Staff
Voting is underway for the 21st-annual Rainy River District Business Awards, with the online process to end at 5 p.m. on Friday (Feb. 3).
District residents are urged to visit www.fortfranceschamber.com to vote for the most deserving businesses and individuals from 55 nominees in nine different categories (a total of 61 nominations were submitted, with some businesses and individuals being nominated more than once).
Awards will be given out at the annual gala next Thursday (Feb. 9) at the Copper River Inn here.
The award categories, and the nominees for each, include:
•Business of the Year–Century 21, Curvy Chick, J Scrub, Flint House, From the Grind Up, Simplicity, Badiuk Equipment, The Place, and Carl’s Eatery;
•Employee of the Year Award–Shelley Matias (RBC Royal Bank), Sherri Christiansen (UPS Store), Nathalie Donaldson (Betty’s of Fort Frances), Caitlyn Morrison (Carl’s Eatery), Kelly McFayden (BDO of Canada LLP), Duane Hicks (Fort Frances Times), Brenda Kellar (Causeway Insurance), and Lise Barker (Lowey’s Greenhouse);
•Business Woman of the Year–June Haver (Nexus Community Savings), Pam Williams (4 Your Pets), Jennifer Horton (Curvy Chick), Diane Gibson (Gibson Design), and Wanda Huitikka-Wipf (Century 21);
•Entrepreneur of the Year–Jennifer Horton (Curvy Chick), Scott Krienke-Turvey (Ink Spotz Apparel+), April Degagne (hairstylist), Doug Cuthbertson (Northwoods Gallery & Gifts), and Duane Cridland (Flint House);
•Home-Based Business Award–Party Rock DJ Services (Melanie Williams), Merge2 (Inga Friesen), Young Living Essential Oils (Pam Edwards), and Thirty One Bags (Jessica Ogden);
•Customer Service Award (Business)–Carl’s Eatery, Gold Star Taxi, Nexus Community Savings, Copper River Inn, Sunset Medical Supply, Cousineau Health Services, RBC Royal Bank, and Curvy Chick;
•Customer Service Award (Individual)–Ashley Trinkner (Shoppers Home Health Care), Angela Halvorsen (Rainy River Future Development Corp.), Barb Everett (Nexus Community Savings), Caitlyn Morrison (Carl’s Eatery), Wanda Huitikka-Wipf (Century 21), Tammy Ouellet (Causeway Insurance), Josh Jean (Sunset Medical Supply), Ramiro Matias (Sunset Medical Supply), and Neila Booth (Northwoods Gallery & Gifts);
•Tony Beyak Memorial Volunteer of the Year Award–John Homer (Causeway Insurance) and Leslie Feaver Danielson; and
•Small Business Trainer of the Year Award–J Scrub,A Buck or Two, KJ’s Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Inc., Belluz Concrete, and Titan Manufacturing.
The awards gala gets underway with cocktails at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:30.
The evening, emceed by Melanie Williams of Party Rock DJ Services, also will feature entertainment by comedy juggler Robin Chestnut.
Everyone–Chamber member or not–is welcome to attend the gala.
Tickets for Chamber members, which cost $45 each, are available only through the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce office.
Non-Chamber member tickets, costing $50 each, are available at From the Grind Up, Betty’s, Copper River Inn, and the Chamber office (274-5773).
Tickets will not be sold at the door, and those interested in attending should not hesitate to get theirs as soon as possible.
