Christine Santori and her fiancé David Saunders are thrilled to bring good tidings and a basket chockful of community resources, and special offers from local businesses to Ridgefield, Redding, and Georgetown town newbies. You heard it right - there is a new welcome lady (and gent) in town!
The longtime Ridgefield couple has purchased Personal Touch Welcome from Dee Strilowich who knocked on more than 10, 642 doors before deciding to retire and hand the reins over.
Dee joined Christine and David today at the Ridgefield Chamber of Commerce where the new Personal Touch Welcome owners officially cut the ribbon and announced the good news to the community.
It was only two months ago that David and Dee met one another at a networking event. When David learned that Personal Touch Welcome was available for purchase, he showed immediate interest. “He said ‘I think this is something that Christine and I need to do’,” recalls Dee.
Knowing that Christine and David just moved into a new home, Dee said, “You guys need to have a welcome visit!” And, that visit set the welcome wheels in motion. “We put this together in two weeks,” says Dee.
Dee is thrilled that, after 25 years, she has handed the reins over to a couple, both of whom are 53 years old, the same age as Dee was when she began Personal Touch Welcome. “I really liked having Joe as my partner,” says Dee. “It was Joe and Dee, now it will be Christine and David,” says Christine with a smile. “Christine has the enthusiasm and energy, just like I did at the beginning,” says Dee, who will soon turn 80 years old.
Bringing commerce and community closer together is the core of Personal Touch Welcome. “David and I are so excited to welcome newcomers to town,” says Christine. "We will add some modern touches - an app is definitely on the horizon as a companion to the wonderful bag of branded merchandise, community resources, and special offers from our local businesses," she adds.
Using David’s company Design Brand Promote, Personal Touch Welcome sponsors will have access to new products that can be part of the welcome baskets. Christine and David have already taken to social media as a marketing tool and have unveiled a new logo. “Like” their Personal Touch Welcome Facebook Page here.
"I'm ready for a new journey," says Dee. Thankfully, the journey won’t take her too far. Dee will remain in Ridgefield and will help Christine and David with the transition. And, after that? “I’ll be looking for what touches my heart, to give back to our community in a different way,” says Dee.
Personal Touch Welcome, the brainchild of Dee Strilowich and her husband Joe, was born after the Welcome Wagon discontinued in-home visits in 1998. "My husband, Joe, and I decided the service was so important to have new families be introduced to our wonderful community and it’s small businesses that we decided to start our own greeting service, naming it Personal Touch Welcome," Dee explains.
“Joe is smiling down from heaven today,” Dee says with a tear in her eye.
“I’m excited and honored to take up her torch at Personal touch Welcome.”
From all of us at HamletHub, thank you to Dee and her late husband, Joe for all you have done to make Ridgefield the special community, we are so happy Christine and David will continue this important business of welcoming new residents to our special community.
To arrange for Personal Touch Welcome to visit your home with their basket filled with over $1800 worth of local goods and services, email christine@ptwhome.com or visit Personal Touch Welcome online here.