Event Overview
Winter Warmer in the Woo:
A Women’s Networking Lunch & MLK Day Service Activity
January 19, 2026
12:00 - 3:00 PM
Polar Park: VIP Suite
Worcester, MA
Join us for Winter Warmer in the Woo, a women’s networking lunch hosted by the Greater Boston Women’s Impact Network inside a VIP suite at Polar Park in Worcester.
This gathering is designed for women who value meaningful connection, thoughtful conversation, and showing up for their communities. Lunch and a hot cocoa bar will be provided and enjoyed throughout the event, with ample space to mingle, chat, and connect with other professional women, entrepreneurs, and nonprofit leaders from across the region—without the pressure of traditional networking.
In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, this event also includes a hands-on service activity supporting senior women in local nursing homes. Together, we’ll create heartfelt Galentine cards to bring warmth, encouragement, and human connection to women who are often overlooked during the winter months.
Whether you come to meet new people, deepen existing relationships, or simply take a pause in the middle of a busy season, Winter Warmer in the Woo offers space to connect with intention and give back in a meaningful way.
Winter warmer in the woo
Connection with Intention
Service Through Simple Acts
Warmth in Community
January 19, 2026
12:00 - 3:00 PM
Worcester, MA
WHAT TO EXPECT
Lunch and a hot cocoa bar provided in a private VIP suite at Polar Park, with space to move, mingle, and connect
Genuine, conversation-focused networking
A guided MLK Day service activity benefiting senior women
A cozy winter atmosphere with a purpose-driven twist
This event is intentionally limited in size to support meaningful conversation and connection.
A welcoming, thoughtfully curated environment designed to encourage natural conversation
Time and space to build new connections and strengthen existing relationships at your own pace
Who this EVENT
is for
Women who value genuine connection and thoughtful conversation over traditional, transactional networking
Professional women, entrepreneurs, and nonprofit leaders looking to build relationships in a relaxed, welcoming environment
Women who want to honor MLK Day through a simple, meaningful act of service that fits naturally into a networking event
Women seeking a warm winter gathering that blends community, purpose, and connection
WORCESTER, MA
the SUITE
A private VIP suite providing a polished, spacious backdrop for meaningful conversation and a memorable experience.
Ticket Includes:
– Venue Access
– Boxed Lunch, Softdrink and Hot Cocoa Bar
– Hands on Service Activity
– Networking Opportunity
Early Bird pricing available through Dec 31.
Pricing increases Jan 1 if tickets remain.
Meet your Hosts:
Winter Warmer in the Woo is the result of connection, conversation, and a shared vision for bringing women together in meaningful ways.
Melissa Pond is the founder of Melissa J Pond LLC and the Greater Boston Women’s Impact Network (GBWIN), a growing community created to connect women through intentional experiences that blend community, opportunity, and impact. Through her work, Melissa helps women-led businesses and mission-driven organizations strengthen their grants and growth strategy, drawing on a background that includes community leadership, nonprofit management, and 15 years in federal grant administration on behalf of a municipality.
GBWIN’s very first event was hosted in a VIP suite at Fenway Park and benefited a charitable organization—setting the tone for the network’s purpose and spirit. That event brought together women from across the region and sparked conversations about how GBWIN could grow beyond Greater Boston.
One of the attendees was Haley DeCarlo-CEO of Haley DeCarlo Travel LLC, Senior Travel Advisor with The Travel Byrds, and recently she has co-founded SAVA Travel, where she continues to serve as a travel business coach and mentor. Inspired by the Fenway experience, Haley later reached out to express interest in bringing similar events closer to her home in Central Massachusetts.
Through thoughtful discussion, Melissa and Haley decided to mirror the original Red Sox suite event as a launching point for what may become the Central Mass chapter of GBWIN, with Haley leading the chapter’s local growth.
Together, Melissa and Haley are co-hosting Winter Warmer in the Woo as both a celebration and a starting point—bringing the GBWIN experience to a new city by taking over another VIP suite and continuing the tradition of gathering women in spaces that feel welcoming, intentional, and community-driven.
This is just the beginning.
If you’re ready for great conversation, new connections, and a VIP experience in the Woo, grab your seat today.