Club origin

Ted Izzo, founded the Putnam/Westchester Metal Detectorists & Archeological Society in 1996. Ted reached out via the local Pennysaver for anyone who was interested in metal detecting the local area.  Soon Ted started receiving calls from numerous individuals, one of whom was Frank Starnella.  Together, they formed the club.  In order to sustain a national presence the PWMD&AS affiliated with the FMDAC (Federation of Metal Detector & Archeological Clubs, Inc) to which a portion of the annual dues goes.

Membership and meeting places

Once established, the membership grew quickly, and the Mahopac, NY Library proved to be a suitable meeting location.  By 1997 the membership had grown to more than fifty, and the club had outgrown the Library.  The club meetings moved to Yorktown Heights, where the club met at Sparkle Lake.  The membership continued to grow and soon reached the century mark.  Over time, as membership fluctuated, the club meetings moved to the First Baptist church in Brewster, NY and then to the Trinity Luthern Church in Brewster, NY.  The current PWMD&AS membership is stable at about 80.

Organization

Ted Izzo served as the president from 1996 until 2013, when Don Mituzas was elected President.  Stacey Rosoff assumed the role of Vice President and Todd Olson succeeded her in 2016.  Don Mayers became Secretary and the FMDAC representative.  Larry Cohen became the Treasurer.  Carol Mayers became the Librarian and and Newsletter Editor of the Hudson Valley Explorer.  Brian Brouillette assumed the role of Webmaster in 2016.  Todd Olson conducted the Finds of the Month Competition, and Kathleen Brouillette succeeded the role in 2016.  Club member, Dave Nolan Jr., helped design the official club logo, which is used on our patches, web site, and membership/business cards.

Our members come from all walks of life and range in all ages.  Several women are among our most enthusiastic contributors. We have some very serious and experienced relic, beach, and water hunters, using state of the art equipment.  Many members have made interesting and valuable finds.  Several have won Best Finds of the Year competitions and have published articles in national treasure magazines.  Guest speakers have addressed our meetings and members are encouraged to present their specialties or relate stories of exceptional finds.  One of the prime goals of the club is to access search sites through the leverage that a large group with financial resources can do. This is accomplished by the individual research and cooperation of all members.  Search outings are typically conducted in April, May, June, September, and October.  The annual Jimmy See Fall Classic (seeded Hunt) is held in November, and a holiday party (with raffle prizes) is held in December.  The holiday parties were held at the Latern Pub in Mahopac, NY, and in 2016 is at the Southeast Grille House in Brewster, NY.

Civic duty 

The club stands ready to assist local Law Enforcement agencies, Historical Societies, and those who have lost metal articles (free of charge).