Annual chamber of commerce banquet honors the best of Winchester and Clark County
Published 10:30 am Tuesday, August 15, 2023
Allison Roberts (right) was named Director of the Year. Presented by Cindy Banks (left). (Photo by Matt Cizek)
Former Mayor Ed Burtner was awarded with the Community Service Award. (Photo by Matt Cizek)
Legacy Greenscapes was named Nonprofit of the Year. Presented by Tammy Moberly (right). (Photo by Matt Cizek)
City Commissioner Kitty Strode (left) was named Citizen of the Year. Presented by Billy Mullins (right). (Photo by Matt Cizek)
Pearl Interactive Network was named Business of the Year. (Photo by Matt Cizek)
Peoples Exchange Bank was named Partner of the Year. Presented by Greg Yates (right). (Photo by Matt Cizek)
Cheesecake and Company was named Downtown Business of the Year. Presented by Winchester First Marketing and Events Director Cameron Correll (right). (Photo by Matt Cizek)
Adam Kidd (right) was named the Graham Johns Downtown Volunteer of the Year. Presented by Lisa Johns (left). (Photo by Matt Cizek)
|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Many rows of tables might have separated individuals, but the community of Winchester was united Thursday night.
Under a large canopy in a grassy area behind Winchester’s Bluegrass Community & Technical College location on Rolling Hills Lane, over 350 people showed up for the Winchester-Clark County Chamber of Commerce Annual Awards Banquet.
“It takes the chamber to make a community,” said Darryl Terry, the chamber’s board president. “I want to thank the ones that are not even seen, and when you look at what we’ve got tonight and folks who come out, set your tables up, [and] got this event ready, we can not do half of what we do as a chamber without people giving time to make these things happen.”
Other chamber of commerce staff – including executive director Cindy Banks – were also present.
Attendees included many local business owners, such as Callie Thornton of The Fly Witches.
Those who help operate nonprofit organizations, such as Clark County Community Services Executive Director Laci Scarboro, were present.
Several local officials – such as Magistrate Robert Blanton – came to the event.
Certainly not least, the event even included members of the Clark County Public School System – such as Superintendent Dustin Howard and George Rogers Clark High School Head Basketball Coach Josh Cook.
Following a social hour in which individuals greeted others and dined on salad, hors d’oeuvres, and both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, the banquet itself began with Banks speaking and an invocation from Mayor JoEllen Reed.
During dinner, several awards were given, each with a presenter.
Presenters included MPG Architecture President Meredith Guy (Leadership), Cindy Banks (Director of the Year), Traditional Bank Vice President and Commercial Loan Officer Allison Roberts (Community Service Award), Clark Energy Lead Administrative Technician Tammy Moberly (Nonprofit of the Year), Winchester-Clark County Chamber of Commerce Treasurer and Citizens Bank Chief Credit Officer Billy Mullins (Citizen of the Year), Ale-8-One Business Development Manager Sheila Frye (Business of the Year), Partners in Education Executive Director Greg Yates (Partner of the Year), Winchester First Marketing and Events Director Cameron Correll (Downtown Business of the Year), and Lisa Johns – widow of Graham Johns (Graham Johns Downtown Volunteer).
The first award was for those who had gone through the Leadership Winchester program, which facilitates awareness of the many resources throughout the community.
“The program offers many opportunities for…leadership skills, teamwork [and] concepts to learn more about the community,” said Roberts. “Participants are required to attend one monthly, day-long session over a nine-month period. Areas of study include city [and] county services, health services, education, government, nonprofit, economic development, and agricultural development.”
Twenty-six participants were awarded a ceremonial diploma, including Ryan Case of the Winchester-Clark County Chamber of Commerce, Kelly Fithen of Clark County Public Schools, and George Rogers Clark High School student J.P. Gaines.
Additional winners for the evening were Roberts for Director of the Year, former Winchester Mayor Ed Burtner for the Community Service Award, Legacy Greenscapes for Nonprofit of the Year, City Commissioner Kitty Strode for Citizen of the Year, Pearl Interactive Network for Business of the Year, Peoples Exchange Bank for Partner of the Year, Cheesecake and Company for Downtown Business of the Year, and McEldowney Building owner and Dam Holdings LLC Project Administrator Adam Kidd for Graham Johns Downtown Volunteer Award.
Visibly emotional and taken by surprise, Strode addressed the audience upon being named Citizen of the Year.
“I just want to say that I love this community, and the reason we’re as good as we are is because of everybody in this room,” Strode said. “Thank you so much for loving Winchester like I do. I love you all!”
Banks left the audience with a few final thoughts as the event concluded.
“Please keep this in mind. It is a great day to be a part of the chamber, but only if you make it”, she said. “If there’s people here tonight that you don’t know how they have the same view you do. They want to help this community, so please reach out!”
