The Armonk Chamber of Commerce Citizens of the Year–Judy Gilmartin-Willsey and the Armonk Independent Fire Department–will be honored at a Golf Outing and Dinner on May 15th at the Whippoorwill Club in Armonk.
The Chamber described Judy, the owner of Framings for over 30 years, as “a vivacious and endearing presence,” who has also “committed herself to civic life here, as co-founder of the Chamber… Judy helped create the Armonk Winter Walk in 1991, which evolved into the wildly popular Frosty Day in 2008. She has lent her windows and expertise to the beautification and betterment of the town and its events, including support of the current Chamber of Commerce and the Armonk Outdoor Art Show.”
“The Armonk Independent Fire Department–its men and women volunteers–are town heroes who have given selflessly over the past 85 years. As such, they are the first organization to receive this honor by the Chamber. All firefighters and emergency responders undertake extensive training, with 140 hours needed to become a firefighter and 160 hours for an EMT. In addition to fighting fires and providing emergency medical care to area residents and businesses, the AIFD also teaches fire safety to community, school and youth groups. Members are required to participate in multi-agency drills in case of large scale emergencies, such as aircraft rescue and triage preparation for medical personnel.
Two veterans and ex-chiefs, John Heimerdinger and Mitch Sime, have more than 120 years of service between them. The department’s first and only female fire chief was Luci Labriola-Cuffe (she is not currently serving in that position). Long-time resident Tommy Cox has been an associate member of the department since elementary school. The current fire chief is Phil Goulet. To sponsor a firefighter’s dinner/tee hole or contribute to the local Stayin’ Alive Charity, register or find additional details, please visit: armonkchamberofcommerce.com.