Staff
The Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce has set the date for its 19th-annual business awards gala—and is looking to engage the public more than ever by opening up voting to everyone.
The event, which again will be sponsored by Tbaytel, will take place Thursday, March 12 at La Place Rendez-Vous.
Chamber manager Annely Armstrong-Thorstad, who noted the award sponsors are in place, said the call for nominations will go out next week.
She wants to give the public and Chamber members at least two weeks to nominate individuals and businesses, then have another two weeks for the voting.
The award categories include:
•Business of the Year;
•Employee of the Year;
•Business Woman of the Year;
•Entrepreneur of the Year;
•Home-based Business;
•Customer Service Award (Business);
•Customer Service Award (Individual);
•Small Business Trainer of the Year (subject to being renamed); and
•Tony Beyak Memorial Volunteer of the Year.
After the nominations are received, the Chamber will offer online voting in which the public can participate.
“We’re going to have it tied to a link,” Armstrong-Thorstad explained.
“With the Chamber election, we did it with individual e-mail addresses,” she noted. “But this time, we are going to do it through a link.
“It will be a public vote—not just [Chamber] members but anybody,” Armstrong-Thorstad stressed.
She also said a businesses that was nominated for a customer service award, for example, could advertise the link to their customers.
“That way, we can get more participation,” she reasoned.
The link will be on the Chamber’s website at www.fortfranceschamber.com
Other details for the gala are being worked out, including possibly having a “casino night” with play money and prizes.
Local sister-brother duo
“Entirely Mac” (Danette and Wayne McIntyre) will perform during cocktail hour and supper.
The menu also will be different than last year.
In related news, the Chamber is lining up vendors to rent kiosks at the Memorial Sports Centre during the Dudley Hewitt Cup (April 28-May 2).
Three of 20 already have been booked.
Armstrong-Thorstad said the idea is for vendors to rent kiosks, for one or more days, to sell their wares.
They’ll be located on the main floor of the arena during the event, which is expected to draw thousands of hockey fans.
“It’s going to be a great opportunity for someone to highlight their stuff,” she noted.
“It could be a business or an individual.”
For more information and pricing, contact Armstrong-Thorstad at 274-5773 or via e-mail at thefort@fortfranceschamber.com
