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Chamber honours local businesses |
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Wednesday, 23 January 2008 |
Taber's business community was celebrated on Friday at the Taber and District Chamber of Commerce's annual awards banquet.
By Greg Price
Taber Times
The three business winners, along with 2007 Citizen of the Year Roy Reti, were honoured with awards and power-point presentations at the Heritage Inn after well wishes from Town of Taber Mayor Ray Bryant, Cardston-Taber-Warner MLA Paul Hinman and M.D. deputy reeve Greg Sekura. First up for the accolades was Chin Ridge Farm and Seeds, who received its accolades for Small Business of the Year.
The business was recognized for its diversification and environmental awareness, which included, after purchasing land for farming in 1939, venturing into the seed business in 1976, among other avenues, as the farm grows many different types of grains, specialty crops and maintains cow herds.
"Willy (Wilma) and I are very pleased to be accepting this award on behalf of Chin Ridge," said Lawrence Barany, on behalf of himself and his wife. "It's a little bit humbling because as I look across this room there is many, many people with wonderful success stories who could be standing here just as well as we are at this moment."
Wilma kept the mood light as she recounted success stories of the seed business that was truly for the birds. Farmers come in the spring for seed but the best testimonials came in from the bird-seed part.
A rancher from Pincher Creek was loading some grain from Chin Ridge and while it was being loaded, he looked around the office and saw a couple of packages of bird seed. Finding out the rancher's wife bought a singing canary that didn't sing, Wilma jokingly told him that he could take home some of their "canary-song-bird" mix home for free.
Ironically enough, the rancher phoned up two weeks later, saying the bird started singing after eating the seed. Roy Reti's presentation was next for his Citizen of the Year award, as presented from nominator Helen Wentz.
"Roy never hesitates to volunteer for his community and he performs all his many services always with a smile on his face," said Wentz.
On the South Alta Rural Electrification Association for close to 40 years, Reti has had a lifelong involvement with Knox United Church, which has included being on the restoration committee, and has been involved with the Kiwanis Club since 1998, in which he is now president, helping spearhead a walking trail. Other involvements, to name a few, included July 1 and Cornfest breakfasts, the Kiwanis golf tournament, the health foundation telethon and the Christmas carol festival.
"One does not achieve an honour such as this alone. It is achieved by working and achieving with your fellow man. It takes being part of a community with many hands working towards a common goal. I can't think of a higher honour than to be judged by your peers."
Bryce and Laura Martin of Peter's Home Harmony came to the podium to accept the customer service award, and stressed that they live by the motto, "the customer is always right."
"We feel that good service is our edge in today's very competitive retail environment," said Bryce. "I'd also like to thank a very dedicated staff."
Rounding out the night of acceptance speeches was Frito-Lay for the Spirit of Taber award, for its innovative Chip In program for company community involvement.
One week in 2006, Taber Frito Lay employees and their families worked at Ken McDonald Memorial Sports Park to do a baseball pitch and planted trees.
Frito Lay also helped with Check Stops with MADD, helped with their float parade entry and planted some perennial's and shrubs for the garden in front of the taber police station. In 2007, Frito Lay helped with the Kiwanis Club, and helped with the beautification for the walking path along with the cleanup of the Legion Park despite stormy weather.
For every hour a Frito Lay employee donates above work hours, the company donated half in moneys to the charity of the employee's choice. The last two years, Taber Frito Lay employees donated 372 hours of their time, and achieved $3,300 in donations for those time donations for charity.
"With this program being as new to us as it is to you and being recognized our second year, it's a real honour," said Kendra Merkl, local Chip-In co-ordinator of Frito Lay's nomination by Jean Holman. |
