Chamber of Commerce salutes volunteers, businesses, citizens at 2006 awards dinner

In its big annual dinner this year, the Washington-Wilkes Chamber of Commerce saluted the contributions of a number of local businesses, organizations, and individuals whose contributions made life a little better for folks in Wilkes County.

At the annual awards dinner Thursday night, more than 100 members, guests, and visitors heard the evening's speaker, Judge Richard W. Story, and honored their choices for annual honors.

Former Chamber Board Member Jim Roberts introduced Judge Story, who serves on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. Judge Story pleased the crowd with a well-told series of dumb-criminal stories, and ended his speech with a serious reminder of America's need for an independent judiciary.

The Chamber's choice for Big Business of the Year, Chamber Executive Director Donna Hardy said, was vital for Wilkes County's economic development: Wills Memorial Hospital. "They've been making changes and putting forth a great deal of effort to determine how best to meet our needs," she said, "and we are very fortunate to have a facility of this quality here." Accepting for Wills Memorial was hospital administrator Marvin Goldman. Other nominees for Big Business of the Year were McDonalds, Farmers & Merchants Bank, Fareway Building Products/Ronnie Cofer, Wills Memorial Hospital, Hexcel Corporation, Wilkes County Board of Education, and Essex Manufacturing.

Winner of the Chamber's award for Small Business of the Year was Bee Southern. Owners Angie Strother and Pam McCarty's "dream come true has become one of the finest shops on The Square," Chamber board member Sue Davidson said.

Other nominees for Small Business of the Year were: Bonnie Creel, Hendricks Florist, TNT Quality Services/ Trevin Burriss & Todd Lewis, Wilkes County EMS, Fievet Pharmacy, Wilkes Eye Center, The Washington Farmers Market, Southern Pine Manufacturing /Bill Amis, Aonia Pass/Perry Gunter, and Talk of the Town/Ed Franklin-Robert Geiger.

The winner of the Chamber's award for Volunteer of the Year was Dorothy Jordan for her services as Youth Development Coordinator for the Wilkes County Community Partnership. "She has been a great inspiration doing great work with our young people," said Washington Mayor Willie Burns, who nominated her.

Other nominees for Volunteer of the Year were Zella Bennett, Kip Burke, Jim Burton, Donna Hardy, Gale Siebert, and Susan Pope.

There was a tie for the Chamber award for Wilkes County Citizen of the Year between Perry Gunter and Gail Boyd.

Gunter was honored for the many unseen and unheralded ways he helps others, for making the Aonia Pass Motorplex available for charity rides, and for donating land for the Young Farmers to build a tractor pull facility. "He does these things out of the goodness of his heart," Hardy said, "and we owe him a great debt." Calling her a "good ambassador

for Washington and a gracious hostess," Tourism Director Ashley Turner said that honoree Gail Boyd "was always ready to open her house for a good cause," including helping to attract a museum of fine art and entertaining state VIPs.

Other nominees for Citizen of the Year included Rev. G. L. Avery, Dr. Joe Harris, Ed Geddings, Local Soldiers and Members of the National Guard, Blake Thompson, and Andrew Jackson.

In her farewell, outgoing Chamber President Carol McTier said the she had served the Chamber for years "because I really believe in what the Chamber stands for and what it does." She recognized the contributions of board members, including Vice President Kip Burke,

Secretary Casey Jackson, Treasurer Sherry Hudson, and Board Members Sue Davidson, Melissa Grant, Jim Baston, Meredith Atwood, and Blake Thomson, presenting each with a gift of thanks.

Members also voted on a slate of candidates for two open seats on the Chamber Board of Directors. When the votes were tallied, members had elected Billy Caddell of Wilkes Telephone, and Robert Geiger of Talk of the Town. Both will assume their posts January 1, 2007.

Special guests included representatives from Athens Tech, the Elbert County Chamber of Commerce, the Clark County Chamber, and others.

Chamber of Commerce member Cornelia Davis of The Home Café catered the dinner.

Reader Comments

No comments have been posted. Be the first!

Other Stories With Comments:
Article	Comments
The Office Cat	1
Family escapes death in semi hit-and-run	1
Feed a family of four for $10 a week	1