Published: December 13, 2008 04:42 pm         

Parke County Chamber of Commerce seeks submissions

TERRE HAUTE — The Parke County Chamber of Commerce is asking Parke County residents to submit their 2008 nominations for the Man of the Year, Woman of the Year, Organization of the Year and Chamber Member of the Year by Jan. 6.

Nominees need not be members of the Chamber, except for the Chamber Member of the year award.

Only residents and organizations of Parke County may be nominated. Nominees must have extended volunteer service to the community or county in more than one area. It is requested that individuals submit only one name per category along with the justification for the nomination.

Nominations can be sent by regular mail to the Parke County Chamber of Commerce, 105 N. Market St., Suite A, Rockville IN 47872; delivered to the office located in the Old National Bank building, faxed to (765) 569-6767 or completed online at the Chamber Web site www.parkecouuntychamber.com.

Selection of this year’s winners will be done by a committee of past award recipients. The awards have been given annually since 1992 and have included the following women: Emma Thompson, Margie Leamnson, Mary Jo Harney, Dorothy Dickerson, Mary DePlanty, Tina McLaughlin, Marilyn Payton, Sharon Malone, Carolyn Weatherman, Marjorie Hays, Alberta Butler, Susie Teschmacher, Jessica Harney-Lynk, Connie Norman, Florence Williams, Marcia Akers and Mary Nicola.

Men who have won the award include: George Leamnson, Bill Swern, Jim Jerome, Bill Cook, Merrill Thompson, Steve Rukes, Kent Hutchins, Jim Meece, Doug Weisheit, Father Joe Kern, Greg Harbison, David Gilstrap, Alan Ader, Rich Keller, Larry Myers and Leighton Willhite.

Organizations honored thus far are: MainStreet Rockville, Rockville Elks, Rockville Tri Kappa, Parke Players, Beta Phi Sorority, Parke-Vermillion Humane Society, Covered Bridge Art Association, Lyford Volunteer Fire Department, Boy Scouts, Parke Co. Historical Society, Bloomingdale Volunteer Fire Department, New Life Wesleyan Church, Parke Co. Extension Homemakers, Bridgeton Covered Bridge Association and the Parke County Food Pantry volunteers.

The Chamber Member of the Year award was added in 2000 and has been presented to: Terre Vin Winery, C.A.R.S., Parke County Sentinel, Rockville 66 Food Plaza, Baker’s Table,

Parke County R.E.M.C., Old National Bank and the Parke County Learning Center/Ivy Tech.

The Chamber of Commerce will stage its annual dinner meeting at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 20 in St. Joseph’s Holy Family Hall in Rockville. After the dinner the special awards will be presented and a short business meeting will be conducted. The Rockville Rotary Club will again join with the Chamber for this meeting and will not have their usual breakfast meeting that week. Reservations can be made by contacting the Chamber office at (765) 569-5565.