The family behind the longstanding Greenport canvas company, Wm. J. Mills & Co., will get a nod from 20th annual Golf Classic fundraiser this coming June.
Bob, Jamie and Billy Mills will play a round of golf along with several other hospital representatives and other community movers and shakers on June 13 at on Shelter Island.
Wm. J. Mills & Co. is a family owned-business and has served the North Fork since 1880. The company provides canvas items for individuals and businesses: awnings, tents, umbrellas, shelters, bags, covers, and other items for home or commercial use. Wm. J. Mills & Co. has the largest computerized cutting table on Long Island and the largest sail loft on Eastern Long Island and uses specialized fabricating equipment.
The company spans five generations with ancestral beginnings in Scotland. Billy Mills, the 91-year-old patriarch of the Mills family, was hands-on in the business for over 50 years. His two sons, Jamie and Bob, currently run operations.
Though Wm. J. Mills & Co. started out in the sail making business in the 19th century, the Mills have focused on awnings, custom-canvas products, and canvas accessories for Boston Whaler boats in recent years. They are internationally known for their Whaler canvas but remain a largely local business, serving the communities of the Twin Forks and Shelter Island.
For more information or to sign up as a sponsor for the Golf Classic, go to www.elih.org or call 631-477-5164.
