by Stephen Dafoe
Residents and businesses have until Sept. 18 to nominate local business success stories for the Morinville & District Chamber of Commerce’s annual awards.
Nominations recently opened and can be made online at https://morinvillechamber.com.
“Step up ad nominate your favourite business,” said Chamber Manager Roberta Pawluk. “It’s a great way to pay them the ultimate compliment. We honour all the nominees as well as the winners.”
This year’s awards include small, medium and large businesses of the year and new business and home-based business. Other awards include the Youth Customer Service award, for those 25 and under, and the Chamber’s Integrity Award.
Pawluk said two awards had changed this year. The Farm Family and Ag Business Awards are now one award, and the Community Spirit Award is now open to businesses that give back to the community as well as non-profits.
“We combined them into one called Ag Business because farms are businesses ultimately,” Pawluk said.
Gala to see changes
Pawluk said the Gala would be different this year due to COVID-19 considerations. Although there will be a physical gala, the event will take place in two sessions on Oct. 22 and be an awards presentation with theatre seating as opposed to a gala banquet with tables.
“We can only have limited people, so we’re going to do it in two seatings,” Pawluk said, noting both sessions will be live-streamed and attendees at each will be nominees in the same categories. “They’ll be staggered. Invitations for the business awards will be according to category.”
Tickets for the Gala are $45 per person or $240 for six tickets. There will be no food at this year’s event. Pawluk explained serving food would require tables, which would limit the number of people who could attend the awards in person.
