By Nicole Falco
Fritzsche said he's heard all the comments. "Why should I get involved?" "Why should I spend my time working for them?" "What does the chamber do for me?"
"Through the years I've felt like the rest of the community," Fritzsche said. "I've thought, What is the chamber doing for me? But then I realized, What have I done for the chamber?"
Fritzsche, owner of The Looney Bin on Rockaway Avenue for about eight years, has been an on-again, off-again chamber member. Before taking over leadership of the chamber last June, he served as secretary. He was named president pro tem after the former president, Rosemarie DelGrosso, had to step down because of a job transfer.
"I don't want to see some of the people doing all of the work; I'd rather see all of the people doing some of the work," Fritzsche said.
Like many businesses, the 30-year-old chamber has been struggling, most notably in the area of membership. "Everything revolves around membership," Fritzsche said.
The good news is, the chamber's membership has increased by approximately 40 percent -- or 25 new members -- since last year. Fritzsche credits referrals with helping make that happen.
Annette LoCascio, chamber treasurer and the owner of Wishes in Wicker on Rockaway Avenue, has been a member for six years. "I joined originally to try to make my business known in the neighborhood by networking and getting to know some of the people in the town and chamber," LoCascio said. "As a result I've made a lot of friends."
The practice of networking has been made a top priority at the chamber's monthly meetings. Fritzsche allocates time on meeting agendas for business owners to plug themselves. Gone are the days when guest speakers, usually not from Valley Stream, would try to sell their services to community business owners.
Using the Bellmore Chamber of Commerce as an example of a thriving chamber, Fritzsche said, "All we want to do is make things good. My goal is to get the chamber back to a level where it was. Not that it's bad right now, but it could be better."
Looking toward a positive future for the chamber, Fritzsche said it has gone through some changes as simple as using a more efficient filing system and getting the Web site, www.VSCC.org, up and running.
The chamber will continue to sponsor the annual Fourth of July fireworks display at Firemen's Field and the holiday lights fundraiser to brighten the village, as well as a revamped version of Community Day. Another annual event, Thursday Night Thrills, a carnival along Rockaway Avenue, has been canceled, at least for now.
Once again, the success of chamber-sponsored events depends on membership and the willingness of members to volunteer their time and services. "It's not about one night, one event or one business," Fritzsche said. "I'm not asking people to do more than I am willing to do."
The chamber meets monthly. A schedule of meetings, times and locations and a list of upcoming events is available on the Web site. Members and those interested in becoming members are welcome to attend. "We could use your input," Fritzsche said. "We'd rather get criticism [than hear nothing at all]. That way we can at least do something about it."
The chamber can be reached by phone or fax at (516) 825-1741. Callers will have to leave a message, but all calls are returned within a day or two by Linda Voskerijian, the chamber's administrative assistant.
