Help offered for some earthquake harmed households
For the second consecutive year, the Higher Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce has been forced to scramble a little bit in order to current its annual Excellence in Business enterprise Awards method.
Both equally situations, the COVID-19 pandemic was liable for the complications, although this year the chamber was capable to keep the awards at the ordinary time — in late March — when the group held a virtual awards ceremony Tuesday night time to announce the winners.
In truth, all those who ended up identified experienced obtained their awards earlier in the month, with the chamber earning individuals presentations in-human being and videoing the displays, which were being then incorporated in the online application demonstrated on the chamber’s YouTube channel Tuesday evening.
“The chamber congratulates all of the winners of our 2021 Excellence in Organization Awards,” stated Randy Collins, president and CEO of the chamber. “The committee experienced a tricky process in reviewing a massive variety of nominees. This group of winners signifies the incredibly ideal of our small business community.”
The winners in each class were being:
• Company Longevity Award —Surry Communications. Included in 1951, Surry Communications provided its initial dial tone company to 192 associates by November of 1954. By 1957, a few far more exchanges were being in service, with members served to additional than 1,100. In the commencing, members utilized bash-line assistance, with four functions per line. With four exchanges masking the rural locations in Surry and Stokes counties, this enterprise had 6 personnel and two service trucks headquartered jointly with the electrical cooperative in Dobson. In 1958, direct dial prolonged-length services was released and by the close of this 10 years the cooperative was serving 1,569 users.
Seventy decades later on the business has expanded to a community that contains 3,000 miles of fiber optic cable serving much more than 12,230 prospects and 1,310 businesses in Surry, Stokes and Davidson counties with Net, telephone, Television set, protection and a lot more.
• Ambassador of the Calendar year Award — Robin Edwards. Every single calendar year the chamber selects a person ambassador as its Ambassador of the Yr. “This year’s award winner is a excellent preference. She is focused, hardworking and believes in what the chamber stands for,” stated the presentation notes with the award. “Whenever the Ambassadors gather, you can uncover her there. Just one exclusive service she delivers as an ambassador genuinely displays her passion. When she visits her assigned users, she will typically deliver a goodie bag, stuffed with tiny presents and sweet. This kind of service to chamber customers (that she did on her very own) helps make them experience wonderful about the business.”
• Administrative Professional of the Year Award — Debbie Benge, who serves as government assistant to the Government Vice President and Typical Manager Greg Puckett, as perfectly as the board of directors, for Surry-Yadkin Electric Membership Corporation.
”One of her greatest strengths is her skill to adapt to any situation and consider quickly and competently to remedy any trouble thrown her way,” said the presentation notes of her award. “She remains quiet through any condition, no matter if it be key outages, board meetings, or other responsibilities that need to have to be done at once…She is usually far more than inclined to enable her coworkers in unique departments execute what ever the undertaking may perhaps be for the cooperative. She has a pretty broad skill set and awareness foundation from the various roles she has held…”
• Outstanding Public Service Award — Traci George. The presentation notes made deep use of a the latest Mount Ethereal News posting about George, which outlined how she was fully commited to assisting kids and the homeless. She’s done substantial get the job done aiding the homeless locally, and led other jobs that have bundled aiding patients at Brenner Children’s Hospital, supporting to launch a mentoring application for local learners, top a marketing campaign to present coats to these in will need, chairing the March for Babies and more.
“Community services has been a component of her lifestyle from a quite younger age. Community services is who she is,” the notes mentioned.
• Excellence in Tourism Award — White Sulphur Springs Marriage and Venue.
“One of the problems in our region is confined assembly area and event venues. That changed not long ago with the addition of a manufacturer-new location, with an outdated identify,” the chamber presentation stated. Unfold across 15 acres White Sulphur Springs resort, with its origins dating back again to the 1880s, is now offering a marriage and celebration venue.
“Just minutes from downtown Mount Ethereal, it offers couples and their attendees a secluded house to rejoice in the heart of North Carolina wine state. It functions a range of event areas, features, and accommodations to create moments full of magic.“
• Agribusiness of the Year Award — Round Peak Vineyards.
“Agriculture has been a section of Surry County for many a long time. There are several family members and corporate farms even now operating in our location,” the chamber presentation pointed out.
