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March 31, 2021

For the 2nd consecutive 12 months, the Larger Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce has been pressured to scramble a bit in get to existing its annual Excellence in Small business Awards application.

The two occasions, the COVID-19 pandemic was accountable for the troubles, whilst this 12 months the chamber was equipped to maintain the awards at the usual time — in late March — when the organization held a digital awards ceremony Tuesday night time to announce the winners.

In fact, those people who were being identified had gained their awards earlier in the month, with the chamber generating those people displays in-particular person and videoing the presentations, which had been then provided in the on the internet plan demonstrated on the chamber’s YouTube channel Tuesday evening.

“The chamber congratulates all of the winners of our 2021 Excellence in Small business Awards,” said Randy Collins, president and CEO of the chamber. “The committee had a challenging activity in examining a massive quantity of nominees. This team of winners signifies the very best of our enterprise group.”

The winners in just about every class ended up:

• Organization Longevity Award —Surry Communications. Included in 1951, Surry Communications supplied its 1st dial tone services to 192 users by November of 1954. By 1957, 3 extra exchanges were being in provider, with users served to additional than 1,100. In the beginning, associates utilized bash-line support, with four get-togethers for each line. With four exchanges covering the rural locations in Surry and Stokes counties, this organization experienced 6 staff and two assistance vans headquartered jointly with the electric powered cooperative in Dobson. In 1958, immediate dial very long-length assistance was introduced and by the close of this 10 years the cooperative was serving 1,569 associates.

Seventy decades later the organization has expanded to a community that involves 3,000 miles of fiber optic cable serving a lot more than 12,230 clients and 1,310 corporations in Surry, Stokes and Davidson counties with World-wide-web, cell phone, Tv set, stability and much more.

• Ambassador of the 12 months Award — Robin Edwards. Each individual yr the chamber selects one ambassador as its Ambassador of the Yr. “This year’s award winner is a wonderful alternative. She is dedicated, hardworking and thinks in what the chamber stands for,” claimed the presentation notes with the award. “Whenever the Ambassadors obtain, you can come across her there. One exclusive services she supplies as an ambassador definitely shows her passion. When she visits her assigned customers, she will usually bring a goodie bag, crammed with very little gifts and sweet. This kind of services to chamber customers (that she did on her own) makes them truly feel fantastic about the firm.”

• Administrative Experienced of the Calendar year Award — Debbie Benge, who serves as executive assistant to the Executive Vice President and Common Supervisor Greg Puckett, as nicely as the board of administrators, for Surry-Yadkin Electric Membership Company.

”One of her biggest strengths is her skill to adapt to any circumstance and consider immediately and successfully to resolve any trouble thrown her way,” stated the presentation notes of her award. “She remains quiet by any problem, irrespective of whether it be main outages, board meetings, or other jobs that want to be done at once…She is usually far more than keen to aid her coworkers in different departments achieve whichever the job could be for the cooperative. She has a pretty broad ability established and understanding base from the distinct roles she has held…”

• Fantastic General public Support Award — Traci George. The presentation notes built deep use of a the latest Mount Airy News posting about George, which outlined how she was fully commited to serving to youngsters and the homeless. She’s finished appreciable do the job aiding the homeless domestically, and led other projects that have provided aiding people at Brenner Children’s Hospital, encouraging to start a mentoring method for community pupils, foremost a marketing campaign to give coats to those people in require, chairing the March for Infants and a lot more.

“Community assistance has been a element of her everyday living from a very young age. General public provider is who she is,” the notes explained.

• Excellence in Tourism Award — White Sulphur Springs Wedding day and Venue.

“One of the difficulties in our region is minimal meeting room and function venues. That changed recently with the addition of a brand-new location, with an outdated title,” the chamber presentation claimed. Distribute across 15 acres White Sulphur Springs resort, with its origins courting back to the 1880s, is now giving a marriage ceremony and function location.

“Just minutes from downtown Mount Airy, it gives couples and their guests a secluded house to celebrate in the coronary heart of North Carolina wine state. It options a variety of celebration spaces, amenities, and lodging to develop moments total of magic.“

• Agribusiness of the 12 months Award — Spherical Peak Vineyards.

“Agriculture has been a aspect of Surry County for quite a few decades. There are many household and corporate farms continue to functioning in our location,” the chamber presentation mentioned.

