STAYNER - Do you know an employee who goes the extra mile?
How about somebody who provides top-notch customer service?
If so, maybe you should nominate them for a Stayner Chamber of Commerce Business Award.
The awards will be handed out Wed., Feb. 24 at the chamber’s annual general meeting.
The meeting will take place at the Golden Apple Restaurant on Main Street.
The evening starts at 6 p.m. with cocktails and then dinner at 7 p.m.
Elections will then be held to establish a new executive that will serve a two-year term.
Four positions are open: president, vice-president, treasurer and secretary.
“Serving on the executive is a great way to play a leadership role within the organization,” said outgoing president Michael Gennings. “It’s also a good opportunity to work with some terrific people who really care about the community. People such as Marion Spellman from Knit n’ Kaboodle, Janice Stickwood at Home Hardware and Larry Culham at Paul Fisher Real Estate have been a big help to me in the last two years.”
Following the election, members will be asked to approve the 2010 budget.
It will then be time to present the awards.
Along with the Employee of the Year Award and the Customer Service Award, the chamber will hand out four other awards: the Business of the Year Award, the Entrepreneur of the Year Award, the Volunteer of the Year Award and the Thomas Stayner Award, a citizen of the year-type honour that recognizes someone for their long-term community involvement.
The award is named after Thomas Stayner, the deputy postmaster of Canada from 1848-1849. His son, Sutherland Stayner, was a local land baron who named the town after his father.
Last year the award went to Harry Mathers, a local resident, who for many years owned the funeral home, now known as Carruthers and Davidson Funeral Home.
Mathers, born and raised in town, was recognized for his commitment to the business community and his support of service organizations, such as the Stayner Lions Club.
“This is my favourite award each year,” Gennings said. “It recognizes those people that make our community such a special place. Harry Mathers, Gerry Imrie, Grace Ford, Gren Bray, Dr. Bill Ives – they’ve all been very deserving recipients.”
Award nomination forms can be picked up at R.C. Robinson Men’s Wear and Home Hardware. Both businesses are located on the south side of Main Street.
Award forms can also be found on the chamber’s website at www.staynerchamber.ca.
Once complete, the forms should be dropped off at R.C. Robinson Men’s Wear or Home Hardware. The deadline is 5 p.m. on Feb. 12.
A panel of community members, including a representative of The Sun, which helped found the business awards, will select this year’s winners.
Tickets to the evening, which will be emceed by Clearview Township councillor Shawn Davidson, are $22 each and must be purchased in advance at Home Hardware or R.C. Robinson Men’s Wear.
For more information on the annual general meeting and business awards call Rod Robinson at 428-0343.
