WESTLOCK — Residents will have another chance to recognize local businesses and community members when the second-annual Westlock and District Chamber of Commerce Business and Community Awards returns this spring.
The formal, evening event is scheduled for April 22 at the Westlock and District Community Hall and will be similar to last year’s event with some minor changes based on feedback from the inaugural event last spring, noted chamber president Graeme Harrington, who provided an update at the association’s Jan. 24 meeting.
“We had an excellent meal, gave away some awards that were very deserving,” said Harrington. “There’s lots of great businesses in town and not just businesses, but volunteers, pioneers of the community as well and it’s good to just reflect on all (aspects) of our community.”
Harrington noted the “really great event” last year filled the hall with more than 350 people in attendance. “It made for a really great kick-off, good flagship event for us, for the chamber, and we’re looking forward to that again,” he said.
Although planning has already begun, including confirming the hall, entertainment and catering for the event, the association is currently looking for volunteers for a number of different areas and hopes to organize a gala committee, where members will oversee logistics, planning, set-up and clean-up for the event.
“We’ve had some interest from some of our members but we’d like to actually try and convene a gala committee this year,” said Harrington. “Last year was fabulous. We had a good event but it was a good deal of work and we could definitely use a little more help.”
Harrington said they will be conducting a review of the awards list from last year, which had a good cross section that “captured a lot of sectors and reflects on what the community has to offer” and will also look award descriptions and the voting process.
Nominations will open at the start of March and will run the entire month.
“You can go onto the website, click onto a page and submit your award nominations along with a (short write-up) in support of your nominees,” he said, noting there were about 120 nominee submissions for last year’s awards gala.
Nominations are open to everyone and a business does not have to be a chamber member, nor does the resident who nominates them. Nominations can be submitted directly through the website and also by completing a printed form and returning it Harrington via e-mail or in person.
Once nominations close, a separate, impartial panel will go through the list of nominees and will choose the winners.
“It’s done on a point system where they would chose the top three in each category and then points are allocated accordingly,” said Harrington. “It results in a very impartial process and it worked really well last year.”
Anyone interested in volunteering with the event or who can spare some time to help with the gala in any way, can contact a board member with Westlock and District Chamber of Commerce or Harrington via e-mail at [email protected] or by calling 780-686-8729.