“A couple from Ohio moved to Charlotte in 2000 and loved their new dwelling. As daily life sometimes normally takes you in a different route, the few ended up going to California in 2006. Even though on the West Coast, they fell in enjoy with viewing vineyards and savoring the good California wines. They in particular liked the modest, spouse and children-owned vineyards. In 2008 they had the chance to return to North Carolina, go away the company entire world and order a nearby winery referred to as Spherical Peak Vineyards…In addition to the wine, they deliver some excellent craft beers less than the Cranium Camp label. The vineyard hosts lots of situations and has develop into a well known collecting place for locals and vacationers.”

• Small business and Education and learning Partner Award —Northern Regional Healthcare facility.

“Listed as the 3rd major employer in Surry County, it is no shock that this corporation is seriously concerned in providing exceptional academic opportunities to our community’s youth,” the chamber explained. “In addition to supporting profession and technical university student businesses this kind of as HOSA, they have a extensive heritage of delivering task shadowing, scientific several hours, certifications, internships and pre-apprenticeships. Wellness science students have had direct call with personnel and administration through class visits, particular gatherings and regional competitions. Though the COVID-19 pandemic has altered several of these pursuits for the time staying, they continue to be dedicated to fostering community talent via employment opportunities and the introduction of new scholarships.”

• Duke Energy Citizenship & Company Award — The Surry Dawn Rotary Club.

This group has been included in lots of jobs in excess of the a long time, below are just a handful of: Feeding the Hungry by means of College Backpack Programs funding machines for regional firefighters, police and rescue staff blood drives for the American Crimson Cross picking up litter in the neighborhood increasing cash for the public educational facilities trick or managing relatives situations at Halloween building a new pet park in Mount Ethereal a Flight for Kids Pigeon Race and many others.

• Pandemic Leadership Award — Surry Health and fitness and Diet Centre was chosen as the recipient of this new award included in 2021.

”It appeared that the whole country mobilized versus COVID-19,” the chamber said. “The federal governing administration commenced to work with each and every condition, then in flip each individual condition began to manage local towns, metropolitan areas and counties to struggle this pandemic…Early on it turned clear that this was a community wellness unexpected emergency. Federal government companies linked with condition departments of wellness. From there it turned obvious the users, neighborhood wellness departments about the country would guide the cost. For Surry County that meant the Surry Wellness and Diet Center.

“When the pandemic was on us, Surry County Overall health and Diet sprang into action,” posting informational resources on the internet site to educate the general public supplying regular briefings to the citizens, corporations and businesses on the standing of the pandemic coordination of individual protecting tools to all teams coordination of companies to susceptible populations taking care of hourly, everyday and weekly updates coordination of a huge vaccination plan to 1000’s of citizens.

“This was all accomplished while also accomplishing their common extensive record of services supplied to citizens. The Surry Overall health and Nourishment Heart has executed at a extremely significant level and have gone earlier mentioned and past the call of obligation throughout a countrywide public health and fitness emergency.”

• Business of the Calendar year Award — Xtreme Advertising and marketing.

“There are many aspects that the operator of a company have to have to be profitable. You have to have a business strategy, have an understanding of revenue, finance, human sources and so substantially extra. A single region that successful firms must grasp is advertising. Our winner of the organization of the yr is aware internet marketing, within and out,” the chamber said.

Started in 2001, Xtreme Marketing and advertising is a total-services marketing agency, supplying style and design, print, motor vehicle wraps, engraving, fabrication, trade display displays, personalized motor vehicles, logistics, brand name education and learning, social media alternatives and additional.

”The proprietor of the small business experienced a extensive profitable profession in the armed forces and is proud that his group is a qualified veteran owned enterprise. This company has customers around the country that consist of Jack Daniels, Korbel, Charles Schwab, Coca Cola, the PGA Tour and Dell, just to identify a couple,” the chamber mentioned.

“When the pandemic hit in March 2020, this firm was a person of the to start with to pivot to other lines of business. They made their personal plastic confront defend that could be used by professional medical staff and others to defend them from the virus. They bought a lot of of the shields all-around the country but also donated several to non-gains and well being care groups in our neighborhood. The owners have a enthusiasm for their enterprise but also a significant enthusiasm for their group.”