The Goshen Chamber of Commerce”™s new offices, along with its new executive director, are housed in the former Masonic Temple on the village”™s Main Street.
“We are so very fortunate to be in this beautifully restored building,” said Executive Director Lynne Cione. “The Goshen Chamber of Commerce has been active for more than a century and was located at the Harness Racing Museum track. When the opportunity came along to move into these new offices, we were thrilled.
“We were a volunteer organization before I was selected to be the executive director in August 2008,” she said. “Having a paid director lets our 200 members know someone is taking care of business and giving their full attention to the job at hand. Many of them are in the restaurant business, so we are in the process of forming a restaurant guild to give them a better presence in the village and in the Hudson Valley.”
Cione was busy greeting guests on a recent day, including Michael Johndrow, Warwick Valley”™s Chamber of Commerce president, who is getting restaurants in his neighborhood ready for that chamber”™s Restaurant Week. “Our restaurant owners will pay a $150 fee to be in the event,” said Johndrow, which will run from Monday, February 22 through Monday, March 8, with a special menu or a deep discount, depending on the restaurant.
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“We have many great restaurants in Warwick”™s chamber and they are partnering with our local bed and breakfasts so people can have a weekend getaway. We have a great Main Street with stores and things to do, so we hope people will come and enjoy the specials, which will run seven days a week. One of the reasons I”™m here is not just to wish Lynne well in her new office but to talk about partnering next year.”
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Cione said when her own chamber”™s restaurant guild is formed she hopes to join Warwick”™s chamber to combine the event and broaden its scope, keeping fees within reach for its small but diverse group of restaurants.
“Who doesn”™t love to go out and eat, especially to a nice restaurant that is offering a special prix fixe menu for a reasonable price?” said Cione. “It”™s a great way to get people to come out and enjoy a good meal and take in a bit of history. Goshen has so much to offer, and I”™m looking forward to working with Mike and the Warwick chamber on a future partnership. It will help both our chambers”™ members get to know each other and work together.”
Cione is getting ready to hold Goshen”™s first nonprofit expo at the village”™s senior center in March and its business expo in June. “We have so many services for people they aren”™t aware of,” said Cione. “The nonprofit event at the senior center will give everyone an idea of what”™s available for them here ”¦ and the business showcase will give all our merchants an opportunity to network with each other and the public.”
Those events will be in addition to the chamber”™s annual Great American Weekend held on the 4th of July weekend and its weekly farmers”™ market in the village square.
The county seat of Orange has a wealth of history Cione has embraced since moving to Goshen in 1987. “I truly love it here,” she said, “and the fact that we have this wonderful office in the former village music hall from the 1800s that has been totally restored is fabulous. We”™re not only carrying on the chamber”™s mission ”“ to bring our business community together ”“ but doing it in a place that was rescued from the wrecking ball and been brought back to life so beautifully. It”™s truly an honor to work for the chamber in this piece of Goshen”™s history.”
