At a well-attended luncheon meeting at Naples, the new restaurant at The Americana, on Wednesday, Jan. 20, Manhasset Chamber of Commerce President Betsy Chesebrough passed the gavel to the incoming co-presidents--Rita Eredics and Selwyn "Jerry" Rudnick.

Mrs. Chesebrough began the program by giving a look back at her year as president and it was an impressive record. The year began with a planning session and installation of officers at a luncheon at Millie's Place. Early plans for the establishment of a Millennium Committee, to be headed up by Judge Kenneth Molloy, were announced and the Chamber continued to participate in Nassau County's Operation Downtown.

In April there was a successful business card exchange and meeting at Independence Savings Bank, newly opened in the Staples shopping area. Past president Marian Stainkamp organized this program.

May brought Earth Day and the Chamber's annual cleanup of the Plandome Road business district. Adopt-a-Pole plants were hung and, thanks to the help of the Manhasset Park District, we really "got the hang of it" and the plants flourished. The Memorial Day parade was rained out although the American Legion carried out its ceremonies indoors.

June brought the annual Antiques Fair under the aegis of Fred Geiger and planning began for the Chamber's first ever Street Fair to be held in October.

The biggest excitement of the year was the Chamber's first golf outing, held at the new Town of North Hempstead golf course, Harbor Links, organized by Brian Jennings and Charlie Chesebrough. The outing was sold out and golfers were enthusiastic about the course and the Chamber's sponsorship.

October brought the Street Fair which also celebrated Manhasset's Business centennial, one hundred years after the Long Island Rail Road built the trestle that brought trains to Manhasset, Plandome and Port Washington. It was a successful and a learning experience as the Chamber hopes to follow up on it in 1999.

In November Barbara Cordovi and George Treiber were honored as Man and Woman of the Year at a cocktail party at Strathmore Vanderbilt Country Club. Later in the month Chamber volunteers turned out once again to plant bulbs around the gazebo.

The Chamber of Commerce joined the Manhasset Park District for the annual Tree Lighting which was attended by more than a thousand parents and children.

To quote Betsy: "With some of the profits from our events, we have been able to do a few nice things. We have shared some of the costs with the Town of North Hempstead to purchase upgraded wrought iron waste containers for Plandome Road. These should be on the street before the end of January. We are hoping to purchase matching wrought iron tree guards and park benches with additional profits in 1999. We are hoping, with our urging, that the Town will reinstitute the clean-up youth to help keep our streets clean in 1999. The Adopt-a-Pole brackets and plantings will be upgraded this year and, with the help of George Treiber, we will have new, non-tarnishing engraved plaques on each pole."

Betsy then introduced Rita Eredics and Jerry Rudnick. Rita has served the Chamber as counsel for more than 15 years. She is a member of the board of trustees of the Church of Our Saviour, Lutheran, a member of Manhasset Kiwanis Club, Manhasset Community Club and a director of the Manhasset Community Fund.

Jerry has been a director of the Chamber, a past president of the Manhasset Kiwanis Club and a member of the board of governors' Veatch Committee of the Unitarian Church.

Chamber of Commerce Treasurer Fred Geiger drew a laugh from the crowd when he congratulated Betsy for leaving the Chamber "with money in the bank, my bank." Mr. Geiger is manager of the Manhasset branch of North Fork Bank.