By RHEA-FRANCES TETLEY
Staff Writer
The Lake Arrowhead Communities Chamber of Commerce held its last mixer for 2025 in the Iris Room of the UCLA Lake Arrowhead Lodge. Many of its members came dressed for the Vintage Apres Ski theme, wearing vintage style ski and ski lodge attire. Claudine Gale and Corey Foye of All of the Above Tree Services won the ski attire contest, competing against about 12 other contestants.
The interior ski themes décor for the evening was supplied by Bev Brown of Rim Nordic with wooden skis, antique snowshoes and more, setting the historic mood in the historic UCLA center. It was a fun evening with many appetizers and great drinks supplied by the UCLA Lodge, while reminding those chamber members that they are now open to the public for meals, so RSVP soon. All evening long a video of skiing and other snow activities was played on the large screen in the front of the room.
Retiring Lake Arrowhead Chamber board of directors member Jileen Pattison receiving her locally made plaque from L. Dubbs Engraving in Skyforest from Chamber President Ken Witte.
As the evening began, the Heisler Players, who performed A Christmas Carol at the Tudor House the next weekend, performed a choral reading of the story, “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” setting a positive mood for the evening. Dressed in Dickens style costumes, it started the evening and holiday season very well.
The mixer honored the Lake Arrowhead Chamber board of directors who were leaving the board after their three-year terms were over; they were thanked for their volunteer service. This included Cecilia Ponce De Leon and Jileen Pattison, who was presented a beautiful plaque by Ken Witte. The election of new board members to fill their positions had just concluded and the winners will be announced in the new year.
The chamber members played games such as “snowball pong,” winning great prizes donated by local merchants and the chamber. Some of those prizes presented included Soroptimist dining cards, snowshoeing tickets to Rim Nordic, numerous gift cards to local businesses, wines, Jiu-Jitsu membership, flower books from Karla Kellums of the San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust. The grand prize was a summer gift bag of passes and boat rides to Lake Gregory Regional Park, won by Raquel Comstock, who was thrilled with the prize.
Numerous businesses gave one-minute shout outs for their businesses, highlighting their best points and giving everyone many reasons for supporting their businesses and nonprofits. Supporting local businesses this time of year is essential for the health of the economy of the mountain communities, to help them survive through the upcoming winter months when business tends to be slower due to the weather.
It was a fun evening of networking between established businesses and introducing new businesses that had just joined the chamber, such as Jose Hernandez of Peak Painting. Each chamber member brought an unwrapped gift for the toy drive of toys that will be presented to local children in need through the local Mountain Communities Boys and Girls Club.
The Lake Arrowhead Communities Chamber of Commerce wishes everyone in the mountain communities a very merry holiday season and encourages them to invite their friends to come visit the mountains during these next few months.
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