“A pair from Ohio moved to Charlotte in 2000 and cherished their new household. As everyday living often requires you in a various path, the pair finished up transferring to California in 2006. While on the West Coastline, they fell in like with going to vineyards and savoring the excellent California wines. They in particular liked the compact, family members-owned vineyards. In 2008 they had the likelihood to return to North Carolina, leave the company entire world and order a area vineyard termed Spherical Peak Vineyards…In addition to the wine, they produce some good craft beers below the Skull Camp label. The vineyard hosts lots of gatherings and has grow to be a popular accumulating spot for locals and visitors.”
• Business and Instruction Husband or wife Award —Northern Regional Healthcare facility.
“Listed as the 3rd largest employer in Surry County, it is no shock that this business is greatly included in providing unique educational options to our community’s youth,” the chamber reported. “In addition to supporting vocation and specialized scholar companies this sort of as HOSA, they have a long historical past of providing occupation shadowing, medical hrs, certifications, internships and pre-apprenticeships. Overall health science college students have had immediate make contact with with staff and administration as a result of course visits, exclusive activities and regional competitions. While the COVID-19 pandemic has altered several of these activities for the time getting, they stay dedicated to fostering regional talent by way of work prospects and the introduction of new scholarships.”
• Duke Energy Citizenship & Company Award — The Surry Dawn Rotary Club.
This team has been associated in lots of tasks above the many years, right here are just a number of: Feeding the Hungry by means of Faculty Backpack Applications funding machines for neighborhood firefighters, law enforcement and rescue staff blood drives for the American Red Cross finding up litter in the community boosting cash for the general public educational institutions trick or dealing with household functions at Halloween creating a new doggy park in Mount Ethereal a Flight for Children Pigeon Race and others.
• Pandemic Management Award — Surry Wellness and Diet Middle was chosen as the receiver of this new award included in 2021.
”It seemed that the complete region mobilized from COVID-19,” the chamber said. “The federal govt commenced to get the job done with just about every state, then in turn every condition began to arrange neighborhood towns, metropolitan areas and counties to combat this pandemic…Early on it became obvious that this was a community well being crisis. Federal authorities agencies connected with state departments of wellness. From there it grew to become distinct the associates, nearby health departments all-around the country would guide the cost. For Surry County that meant the Surry Wellbeing and Diet Middle.
“When the pandemic was on us, Surry County Health and fitness and Diet sprang into action,” posting informational components on the web-site to teach the community giving common briefings to the citizens, companies and companies on the position of the pandemic coordination of particular protecting devices to all groups coordination of solutions to susceptible populations controlling hourly, day-to-day and weekly updates coordination of a substantial vaccination system to 1000’s of citizens.
“This was all accomplished while also carrying out their standard very long list of services offered to citizens. The Surry Overall health and Nourishment Heart has executed at a extremely significant level and have absent higher than and past the phone of obligation during a national general public wellness emergency.”
• Enterprise of the Yr Award — Xtreme Marketing.
“There are many features that the operator of a business must have to be profitable. You have to have a business strategy, fully grasp sales, finance, human resources and so a lot more. 1 location that productive organizations have to master is promoting. Our winner of the enterprise of the yr appreciates internet marketing, inside and out,” the chamber explained.
Established in 2001, Xtreme Marketing and advertising is a entire-company internet marketing agency, furnishing structure, print, automobile wraps, engraving, fabrication, trade exhibit shows, tailor made motor vehicles, logistics, brand name education, social media solutions and far more.
”The owner of the enterprise experienced a lengthy effective job in the military services and is happy that his business is a certified veteran owned business enterprise. This enterprise has purchasers close to the country that include Jack Daniels, Korbel, Charles Schwab, Coca Cola, the PGA Tour and Dell, just to title a several,” the chamber reported.
“When the pandemic strike in March 2020, this company was just one of the 1st to pivot to other lines of enterprise. They produced their individual plastic face defend that could be applied by clinical staff and other individuals to safeguard them from the virus. They bought several of the shields all around the nation but also donated a lot of to non-revenue and health and fitness care teams in our local community. The house owners have a enthusiasm for their organization but also a large enthusiasm for their neighborhood.”