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Those April showers skipped right past us and May has been chilly. We are finally getting a little bit of rain, but we could really use some more! Our meeting was short this month but as always we have lots going on. We approved a Bronze sponsorship for the Richmond County Fair. We have cancelled our May Speaker Series event. We are looking to start planning our June After Hours. If your business is interested in helping to host our June After Hours, please let us know ASAP! Please make sure that you renew your membership with the Chamber for 2026. I have listed members below who have renewed for 2026. I also attached the pdf form or you can renew online at: https://www.wrccoc.com/join-or-renew-now We also had our monthly Warsaw Fest 2026 Planning meeting Sponsorship registration is now available online. I have listed who is already a sponsor and what level. If you are interested in adding a Warsaw Fest 2026 sponsorship to your membership you can download the pdf attached or online at: https://www.wrccoc.com/sponsorship-opportunities We have also opened up vendor registration. Please share with your friends: https://www.wrccoc.com/vendor-registration As always- if you have any questions/concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out! Sara Carroll President Warsaw Richmond County Chamber of Commerce

April Showers... wait... what showers?  Mother Nature can't make up her mind what the weather should be!   Our monthly meeting was Monday, April 13 th  and we discussed the following items:   Our Quarterly Networking Event was great!  The Healthy Harvest Food Bank gave everyone a wonderful tour of their facility and we got to see behind the scenes.  They provide so much for our community and we are so thankful to have them right here in Warsaw!   Our next Speaker Series event will be in May- details TBD 🙂   Our membership drive is moving right along.  We have mailed the Membership renewal Newsletters to those that have not already renewed their membership.  Below is a current list of 2026 Members.  I have attached the Newsletter above and the online link to reregister is at: https://www.wrccoc.com/join-or-renew-now   After the Board meeting we met to discuss Warsaw Fest 2026.  We confirmed a few details and will meet again next month after the next Board meeting on May 11, 2026.   Have a great month and as always- if you have any questions or would like to learn more about joining, please don't hesitate to reach out!   Sara Carroll President Warsaw Richmond County Chamber of Commerce

We had a great evening at our March After Hours hosted by Healthy Harvest Food Bank ! We got a full tour of the greenhouse. The aquaponics system is amazing! The tilapia were splashing around and we even got to eat a flower! The tour of the warehouse was eye opening. We got to see where all the things are stored and learned about how they distribute everything. Please go to their website to learn more about what they do! https://www.hhfb.org/

I hope everyone is surviving the cold snap today!  Thanksgiving is in a couple of weeks and Christmas follows right behind.  I know Christmas season has already started for the retail businesses and I hope your open houses all went well.   Our November monthly Board meeting was last night and below are the highlights:   We are donating $500 to Christmas Wishes and the Salvation Army.   For Giving Tuesday (December 2nd) we are going to guarantee a total of $250 to the following member non-profits, B&GCNN, Richmond County Family YMCA, Healthy Harvest Food Bank, JArt, and Menokin.  When our Facebook post goes up announcing the donations, if the post gets over 200 shares, we will add an additional $250 to each non-profit.  The Haven & Garfields received $250 during the Christmas in July Grant, but will be included in the additional funds.  We hope that some of our businesses are willing to help our member non-profits as well this holiday season!   We are still planning our December Annual Meeting.  As soon as we have confirmed plans, we will let you know.   Our Speaker Series starts back up in February 2026 with NNK Tax & Acccounting, Glen Sydnor, to update us on important information you need to know about this year's tax season.  As soon as we have finalized plans, we will let you know!   SHOP LOCAL & WIN- please make sure to respond to the Shop Local & Win Participation survey no later than Monday, November 17th.  We would like to make sure everyone that wants to participate is included. https://forms.gle/FXsmfCSwnGxCfQSv7   Christmas Decorating Contest registration is due by December 11th!  Judging for homes & businesses is December 12th.  Enter for free today at:  https://www.wrccoc.com/christmas-decorating   If you are interested in joining our Board for 2026, please reach out.   Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.   Sara Carroll President WRCCOC

