July 20, 2011 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • Page 13 The Mahwah Regional Chamber of Commerce will hold a luncheon and networking event on Thursday, July 21 from noon to 2 p.m. at Restaurant L, 9 Franklin Turnpike in Allendale. The event is for Luncheon, seminars on Mahwah Chamber’s agenda members and non-members. Registration is required. The cost is $35 for Chamber members and $50 for nonmembers. Prepaid registration is required to guarantee participation; an additional $5 processing fee will be charged if paid the day of event On July 26, the Chamber will offer an evening of informative seminars and a business card exchange from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the new Crowne Plaza Hotel & Conference Center, 3 Executive Boulevard in Suffern, New York. Participants may register for their choice of educational seminar (all seminars run from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.). Topics will include cloud computing, enterprise social media, and website design. The business card exchange will follow. The cost for Chamber members for both the seminar and the business card exchange is $35. The cost is $50 for non-members. The fee for the business card exchange only is $15 for members and $30 for non- Fletcher House (continued from page 5) out at the time that the Fletcher House was the first house built in Cragmere and it is one of the earlier ranches not common in that era and has two unique fireplaces and chestnut wood trim. The house had fallen into serious disrepair after the sudden death of the previous owner who had lived there for 30 years. The house seemed to be beyond repair, but after a close inspection by Mahwah resident Richard Greene, the husband of the current township historian, Carol Greene, it was learned that the framing of the house was stable and the interior floor structure beams and foundation were sound. Gary Montroy, who was the construction code official, and John Lane, who was the assistant construction official at the time, both agreed that the house was in disrepair, but that it was structurally sound. They agreed it did not have to be demolished. The house was “red stickered” as not inhabitable, however, and therefore anyone who wished to view the house for a potential purchase had to be accompanied by Montroy or Lane. Shanley informed the real estate agent to contact Montroy before any Realtor showed the house. Shanley advised at the time that potential buyers could walk the property, but they could not go into the house or garage without contacting Montroy or Lane. She requested the owners of the house at the time to make emergency repairs including putting a tarp over the roof to prevent any further water damage. The family that owned the house at the time did not live locally, but the real estate agent agreed to contact them regarding the needed emergency repairs. Shanley explained that the 1,500 square foot one-story ranch style house had a lovely location on a half acre of land, but it needed a lot of work when it was put up for sale. The house sat vacant for several months until it was purchased by Handley, who was fully aware of the restrictions involved in the purchase and restoration of a historic home. Ultimately, the MHPC approved the addition of a second story if the features of the home were preserved in the renovation. Handley bought the historic house and restored and renovated the building. “We thank Sue for her courage, her vision, and for picking the perfect team to bring life back to the Fletcher House so that it will be with us to enjoy and appreciate for many years,” Shanley concluded. members. Registration is required. To learn more about the seminars, visit www. mahwah.com. The Chamber will host a free meet and greet on Thursday, July 28 from 8 to 10 a.m., hosted by MRCC’s 2011 Corporate Sponsor TD Bank. The event will take place in the Atrium of TD Bank’s corporate offices at 535 East Crescent Avenue in Ramsey. Refreshments will be served. All attendees will have the opportunity to introduce themselves to the group. Chamber members may bring their promotional materials and literature for the display on the information table. There is no cost to attend the event, but pre-registration is encouraged. Visit mahwah.com or call (201) 529-5566.