Award winners, front, from left: Jean Ramo and Twinkle Garcia, Mr. Sub (Small Business of the Year); Shayla Olafson (Junior Citizen of the Year). Back: Shilow Bennett, Busted Barbell (new business of the year); Jamie Henry (Citizen of the Year); Tom Morris, Kindersley Inn (Business of the Year); Bonnie Robin, Kindersley Inn (Customer Service of the Year); and Erica Naga, picking up for Courtney Lindsay, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel
(Employee of the Year).
Kevin McBain
of The Clarion
The third annual Kindersley Business Excellence Awards (KBEX), sponsored by the Kindersley Chamber of Commerce, was held Friday at the Kindersley Inn and honoured some of the great people and businesses in our community for going the extra mile.
Brenda Meyer, vice-president of the Kindersley Chamber of Commerce, said that it was a great evening.
“The turnout was good and we were really happy with the number of nominations that we received,” she said. “However, we could get a lot more and starting Jan. 1 you can submit nominations for next year’s event.
Jamie Henry was chosen as the 2017 Citizen of the Year.
“Fill out a form online when you think of a business or a person that you think is deserving of recognition for good service or contributing to the community,” added Meyer. “Sometimes we forget about things until just before the event. Start nominating people right away, it’s such a great opportunity to give Kindersley and area businesses and people a pat on the back. We need to celebrate people and businesses.”
Awards were presented in nine categories over the night, including the Citizen of the Year awarded to Jamie Henry, who bested nominees Shaun Henry, Chad Miller and Tom Morris.
Jamie said it was great to be recognized, admitting that beating her husband was a highlight.
“It is pretty exciting. I was surprised,” she said.
Jamie is a member of the Big Dippers pool fundraising committee and the Kindersley Community Service group, and she volunteers for the many activities that their children are involved in.
Jamie and her family moved to Kindersley six and a half years ago and she enjoys helping out wherever it is needed.
Earning the Junior Citizen award was Shayla Olafson, who has been a big part of the community for a long time.
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She is part of the Kindersley Youth Committee; Interact Club and the Student Leadership Council at KCS. She is also very involved in school sports and has been on several trips with the Me to We Foundation.
The Grade 12 student said that it is an honour to get the award.
“It feels pretty good to be recognized and appreciated,” she said.
Next year, she plans on attending the University of Alberta to begin working towards her Bachelor of Kinesiology degree.
Also nominated for the award was Gibson Miller.
The big winner in the business category, winning business of the year, was the Kindersley Inn, managed by Tom Morris.
Other winners were:
- Rural Roots: Rosana Farms – Robin and Brenda Walde
- Lend a Hand Award – Rotary Club
- Small Business of the Year Award – Mr. Sub
- Employee of the Year – Courtney Lindsay, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel
- Customer Service of the Year – Kindersley Inn
- New Business of the Year – Busted Barbell Fitness
Members of the Chamber board of directors would like to thank everyone for supporting the awards program and encourage people to pick up nomination forms early in the new year to nominate those you think deserve to be recognized.
This year’s Kindersley Chamber of Commerce board of directors are: President Eric Friesen; Vice-President Brenda Meyer; Second Vice-President Jeff Soveran; Treasurer John Songcayauon; and Directors Clint Webster, Taylor Szeto, Cassandra Steinke, Jay Banlaoi, Tom Morris and James Garland.
The board officially said goodbye to office manager Heather Wall, who has accepted another position within the community and said hello to new manager, Denise Sarada, who will take over the reins next week.
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