Indian Valley Chamber of Commerce Announces Award Recipients

The Indian Valley Chamber of Commerce has announced plans for its Annual Meeting & Awards Luncheon, taking place Thursday, March 23, 2023, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Indian Valley Country Club, 650 Bergey Road, Telford, PA. This annual luncheon is a time to celebrate the Indian Valley’s businesses and community organizations and to honor those making significant contributions to the region.

the family business. He most recently served as CEO of the Clemens Family Corporation, retiring in 2022.

Godshall’s will receive the 2022 Pillar Award for large business of the year for their continued contributions to building a thriving local economy. With facilities in Telford, Souderton, and Lebanon, Pennsylvania, Godshall’s has grown from a local family butcher shop to an employee-owned company with nearly 600 employee-owners.

Carfagno Commercial Cleaning will receive the 2022 Cornerstone Award for small business of the year for their dedication to supporting the growth of business in the region. Ken Carfagno, founder and president, is a cleaning industry podcaster, influencer, and coach through the Smart Cleaning School platform.

The criteria for the Pillar and Cornerstone awards are that the winner must be a leader in its field, an active member of Indian Valley Chamber of Commerce, a contributor to the economic growth of the community, and demonstrate a significant commitment to the community through civic and volunteer activities.

Care & Share Thrift Shoppes will receive the 2022 Charles H. Allebach, Jr. Community Service Award for their ongoing mission of serving the community, creating a vibrant hub of philanthropy, commerce, and volunteerism that holds a unique and vital space in our region for 48 years and counting.

Douglas C. Clemens will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. Clemens is being honored for his example as a leader in business and in the community. As president of Clemens Food Group, he was instrumental in leading the continued growth and success of

All are welcome to attend this Annual Meeting & Awards Luncheon. Tickets are $45.00 per person and are available online at www.indianvalleychamber.com or by calling 215-723-9472.

4.90 6-month

4.95 1-year 5.00

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Spring Cleaning Tips for your Collections

Spring cleaning has its drawbacks and its advantages. The drawbacks are many as no one really enjoys house cleaning all that much. But, once the house is clean, there are some obvious advantages like the discovery of more space, finding long lost items, and quick cash in the form of online sales of that unwanted stuff. For art and antiques collectors, spring cleaning offers a great opportunity to review the condition of art, collectibles, and vintage objects. Deciding to repurpose items can result from a good cleaning spree, too. Identifying what to keep and what to sell can be the benefit of spring cleaning and so can making new display areas within your home.

Here are some tips when it comes to spring cleaning your art and antiques:

Don’t be too hasty to clean an oil on canvas painting. On my video call appraisals, I can’t tell you the vast number of collectors who want to clean their antique and vintage oil paintings. Many paintings don’t need to be cleaned. Paintings will darken over time but cleaning paintings may not be the solution. For instance, if a painting only has minor evidence of surface dirt or dust and it has no evidence of yellowing varnish, leave the painting alone. Never clean a painting using soap and water, an early 1900s technique, because this process will dry out the pigment and the canvas. It will lead to pigment flaking and serious damage over time. If you still want to clean a painting, contact a professional art restoration service.

Don’t be overzealous when cleaning sterling silver pieces like tea sets, trays, water pitchers, picture frames, and candlesticks. This goes for silver plated items, too. When cleaning silver or silver plate, you are basically rubbing off a layer of the metal’s sheen. So, don’t polish your silver too often. Try to polish sterling silver and silver plate items no more than twice a year, that is every six months. Use appropriate white cotton cloths and recommended silver or silver plate polish. They are different so don’t use silver polish to polish silver plate and vice versa. Be gentle when polishing silver plate so you don’t rub the silver off to the point where the under metal—usually copper—is showing through the silver plating. Flatware of sterling silver should be placed in a protective storage box when not in use.

Crystal and glass items require special care when cleaning. Crystal is supposed to be very clear and attractive when compared to glass items. For cloudy glass vases or bowls, use equal parts of white vinegar and distilled water and wash the crystal or glass object very gently. Try to avoid using any harsh chemicals or cleaning agents on any of your antique items.

Do not submerge any glass or crystal item into standing water that is too cold or too hot as this “shock to the system” may result in cracking your antique or vintage glass or crystal item upon impact. Be sure to keep vintage and antique glass items away from other items that may damage them and never put them in the dishwasher.

The tools that you use during spring cleaning of your art or antiques are just as important as the cleaning supplies and techniques. Cloths that do not leave textile or cotton residue behind are the desirable cleaning choice when it comes to antiques and art. Q-tips or cotton swabs can be very helpful to get into those tight places. And, don’t forget to do your spring cleaning of fragile collectibles while seated at a table when you are well rested and have plenty of time for the task. Happy spring cleaning!.

PH