Lacombe celebrates the annual Business and Community Awards in style

It was shaken not stirred at the Lacombe and District Chamber of Commerce’s Business and Community Awards. In total, eleven awards we’re given out and celebrated by around 200 community members at the James Bond Themed Event.

“There was 50 odd people that were nominated and then there was hundreds of people that voted. There was a good two-month process with judging and in that I learned not so much about the companies themselves, but [about] Lacombe and what an incredible city it is to be in, and what incredible companies and partners there are to be working with. It was never about the numbers, it's all about the people that are out there. They were incredible. They filled the tables and they cheered everybody on,” said Executive Director of the Lacombe and District Chamber of Commerce.

This was the first in-person gala the Chamber has been able to host since 2019. Hanger says two years of isolation proved that awards are meant to be celebrated in-person.

“There is no award, there's no physical thing without the celebration and the celebration from your peers. The award means nothing in isolation. It means everything when it's surrounded by a community, like Lacombe,” he added.

Along with celebrating several local businesses, nominees, volunteers, and people, Hanger was also pleased to host a great opportunity for networking.

“The job of a Chamber of Commerce is to get companies to talk to each other and to have events where they can talk to each other. Right now out there, there's probably 150 people, all networking and doing exactly what a Chamber [wants them to] be doing,” said Hanger.

Hanger was very thankful to the event’s hosts, and local businesses that helped make the gala happen.

Here’s a look at this year’s winners:

People’s Choice for Customer Service:

Gina Gallardo, A&W