The deadline is fast approaching to nominate people, businesses and organizations for this year’s Terrace and District Chamber of Commerce’s Business Excellence Awards.
The awards will be presented at an Oct. 13 gala, regarded as the premier business event of the year, in 11 categories.
But first nominations are needed and the chamber is looking for residents who they think are best qualified for the awards to submit.
There’s a nomination deadline of this Friday, Sept. 14 at 5 p.m. and nominators don’t need to be a chamber member in order to take part.
The 11 categories are Business of the Year, Community Impact, Contributor to the Arts, Customer Service, Executive of the Year, Home Based Business, Most Valuable Employee, Newsmaker of the Year Award, Resource Industry of the Year, Volunteer of the Year and Young Entrepreneur of the Year.
READ MORE: 2017 Business Excellence Award winners
Once nominations close, the top three finalists in each category are selected and residents are then asked to vote for their favourite.
“When nominating it is really important to take the time to explain why you feel this business or person shines and is deserving of the award,” said chamber president Loralie Thomson.
“The more descriptive, the better the chance of becoming one of the three finalists.”
Being chosen as an award winner is an honour as well as exciting, says Volunteer Terrace executive director Tracey Davidson who was the 2017 executive of the year award winner.
“I’d say the others who were eligible to win were also deserving,” she said.
And being recognized in this fashion also points to the work of Volunteer Terrace, its staff members, volunteers and the projects undertaken on behalf of the organization’s client base and of the community.
Davidson said one of Volunteer Terrace’s main efforts is assisting senior citizens.
“We’re gearing up for fall and some leaves are already falling so we’re always looking for volunteers to help with fall cleanup,” she said.
“And of course in the winter we have our Snow Angels who help with shovelling.”
The organization has also undertaken the formation of a Youth Volunteer Corps which was visible during Riverboat Days by organizing a soapbox derby.
A longer-range project of the corps is establishing a local memorial to missing and murdered Indigenous women.
Aside from the 11 awards, there’s a separate one called the Chamber Choice award with the winner chosen by the chamber board.
It was won last year by Silvertip Promotions and Signs, something business co-owner Janice Shaben said was an honour and a surprise.
“When we came in to last year’s gala we saw our name in the booklet, so that was very exciting. It’s always nice to be recognized by the membership and the chamber board,” she said.
Shaben said events such as the annual business excellence awards are one way people in the community can pay it forward by nominating people, businesses and organizations who make valuable contributions to the community and she encourages people to participate by nominating.
The nomination period closes at 5 p.m. Sept. 14 and nominations can be made by visiting the Terrace and District Chamber of Commerce website at www.terracechamber.com and clicking on the ‘events’ tab and then ‘business excellence awards’.
Once the three finalists in each category are chosen, voting begins Sept.24 and ends Oct. 10 at 5 p.m.
The Oct. 13 gala takes place at the Terrace Sportsplex with tickets at $60 a person plus GST. More information is available from the chamber office, 250-635-2063.
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