INNISFAIL – It's a night to recognize the people and businesses who help make Innisfail great.
The annual community and business awards gala is just around the corner on Oct. 13. Longtime MC Mark Kemball is eager to recognize the people and businesses who contribute to Innisfail.
“I just always love to see people who get involved with the community,” said Mark Kemball. “I've always wanted to help celebrate individuals who try and make Innisfail a better place to live.”
Kemball, an outgoing councillor and longtime business owner in Innisfail, has been involved in the community awards for a couple of decades. He said he was involved early on with the chamber of commerce's business awards, and then later again. The two sets of awards are now part of a joint gala evening.
Kemball first got involved by helping out with MC duties, but got more involved with organizing the banquet, finding possible nominees and even the selection committee.
He'll be co-MCing this year's gala with Craig McEachern.
“We just try and bring a little bit of lighthearted fun to the evening,” Kemball said of their hosting efforts.
It's important to recognize the people that work behind the scenes and Kemball said they should be celebrated more, not less.
“We always hear so much negative … but Innisfail is a great, great place to live, and the reason it is so great is because we have businesses and we have people in the community who just go above and beyond,” he said.
He wanted to highlight Maymie O'Dwyer, who has long helped with the community award side of things.
Henry Wong, director of community services for the Town of Innisfail, said a lot of nominations did come in for the community awards this year.
The winners are selected by a subcommittee of community members at large, he said.
The event on Oct. 13 will be held at the Innisfail Legion. Tickets are available at the town office or the Innisfail and District Chamber of Commerce office and are $45 if purchased after Sept. 30.
Chamber of commerce manager Carla Gabert said four categories of business awards will be handed out that evening.
“We had great nominations this year,” she said, noting that the event is held before the annual Small Business Week.
The town community award winners have been announced already, while the chamber business award nominees will be finding out who is being recognized that evening.
“It's going to be a wonderful evening,” she said, adding that the sponsors who help put the evening on are appreciated.
