Valley Stream Chamber presents awards at annual dinner

The Valley Stream Chamber of Commerce honored a local bank and two individuals for their service to the community at its annual dinner at the Sand Castle in Franklin Square on Oct. 2.

Astoria Bank, village justice Robert Bogle and local mom and blogger Kimberly Thomas were each recognized. Steven Wagner, vice president of Astoria Bank, was on hand to accept the Business Achievement Award.

“I think it’s awesome,” he said of the recognition. “The Chamber does so much. It’s really great to be affiliated with them.”

Chamber president Debbi Gyulay said the bank was chosen for its history of serving Valley Stream residents. “It’s one that has been around a long time and had a lot of interaction with the chamber.”

Bogle received the Special Recognition Award, in part for operating “one of the busiest village justice courts in the State of New York,” according to the presenter, as well as serving in a number of other legal roles and as an assistant Scout master for Boy Scout Troop 116.

Bogle shared memories about his early days in Valley Stream, when he worked as a Daily News paperboy and as a cashier and cook at the local Burger King.

“One time it looked like we were going to have a little bit of a rumble in the Burger King parking lot,” Bogle said. Two high school fraternities were facing off and Bogle said he tried to talk them down, to no avail.

“I thought about it for a second and I said, ‘How about if I throw in some free onion rings?’ They said, ‘Really? You can do that?’” Bogle recalled. “I gave it to them, and the Onion Ring Summit, as it was referred to, worked out very well.”

Kimberly Thomas, a local mother of two and a blogger who writes about community events and parenting for her website, ValleyStreamMom.com, received the Chamber’s first Community Service Award.

“It truly means a lot to be noticed,” Thomas said, “especially when you are not only a mom but a stay-at-home mom, when you’re in your own little mom cave and you’re doing the mom and wife thing. You just wonder, like Oprah says, ‘do you see me?’ This award and the acknowledgment that I’ve received, and the acceptance I’ve received from the community, has been tremendous, so thank you so much.”

Thomas, who is married to village trustee Dermond Thomas, has lived in Valley Stream for seven years. They have two children, Olivia, 8, and Cole, 6, who attend Wheeler Elementary School.