Trussville chamber recognizes community volunteers and more at 63rd annual banquet
The Trussville Area Chamber of Commerce held its 63rd annual banquet on Feb. 23 at the Trussville Civic Center.
The banquet is not only a fundraising event for the chamber but it also recognizes outstanding volunteers and customer service and serves as a platform to induct the chamber’s new officers and board members. About 180 people enjoyed the evening’s festivities, including entertainment provided by the Hewitt-Trussville Jazz Band.
The prestigious Ned and Goldie Paine Memorial Gatekeeper awards, which recognize outstanding service to the community, were presented to Sandra Vernon in the individual category and the Eastern Women Committee of 50 in the group category. Nominations are accepted from the community-at-large, and a committee comprised of the three previous years’ recipients in each category makes the final selection.
Vernon is a life-long resident of Trussville and works at Trussville City Schools. She is deeply involved in the community through volunteering at the Trussville Ecumenical Assistance Ministry and involvement in the Trussville City Schools Foundation. She attends Trussville United Methodist Church, where she serves as the secretary to the church council, a worship committee member, a greeter and a member of the New Horizons Sunday School class.
Vernon was recently recognized as ‘Secretary of the Year’ for the school district and is the current president of the Trussville Rotary Daybreak Club.
The Eastern Women’s Committee of 50 is comprised of women who live or work in the eastern area of Jefferson County. The purpose of the organization is to participate in the cultural, civic and charitable development of the area, including their annual charity golf tournament, fundraising galas, donation of books to Children’s Hospital and to the St. Vincent’s East Oncology Unit, participation in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure and volunteering as hostesses at the Decorators Show House.
Some of the charities and organizations that have benefits from this group’s efforts are: YWCA Childcare Program, Medical Center East Hospice, Honor Flight, the Liz Moore Low Vision Center, The Shepherds Center, Alabama Youth Home, Jefferson State Community College and Magic Moments.
This group provided $1,800 to sponsor a kindergarten classroom at Paine Elementary School and $500 to purchase art for Hewitt-Trussville High School. The group also offers a non-traditional scholarship to a deserving female student. Through their annual Women’s Archives Award, the Committee of 50 honors women who have committed to improving their communities or enhancing the quality of life for others. As of 2018, this organization has raised over $1 million.
The chamber presented its Customer Service Person of the Year Award to David Belcher of Happy Wok. The chamber recognizes a recipient each month, and then the community is invited to help select the Customer Service Person of the Year through a Facebook survey.
The chamber also recognized Donna Lowery as its Ambassador of the Year, sponsored by Brumlow Legal Group. The ambassadors work on a points system and accumulate a point each time they help with an event or recruit a new member. Donna now serves on the chamber’s board of directors.
Jeremy Walker, who was named Volunteer of the Year, has ‘truly gone above and beyond’ for the chamber through coordination of all the little details needed to put on the chamber’s Maple Leaf Run.
Winners of the Best Decorated Table competition were BB&T, 1st Place; First Baptist Church Trussville, 2nd Place; and Carroll Pharmacy, 3rd Place. The winners won $100, $75 and $50, respectively. BancorpSouth sponsored the competition.
In addition to these awards, the chamber’s 2018 officers and board members were inducted by Jefferson County Commissioner Joe Knight. These board members and officers include President Jeremy Tuggle, Bryant Bank; President-elect Vic Modic, McWane Corporation; Treasurer Shea Carroll Waldrop, Massey, Stotser, and Nichols PC; Kendell Jno-Finn, M3 Performance and Physical Therapy; Ian Maddox, Hitchcock Maddox Financial Partners; Donna Lowery, First Community Mortgage; Debra McCarley, DeDe’s Book Rack; David Moore, Fox’s Pizza; Kevin Sargent, Brik Realty; Scott Stearns, MortgageBanc; and Mike Strength, Trussville Gas & Water.
Alan Taylor and Brian Plant are the City Council Liaisons to the chamber. The chamber recognized retiring board members Jay Mather, Enviro Management Company, Inc.; Johnny Amari. Amari Gray Legal Consulting; and Lynn Middleton, formerly of Avadian Credit Union.
The banquet also included the silent auction of about 100 items. Auctioneer Alan Taylor also auctioned off a Kitchen Aid mixer, bread, and baking goodies and accessories donated by Trussville Gas & Water.
Presenting sponsor for the banquet was Trussville Gas & Water. Brumlow Legal Group was the silver sponsor, First Community Mortgage was the awards sponsor, and Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home & Gardens sponsored the VIP reception. The entertainment sponsor was Bryant Bank.
Submitted by Trussville Chamber of Commerce