushi, spinach dip in a bread bowl, shrimp cocktail, garden pizza bites, meatballs, homemade mac-n-cheese, caesar salad, green beans with shallots and feta, cheesy scalloped potatoes, pumpkin cheesecake, cream puffs, and so much more! Lots of the recipes came from Storey's own cookbooks. Everyone either contributed food or helped with set-up or clean-up — it was a wonderful collaboration from all Storey-ites.

Pam Art and Adam Carmichael finalizing the details of the set-up.

Michelle Blackley and Alee Marsh were on the decorating committee.

The potluck appetizer table.

Editors Deborah Balmuth, Gwen Steege, and Melinda Sheehan mingling around the appetizers.
Our prepress man, Hartley Batchelder, was in the conversation too.

We didn't let our festive party setting and the variety of fabulous food keep us from thinking of those in need this season. Our admission fee to the party was two or more non-perishable items for our local food pantries (see below for info). And every year, Storey participates in the Elf program, through which employees, individually or in small groups, can "adopt" a child in need of Christmas gifts. The employees receive the child's name, age, and clothing size and a small list of items they need and would like. We buy gifts and wrap them so that the child can have a Christmas like other children. We had many employees participating, and Storey as a company took on eight children as well. At the end of our party, we had a very festive session in which we wrapped our gifts for the children.

The wrapping session.

Another custom of our Storey holiday party is to honor employees with milestone anniversaries. This year, we honored (and roasted!) our employees who have been with Storey for 5 years: Kathryn Remillard, Carleen Madigan, Jessica Armstrong, Maryellen Mahoney, Slavica Pandzic, and myself — and each of us received a generous gift of recognition from Storey. We then celebrated one 10-year anniversary, that of Jason Moon. He received the beautiful wooden Storey chair that is traditional after 10 years of service and was then serenaded by our own in-house choir. Two 15-year anniversaries followed: those of Beverly Haley and Ilona Sherratt, who also received gifts for their many years of hard work and dedication. And finally, the big one -- Debbie Surdam reached her 20-year mark at Storey! She also received a gift and was honored not only by the company but by many of the people she works with on the outside, who sent generous letters of praise, adoration, and gratitude for Debbie's excellence.

Jason Moon, honored by the Storey choir: Caroline Burch and Deb Burns.

Dan Reynolds honored Ilona Sherratt's 15 years at Storey.

Caroline honored Debbie Surdam's 20th Anniversary at Storey.

I'm sorry to report that there were no holiday-party misbehaviors (maybe a few near misses), and we have nothing to gossip about for the rest of the winter. I guess we have something to strive for next year.

Carleen Madigan and Hartley Batchelder were potential gossip material.

Here are some more pictures from our festive holiday party:

Amy Greeman, Margaret Sutherland, and Lisa Hiley.

Jen Richard, Bethany DeMarco, Jessica Armstrong, and Sarah Guare.

Cindy McFarland, Deb Burns, and Maribeth Casey.

Michelle Blackley and Jessica Richard.

Elf Program:
Northern Berkshire Community Action
85 Main St., North Adams, MA
413-663-3014
Founder: Marie Harpin

Food Pantries:
St.Patrick/St. Raphael's Parish Center
Williamstown, MA

Congregational Church
Main Street
North Adams, MA

-Kristy L. MacWilliams, Marketing Coordinator