Opinion: Ogdensburg Chamber thanks everyone who supported annual dinner

To the Editor:

The Greater Ogdensburg Chamber of Commerce would like to thank everyone who attended and assisted in the Annual Dinner held Friday, November 4 at the Gran View Restaurant in Ogdensburg.

We presented our 2022 Citizen of the Year Award to Julie Madlin; the 2022 Business Improvement Award to Wimpy’s Inn and the 2022; the 2022 Outstanding Community Service Award to Our Lady’s Outreach Ministry.

We had a delicious dinner and great service from Louis Williams and his excellent Gran View staff. We saw some old friends and enjoyed the evening, immensely.

A special thank you to our Chamber Board Members who attended, worked the event and helped gather auction donations: President Betsy Porter; Vice President Amanda Hitterman; Treasurer Richard Tacchino; Secretary Penny Kerfien; Kevin McDonough; Alex Augsbury; Ray Babowicz; Kathy Bogart; Kim Demers; Ryan Fifield; Marsha Hough; Jeff Lago; Melissa Lalonde; John Missert, III; Christopher Pitcher; Rhonda Roethel; Lisa Woodward and Jessica Zuhlsdorf.

Another outstanding job by our Matron of Ceremony and Board Member Dawn Merz. She is a wonderful MC and auctioneer. Ben Dixon, Executive Director of the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce was on hand to help out and give his mini-report on the progress of the integration and the joint collaboration of the Ogdensburg and St. Lawrence County Chambers in the past year.

A huge Thank You to our sponsors who made monetary and auction donations: Acco Brands, Inc., AJ Missert’s Inc., Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort, Big Cheese Pizza, Bill Rapp Chevrolet, Buck Ridge Chainsaw Carvings, Buster’s Restaurant, Carlisle Law Firm, Cathy Jock, Center for Sight, CHMC Auxiliary, Fox & Murray Funeral Home, Fort La Presentation Association, Frederic Remington Art Museum, F.X. Caprara Ford of Ogdensburg, Hosmer’s Marina/Smuggler’s, Ben Reed/iTravel Vacations, LLC, John & Jane Pinkerton, Kimro’s Medicine Place, Kinney Drug Store, Kiwanis Club of Ogdensburg, Monroe Muffler and Brake, Nick’s Liquors and Wines, North Country Savings Bank, North Country This Week, Ogdensburg Bowl, Ogdensburg Command Performances, Pepsi Cola Ogdensburg Bottlers, Phillips Diner, Salon 1020, St. Lawrence Federal Credit Union, Stephens Media Group, Stronger Together, The Bayside Grill, The Cutting Edge, The Place, James & Donna Reagen/The Sherman Inn, Thirty-One Gifts, Thornhill Health Managing Services, Inc., Truax Insurance Agency, Inc. and Underwater Discoveries.

It takes a strong committee to coordinate and implement this event – thanks to our Annual Dinner Committee Members Kevin McDonough, Marsha Hough, Kim Demers, Ryan Fifield, Penny Kerfien and Melissa Lalonde.

Thanks to our loyal members who attended and participated in the auctions, 50/50 and the Lottery Board Raffle – you are a blessing to our community and to the Ogdensburg Chamber.

Thanks to Reverend Joseph Morgan for our blessings and song with Julie Madlin.

Laura J. Pearson
Executive Director
Greater Ogdensburg
Chamber of Commerce