MSK Engineers Wins Lever's Bennington County Intrapreneur Challenge

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — MSK Engineers, a team of civil engineers working on innovations in the identification and replacement of lead drinking water service lines, won $25,000  in Lever's Bennington County Intrapreneur Challenge. 
 
This funding will help MSK's, of Bennington, Vt., advance their novel approach to identify lead drinking water pipes, which it plans to bring to other municipalities in the region and beyond. 
 
A panel of judges selected MSK after hearing pitches from five finalists at the final Challenge pitch event in Arlington, Vt., on March 18. 
 
In addition to MSK and runner-up Authentic Designs, Grateful Dog Training, Star Wind Turbines, and Old Mill Road Media participated as Challenge finalists. 
 
Lever's Intrapreneur Challenge is designed to help existing companies use the tools of entrepreneurship to create new, innovative products. Each company was supported through a series of workshops on applying methods that startups use, with research by Bennington College students, and by a group of mentors. Mentors are John Antonucci of LaunchVT; Michael Cushman, formerly at St. Gobain and now retired; Michael Marchinetti of OC&C Strategy Consultants, Shari Siegel of Ranieri Partners; and Jeffrey Thomas, Lever's executive director.
 
"This group of business owners came to the Bennington County Intrapreneur Challenge from very different backgrounds, and were all able to advance their business plans and get customized support through Lever's network as they worked through our Challenge program," said Thomas. "I'm impressed with the spirit of entrepreneurship demonstrated by these clearly Bennington County companies and I'm excited to see where they go from here."
 
This Challenge was Lever's first in Vermont, and was funded in part by a grant from the Vermont Community Foundation. 

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Coggins Classic Charity Golf Tournament Raises $55,123 for Bennington Little League

Coggins Classic Charity Golf Tournament Raises $55,123 for Bennington Little League
 
Coggins Auto Group is proud to announce the successful conclusion of the Coggins Classic Charity Golf Tournament, which raised an impressive $55,123 to benefit the Bennington Little League. The event, held at the scenic Mount Anthony Country Club, was the largest in the tournament’s history, attracting 26 teams, 57 business sponsors, over 40 raffle donations, and a crowd of over 140 attendees.
 
"On behalf of the League, we want to thank the Bennington Community, including individuals and businesses that helped us exceed our goals.  The funds we have raised this year, and last, are going to help us finish our new indoor training facility.  This facility will have 4000 square feet of indoor turfed space that can be used for a large array of activities.  We as a league are excited to utilize the space but are excited to explore many other opportunities for other sports and programs as we move forward." - Geoff Metcalfe, Bennington Little League.
 
The tournament, which has been hosted at Mount Anthony Country Club for the last three years, featured a live performance by local favorite Carly Rogers and gathered substantial support from the community. The biggest sponsors for the event included Heritage Family Credit Union, Toyota, Kaman Composite, VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region, Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), 802 Plumbing and Heating, and ACV Auctions.
 
In a show of support, Toyota has generously pledged to match up to $10,000 of the tournament’s earnings, further enhancing the impact on the Bennington Little League.
 
"Our favorite part about this event is seeing the community come together to support causes that benefit local youth and families," said Valerie Harrington, Marketing Director for Coggins Auto Group and head of the Tournament Planning Committee. "At Coggins, we believe in reinvesting in the community that supports us. The money earned from selling and servicing vehicles goes right back into enriching the lives of families around us."
 
Coggins Auto Group begins accepting applications for the next charity recipient every year in mid-March. The chosen organization is selected through a community vote. Past beneficiaries have included the Sunrise Family Resource Center and the Bennington County Child Advocacy Center.
 
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