Business, citizen of year nominations sought

Thursday’s Chamber Board meeting was one of the fastest on record, but the brief meeting does not mean that the board will be inactive in the coming months. In fact, there are three important Chamber events upcoming that involve the community entire.

The first upcoming event is the Wyoming Small Business Development Center (SBDC) resource seminar, which is slated to take place on Jan. 28 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Hot Springs County Museum. The roundtable event will feature SBDC professionals who will provide crucial information to help local businesses thrive and succeed. The SBDC event is free to all those who wish to attend, however interested parties must register by calling (307) 754-2139 or visiting http://www.wyen.biz and clicking “Classes”.

The Chamber then discussed the Business of the Year, Non-Profit of the Year, and Citizen of the Year selection process. Nomination forms have already been sent to all Chamber members in good standing, allowing one nomination for each category. After the Feb. 5 nomination deadline, the Chamber Executive Board will review all nominations and will select all nominations that follow applicable criteria. The Chamber Board will then meet with the Past Presidents (of the Chamber) to vote for each one of the categories. The winner will be announced during the Annual Chamber Banquet on Mar. 19.

Nominations for Business of the Year and Non-profit of the Year must have at least one year membership in the Chamber of Commerce, must be active in the community and contribute to the well-being of Thermopolis, must display a strong commitment to customer satisfaction, and must have made a difference in the community.

Nominations for Citizen of the Year must be a resident of Thermopolis or Hot Springs County, must contribute to the community’s well-being, must be involved in the community and/or chamber events, must go above and beyond for the betterment of Thermopolis and Hot Springs, and must have made a difference in the community.

For more information, call the Thermopolis-Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce at 864-3192.

Next, Meri Ann Rush, Chamber Executive Director, revealed an exciting event scheduled with the help of Barb Heinze. Rush told the board that during the April 8-9 ArtStroll, John Sollo of the infamous PBS program Antiques Roadshow will be in town to use his appraising skills to value local residents’ antiques or special items. Rush noted that Sollo is coming to Thermopolis for fun, and while his appraisals cannot be used for insurance purposes, his visit is guaranteed to be a fun experience for anyone interested in antiques or the Antiques Roadshow.

Sollo will be present on Friday night (April 8) for a reception from 6-7 p.m., then will be valuing items from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. the next day at Broadway Bygones. Participation in the Saturday event is $40, and will allow the appraisal of up to two items by Sollo.