By MorinvilleNews.com Staff
Morinville – Local businesses will be gathering at the Parish Hall Oct. 21 as the Morinville & District Chamber of Commerce celebrates its high rollers at the Annual Morinville Business Gala Awards.
Chamber Manager Jaye Parrent said this year’s event will be the third year for the gala-style evening and that previously the Chamber recognized the excellence of its members at one of their monthly luncheon meetings.
“This year we’re doing a casino theme, so it’ll be really fun and a really great opportunity to network,” she said, noting that organizing the event is a lot of work, but the results are well worth it. “It’s a really great opportunity to celebrate excellence in our business community. We have so many phenomenal members that have done amazing things, both within their own business and for the community as well. It’s good to support them.”
Parrent said there has been a lot of favourable response to the annual gala from the members and Morinville’s elected officials. “They couldn’t believe that we could do something that spectacular in Morinville,” she said.
Businesses are recognized in several categories: home based business, small, medium and large businesses as well as non-profit groups that are members of the Chamber.
Chamber invites public to nominate businesses
Although members are the only ones who are eligible to nominate businesses for the award, Parrent said they also have a people’s choice and community service award categories that are open to the public for nominating and voting. Additionally, businesses nominated for the two categories do not have to be Chamber members.
“The people’s choice award really kind of says it all,” Parrent said, noting the award gives the Chamber a good opportunity to see how the public is thinking about local businesses. “We can get a pretty good perception of which businesses excel and which ones don’t. We get a lot of feedback here at the office. But with the people’s choice award, it’s a true visual of what the people are seeing, whether it be community service wise or just that warm, fuzzy feeling when you walk out the door.”
Residents can nominate businesses for either award by calling the Chamber office at 780-939-9462 or by e-mailing their nomination to chamber@town.morinville.ab.ca.
Deadline for nominations for the people’s choice and community service award is Sept. 28.
