Sebago Lakes Chamber takes monthly event up a notch with birthday celebration

More than 35 business partners gathered on March 16 to help
George Bartlett celebrate his 83rd birthday at Busy Bee
Laundry in Windham during a Sebago Lakes Region Chamber
of Commerce Business Break event. Local businesses
raised $306 to donate to a Romanian Rotary Club where
Bartlett is an honorary member to help Romanians offer
refuge to Ukrainians fleeing the war in their country.
PHOTO BY DENISE DYER    

By Lorraine Glowczak 

Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce hosted its monthly Business Break at Busy Bee Laundry, 771 Roosevelt Trail, from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 16 and while the events are usually “after hours” business networking gatherings with the potential to meet dozens of new contacts or to reconnect with old ones in a fun social setting, this one was different.

This Business Break kicked the “fun social setting” up a notch or two when everyone who attended this networking event helped the owner of Busy Bee Laundry, George Bartlett, celebrate his 83rd birthday.

More than 35 business partners gathered as Bartlett blew out 85 candles (two candles for good luck) while members of the Windham Fire Department stood close by at the event in case any of the many candles on Bartlett’s birthday cake started a fire.

For those who may not know the 83-year-old Bartlett, the most common response from people 30 years or more younger is, “He has more energy than me.”

During the “Business Break” event, Bartlett showed his young and sprite spirit when he was a man of his word, climbing into one of his own dryers at the shop to raise funds for Ukrainian refugees.

As a result, the Business Break raised $306 to donate to a Romanian Rotary, where George is an honorary member. Many members of the various Romanian Rotaries are helping refugees who enter their borders.

Bartlett has operated Busy Bee for the past 37 years and as times have changed, he says the laundry business in Windham has too. Busy Bee’s vast array of washers and dryers still accept coins as the traditional method of payment, but now also take debit and credit cards too.

Serving the public and helping everyone find affordable and available laundry solutions is key to the continued success of Bartlett and his Busy Bee Laundromat.

“My father was in business for many years, and he gave me some great advice. He told me that a business goes through ups and downs and the best way to keep a business going is to serve the people,” Bartlett said. “That’s exactly what we do here.”

As a mechanical engineer, Bartlett says he’s always striving to find the best way to solve cleaning problem and has learned the latest and top techniques for cleaning garments through constant schooling, seminars, and personal experience.

“Many people come in with stains and problems that need our expertise and specialized equipment to help solve,” he said. “We’re here to help and everyone leaves here as a friend.”

The Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce, representing the towns of Casco, Gray, Naples, New Gloucester, Raymond, Sebago, Standish, and Windham is one of the most active chambers in the entire state of Maine.

The chamber is led by Executive Director Robin Mullins and is comprised of business members ranging from young entrepreneurs and ‘mom & pop’ shops to the largest employers in our region and older and cherished friends and entrepreneurs such as George Bartlett.

To learn more, visit the Chamber’s website at https://www.sebagolakeschamber.com/  <