We forgot to grab a group photo during tonight’s Warsaw Richmond Chamber Speaker Series event, but we did catch one afterward with NNK Tax and Accounting, LLC! A big thank you to Glen  for an excellent presentation on 2025 taxes and what to watch for as we head into 2026.  The information and insights were incredibly helpful for businesses and individuals planning ahead. And thank you to everyone who came out to join us tonight — it was a great evening of learning, conversation, and community. — at Old Rappahannock Brewing Company

This month the Warsaw Richmond County Chamber of Commerce accomplished the following items:   We are donating $500 each to the RCC Scholarship Fund and RHS After Prom   Our March 2026 After Hours will be held at Healthy Harvest Food Bank on Friday, March 27, 2026 at 6pm.  Bring a non-perishable item to donate with you!   See the attached flyer for more details!  Please make sure to RSVP. https://forms.gle/6s2rRaUz1ks68WBC6   If you missed our Winter Speaker Series, you missed the fun!  Glen Sydnor from NNK Tax & Accounting gave us a full run down on the 2025 Tax Season and some important things to watch for this year!  We ate some delish pizza and learned some new information!   Our 2026 Membership Drive has begun!  Thank you to the 21 businesses/organizations that have already renewed their membership for this year!  We are excited to have you on board and can't wait for another fun year!  If you haven't already renewed your membership, the annual letter is attached.  You can send in your payment by mail or you can submit your membership online at: https://www.wrccoc.com/join-or-renew-now ​   The Town of Warsaw Council Meeting is Thursday, March 12, 2026.     WRC Main Street Program is in the process of restructuring and is working on getting some grant funding for different projects big and small in the community.   Sara will be presenting our request at the County Budget Presentation Meeting on Thursday, March 12th.   We welcomed Tammy Desai as a new Board Member!  Welcome aboard!  There are a couple more spots to fill on our Board.  Please us know if you would like to join us! During our Warsaw Fest 2026 Meeting that followed the Board meeting we discussed the following items:   Grand Marshal ideas... we might have a real good one, but if you have any ideas, please let us know!  Kirsten will be Chairing the Parade and Baby & Beauty Pageants  Patrick will be Charing the Car & Truck Show   We will continue reaching out to organizations for volunteers this year.  It worked out great last year and hopefully we will get even more participation!  If your business/organization would like to volunteer during Warsaw Fest, please let us know- we can always trade your in-kind volunteering for a sponsorship!   We will be reaching out to our regular vendors to confirm the date- Saturday, October 10, 2026. Sponsorship & Vendor forms will begin going out in April/May! We hope you have a wonderful day and we can't wait to see you at our next event!   Sara Carroll President Warsaw Richmond County Chamber of Commerce 2026 Membership as of 3/11/2026 @ noon AmeriCare Plus, LLC. Angie's Strength and Style Boutique Atlantic Union Bank Colonial Collectibles DRP Collision Haven Shelter & Services Jean Light Julie Stanley @ Home Printing Kimberly A King Photography Napier Utilities Construction Naylors Beach & Campgrounds Northern Neck Electric Cooperative Piney Grove Family Medicine Rappahannock Cleaning Services Real Media, Inc. Relish Restaurant & Bar Rice-Packett Real Estate Agency Rise & Set Provisions Roy Rogers Warsaw-Richmond County Main Street Program Willow Stitch

