Get ready for 'HYPE' by Corridor Nine

(l to r) Dani Tifft, Joelle Valliere, Steve Buchalter, Yasmina Lalou, Dr. Paul Levine, Morgan Duffy, Michelle Panagian, Scott Landry and Dave Frem are prepared for HYPE.

Region - With Baby Boomers leaving the work force and college graduates starting their careers, business and community leaders realize that young professionals are the future of our communities.

Young professionals today want to live and work in a community that has great social entertainment, provides a variety of opportunities to meet other young people, and helps them develop their professional ambitions and goals.

The Corridor Nine Chamber of Commerce is stepping up to the forefront to cultivate this new paradigm of leadership for the region with the birth of their new "Helping Young Professionals Engage in Corridor Nine" (HYPE9) program.

HYPE9 is a new initiative developed by Corridor Nine to tap into the younger generation of the region and engage them in networking, professional development and community involvement.

By engaging young people in what the region has to offer, they will gain a sense of community where they want to work, live and raise their families, according to Karen Chapman, vice president for the Corridor Nine Chamber of Commerce. This new energy must be sustained to build the local work force with the talent and skills needed to compete with other towns and cities.

HYPE9 is geared for young emerging professionals between the ages of 21 and 40 years. The group's activities will include:

Social Network Nights - Quarterly networking events held at some of the hippest spots in the region. These events introduce a social, no-pressure atmosphere that takes the "work" out of networking.

The Lunchbox - Bi-monthly brown bag lunch series, which features professional development topics aimed for young professionals and presented by regional experts.

Community Service - Opportunities to participate in volunteer service in the communities in which they live and work.

Dr. Paul Levine, co-owner of Vision Care Specialists in Southborough and a Corridor Nine board member, formed an advisory committee of 14 young professionals to put this new program together.

"I'm proud to be a part of this initiative and commend Nine

Corridor Nine for having the vision to make this happen," Levine said.

To heighten the awareness of the new group, HYPE9 will present a "New Year's Eve" themed event to launch the birth of HYPE9 Wednesday Nov. 7 at Vinny T's in Shrewsbury, an event sponsored by Enterprise Cleaning Corporation, Hayden Wood Insurance Agency and Vinny T's of Boston. This free event begins at 5:30 p.m. and attendees will be ringing in the first and new year of HYPE9 with a complimentary champagne toast at 7 p.m. Entertainment and prizes are also part of the night's festivities.

Any young professionals living and working in the Corridor Nine area who are interested in attending the launch event and becoming involved in HYPE9 should contact Corridor Nine at 508- 836-4444 or send e-mail to events@corridornine.org.