Lakewood Chamber of Commerce Celebrates its 100th Birthday

Here’s to another 100 years in Lakewood.

That was the toast of the evening on Saturday, when the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce marked its 100th birthday with the Centennial Gala at the .

More than 250 guests enjoyed live music, food and a special showing of “The Underpants.”

Oh yeah, and there was cake — about a dozen of them.

The cakes, decorated to commemorate the chamber’s birthday, were raffled during the evening — along with $1,000 cash and a Vintage Ladies Estate diamond and platinum ring, sponsored by .

The Centennial Gala — in partnership with the — was billed as an “engaging evening of theater, fine food and celebration.”

The event met, and exceeded, expectations.

“It’s quite a birthday party,” said Patty Ryan, the executive director of the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce.

There’s plenty to celebrate. The organization has seen its members swell from 11 in 1911 to more than 375 today. The organization is active in just about all matters of business in Lakewood.

Only two of the more than 375 members were around when it all began on Feb. 19, 1911: and what is now .

Others, like , have been in town for more than 75 years.

The Lakewood clothing and sporting goods staple was honored at Saturday’s event with the Frank L. Thurber Award — named for the organization’s first president. Each of the three generations of Geigers has been represented as a Lakewood Chamber of Commerce board director.

Each year, the chamber presents an outstanding member of the year award.

“This year we decided we would give an Outstanding Member of the Century Award,” said Terry Vincent, the board president of the chamber. “The Geiger Family was the consensus winner of this year’s Thurber Award.”

Gordon Geiger accepted the honor on behalf of the store, and the family.

“This award could have gone to a number of business owners in Lakewood,” he said. “There is such great heritage that Lakewood and its business community has had for such a long time.”