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Chamber holds gala
The Nevada–Vernon County Chamber of Commerce held their annual gala and awards ceremony Friday evening at the Elks. Among the awards presented were Worksite Wellness, Large Business Pacesetter of the Year, Small Business Pacesetter of the Year, Agri-Business Pacesetter award and Community Involvement Pacesetter of the Year.
“Today, we’re here to recognize the businesses that are worth skipping that ‘one-click ship’ to stay right here in Nevada,” Ross Lawrence said. “It is so important to support local, large and small, businesses because that is literally what our town is based on. Without these businesses — large, small, agri — we wouldn’t be here. So thank you to everyone here supporting our local businesses.
Ross Lawrence is owner of White Ember Financial and president of the board for the Nevada — Vernon County Chamber of Commerce.
The first award announced was The Worksite Wellness Award.
“This award highlights employers that demonstrate a commitment to employee health by implementing worksite wellness offerings,” Lawrence said. “It also acknowledges efforts of the employers to facilitate and encourage a healthy work environment.”
Nominees were: Arvest Bank, Cottey College, Farmers Insurance, Heartland Behavioral Health and Nevada Housing Authority.
“And the winner of the Worksite Wellness award is, Cottey College,” Lawrence said. “The Cottey College Wellness Program encourages positive lifestyle behaviors like increasing physical activity, eating nutritionally balanced foods and managing stress. New to employees in August was use of a treadmill desk to encourage physical activity during the workday. Cottey offers full-time employees ‘wellness time’ where they can use two, 30-minute sessions of work time for exercise if they commit to an hour of exercise on their own time … Congratulations to the Cottey College!”
Next was the Large Business Pacesetter award.
“These nominees have created jobs, improved infrastructure, or have just simply made a positive impact on the Nevada-Vernon County area,” Lawrence said.
Large Business Pacesetter of the Year Award nominees included: 3M, Fidelity Communications, Heartland Behavioral Health, Medicalodges of Nevada, Moore-Few Care Center, Nevada Police Department, On My Own, Inc., Vernon County Sheriff’s Department
“And the winner of the Large Business Pacesetter award is, Heartland Behavioral Health,” Lawrence said. “Just a few projects Heartland contributes to in our area; Relay for Life Team, Bushwhacker BBQ Sponsor, bi-monthly news spots on Community Wellness done by the CEO on ‘Good Morning Four States’.”
Heartland Behavioral Health maintained memberships or involvement with: Vernon County Rotary Club, Nevada Lion’s Club Board, Vernon County United Way Board, Nevada Police Department Crisis Intervention Team Coordinating Council, Healthy Nevada Board, Healthy Nevada Mental Health Committee, Nevada Regional Foundation Board and the Kaysinger Basin Set 6 Project
Heartland is a sponsor of the Community Health Fair, Nevada Griffons Game Sponsorship for all Community Members, Healthy Nevada Fitness Challenges, and others.
“The next award is the Small Business Pacesetter award,” Lawrence said. “These nominees have proven themselves to be a strong and sustaining entities in our community.”
Small Business Pacesetter of the Year award nominees include: Belles and Beaus, Buildet LLC, Eyecare Professionals, Hancock Automotive, iNetVisions, Kitchen Essentials, Los Sauces/Iguana Azul/I Don’t Care, Nevada Housing Authority, Nevada Public Library, Sharky’s Pub and Grub, Sutherland Home Base and The Way Preschool – Lori Fast.”
“And the winner of the Small Business Pacesetter award is, Kitchen Essentials,” Lawrence said. “Kitchen Essentials is owned by Traci and Greg Cliffman and is a gem in our community and the newly expanded store is amazing! They also have great customer service. Whether it is something for your own kitchen or a gift for your favorite ‘foodie,’ Kitchen Essentials is bound to have it!”
“Our next award is the Community Involvement Pacesetter of the Year award — formerly the Wayne Neal Award,” Lawrence said. “This award is meant to recognize individuals, businesses or organizations that showed commitment to improving their community through involvement, action and giving back.”