We hope that everyone is doing well through all the ice and snow.  I know I'm thankful for the warmer weather that is starting today! Here are some notes from the February Board Meeting held 2/9/26  We are donating : $550 to the Little League for a Pennant and Banner $275 to the Sherriff's Office for Educational Supplies   We had a request from Amelia Academy, in Amelia, VA, regarding information on Warsaw/Richmond County for a 4 th  grade class doing research on Virginia.  Connie from Menokin was in attendance and she will be sharing some information with them.  If you have anything of note that you would like to share to help a 4 th  grade class do research on Virginia, please let me know and I will share the contact information provided.   Our Winter Speaker Series  will be Wednesday, March 4, 2026  at the Old Rappahannock Brewery, 6pm-8pm.  Chamber Members can have 1 representative attend free.  All other guests will be charged $15/person at the door.  Pizza will be provided and a cash bar.  Glen Sydnor will be speaking on important tax updates for 2025/2026.  RSVP here: https://forms.gle/keKP6FrWZmzPpQBW6     Our March After Hours Networking Event will be held, Friday, March 27, 2026  at Healthy Harvest Food Bank, 6pm-8pm.  We will get to tour their facility and learn about all the good they do for our community.  Please bring a non-perishable food item to donate!  RSVP here: https://forms.gle/v14GqDP74pz18yf17     Our 2026 Membership Drive will be starting soon!  Please be on the lookout for an email and snail mail newsletter.  We hope you plan to continue your support of the Warsaw Richmond County Chamber of Commerce!  We have so many fun things planned!   It's that time... our first Warsaw Fest 2026 Meeting will be Monday, March 9 th  after the Board Meeting.   The Town Council Meeting in Thursday 2/12/26.   WRC MSP is working on a project to bring public Wi-fi to the Town Park.  It also has potential to include a web cam and weather station.  If you would like more information on getting involved with the Main Street Program, contact Patrick Stone at:  wrcmsp@gmail.com   Sara is working on the Budget Presentation for the County.   Patrick discussed the Chamber Day hosted by VA Chamber in Richmond.  There are 3 big things to be watching for in the following months: Minimum wage increasing to $15 by 2028 Paid Sick Leave for nearly all employers (including small businesses) Paid Family & Medical Leave Insurance program that will affect not only small businesses, but employees as well. If you want more information on any of these items, please let me know!   Brandy Kues resigned from the Board.  Thank you for the time you served! Roy Rogers joined the Board.  Welcome!   We are always looking for new members- please reach out to us if you are interested in joining!   As always, we are here to support you!  If there are any business/government concerns you may have, please let us know and we will do our best to address them!  We hope the remainder of your month is successful!   Sara Carroll President WRCCoC   In addition here is a note from the Northern Neck Tourism Commission regarding the ban on polystyrene in Virginia effective July 1, 2026:   This email has particular relevance to restaurants, chambers of commerce, localities, and any food-serving businesses that utilize to-go containers.   The ban on polystyrene in Virginia goes into effect July 1, 2026. Foam-free resources and information are here:  https://www.cleanvirginiawaterways.org/foam-phase-out/#restaurant-and-business-outreach   A virtual meeting with Zach Huntington with Clean Virginia Waterways is scheduled for Tuesday, February 24th at 1pm.  Included in his presentation will be the effort to transition to implement the ban and move to foam-free containers.    You can join the meeting through the link below or if you'd like a calendar invite with the meeting, please let me know.    Zach Huntington with Clean Virginia Waterways on the Virginia Marine Debris Reduction PlanTuesday, February 24 · 1:00 – 2:00pmTime zone: America/New_YorkGoogle Meet joining infoVideo call link: https://meet.google.com/yqv-vsqe-qhm Or dial: ‪(US) +1 502-792-9622 PIN: ‪474 017 354#More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/yqv-vsqe-qhm?pin=5472670401855

Congratulations to John Vontano for winning the People's Choice Award with over 100 likes on his Mustang's picture!

Happy Fall Ya'll!  October has been a whirlwind month!  We are so thankful to all of our members and sponsors that supported us through Warsaw Fest 2025.  It was the smoothest event I have run over the past 10ish years.  We really couldn't do it without all of you!   Here is a run down of our meeting last night...  We approved a $500 sponsorship for Christmas Town   We have begun planning our December Annual Meeting.  Please mark your calendars for December 8 th  at 6pm.  Location is still yet to be determined.   We are excited to be up to 70 Members for 2025!  Every year our membership grows, which helps us to keep this going.  We are thankful to each of you for your contributions!   We went over the budget for Warsaw Fest 2025 and we are happy to announce that this year was a success.  We didn't see as much turn out due to the weather, but it didn't keep everyone away.  We are praying for a sunny day next year!  A big shout out to the RHS Beta Club and the CBGS students for coming out in full force this year and helping!  We are donating $100 to each organization!   Shop Local and Win is coming up Nov 24th – Dec 19th and we want to thank YOU for being a Warsaw-Richmond County Chamber Member this holiday season.  This year, we plan on giving away $25 gift certificates good at any participating business through our Facebook contest featuring Richie the Elf.  This program would be similar to County Bucks.  You will turn in gift certificates you received to the Chamber and we will send you a check for the total amount.  The certificates would be good through March 2025 and you will be able to submit the certificates for payments up to 3 times during that period.  Specific details on reimbursement will be emailed to those that agree to participate. Shoppers will present the coupons when paying.  Spends like cash on goods and services, with NO change given if the full value is not spent.  It has no "cash back" value. We hope you will participate this year! Please click on this link to let us know if you would like to participate. https://forms.gle/rc4g8CNmw7etxeQ97     We are gearing up for the Christmas Decorating Contest as well.  So start planning your decorations so you can win!  Business entries win a free membership to the Chamber for 2026 and we are still discussing what we will give to Residential winners!  As soon as we have our registration up and online, we will share all the details!   We received a request from Mr. Bruce Callis Jr regarding the weather station that used to be operational in Warsaw and how we can get it back to be operational so we can get on the TV weather maps.  We are going to do some reaching out to find out more information!   Just a reminder that Main Street Program is hosting Trunk or Treat on Friday, Oct 31st.  If you need more information, contact them at wrcmsp@gmail.com   Thank you to Lieutenant B. M. Radden for attending the meeting last night.   We are looking for a couple of new Board Members and all it takes is at bare minimum and hour each month to attend our meetings.  Please consider coming out and joining the Board to help support our local community and businesses!   As always have a wonderful month!  If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out.   Sara Carroll President WRCCOC

