Chamber thanks helpers for Citizen of Year dinner

Grand Island Dispatch, April 15, 2005

Recipients of the 39th annual Grand Island Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year Award are: back row: Community Service, Ted Bates; Business Persons, Bob and Tim Rockwood, Rockwood Brothers Collision Inc. Front row: Organization, Jerry Barlow, president and Patty Johnson, president-elect, Rotary Club of Grand Island; Service to Youth, Sherry Schimley; Master of Ceremonies, Erika Brason; Civic, Milt Sutter; and Business of the Year, Grand Lady Cruises Inc., Captain, Rick Deegan.

The Grand Island Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year Committee is, back row: Dolly D'Orazio, Sue Hillock, Dr. Sherry Bradford, Jim Sharpe. Front Row: Bev Kinney, Joanne Kud, Jennifer Peresie, Judy Schmidt, Laura Anderson and Erika Brason of WIVB-TV, Channel 4. See next week’s Dispatch for photos of sponsors of the Citizen of the Year Awards.

Citizen of the Year Committee chairs are: Co-Chairperson Sue Hillock; Master of Ceremonies Erika Brason of Channel 4 "Weekend Wake-Up"; and Chairperson Beverly Kinney.

The Grand Island Chamber of Commerce would like to thank the 250-plus people who took the time out of their busy schedules to recognize and honor our award recipients at the Citizen of the Year Awards Dinner on April 7 at the Grand Island Holiday Inn Resort and Conference Center

We would also like to thank:

• Erika Brason, Channel 4 “Weekend Wake-Up”, returning as our awards presenter, again made the evening a memorable one for our award winners.

• The Holiday Inn and their staff did an outstanding job! A special thank you to Chef Rick, the food was spectacular!

• The Charles N. DeGlopper VFW Post 9249 Color Guard for presenting the colors and leading the pledge. They truly made it a special evening for all who attended.

• Rev. Paul Robinson for the invocation.

• Michael LoFaso and Kari Tondera, Youth Ambassadors for their help

• A Special thanks to Dr. Tom Ramming for helping us secure Choir Director Carolyn Lokken’s and “Dominate Force” choir for our opening ceremony. They were outstanding! They did a wonderful rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner” and “America the Beautiful” to escort in and retire our VFW Color Guard.

• Joanne Kud, Chamber Youth Programs chair and her committee for all their fine work on the Chamber Scholarship Raffle.

A very special thank you to all of our sponsors for making this event possible!

Many hours are put into this event, we would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to our committee for all their hard work. The quality of this event would not have happened without these dedicated and talented people: Jim Sharpe, Joanne Kud, Dolly D’Orazio, Judy Schmidt, Dr. Sherry Bradford, Phil Buchanan, Jennifer Peresie and Laura Anderson, Chamber office manager.

On behalf of the whole committee and the Grand Island Chamber of Commerce, we would like to thank all of the award recipients for allowing us a glimpse into their lives through the letters of their family, friends, and co-workers. It was our privilege to get to know you. It was our privilege to honor you for your contributions to the Grand Island community.

Beverly Kinney and
Sue Hillock
Committee Chairs
39th Annual Citizen of the Year
Award Dinner