Chamber Gala to honor Youngstown Lions Club, The Rose Hanger, Historical Association of Lewiston

Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce to celebrate award honorees Nov. 10

Submitted by the Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce

The Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce will celebrate the community at the annual awards dinner Thursday, Nov. 10, at the Niagara Falls Country Club. The board of directors will present awards to member businesses from 2020 and 2022.

Festivities will begin with a cocktail hour followed by a sit-down dinner and awards program. Silent and basket auctions will take place throughout the evening.

Tickets are available at the Chamber of Commerce office (895 Center St., Lewiston) for $125 per person.

The Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce will honor businesses and individuals in the following categories:

•2020 Community Partner – Fittante Architecture P.C.

•2020 Award of Excellence – Chéri Amour

•2020 Member of the Year – Everything Youngstown

•2022 Community Partner – Youngstown Lions Club

•2022 Award of Excellence – The Rose Hanger

•2022 Emerging Business – Be OK Studio

•2022 Chairman’s Award – Historical Association of Lewiston

•2022 Distinguished Service – Margaret Toohey

•2022 Member of the Year – Laura Capizzi State Farm Insurance

President Jennifer Pauly said the awards are given based on leadership, dedication and achievement in the community. “Those chosen have contributed significantly to the success of the region and their profession.” The honorees are nominated by Chamber of Commerce members and selected by the membership committee.

The awards dinner is open to the public to attend. Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available through by calling 716-754-9500 or online at www.NiagaraRiverRegion.com.

2022 Community Partner: Youngstown Lions Club

The Youngstown Lions Club has been an active part of the Youngstown community for almost 75 years. Chartered on Aug. 15 in 1948, it is one of over 48,000 clubs in over 200 countries with 1.4 million members as part of the world’s largest humanitarian service organization.

The Lions Club motto and mission has a centralized theme of community, serving both locally and globally. Its mission is to empower volunteers to serve their communities, meet humanitarian needs, encourage peace and promote international understanding through Lions Club.

The Youngstown Lions Club is active throughout the year with service through programs and events in the region. Volunteers assist at the annual Easter egg hunt at Old Fort Niagara, Niagara Parkway highway cleanup, cooking clams and corn for Niagara Hospice Regatta, manning a water station and cooking hamburgers each year for the Mighty Niagara Half Marathon (another hospice fundraiser) or cooking hot dogs and hamburgers for annual St. Johns Strawberry Festival. You can find them handing out free popcorn and balloons at the YBPA “Beginning of Summer Street Dance,” marching in the annual Labor Day parade or donating to the village concerts during the summer. During the holiday season, the Lions Club host a Christmas lighting contest, and provides and delivers Christmas baskets to those in need.

Throughout the year, a team of Lions delivers meals to shut-ins five days a week provided by FeedMore of WNY. The vision screening team volunteers time at Lewiston-Porter, screening children for early vision problems. It also provides exams and glasses to those in the community who cannot afford them, as well as collect eyeglasses for recycling.

The most current ongoing service project is caring for the Lions Park in the Village of Youngstown. Since 2017, the club has added 12-plus trees, benches, a walking path, basketball court, and a beautiful memorial garden. The goal is to provide new playground equipment, a gazebo and other amenities for families to enjoy in a safe environment.

Proceeds from fundraisers the club hosts throughout the year go right back to the community. Contributions are made to over 30 local organizations, and assistance is provided to those in urgent need.

The Youngstown Lions Club is fortunate to have a supportive community who is invested in its programming – and it’s lucky to have the organization give it right back. The Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce proudly congratulates the volunteers of The Youngstown Lions Club as the 2022 Community Partner.

Sara Liberale at The Rose Hanger

••••••••

2022 Award of Excellence: The Rose Hanger

The Rose Hanger began on Aug. 1, 2018 when Sara Liberale decided it was time to bring the west coast contemporary California vibe of clothing to Western New York. She could not find the clothing style locally and decided to start her own business, selling clothing online and out of her house in Niagara Falls.

The business quickly outgrew the home space, needing a brick-and-mortar location to host the growing inventory. By November of 2018, Sara moved into her first retail location at the Lewiston Opera Hall. One year later, she moved to 480 Center St., and, in the summer of 2021, Sara and her husband purchased the former Lewiston Insurance Building at 411 Center St. It has been transformed into an open-area floor plan, showcasing over 100 lines of clothing, gift items, shoes and jewelry. A new demographic of shoppers have discovered Lewiston through The Rose Hanger.

Sara has successfully built her brand through a strong presence online with www.therosehangershop.com, and through social media. She creates, edits and manages all of the content from copywriting to videos. In April of 2020, Sara created The Rose Hanger app as another way of increasing online sales. She has also increased her reach through text and email marketing, resulting in driving traffic to her website and app. Sara has taken control over all aspects of her brand and has successfully figured out the right formula that works for her business.

The Rose Hanger is active in the business community and supports many local organizations. Sara has built a brand from the ground up that continues to innovate and grow. The Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce proudly congratulates The Rose Hanger as the recipient of the 2022 Award of Excellence.

The bicentennial logo

••••••••

2022 Chairman’s Award: Historical Association of Lewiston

The charm and appeal of Lewiston can be attributed to many things, but history is always at the center. The Historical Association of Lewiston (HAL) was formed in 1973 out of two former civic organizations. The volunteers and staff are committed to preserving and promoting Lewiston’s rich heritage.

2022 was a big year for the Town and Village of Lewiston, celebrating 200 years. Next summer, HAL will celebrate 50 years of preserving history!

The Historical Association of Lewiston hosts monthly programs for the public to attend, focused on a historical topic with a guest speaker. The museum is operated, by appointment only, most of the year, with regular hours (1-5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday) from June through September.

A new display was recently unveiled in June of this year at the museum featuring a donated 1806 grandfather clock with ties to Lewiston, and a replica of a historic post office.

Guided tours are given of the Artpark gully and other historical gems throughout the village.

HAL has created a Tuscarora Heroes Memorial Scholarship, given to a student from the Tuscarora Nation. Every year on Dec. 19, HAL hosts a “Tuscarora Heroes Remembrance Ceremony.”

Fundraising efforts are held year-round and involve the community. The annual “Lewiston Jeopardy” tournament is a local favorite, with a sellout crowd each time.

Ornaments featuring historical buildings in Lewiston have been sold throughout the holiday season. This year, the featured ornament is of the Freedom Crossing Monument, as well as a special Lewiston bicentennial ornament. The “300 Club Raffle” is also held each year.

We are grateful for the work the Historical Association continues to do to preserve the rich history of Lewiston. The Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce proudly congratulates the Historical Association of Lewiston as the recipient of the 2022 Chairman’s Award.