The Community Involvement Pacesetter nominees are Pastor Chad Bailey, Leslie Carroll-Bartlett, Patty Bennett, David Black, Officer Marcus Champion, Adam Dean, Pastor Chris Deines, Ross Lawrence, Lions Club of Nevada, Nevada Elks Lodge, Quality Products, Erica Skouby and Will Tollerton and Bushwhacker Museum.
“And the winner of the Community Involvement Pacesetter award is Will Tollerton and the Bushwhacker Museum,” Lawrence said. “Will moved to Nevada after accepting the position of director for the Bushwhacker Museum seven years ago and two years ago married a ‘Nevada Home Town’ girl, Whitney.”
“Will is educated and knowledgeable in history and is a boundless resource for Vernon County,” continued Lawrence. “Will works tirelessly to educate and make History come alive.”
Lawrence listed many of Tollerton’s accomplishments including serving endless hours on the Bushwhacker Days Committee and coordinating Civil War re-enactors and activities around the Square and museum, Deepwood Cemetery Tour, Night at the Museum, applied for and received two grants to revive the Bushwhacker Jail, Fourth Grade History Day, Bus Trip for Museum, Will and his wife dress up in period clothing and greet guest and serve punch and cookies, continues to research and bring exhibits to the museum.
“Our next award is the Agri-Business Pacesetter award,” Lawrence said. “These nominees have made significant contributions to our agricultural economy and benefit the Nevada-Vernon County Area.”
Agri-business Pacesetter award nominees were 54 Feed and Seed, ADM, AGL Drone Solutions, Ash Grove Aggregates, FieldMaxx Water Management Solutions, Farmer Ag — Brantley Johnson, John Deere — Legacy Farm and Lawn, MFA Nevada, Nevada R-5 Ag Department – Bryan Gast and Record Harvest.
“And the winner of the Agri-business Pacesetter award is 54 Feed and Seed,” Lawrence said. “54 Feed and Seed’s intent is to provide families with friendly, knowledgeable, personal service in their feed and farm supplies along with helpful advice in their lawns and gardens. The focus of 54 Feed and Seed was to bring Purina Feed to Nevada and team it with the type of independent garden center most avid gardeners previously had to drive to the city to find. Staci has generously given back to the community by donating her services to clubs, civic groups, pretty much anyone that asks for help!”
“Our next award is the Chamber Member of Year award,” Lawrence said. “This award is to recognize a Chamber member that goes above and beyond not only for the community but for the Chamber itself. Congratulations to our inaugural Chamber member of the year, Dr. Ron Schowengerdt.”
“Dr. Schowengerdt has been an active member of the Nevada-Vernon County Chamber since 1991,” Lawrence said. “He supports our chamber not only with donations but more importantly with his time. There is never an event that Dr. Ron does not make an effort to come and support the business hosting the event. I’m sure many of you have seen him in your businesses. He is kind, caring and compassionate and anyone close to him will tell you he treats them like family. Since he moved to Nevada, he has been a business owner with one thing in mind, community involvement — raising awareness and money for various charities. The most prominent was Nevada Habitat for Humanity and over the past 10 years, him and his staff have raised over $56,000 for that charity.”
Lawrence was interrupted by applause from the audience then continued, “I know from your team, who helped us write this, ‘There’s no one in the universe like him. We can’t think of a single person who deserves this award more.’”
“As is tradition, we want to take a moment to recognize the Chamber of Commerce leadership,” Lawrence said.
He asked the Chamber board of directors to stand and be recognized.
“And finally … I would like you to join with me in a salute to a special leader; the 2017 Chamber board president, someone we’re all fond of and proud of, and who has been a driving force in the Chamber and our community,” said Lawrence. “Let’s give a huge round of applause to the outgoing President Wes Knell.”
“Under Wes’s dictatorship of the Chamber board we had a lot of fun but we got a lot of stuff done,” Lawrence said. “He made sure that the tense situations that sometimes come up did not stay tense for too long. He may not have liked to take a front … seat but he was there to drive the bus every single step of the way.”