Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce to honor founders at membership gala

The Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce is marking its 80th anniversary this year with a membership celebration on Saturday, Nov. 16, at Minerals at Crystal Springs Resort in Vernon, New Jersey.

In addition to a festive evening featuring live music by The E'lissa Jones Band, Chamber Board President John Redman will present tribute awards to the founding five businesses that have consistently renewed membership for 80 years.

The chamber's original certificate of incorporation for what was then named The Warwick Board of Trade, Inc. was signed and dated Jan. 19, 1939.

That name was changed to Warwick Chamber of Commerce in 1951.

The founding businesses were: Seely & Durland; Warwick Valley Telephone; Parkin Supply - Plumbing & Heating; St. Anthony Community Hospital; and Sanford Insurance, now known as Broadfield Insurance Group.

The original signers and subscribers of the Certificate of Incorporation were Harry S. Seely, Phillip H. Schaffer, John B. Rogers, Jr., Howard P. Miller, Wilford L. Raynor, R.A. Dunn and Wilfred R. Carr.

The stated purpose of the incorporation at that time, which has not changed very much, was to advance the interests of the Village of Warwick and surrounding territory and to foster trade and commerce

.In the upcoming months before the Chamber's 80th anniversary membership celebration, The Warwick Advertiser will publish a series of articles profiling each of the five founding five businesses that have consistently renewed membership for 80 years.

- Roger Gavan

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