Companies in the Town of Montgomery will soon receive an economic boost thanks to two month-long events presented by the Business Council of Greater Montgomery.

February’s Dine for Dollars will host a local restaurant each day of the month. Customers who dine in or takeout from the restaurant of the day will have 10 percent of their bill donated to the Montgomery Food Pantry. Participating businesses will be advertised on both the business council’s Facebook page and website as well as the Town of Montgomery Facebook page. The restaurants of the day for the first week of February in chronological order include Java Blue Coffee & Market, Carmela’s Pizza Restaurant, Ward’s Bridge Inn, Johnny’s Pizza, Mike’s Deli & Pizza, The Borland Inn & Brunch House as well as Calculated Confections.

“Everything that we do, I try to give it a two-pronged effect,” said Randi Picarello, executive director of the Business Council of Greater Montgomery. “The farm market supported the food pantry and it was a way to support your local businesses and make sure we’re helping people that don’t have enough, so this is kinda the same idea. It gives the restaurants free advertising and introductions to new customers.”

March will feature a month-long business expo. The business council will live-stream videos at businesses from a wide variety of industries throughout the town. These videos will be accessible on both the business council’s Facebook page and website as well as the Town of Montgomery Facebook page. Those who want a business to be showcased in either February or March can email the business council through their website: threevillages.org.

Picarello noted that the group came up with the two month-long virtual events to raise awareness about their recently formed organization. She added that these events are critical because businesses have a hard time attracting customers in the winter months, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. These events will help raise awareness about the diverse business’ throughout the town.

“I think it’s important to really give them a boost this year,” Picarello said. “Especially even the high-end restaurants. They can’t do the numbers this year for Valentine’s Day that they do typically. I just think we really need to help them and it gives everybody something positive that they feel they can accomplish by buying a pizza somewhere.”

After March the business council plans to hold in-person events.

“I wanted to get through the rest of the winter being very aware of and careful about COVID as the numbers go up…,” Picarello said. “I just wanted to get through the next couple months supporting our businesses as much as we possibly can and getting the word about what we’re doing out there without having to try to plan and then back out because of restrictions.”