Oceanside chamber gives thanks for the holiday

“I want to say thanks to my new neighbors,” Oceanside Chamber of Commerce President Dr. Adam Kritzberg said with his glass raised.

Kritzberg, a chiropractor, had much to be thankful for. Fresh after a successful and well-attended holiday tree lighting ceremony, members of the chamber gathered at local Italian eatery Meta Osteria to celebrate a fruitful year, and welcome new members.

The chamber introduced Jackie and Michael Brown, the new owners of Emile’s Candies, the venerable shop formerly owned by late Island Park resident Patrick Quinn. The couple expressed excitement at forging a new path forward for the 63-year-old Oceanside candy shop.

Additionally, the chamber honored Betsy Transom with a scarf and glove set for her help managing its website and Facebook page, which garnered 1,000 likes in 2017 alone.

Former Chamber President Maria Heller was appreciative of Transom’s continued help. “She deserves a nice token,” she said.

And with 2017 nearly in the books, the chamber looked forward to its annual cocktail party and installation ceremony on Feb. 8.

But as the guests finished dinner and readied to head home, Heller gave a brief closing remark. She was pleased with direction the group was taking she said, “I’m happy to see the chamber is growing.”