Chamber announces gala, small business honorees

The Chamber of Commerce has announced the award recipients for its annual gala in September. TD Bank will receive the Business Achievement Award and the Peninsula Counseling Center has been chosen for the Special Recognition Award.

TD Bank has been an active member of the Chamber of Commerce for several years, and has hosted multiple Chamber functions including the 2009 and 2012 holiday parties. The manager of the bank, located at the corner of Merrick and Central avenues, is Glenore Anderson.

Peninsula Counseling Center is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year and has been a member of the Chamber since moving to Valley Stream in 2009. The executive director is John Kastan. Audrey Goodman, the community relations coordinator, is PCC’s liaison to the Chamber.

“Anything that lasts 100 years, especially a business, a non-profit business no less, is an amazing feat,” said Chamber President Debbi Gyulay.

Gyulay will be installed for her fourth term as president at the gala, which will be held the evening of Sept. 26 at the Pompei restaurant in West Hempstead. She will be joined by returning officers, Executive Vice President Elliott Rosenbaum, Vice President Jules Rabin, Secretary Lisa Norwich and new Treasurer Jaime Grasso. Tickets are $75 per person.

The Chamber has also selected the recipient of its Small Business of the Year award, which will be presented at the Nassau Council of Chambers annual legislative breakfast on Oct. 18 at the Crest Hollow Country Club. Sip This, a coffee shop on Rockaway Avenue which opened two years ago, will be honored. The owners are Stephanie Pontillo and David Sabatino.

The networking lunches will resume in September. The speaker on Sept. 18 will be the webmaster for the Chamber of Commerce, who will speak about all the changes to the organization’s revamped website.

Over the past few months, the Chamber has hosted several ribbon cutting ceremonies including for Platinum Auto Spa and South Shore Hyundai on Sunrise Highway, and Exit Realty Hillcourt and Wine and Liquors on Rockaway Avenue.

“It’s good that people see there are new businesses coming,” Gyulay said.

In October, the Chamber will be providing T-shirts for children taking part in the village’s annual pumpkin painting contest. The following month, MapToons will publish a cartoon map of Valley Stream featuring local businesses, which Gyulay said should increase membership in the Chamber. There are currently 105 members in the organization.