| Chamber honours businesses and top citizen |
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| Local Content - Local News |
| Written by Greg Price |
| Wednesday, 27 January 2010 15:31 |
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Businesses and individuals who have been making a difference in the community were celebrated Friday as the Taber and District Chamber of Commerce held its award night for 2009 at the Heritage Inn. Several dignitaries took in the night and commended the award winners for their accolades including Mayor Ray Bryant, M.D. of Taber Reeve Hank Van Beers and Cardston-Taber-Warner MLA Broyce Jacobs. “What a wonderful way to begin the year than by the community coming together. (Friday) gathering to pay tribute for those who believe in what you can do for your community, rather than what your community can do for you,” said Bryant. “Congratulations to all of you. All of you make a very valuable contribution to make sure Taber is a great place to grow, to live, to work and to visit.” The people that Bryant spoke of included Debbie Sargeant (Citizen of the Year), CEM Heavy Equipment (Spirit of Taber), Taber Diesel Services (Business of the Year) and Bonnie’s Vision Eyecare (Customer Service Excellence). Jacobs recalled a story he read of an older gentlemen who sold really good hot dogs. Unable to speak very good English, he still promoted his business very well and needing to expand, he brought his son home from university to help him. The son warned him of the recession the world is in and advised him to get ready for it by cutting costs by stopping advertising and promoting and understandably, his business dropped. “He said, ‘You know, my son is right, the recession is coming. We aren’t doing very well.’ The point of the story is attitude is important,” said Jacobs, commending the positive attitude of the award winners in a time of economic downturn. “If you have a positive mental attitude and believe in what you can do, don’t listen to the experts.” Van Beers highlighted the job of municipal, provincial and federal government is to spend the taxpayers’ money on delivering infrastructure and services to the masses. It is the individuals themselves who are making that money and spending their time in making the differences in their respective communities. “The reason I am so reluctant to speak to you guys is you people are the people who make the world go round. It’s not government at any level. It’s the people out there that make things happen,” said Van Beers. Debbie Sargeant has helped things happen in the community on a volunteer basis for decades now. Sargeant, serving as an executive member of many umbrella sporting organizations, has also served on the Taber Police Commission, Cornfest and the library for a nomination list for Citizen of the Year, that can be exhausting to read with a War-and-Peace like list of accomplishments. “We’ve heard a lot of people say at these kinds of things you always get back more than you give. Well, the saying really is true. Of all the things I’ve been rewarded with like knowledge of tree species, soil types, irrigation design and installation, rodent control, project management the importance of partnering with other agencies and organizations, successful communication, the how-tos of grant applications, working within municipal budgets, working intimately with others and taking their strengths and trying my best to make them my own,” said Sargeant. “Really, the most precious thing of all by far is the life-long friendships that have been created and the value of self. You see, volunteering, I’ve experienced both success and failures. But the successes have been far greater.” “It is those successes no matter how big or how small that they may be, they contributed to the feeling of pride and sense of self worth,” added Sargeant. “I don’t believe there is any other feeling better than that.” That feeling of pride was quite evident on Bonnie Daisley’s face as she accepted her award for Customer Service Excellence for Bonnie’s Vision. A business that was noted in its nomination package while profit is nice in a business, it is the people served that make that happen and should be treated accordingly, from reception to the completion of business. “I’ve learned you can’t make everyone happy, but you can darn well try the hardest you can. A business isn’t one person, it’s all the people,” said Daisley. “My mother taught me to follow the golden rule and it works every time — do unto others and it comes back 10-fold every time. We can always make people feel comfortable and at home and that’s what we wanted to do in this business. To me, it’s most important people get treated like human beings, no matter what circumstance they are in.” CEM Heavy Equipment was recognized with its community involvement for years starting off with original founder Ed Valgardson. Alberta Games, soccer, hockey, rodeo, curling, baseball, the skateboard park — you name it and CEM Heavy Equipment has probably been involved with it over the years. CEM was also integral in the fundraising efforts for Jaysen Keslick to get treatment in China for Machado-Joseph disease in 2007, along with helping bring the Relay For Life to Taber, a cause very close to workers’ hearts after Ed lost his battle in 2003. “Ed, Jennifer (Valgardson) and CEM used their success to give back to the community by donating to regular charitable events and special fundraisers,” said Jeff Bell, a son-in-law of the Valgardson family who spoke to the crowd. “Jennifer, Ed and the staff of CEM are proud to be part of Taber and its growing community. And as CEM continues with a foundation built on trust, we thank you for your support and look forward to many upcoming years in business. With the memory of Ed, Jennifer and her team at CEM remind us, it is not what you get out of life, but what you can give back.” It was quite poignant the way Taber Diesel Services had its commerce flow back to Taber. Doing business in such far away locales as Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, and numerous European countries, it all comes back to the tax base and citizenry of Taber, supporting numerous sports clubs and charitable events over the last 25 years. Cam Mandel would take these various foreign customers around Taber to show how much the little town is buzzing with the sugar factory, various oil companies, Frito-Lay, Lamb Weston and golf course etc. “They always say, ‘Wow, you’ve got a lot going for a small town.’ I am always proud of this little town, it speaks volumes of the business community that is here and speaks of the volunteers,” said Mandel. “The revenue of all that business that we do outside of southern Alberta comes back here in southern Alberta in the form of wages, it goes to government in the form of municipal and provincial taxes and is donated to sports teams and community events. We are quite proud of the fact that we have been able to take this little company and stretch it out.” |