The Clayton Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce Michael Hazlewood as Clayton’s 2024 Citizen of the Year.
(Read Full Press Release Below).
The Clayton Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce Michael Hazlewood as Clayton’s 2024 Citizen of the Year.
Mike Hazlewood has been an active and dedicated member of the Clayton community for over 20 years, making significant contributions throughout the last two decades. Mike owns and operates three local businesses with 80+ employees, donates to many local charities and organizations, and participates in large community-based events, just to name a few. Mike is continually bringing new ideas to the area, and they are always accompanied with kindness and cheer! A resident of Clayton, Mike is known for his passion for creating opportunities for the youth in our area to have things to enjoy year-round. Mike is also known for greeting people with his cheerful “Good Morning, Good Mor-ning!” any time of the day.
After graduating Thousand Islands High School, Mike joined the Army when he was 17 years old and was active duty during the Gulf War.
In later years, Mike has served in various roles, including currently sitting on the Clayton Local Development Corporation. His efforts in Punkin Chunkin, the Annual Christmas Parade, “Light up the Town,” and the Kids Winter Carnival he started at Wood Boat Brewery have made a lasting, positive impact on our town. Most recently, a giant Radio Flyer can be seen as locals and tourists arrive in our community, serving as a fun welcome and unique photo opportunity that helps to differentiate us from surrounding towns. When Mike is involved, everyone knows to expect something grand.
Mike also owns The Boat Tasting Room in Lake Placid, where he actively makes it a goal to continually cross-promote Clayton by carrying all Clayton-made products. Outside of his delicious homemade craft beers, other items in Lake Placid include wine from Northern Flow and Coyote Moon Vineyards, along with Saint Lawrence Spirits Liquor. Mike hopes that his Lake Placid guests will get a taste of Clayton and enjoy it so much that they plan a future trip to our town. Mike is always thinking outside of the box with every project he takes on and moves as quickly physically as he does mentally to complete it.
Beyond his community work, Mike loves any time he can spend on the St. Lawrence River. He very much enjoys fishing and takes his passion a step further by volunteering his time annually as a guide for the Troopers for Troops, Wounded Warriors fishing tournament. He personally supports many locally owned businesses, including all the other restaurants in the community, and never sees them as competition to his own business. His humble demeanor, personally and professionally, inspires all those around him, including his two children, Dylan and Ashley, who both still live and work locally.
Mike is a true ambassador of our area, without even trying. He is very proud to be a part of this community, and Clayton would truly not be what it is today without his significant contributions. This honor celebrates his unwavering efforts to uplift the community, focusing on the spirit of fun, progress, kindness, and hard work.
A banquet dinner in Mike’s honor, “Clayton Celebrates,” will be held on Wednesday, November 13th, at the 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel located at 200 Riverside Drive, Clayton, NY. The banquet will also include an awards presentation for “Best of the Best” and a new “Excellence in Tourism” award. Reservations can be made online or by calling the Clayton Chamber of Commerce at 315.686.3771 or via email to tricia@1000islands-clayton.com.