We apologize for the delay in the Baby & Beauty Pageant Winners Official Announcement. The list got mixed into our left-over Warsaw Fest Guides and we didn't find it until yesterday evening. We are just so happy that it didn't get thrown away by accident! Congratulations to all the winners! 0-6 Mo Girls 1. Idabelle Snellings 2. LakeLynn Blackwell 0-6 Mo Boys 1. Chosyn Phipps 2. James Uphold 3. Leopoldo Beltran 7-12 Mo Girls 1. Ezra Lynae’ Comer 2. Sydney Lousie Carroll 3. Madelyn Meany 7-12 Mo Boys 1. Jackson Morse 2. Jaylen Bryce Hence 3. Dax Jenkins 13-18 Mo Girls 1. Raelyn LaRochelle 2. Hadleigh Sams 3. Everly Morris Honorable Mention- Alexis Sharpe 13-18 Mo Boys 1. Tyler Fisher 2. Aries Martinez 3. Kayden Taylor 19-24 Mo Girls 1. Judith Greifzu 2. Thyri Carey 3. Novah Sandy Honorable Mention- Everly Thompson 19-24 Mo Boys 1. River Simpson 25-35 Mo Girls 1. Norielle Sumiel 2. Wynter Phipps 3. Bailey Rubinchak Honorable Mentions: Kenzie Doublin & Paisley Wright 25-35 Mo Boys 1. Khylo Moore 3-4 YR Girls 1. Kinsley Mae White 2. Kai Reign Elmore 3. Eliana Rae Byrd 3-4 Yr Boys 1. Jaxen Isaac Day 5-6 Yr Girls 1. Nellie Chatham 2. Debbie Ahava 3. Daisy Bynum 5-6 Yr Boys 1. Grayson Alexander Carroll 7-9 YR Girls 1. Khloe Hayes 2. Quinn Ball 3. Bethany Oakes

We are so thankful to those that entered into the parade! We know the weather wasn't the best but it was mostly dry! We hope that next year we have more entries, it is free to enter! Below are the Winners of our Warsaw Fest 2025 Parade. Please contact us to arrange pick up of your trophy! Grand Marshall’s Award: Best Presentation of Theme Westmoreland State Parks Mayor’s Award: Best Non-Commercial Entry April's Little Blessing Childcare Judge’s Award: Best Overall Entry April's Little Blessing Childcare Chamber of Commerce Award: Best Commercial Entry C &F Bank Youth Award: Best Youth Entry Showtime MMA Marching Bands 1st Place: Lancaster High School 2nd Place: Rappahannock High School Best Appearing Fire Department Richmond County Volunteer Fire Department Engine 1

We are excited to officially announce our September After Hours. Make sure to RSVP so we can make sure we have enough crabs and all the fixings. The only thing we ask is that you bring your own beverage of choice and your appetite! Please RSVP at this link: https://forms.gle/ytCBANraqKYXm4p1A We are excited to have the team from Virginia Clean Cities to join us and tell us about the project they are working on with Bay Transit and Dominion.