OLDS — Seventeen individuals or businesses are nominated for the upcoming Olds & District Chamber of Commerce Small Business Awards.
The nominees were announced during the chamber’s annual Business, Beer and Blue Jeans (BBB) social, held Sept. 27 at the Olds College of Agriculture & Technology’s Werklund Agriculture & Technical Centre.
BBB serves as the kickoff for the awards.
Small Business Awards Committee chair Murray Elliott named the nominees, including those for two new awards instituted this year: the Innovation award and the Best New Business award.
Winners of all the awards will be announced during the chamber’s Small Business Awards celebration which will be held Thursday, Oct. 19 at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #105 in Olds.
The theme for the awards gala this year is Bring Out Your Best.
“Contrary to what you may hear about inflation, we dropped the price (for tickets to that event),” thanks to event sponsors, Elliott said.
The President’s Award, which goes to a business that provides outstanding support of the chamber and community, is the only category for which there’s only one nominee.
That award, first presented in 2019, is going this year to Hildebrand Motors.
Nominees for the People’s Choice Award are Prairie Dog Wellness, Chubb’s Eats, the Olds Auction Mart Café and the Total Image hair salon.
Up for the Community Spirit Award are The Bowl 5-Pin 10-pin Fun House, Kiwanis Club of Olds and Olds & District Hospice Society.
Two companies are in the running for Business of the Year. They are The Tire Shop and the accounting firm Stoutenberg and Company.
Prairie Donair and Evergreen Wellness are vying for the Best New Business award.
Four people are in the running for Youth Employee of the Year. They are Chelsea Black of Mr. Mike’s, Brandon Weiss of Wendy’s Restaurant, Wyatt Bowlen of Canadian Tire and Branden Goucher of Caco e Pepe Italian Bistro.
The Olds College of Agriculture & Technology and Dream Team Printing are in the running for the Innovation Award.
The Exceptional Customer Service award winner is expected to be announced later.
Also during the event, it was announced that the chamber’s first-ever breakfast kickoff for Small Business Week will be held Oct. 16 at a local restaurant.
Guest speakers are Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills MLA Nathan Cooper and Brent Williams, the town’s chief administrative officer.
However, it might be a challenge to get tickets to that breakfast. Small Business Awards Committee chair Murray Elliott says it’s expected to be a sellout.
