INNISFAIL - More than 90 business owners, organization officials and staff attended the inaugural Innisfail Province Readers' Choice Awards celebration held at Divots Restaurant at the Innisfail Golf Club on Nov. 28.
For more than a month, Province readers voted in the online and in-paper survey for their favourite businesses, organizations and staff in 59 categories.
Gold, silver and bronze winners in each category were announced in the Nov. 28 Province and were presented with award certificates during the celebration that evening.
“This is certainly a feather in the cap of all winners and nominees as it is their clientele and fans recognizing the good work they do by voting,” said Province publisher Brent Spilak.
He said Province readers made the inaugural contest possible by filling out the surveys in droves.
“The sheer variety of nominees shows we have a great number of businesses and organizations doing a lot of things right,” said Spilak, adding good customer service tends to be a prerequisite readers look for in making nominations.
Categories ran the gamut of best customer service and best places for fries, burgers and wings, to best realtor, historical building and sports team.
Award winners were feted with refreshments and food at the Nov. 28 celebration, as well as entertained by locals Ivan Daines, Cole Martin and Sylvan Lake's Warren and Carla Hartnell.
The winners of the Best local band/musician category were invited to showcase their talent. Daines stood in for his son, third-place Denver, who was out of the country that evening. Martin took second place while Devin Cooper was voted the first-place winner.
Innisfail council and staff were invited to attend and Mayor Jim Romane, councillors Jean Barclay, Glen Carritt and Gavin Bates attended along with CAO Todd Becker.
And it was a fabulous evening all around, with salutes coming from many who attended.
“Our congratulations and gratitude goes out to the whole Province team for a wonderful evening,” said Kerri Herman, branch manager of Innisfail's RBC Royal Bank.
Brent Spilak, publisher of the Innisfail Province
"The sheer variety of nominees shows we have a great number of businesses and organizations doing a lot of things right."
