Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce Banquet 2023
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The 2023 Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce‘s 96th Annual Banquet was a work of ART! Enjoy photos from last night’s soirée.
Caregiver of the year: Carlie Penson
Ms. Penson’s caregiving in her community began at Alliance Bank, where for 31 years she was a staple of the company and served her customers with a smile.
She has given care to her community through volunteering for decades. As a 50-year-member and volunteer with First Baptist Church and Heritage Park & Museum. Everyone has sampled some of her cooking: during the stew festival, homemade ice creak cook off, and Dutch oven cooking demonstrations.
Her caregiving is greater than caring for only a single individual, as is demonstrated with her involvement in so many community, church and family activities.
Growth and renewal: Linda Galligher
Ms. Galligher is an advocate for small business downtown and Sulphur Springs as a whole. She is a quiet worker behind the scenes in most cases. She is a person with a smile, positive attitude and work ethic to get things completed. She is an officer in the Downtown Business Alliance and is involved in her church and with the Sulphur Springs Symphony Orchestra. She helps organize and works the downtown car show each year.
Ambassador of the year: Kim Beck
Community pride award: CANHelp
Educator of the year: Talisa Harris
Ms. Harris is a master at what matters most in the teaching profession: being an advocate for her students. She has been an English as a second language teacher for 27 years and has touched the lives of hundreds of students. Three of her former students now work at SSISD. Most of her students who earn college degrees are the first in their family to do so. She is known for her ability to relate to students who feel out of place because their first language is not English. She is truly their rock.
Auxiliary educator of the year: Jason Blanchard
Paraprofessional of the year: Daryl Franklin
Daryl Franklin fulfills duties for football, basketball and track. He wears all of these hats while having a smile on his face. If you need someone to do backflips at pep rallies, he’s the one. Want someone to join the drumline? He will do it, and these are a few reasons why he’s a favorite among students. His skills, knowledge, willingness to help and personality are some of the reasons he was chosen as paraprofessional educator of the year.
Bobby McDonald vision award: John Sellers
The Bobby McDonald vision award goes to a citizen who has helped the city through enormous changes in the last several years through his service to our community. He has been a part of the downtown transformation. Really, no one knows more about the transformation of this town. He has served on city council, including many years as mayor.
He is active in the Rotary Club, Leadership Sulphur Springs, and the Genealogical society. He is our local historian for the city and county, and conducts history walks at the city and cemetery. John Sellers has been both a chronicler of our past and forbear to our future through his civic commitments. We know Bobby McDonald would wholeheartedly give his approval.
Agricultural family of the year: Bonnie Huffstetler & Huffstetler family
Woman of the year: Cathey Williams
Small business of the year: Murray-Orwosky Funeral Home
Large business of the year: Signature Solar
The large business of the year is probably the fastest-growing company in Hopkins County, having added more than 100 new employees in the last twelve months and going from one office with a warehouse to a corporate office and two warehouses.
They are very involved in charity events, sponsoring Claws for a Cause, Fall Festival, Lil 4’s, Pacific Park Thanksgiving, and Freedom Ball. The company is continually looking for opportunities to volunteers, donate, and help.
Whether it is their products and services, their employment opportunities of their community outreach, they are always taking the next step to be a leader in the community. And they are helping provide safe, clean energy to the world.
Citizen of the year: Dr. David Black and Pam Black
Photos by Taylor Nye. Text by Butch Burney
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