Whether you were nominated or not, it’s still not too late to get your tickets for the seventh-annual Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce business awards coming up Saturday at the Red Dog Inn.
“There’s still some tickets left,” said Chamber co-ordinator Dawn Booth. “We know several of the nominees are coming for sure.”
She added the Chamber is expecting about 200 people for the banquet, which has 72 individuals and businesses nominated for 10 awards.
In the meantime, the three judges (who will remain anonymous) will be reviewing the nominees and will meet with Booth shortly before the awards night.
“But of course, no one except myself and the judges will know the winners until the night of the awards ceremony,” teased Booth.
Once again, the nominees for the 2002 Chamber of Commerce business awards are:
•Employee of the Year (private sector)—Joanne Bliss (Royal Bank), Bill Boulton (NorFab Building Components), Jennifer Galusha (Kathy’s Katering), Nelli Halvorsen (NorWest Animal Clinic), Mandi Monteith (Curves for Women), David Schwartz (Gagné Phar-macy), Audra Wiersema (Home Suite Home), and Debbie William-son (Clinic Pharmasave);
•Employee of the Year (not-for-profit)—Doug Cain (Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship), Margaret Sedgwick (Fort Frances Public Library), Cyndi Milette (RRFDC), and Emily Watson (Contact North);
•Business of the Year (one-15 employees)—A Buck or Two, Clinic Pharmasave, Corner Closet, Con-tact North, Curves for Women, Fort Floral, Green’s Countrywide, Greenside’s General Store, North American Lumber, Northwood’s Gallery & Gifts, and Tammi’s Flowers, Cards & Gifts, and Weeza’s Gifts, Etc.;
•Business of the Year (16+ employees)—Emo Inn, Manitou Forest Products, Pharmasave, and Voyageur Panel;
•Entrepreneur of the Year—James Brown (Ocean’s Pet Store), Mike Busch (North American Lumber), Dr. Steve Chown, Ted DeBenetti and Mike Byma (A Buck or Two), Vanessa Hebert (Weeza’s Gifts, Etc.), Al Kinnear (KP Computers), Miles Kupila (Kupila’s Sound Centre), Lance Lindall (Radio Shack in Rainy River), Kim Metke (Pharma-save/Clinic Pharmasave), and Jo Woolsey (Aurora Wind Feeds);
•Customer Service (individual)—Carol Alton (Clinic Pharmasave), Marie Gregory (Crazy Ladies’ Fabrics), Tammy DeAmicis (Hammond’s Nursery), Nadine Johnson (Sunset Country Catering), Kim Luoma (Purolator Courier), Mandi Monteith (Curves for Women), Diane Pettit (Video Update), Cliff Pidlubny (Sight & Sound), Salem Seid (Wilson’s Business Solutions), and Emily Watson (Contact North);
•Customer Service (business)—Dr. Tom Cousineau Optometrist Office, Emo Inn, Tammi’s Flowers, Cards & Gifts, Fort Frances Tribal Area Health Authority, The Place, In-Focus Photography, Pharm-asave, Rainy Lake Hotel, Sight & Sound, Sunset Country Ford, Warehouse One, and Wilson’s Business Solutions;
•Abitibi-Consolidated Inc. Safety Award (individual/employee)—Sandra Tibbs (Girl Guides of Canada), Leon DeGagne (Leon DeGagne Ltd.), and John Reader (Ministry of Natural Resources);
•Abitibi-Consolidated Safety Award (business/employer)—Family & Children Services, Leon DeGagne Ltd., McDonald’s Restaurant, and Riverside Health Care Facilities Inc.; and
•Northwest Training and Adjust-ment Board Training and Adjust-ment Award—Confederation Col-lege, Contact North, NCDS Career Works, NorWest Animal Clinic, Rainy River District Social Services Administration Board, and Voya-geur Panel.
The evening’s program, which will begin after or near the end of dinner, will include the installation of Chamber officers for 2002, a speech by Chamber president Roberta Oliver, and an update on the business retention and expansion initiative by project co-ordinator Crystal Godbout.
Dinner will be preceded by cocktail hour from 6-7 p.m., and followed by a dance featuring the live band, “Streamline.” A silent auction also will be held.
For tickets, call Booth at 274-5773 or drop by the Chamber office at 474 Scott St.
