Lemoore Chamber hosts mixer at the Sarah Mooney Museum | business | hanfordsentinel.com

The cool, crisp air that blew in on Thursday evening, Oct. 17, made it feel like autumn was finally here. It was the perfect weather for the joint mixer hosted by the Lemoore Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Lemoore Merchants Association and the Sarah Mooney Memorial Museum.

The Hunter’s Moon lit up the grounds of the museum casting a warm glow which added cozy ambience on all the attendees.

Tim Mattos filled the air with music, playing his guitar and singing a variety of music including classic country, a bit of Bruce Springsteen, and some rock and roll from the '60s.

Strands of string lights sparkled and lit up the gem that is the Sarah Mooney Memorial Museum. The quaint little Victorian house located on D Street provided the perfect backdrop for a good old-fashioned Chamber of Commerce mixer. This gave local business owners a chance to connect with other business owners, and to socialize with members of the community. It also had the perfect mixer elements of good food, drinks and entertainment. The main component of a mixer gave all attendees the opportunity to meet one another in a friendly and informal, relaxed atmosphere.

The good food was provided by Sunny Law with fare from his restaurant Sushi Table, and the wine was poured by the Kings Lions Club.

The museum was open for tours provided by their volunteer docents.

Museum Board President Mike Betcher welcomed the group and provided certificates of appreciation to the following sponsors: Sunny Law of Sushi Table, Danny and Darlene Newton, Stone Ranch, Kings Lions Club, Dr. Ron and Charlotte Clark, Odd Fellows Lodge, Family Eye Center, and the Diener Foundation.

The Museum counts on their sponsors for funds to help with the costs of needed repair work on the Victorian house, which is over 130 years old, having been built in 1893. In January of this year, the house received a fresh coat of paint thanks to a generous donation from the Lemoore Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Brenda Martin, the new CEO of the Lemoore Chamber of Commerce, shared that one of the goals of the Chamber is to bring back these mixers. “This was the second one we held this year. I am excited to be involved in the community and make Lemoore a place people want to be.”

Betcher said “The Museum is proud to partner with the Chamber and Downtown Merchants Association; to bring the people and downtown businesses together to have a successful and active community.” He added that “the Chamber actually owns the house.”

In 1974, the Victorian home was donated to the Lemoore Chamber of Commerce by Marie Blakely, who was Sarah Mooney’s granddaughter, to be used as a memorial museum. It opened to the public on Oct. 17, 1976.

It was a great event for the businesses in Lemoore, as well as the members of the community to come together. We look forward to more mixers in Lemoore’s future as they revitalize downtown.