Nominations sought for Chamber awards

By Marshall Avett

February 08, 2006 06:55 pm

— The annual Butts County Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual Chamber Banquet and Awards Ceremony on Friday, February 11. In addition to a seated dinner, attendees will honor recipients of the Chamber’s awards for 2005. The awards, given annually, are Citizen of the Year, Business of the Year, Employee of the Year, and the induction of a new member into the Butts County Hall of Fame. Previously, the Business and Employee of the Year awards were given out during a Fall picnic, but this Chamber board of directors decided this year to combine all awards into one evening.
Nominations for these awards may be submitted to the Chamber on or before February 5. To nominate an individual, choose the appropriate award and explain why the nominee should receive the award.
The Hall of Fame Award is this community’s highest honor, bestowed on a citizen of Butts County who has, for a period of at least 10 years, performed services that have had a positive impact on the community and has contributed to an improved quality of life for Butts County as a whole. This award generally recognizes a comprehensive body of work or service in many areas.
The Citizen of the Year Award is given to a citizen who has, over the previous year, made a significant contribution to the community in the area of citizenship, community service, or an act that brings distinction and honor to the community.
Business of the Year is awarded to a business, commercial or industrial entity that has earned a reputation for integrity, community service, or a positive impact on the community.
Employee of the Year is given to an employee of a business, commercial, private, government, school or industrial entity who has distinguished himself or herself for community activities, outstanding work or contributions that have made a business distinguished in the community.
A new award being presented this year is the Shining Light Award. This award recognizes an individual for acts that have given them distinction as community or civic leaders over the past year. It may be given to more than one recipient each year.
In addition to the presentation of these awards, the guest speaker will be Paul Holmes, Jr., president of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce.
The banquet is also the time and place for Butts County Chamber of Commerce business. The president’s gavel will be passed from current president Lynda White of the Butts County School System to Kelly Yielding of McIntosh State Bank. Chamber members will also vote on new by-laws, which are available from the Chamber office on East Third Street.
Reservations for the Chamber Banquet and Awards Ceremony are $27 per person, and are required. To make reservations, call 770-775-4829.