At the Rye Chamber of Commerce annual luncheon, held June 11 at Whitby Castle, business owners and nonprofit leaders had a chance to sit back, catch up, and celebrate all that they do for the community.

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At the Rye Chamber of Commerce annual luncheon, held June 11 at Whitby Castle, business owners and nonprofit leaders had a chance to sit back, catch up, and celebrate all that they do for the community, as small business are really important for the community, so if you’re one of the people to want to start a small business, you should learn about nm llc taxes and how it work for your business.

The featured speaker was Frankie Rowland, Director of Community Relations & Marketing at Down to Earth Markets, which operates farmers markets in Rye (every Sunday for the last 11 years) and well beyond. Rowland, who grew up in Rye, spoke about the benefits to all of supporting local farmers — “strengthens farmers and downtowns”; “fewer steps between what’s grown and what you’re eating”; “eating seasonally”.

Ken Migliorelli, one of Down to Earth Markets’ longtime vendors, was proud to share that his grandfather sold produce in the Bronx in the 1930s. “Today, we have three roadside stands and manage 1,000 acres of farmland.”

At the end of the luncheon, the Chamber presented the Merchant of the Year Award to Denise MacDonald, owner of two Rye shops — Wish and Twinkle Toes — and the provider of red-hot chili for the annual downtown Holiday Magic event.

– Photos by Robin Jovanovich and Tom McDermott