The annual community and business awards ceremony is going virtual.
The Smithers District Chamber of Commerce said in a press release it believes it is important, now more than ever, to recognize those who have contributed positively to our economy and community over the past year because of the global pandemic.
Nominations closed on October 26 and the Chamber received a total of 70 nominations across 13 award categories. A selection committee of seven individuals, from the Chamber Board of Directors, staff and a Town representative reviewed the nominations and write-ups received from the community.
Once the three finalists in each category were notified, the Smithers District Chamber of Commerce members were asked to vote for their favorite nominee per category, based on the award criteria. The voting closed on Nov. 13.
The virtual awards ceremony will be held on Nov. 25, at 5:00 p.m. via Zoom. (Meeting ID: 838 8569 0135 Passcode: 457003)
The chamber has also arranged a ceremony snack box from Riverside Kitchen for $15. The boxes can be preordered and picked up on the day from either Smithers Brewing Co. or The Bulkley Valley Brewery.
Last year, The Bulkley Valley Credit Union was named Business of the Year and the other top award, Business Person of the Year went to Avi Ranjan, owner of Subway. More than 200 people gathered for the gala in 2019.
FINALISTS 2020
Business of the Year:
• Free-Lance Automotive
• Smithers Feed Store
• The Sausage Factory
Business Person of the Year:
• Kathryn Johnson from Kathryn Johnson Notary Public Inc.
• Sherri Morgan from Fourth Ave On Main
• Scott Olesiuk from Glacier Toyota
Citizen/Volunteer of the Year:
• Matt Bruintjes
• Lisa O’Sullivan
• Luke Smith
Customer Service Excellence - Business:
• Heartstrings Home Decor & Gifts
• La Petite Spa Smithers
• Nature’s Pantry
Customer Service Excellence - Individual:
• MaryAnn Miller from Smithers Home Hardware
• Sherri Morgan from Fourth Ave On Main
• Emilie Schmidt from ReJar Zero Waste
Excellence in Education:
• Jonathan Boone from Bulkley Valley Christian School
• Kirsten Morgan from Canadian Ski Patrol Smithers Zone
• Perry Rath from Smithers Secondary School
Family Friendly Business of the Year:
• Hudson Bay Mountain
• UFO on Main
• Smithers Passage House
Home Based Business of the Year:
• Adventure Camp Tourism
• Bloom Esthetics
• Chef Brandi Collins (Riverside Kitchen Co.)
Major Contributor to the Arts & Culture:
• Smithers Community Radio CICK 93.9
• Perry Rath Arts
• Wet’suwet’en Native Arts
Public Service Excellence:
• Proton Foundation (Mark DeHoog)
• The Salvation Army Smithers BC Food Bank
• St James Soup Kitchen
Tourism Excellence Award:
• Frontier Steelhead Experience/Frontier Farwest
• Hudson Bay Mountain
• Oscar’s Source For Adventure
Young Entrepreneur of the Year:
• Nadine Huisman from Bloom Esthetics
• Hudson Olesiuk from See Thru Glass Cleaning
• Emilie Schmidt from ReJar Zero Waste
Zero Waste Circular Economy Business of the Year:
• Braun Industrial
• Bulkley Valley Wholesale
• ReJar Zero Waste