The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON – The Dayton Chamber of Commerce held its 69th Awards Banquet at Running T Ranch south of here Thursday evening.

The theme of the banquet was "Education – The door to the future." A nearly full house enjoyed dinner and a presentation by the Dayton School District.

Dayton School Superintendent Doug Johnson and principals Paul Shaber and Pam Lindsley made a presentation at the banquet to show the variety of programs and services the schools offer to Dayton's kids. They also showed several videos in which many Dayton Students described what they liked best about school and some of the technology tools they take advantage of.

Awards in several categories, including Citizen of the Year, were also presented.

Citizen of the Year

Jim Kime, a longtime volunteer in Dayton was named Citizen of the Year. The award was presented by last year's recipient of that award, Kris Takemura.

Kime has been a member of the Touchet Valley Arts Council for more than a decade and played a big part in raising funds for and remodeling the annex building adjacent to the theater.

"This turned out to be very dirty and backbreaking work," Takemura said in her introduction, quoting one of the nominations. "Getting that (annex) room up and running was his first priority."

Kime has also been a member of the Columbia County Hospital District Commission for eight years. "This is a thankless job with many meetings, much stress and important decisions to make that affect the healthcare for all in our community," Takemura said.

Youth of the year

Dayton High School senior Angie Dedloff was named Youth of the Year, and was presented her award by new DHS principal, Paul Shaber.

Dedloff has been active in FFA, FBLA and many other school organizations throughout her high school career. Dedloff was also named homecoming queen this year.

Dedloff was working at the banquet with other members of FBLA when her award was announced.

Employee of the Year

Pacific Power service representative Doug Hinds was named Employee of the Year. His award was presented by Dayton Chamber Director Andrew Holt.

Hinds and his wife Kelly moved to Dayton in 2010. He serves the Pacific Power service territory throughout the Touchet Valley region, including Waitsburg and Prescott, as well as Dayton and Columbia County.

Holt praised Hinds for his work efforts to restore power in often difficult weather conditions. "[He] is not only a reassuring image because of his amiable demeanor, but also because he exudes a feeling of reliability and competence," Holt said.

Hinds also helps out in many community efforts. "He is always there to switch out or put up new banners...and rescue banners in distress." Holt added, "He puts up the community Christmas tree – even dug the hole for it and constructed a new stand. He also participates in a lot of activities. He was Santa Clause for Christmas Kickoff and he is a favorite at the Men's Drag Races at All Wheels Weekend. He's just an all-around good guy."

Business of the Year

Snapdragon Floral and Gifts, known until recently as Croft's and owned by Vicky Beckmeyer and her daughter, Cara Watts, was presented with the Business of the Year award by last year's recipient, Bette Lou Crothers, of State Farm Insurance.

The Dayton flower shop was operated by the Croft family for several decades. Beckmeyer purchased the business in January 2007.

"The owners of this business have blended their creative talents with their unlimited energy and business savvy to create a Main Street establishment that is not only a cornerstone business but a source of ideas, energy and events...and we mean a lot of ideas," Crothers said.

Crothers also praised Beckmeyer and Watts' "unwavering commitment to creating and helping with the development of entertaining, family-fun events for the city that bring huge amounts of visitors to town and provide enjoyment for our community members."

Beckmeyer and Watts have chaired the Christmas Kickoff committee for several years, and are responsible for establishing the Christmas Lighted Parade at that event. They also established the Fall Festival, a special event for kids, which runs in conjunction with Dayton on Tour each October.

Beckmeyer contacted The Times following the banquet and expressed her appreciation for the support her business has received from the community over the last nine years. "We wouldn't still be here without the community's great support," she said.

Historic Preservation Awards

Ginny Butler, representing the Dayton Historic Preservation Commission, presented two awards recognizing preservation efforts in downtown Dayton.

Columbia County Courthouse Maintenance Supervisor Dave Finney was honored for his efforts to repair the stucco on the exterior of the courthouse earlier this year.

Ken Graham

A full house awaited centerpiece raffle announcements.

The stucco on the courthouse was applied in the early 1990s, shortly before the renovation of the historic structure was completed. After nearly 25 years, cracking has occurred in some areas.

After extensive research, Finney identified an elastomeric paint process that could repair and preserve the stucco and maintain its color. The painting process was completed earlier this year

Butler presented a second award to The Dayton Development Task Force for its efforts to help building owners in Downtown Dayton improve and restore their properties.

With revenues obtained through its B&O tax credit program, the Task Force has provided funding and guidance to help several owners of downtown storefronts make upgrades and renovations. These include Snapdragon Floral and Gifts, Chief Springs Pizza, Liberty Theater Annex and Hammerdown Fitness, at the corner of Fourth and Main Streets.