‘A Dinner through the Decades’ Chamber Awards Banquet

Saturday night hundreds of businesses, and community leaders came out to enjoy a night of food and fun for the Atlanta Chamber Awards banquet. The theme this year was uniquely named “A dinner through the Decades,” as people showed up dressed in their favorite decade awaiting to hear who this year’s award winners would be.

The evening started with thirty-some large tables of nine or more mingling and enjoying a sweet tea. Soon after each table was dismissed to enjoy a buffet from Luigi’s Italian Restaurant, where guests were treated to either chicken alfredo noodles or lasagna.

Before the night got underway with the rest of the evening festivities, guests were treated to a coke float or piece, drink refills of cake served by the Atlanta Cheerleaders as a fundraiser. After a few minutes the keynote speaker J.B. Smith began to speak.

Smith was a highly recommended speaker from another area chamber of commerce. Smith who spent his life as a Texas Sheriff, rancher, community leader, and businessman, told a variety of jokes and stories from his time as a lawman, and his past relationships to becoming an auctioneer.

After Smith spoke the chamber introduced this year’s awards and winners. Each winner was introduced by the previous year’s winners if they were able to attend. Winning the business of the year was Genesis Prime Care; followed by Gina McDaniel – Woman of the year; David Hooten – Educator of the Year (AISD Baseball Coach); Tim Cowgill – Man of the Year and Sidney Swanson – Youth of the Year.

Also awarded this year were Jennifer and Dustin Wittman for the Best Dressed Group and Mia Cara Van Horn won the best-dressed individual.

After the awards, all the awards were given, and a number of prizes were raffled off. According to Jill Crocker the newly elected Chamber of Commerce President and this year’s MC. Many people gifted their gifts back to the Cass County CPS Board auction that Gina McDaniel, Women of the year, is hosting on her social media page.

The special Chamber section will be out next Wednesday with bios of the award winners and more pictures of the event.