Bronxville Chamber of Commerce Newsletter Spring 2008

Business Office: 81 Pondfield Road, Suite 7 * Hours: Mon. Tues. Wed. 10am-3pm; Thurs. 12-5 pm
Executive Director: Michele MacMillan * Phone/Fax: 337-6040 * E-mail: bronxvillechamber@verizon.net

Officers Timothy McGrath President Barbara Amar Vice President Gerald Garvey Treasurer Steven Palm Secretary Robert LaGravinese Advisor Joseph Villanueva, Esq. Counsel Steven Schoener Lawrence Hospital Center Liaison Directors Joanna Atkinson John Byrne Emi Cacace Angela Cerrato Mario Grosso Robert Krause Dan MacDonald Steven Singer Sherrie Sorenson May is Bronxville Beautification Month! The Bronxville Beautification Council and Boulder Ledge will once again be enhancing the downtown district with flower boxes, hanging baskets and tulips, annuals and mums at the intersections.  Please do your part to keep storefronts clean, accessible and attractive.	2008 Initiatives Here are some of the ideas under discussion for our 2008 goals and objectives: Liaison with Green Island Interactive, a reasonably-priced website creation company that can help Bronxville merchants compete with on-line shopping companies. Reinstitution of the ‘Street Captain’ concept whereby one or two merchants on each block give objective feedback on the cleanliness, attraction and legality of store-front displays. A revised “This is Bronxville” pamphlet to give to prospective business owners or in response to general inquiries about our Village. A new deal for Station RNN (Channel 6) to run the Chamber’s promotional video. A Landlord Summit, to see how we can best achieve full business occupancy and provide the necessary services and accommodations required to thrive in the Bronxville environs. Creation of a ‘Welcoming Committee’ to help new businesses get oriented in the community. Delivery of a welcome basket, filled with the best that Bronxville has to offer.  Within the business district, getting a ‘sponsor’ to see a new business through the initial three months. Needless to say, none of this can happen without the commitment, cooperation and enthusiasm of our members.  To that end, we urge you to get involved with the Chamber, starting with the renewal of your membership.  Perhaps you could re-join with a friend – a neighbor who perhaps has not realized the benefits of being a member.  The investment of a mere $150.00 returns all this: Advertising RNN-TV The Guide Website Listings Referrals Promotions  attracting shoppers and visitors, including: Spring and Fall Sidewalk Sales Spring Street Festival The Farmers’ Market Summer Band Concerts Fall Children’s Festival Light up the Town Bronxville is a College Town Sharing and Development of Business Skills Membership Meetings Business and Social Events Quarterly Newsletter Finally, there is the intangible benefit of the spirit and commitment of the Chamber’s Board and its members.  We are vitally involved in keeping the business and service opportunities in Bronxville viable and vibrant.  While we honor tradition, we are not content to rest on our laurels.  We need and welcome new voices, new ideas, promotions and suggestions.  Let them be yours. -Tim McGrath, President and Michele MacMillan, Executive Director
Welcome Wagon Needs Your Help Five members of the Board of Directors have formed the nucleus of a Welcoming Committee to greet businesses new to the Village of Bronxville scene: Tim McGrath of McGrath Funeral Home, Emi Cacace of Fabio’s Hair Salon, Angela Cerrato of Citibank, Robert Krause of Mrs. Morgan’s Flowers and Dan MacDonald of MDIC are preparing a hospitality package to include Board member discounts to the newcomers. We would like to expand this effort to include non-board members on the Welcoming Committee.  We would also like to explore the possibility of all Chamber members offering each other member-to-member discounts.  If you are interested in serving on the committee, or would like to express your opinion on the member-discount benefit, please contact Michele MacMillan by phone or e-mail.  We hope that these efforts will encourage all members to ‘Buy Bronxville’.		Save the Dates Check website for details: April 16 New Member Cocktail Party May 20 Member Breakfast Meeting May 31 Farmers’ Market Opens. June 7 Spring Festival/ Sidewalk Sale June 17 End Of Year Cocktail Party
Food For Thought John Byrne of Scarborough Fair Marketplace has graciously offered to underwrite an annual Cocktail Party for new members to the Bronxville Chamber of Commerce.  It was great to see Jim Kilcoyne’s restaurant The Station House re-opened after the unfortunate fire - well in time for the delicious St. Patrick’s Day specials! At the Feb. 27th Breakfast meeting John Flanigan of Green Island Interactive presented a fascinating overview of how merchants can easily and economically expand their market base through the use of website sales.  Members who missed this meeting may wish to contact him at (914) 461-4327 or info@mygreenisland.com. It Ain’t Over… On January 29th, Objects and Images was honored to present New York baseball legend Yogi Berra with a painting for his permanent museum collection in Montclair, NJ.  Artist Graig Kreindler was commissioned by the Yogi Berra Museum to produce a large painting of the October 8th, 1956 ‘Perfect Game’ where Yogi Berra jumps into the arms of pitcher Don Larsen.  “Yogi was really appreciative that we did this painting for his museum collection,” said owner Dean Lombardo.		Member Spotlight “How long have you known me?  And you still don't know how to spell my name!” -Yogi, receiving a check made out to ‘bearer’.
New Members: *Candyland *Il Bacio Trattoria *Connecticut Closet and Shelf *Thomas A. Wilson, DDS *James G. Dibbini & Associates, P.C. *Riccardi Landscape Design, Inc. *The EpiCenter for Professional  Laser Hair Removal *New York University Silver School of Social Work, Westchester *Gino’s Pizzeria Welcome to the Chamber! Current Members:  Don’t forget to let us know of any milestone events                                       that we can help celebrate in the Newsletter!		Thought for the Day “The keystone of successful business is cooperation.  Friction retards progress.” -James Cash Penney
Bronxville Veterans Memorial Celebration Memorial Day will have a new “historic” look this year, as the Bronxville Veterans Memorial (BVM), formed by Village residents Jane Staunton and Cindi Callahan, spearheads a series of initiatives to enhance the luster of this important day.  They start with an exhibit at the Bronxville Women’s Club on May 11, supported by the Bronxville Historical Conservancy and featuring World War I and World War II memorabilia contributed from local archives and Village residents.  Later the photo portion of the exhibit will be moved to store-front windows on Pondfield Road for Bronxville’s 81st Memorial Day Parade.  BVM will also host a Calling Card Program to acknowledge the men and women serving in the armed forces today.  Proceeds will go to soldiers wounded in Iraq or Afghanistan, who are receiving treatment at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. Anyone interested in displaying photos in their windows or canisters for the Call Card Program, should contact Jane Staunton at 793-1337 or jstaunton@optonline.net.		It was with great sadness that we learned of the Feb7th passing of Jennie Rabsey who served as Chamber’s Executive Director (then titled Executive Secretary) from 1970-1989).  Starting in 1950, Jennie served under 28 Chamber Presidents.  A memorial service will be held in the fall.   Details will follow.

Special thanks to Lawrence Hospital for providing copying service for this Newsletter.