Moving Tribute Warms Hearts at Chamber Awards Banquet
By Leanna Lehman --
The Fallon Chamber opened the doors of the Fallon Convention Center to chamber members and the community Friday night for the Annual Chamber Awards Banquet and Auction. Attendees arrived dressed in all things blue, from cowboy boots and blue velvet to Nevada Wolfpack gear in honor of the “Battle Born” event theme.
The program began with Mayor Ken Tedford delivering the Person of the Year award, moving the audience with a heartfelt tribute to Bert Miller. The 2019 honor was posthumously dedicated to the highly regarded Fallon volunteer fireman and community member, who was killed last July while attending local church services. “Leadership, compassion, and generosity,” were only a few of the words Mayor Tedford used to describe Miller.
In his presentation of the award, Mayor Tedford attested not only to Miller’s standing in the community, but also his role as a dedicated and life-long fireman. “Let’s take joy in his memory and that it should live with us, and we should strive to be as kind, and gentle, and compassionate as he was. That’s the way we will remember Bert Miller by changing a little bit of how we are.”
Mayor Tedford also remarked on the strength of Miller’s wife LuDene who “has led her family and our community through this mourning process and who has been strong beyond belief.”
LuDene carefully made her way to the stage on crutches, having recently gone through surgery. She was accompanied by two of her children, Brian Miller and Heidi Ayers to accept the award. Cheers and enthusiastic applause accompanied Miller's family to the podium, where Mayor Tedford read the inscription on the award. “The Person of the Year award goes to a person whose selfless service, volunteerism, charity and support has had the greatest impact on our community during their lifetime.” See a clip of the Mayor’s speech here:
Mayor Tedford presents Person of the Year
After that presentation, Chamber President Cynthia McGarrah and Director Lucy Carnahan introduced Chamber Board members who each presented the remainder of the awards. The categories and each nominee are listed below with the winner in bold.
Each of the tables were decorated by participating businesses, with the centerpieces being auctioned to the funds raised during the event. There was also an award presented for the best table decoration, with the Golden Table Award going to Churchill County Federal Credit Union.
Auction items donated by Chamber members and local businesses helped raised close to $15,000, which the Chamber uses to offset operating costs during the year, as well as two scholarship for high school students who are going to college for business management.
| Best Customer Service of the Year - Food and Beverage |
| Running Iron Cafe |
| The Wok |
| Ana's Café |
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Best Customer Service of the Year - Retail |
| Twisted Branch |
| 2 Sisters Fashion Boutique |
| Big R |
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Best Home Based Business |
| Stephanie Winder Photography |
| B Dubbs Hot Sauce |
| Howieloo Photography |
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Best Business Start Up: |
| 8 pieces of 8 |
| Churchill Auto Sales |
| Affordable Document Solutions |
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Effective Marketing of the Year |
| City of Fallon |
| Churchill County Library |
| Churchill Auto Sales |
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Best Business Beautification of the Year |
| Double Heart Healing Spa |
| Fallon/Churchill Fire Department |
| Banner Churchill Emergency Department |
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Outstanding Employer of the Year |
| Financial Horizons Credit Union |
| Kents Supply Center |
| Louie's Ace Homecenter |
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Best Product of the Year |
| Sandhill Dairy |
| Buttsup Duck |
| Desert Oasis Teff & Grain |
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Best Local Non-Profit of the Year |
| High Desert Grange |
| Churchill County Auxiliary |
| Fallon Cantaloupe Festival |
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Agricultural Leader of the Year |
| Colby Frey |
| John Getto |
| Gloria Montero |
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Business Leader of the Year |
| Valerie Johnston |
| Matt Louie |
| Mike Berney |
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Person of the Year |
| Bert Miller |
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