The 40th annual Winter Banquet and Silent Auction on Tuesday, Jan. 29 at The Center at Bishop[more] Park will mark not only 40 years of the Chamber but also a change in the program for the banquet. This year instead of a featured speaker, The Bryant Area Chamber of Commerce will feature people in the community who have shown outstanding service to the community.
“It is the people who are not just involved, but committed to the community we will spotlight,” noted chairperson Allison Ramsey of Staffmark, who is serving as Chairperson for Winter Banquet.
The event, sponsored by Everett Buick GMC, begins with a silent auction at 5:15 p.m., with dinner at 6:15.
Community Commitment Award recipients were nominated by Chamber members and then selected by out of town committees from other chambers to insure no bias in the selection. They review the nominators’ notes and the nominated’s information that they turn in on themselves, their companies or organization.
“We have 29 active nominations," Ramsey said. "We are excited to have that many nominated for our first year to do the awards. That speaks volumes about how many committed, wonderful people and companies we have here.”
The Chamber will give a Woman of the Year, Man of the Year, Large Business of the Year, Small Business of the Year and Organization of the Year award.
“We will be honoring true community contributors — not just people who do great work in the community, not just people who are involved but people who are truly invested in our community,” said Rae Ann Fields, Executive Director of the Bryant Chamber. “We will amaze you with the stories of these committed individuals, companies and organizations.”
The Bryant Area Chamber of Commerce Banquet is the largest gathering of professional and business people in the Bryant area of the year. The committee expects a crowd of more than 400 people at the Center at Bishop Park.
“We are excited to hold our banquet at this great facility and we are equally as excited about some of the great silent auction items that have been donated,” noted Ramsey.
The silent auction will provide a forum for local businesses and organizations to showcase their
services, goods or products.
“We do the silent auction as a fund raiser for the Chamber, but it also
functions as a way for attention to be drawn to a business. Your message can come across loud and
clear with the selection of the right item,” noted Michelle Finney of Duze Company and Image Homes, subcommittee co-chair for the Silent Auction.
“Certainly anyone in the community may contribute to the silent auction and anyone in the community may attend the Winter Banquet,” noted Finney.
Several key items of interest have been donated to the silent auction by community friends in the past, she said. Donations already received for this year include a Kindle Fire, massages, jewelry, flowers and the timely items for the “Winter Weather Survival” table.
After the recent widespread power outage, the committee was inspired to ask for items to address winter weather issues.
The menu for the night, catered by Dinner’s Ready, is chicken with pineapple salsa, rosemary
roasted potatoes, California vegetables, salad, rolls, dreamsicle cake or brownie, tea and coffee.
Tickets are $28 per individual or $25 each if a table of eight is reserved.
Reservations may be made by calling 847-4702, e-mailing to raeann@bryant-ar.com or by responding the Bryant Area Chamber of Commerce emailed invite.
