PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE – JANUARY 2025 EDITION

Dear Fellow Chamber Members and Residents of the Massapequas,

I hope everyone had a joyous holiday season and a wonderful start to 2025! As we step into the New Year, I wanted to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude to my Executive Officers and Board of Directors for their continued dedication and invaluable contributions to our Chamber. I am fortunate to work with such a wonderful group of volunteers who are always helping our Chamber members and our Massapequa community. Your passion, hard work, and volunteerism are the force behind the success and growth of our Chamber!

Over the past six months, we’ve achieved incredible milestones together. Here are just a few highlights:


• The first Massapequa Chamber of Commerce Trunk or Treat: A fun and festive event for families in our community!

• Breast Cancer Awareness Month Memorial Walk in Honor of Patricia Orzano: We raised $6,000 for Hewlett House and Mondays Cancer Care, honoring our beloved Past President’s legacy. We were especially proud to present the checks to these two wonderful organizations in person. Thank you to our Past President, Robert Barrett, for all his hard work chairing this special event. And special appreciation to our Main Sponsor, Masone Masonry, for their support and generosity.

• Veterans Luncheon: We proudly served dozens of veterans a complimentary lunch to show our appreciation for their service. Thank you to TLC Companions for sponsoring this event. And our appreciation to 2nd Vice President, and proud Veteran, Sal Polito, for spearheading this great luncheon.

• Massapequa Chamber of Commerce Holiday Fair: Another successful event that brought joy and festive fun to our community! A big thank you to 1st Vice President Linda Rowse and 3rd Vice President Janice Talento for their hard work in chairing this amazing event.

• Massapequa Chamber of Commerce Christmas Tree & Menorah Lighting Ceremony: Another successful and heartwarming community event! This year was bigger and better than ever. Special thanks to our Main Sponsor Masone Masonry for their generosity – their team even volunteered their time to decorate our Christmas Tree with their own beautiful lights! Thank you to Board Member Lucrezia Falacara for chairing this special event for the past 15 years. Your dedication is truly amazing!

• Holiday Party Dinner: We wrapped up the year with a fantastic celebration at Mercato Kitchen & Cocktails!

• Toys for Tots: Special thanks to our member businesses, community members, and local leaders who generously donated toys for this special initiative. We collected over 3,000 toys this year! Thank you to our Treasurer Karen Gawrych for all her hard work chairing this committee, as well as our Food Drive, which donated an abundance of food to families in need during the holiday season. We always remember our Past President, Patty Orzano, who originated our involvement in these programs, which we lovingly continue in her honor.

Now for some exciting news for 2025! The Massapequa Chamber of Commerce will host its First Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 15, 2025. This event is something I’ve felt was long overdue for our community, and I’m thrilled to see it come to fruition. I have named Past President Keith Wilson to serve as our Parade Chairman. We are honored to have Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder and Past Chamber President / current Board Member Gary Slavin as our Inaugural Grand Marshals. The Main Event Sponsor is Embassy Diner, and we are very appreciative for their generosity and support of this inaugural event! Although we’re organizing this event on a tight timeline, we’re inviting all Chamber Member businesses, Massapequa schools, and community organizations to march and participate. Sponsorship packages are also available. Stay tuned for more details, and let’s make this another incredible milestone for our community!

May the New Year 2025 bring you health, happiness, and fulfillment in all your endeavors. I look forward to another wonderful year full of collaboration and achievements. Wishing you a prosperous, healthy, and joyful New Year 2025!

Sincerely,
Robin Hepworth, President, Massapequa Chamber of Commerce