Owners of two businesses with ties to Newburghs recent renaissance will be honored on Saturday, at the annual Downing Park Gala.

Renee Campos of DMU Music, and Jacqui Watkins and Eric Jarmann of Newburgh Mercantile are this year’s honorees on July 20 from 6 to10 p.m. at the Downing Park Shelter House, 123 Carpenter Avenue in Newburgh. The theme will be “Havana Nights” with Latin music and a Cuban inspired menu catered by Shelter House Café. Tickets are $100 per person.

Campos, owner of DMU Music for more than 30 years is an honoree due to how he serves the community in both his business and volunteer work.

Originally from Central America, Campos, 62, has lived most of his life in the city of Newburgh. He volunteers with many local non-profit organizations including Habitat for Humanity, ARC, Cornerstone and the Newburgh Free Library.

“I’m overwhelmed with pride to receive this honor,” Campos said. but I can’t wait to spread thanks to the community and show support for the committee and the park.”

Kathy Parisi, president of the Downing Park Planning Committee, said Campos was a natural choice.

“Rene is a guy to go to if you need anything,” Parisi said, “ whether it be music, sound equipment or help at an event.”

The business being honored this year is Newburgh Mercantile run by Jacqui Watkins and Eric Jarmann, which is currently celebrating its fifth year anniversary.

“Newburgh Mercantile was one of the first in a new generation of retail stores here on Broadway,” Watkins said.

Both Eric and Jacqui believe that their business experiences have influenced their personal experiences. When they opened their first business in 1998, they supported the local high school students by always having reasonably priced items on display and giving local bands a place to perform. It’s a practice that Eric calls, “working behind the scenes, helping in small ways” which is also shown in their work with local organizations like Safe Harbors of the Hudson, Newburgh Last Saturdays, and especially the Newburgh Illuminated Festival.

“When you put yourself out there, it’s hard to know if you’re making an impact,” Jarmann said. “But being honored shows that you are making an impact in your community. It shows you can still make an impact on people even behind the scenes.”

The Downing Park Planning Committee is a local non-profit organization dedicated to the restoration and preservation of Newburgh’s historical landmark, Downing Park in the City’s East End Historic District. Originally formed in 1987, the Committee advocated for the restoration of the park after it fell on hard times in the 1970s as the city lost most of its manufacturing and commercial base. In the late 80’s and early ‘90s, the Committee created a Master Plan to serve as a “model for historic parks nationwide” and raised $300,000 in grants for their first renovation project.

The ticket sales from this fundraiser, in addition to grant donations and journal ads, are the Committee’s main source of funds for their renovation projects. Parisi said that the fundraiser usually raises $8,000-$10,000 a year, with 125 people attending. All the money raised is spent on maintenance and renovation of the gardens and structures in the parks. Recently, the Committee received a grant from the organization DASNY that was used to replace lighting fixtures, benches, and trash receptacles. They don’t even use the funds to hire employees; community volunteers do all of the work done in the parks.

In addition to the fundraiser, the Committee also hosts numerous community events like a Farmers Market, a community concert series, an Easter Egg Hunt, a Halloween Parade, and showcase local artists work in the Visitor’s Center and they also encourage people to bring their events to Downing Park. Essentially, they want to make the park a travel destination and bring the community together to support their local history.

Everyone involved here has been brought together in support of the community and for Downing Park. Both Parisi and her father grew up near the park, and Kathy says she considers it part of her childhood, “I remember seeing the tulips bloom at Easter time and ice-skating on the pond in the winter.”

Rene says he really admires what the Committee is doing for the park. “I always enjoyed playing in the park with my sisters when I was younger and seeing all the flowers in bloom.” he recalls.

Watkins agrees, calling the park an important part of our history.

“One of the most precious parts of the city that has maintained Newburgh’s dignity and charm,” she says. “This park is an important part of our past and our future.”

Eric agrees with Jacqui, saying that Downing Park is, “A piece of history that we still have.”

With the help of the Downing Park Planning Committee and the community, Downing Park will be a piece of history that we can hold onto.

For more information, go to Downing Park Newburgh on Facebook, look up Downing Park Planning Committee on SquareUp, or contact Kathy Parisi at 914-213-1486.