Following the success of the 2012 Gala Awards Evening, the Town of Innisfail and the Innisfail Chamber of Commerce have announced that the third annual Gala Awards Evening will be held this year on Oct. 18 at the Royal Canadian Legion.
The event will once again feature a dinner and awards ceremony.
“It is a packed house each time and it is a great chance for all the volunteers to be recognized, and the businesses as well because we also do the small business awards at the same event,” said Doug Bos, the president of the Innisfail Chamber of Commerce, who estimated that about 250 people attend the event. “It was a great opportunity for the community to come together and recognize everybody's accomplishments.”
Bos said the event is proving to be a vehicle of inspiration for citizens to do more for the community.
“It inspires people to volunteer for things like coach of the year, and it gets more volunteers out and keeps them going because they get recognized,” said Bos. “This event really keeps the enthusiasm going for people to either continue volunteering or step up to the plate and volunteer.”
The chamber and the town are putting the call out for nominations for both the 2013 Community Service Awards and the 2013 Small Business Awards.
The Community Service Awards are handed out every year to individuals, teams or groups who, through their efforts and/or accomplishments have enhanced the image of, or made a significant contribution to the Town of Innisfail. Nominations are due into the town office by Sept. 9, and must be made by members of the Innisfail community.
The 2013 Community Service Awards categories include Male Athlete of the Year, Female Athlete of the Year, Sports Team of the Year, Coach Recognition Award, Community Cultural Award, Mayor's Recognition Award, Community Builder Award and Citizen of the Year Award.
The Innisfail Chamber of Commerce's Small Business Awards are presented in four different categories to individuals, farm families or companies who provide excellence in customer service, or who make a significant contribution to business within the community.
Nominations for the 2012 Small Business Awards must be into the Innisfail Chamber of Commerce by Sept. 5. The 2013 Small Business Awards categories include Small Business, Farm Family, Business Contribution Award and Customer Service Award.
A community awards criteria brochure and nomination forms for the Community Service Awards can be downloaded from the Town of Innisfail website at www.innisfail.ca.
Nomination forms for the Small Business Awards can be downloaded from the Innisfail Chamber of Commerce website at www.innisfaillive.ca.
