By Dena Martin
The Times
Doris Huffman is Citizen of the Year
Vanessa Vails is Employee of the Year and Whiskey Canyon is Business of the Year
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April 25, 2019
Lane Gwinn
Doris Huffman (center) was named Waitsburg Citizen of the Year at the annual Commerical Club Community Service Awards. Above: (l to r) Denise and Andy Winnet nominated Huffman, who was joined by son Martin and granddaughter, Paisley.
WAITSBURG-The Waitsburg Commercial Club presented Doris Huffman with its 2019 Citizen of the Year award during the annual dinner and Community Service Awards presentation at Waitsburg Town Hall on Tues., April 16.
Citizen of the Year
A surprised and emotional Huffman was joined by proud son, Martin, great-granddaughter Paisley, and "other son" Andy Winnet as she claimed her award at the podium. Huffman, who turned 89 last week, is still an active part of the community.
"I'm speechless. This is just unbelievable. I don't deserve it," Huffman said.
Huffman was nominated by Andy and Denise Winnett who wrote:
We are both composing this letter with hopes that you will consider Doris Huffman for the Waitsburg Community Service Award this year. She has always been a friend to all and has been huge asset to our community for over 65 years. She is very deserving of this award and recognition. Let us tell you something about her.
Doris is a fiercely independent women. She worked for the Waitsburg School District for over 30 years leaving a positive impact on more than 600 former students. Doris has been a member of the Presbyterian Church Choir, singing every Sunday, at many weddings, funerals and Christmas Cantatas. She decorated for many Saturday Night Dances that were held in the town hall back in the day. She was the best wife behind the man, when her late husband Don Helgeson was Commercial Club President. She helped set-up for the Commercial Club Meals. Doris has helped organize the Hometown Christmas Parades, along with volunteering for many other community events. Doris is still an active member of the local PEO and Odako Clubs. You can always find Doris selling cookies during the Fall Festival or helping with tours at the Bruce Museum. Presently, Doris helps take the money weekly at the Senior Citizen Meals every Tuesday. Doris' latest project was donating her artwork for the "Izzy and Main Street" mural located in the town Hall. Doris has lived in Waitsburg for over 68 years and at the age of 88 still an active member of our little town.
It is with great pleasure that we respectfully submit this nomination for Doris Huffman to be recognized as a recipient of the Waitsburg Community Service Award.
Employee of the Year
Vanessa Vails worked at Waitsburg Grocery before moving to Whiskey Canyon Sports Bar & Grill, where she was worked since opening day and is now the Front of House lead.
"Thank you so much. I've only been here for six or seven years, but I'm so glad I'm here. This is a beautiful town with beautiful people. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else," Vails said, as she accepted her award.
Vails was nominated anonymously with the following letter:
Vanessa Vails has been a member of our community for almost seven years. She is an amazing mother to one three-year-old daughter, Vaida, and 8-year-old Pit Bull named Aries. She has been a wonderful addition to our community. When she first moved here, she was an employee at Waitsburg Grocery where most of the community met and spoke with her.
She is the only employee now in the front of the house at Whiskey Canyon who has been there since day one. If you have had the pleasure of being one of her guests down at the restaurant, then you know why she is receiving this recognition.
She is an extremely hard worker, honest and loyal. She treats everyone at the restaurant as welcome and special guests and works extremely hard to help the business succeed. If you've been there you know and if you haven't I would recommend you do!
Thank you, Vanessa, for your commitment and hard work! And these are just a few of the reasons why she is being awarded Employee of the Year for Waitsburg.
Business of the Year
Whiskey Canyon Sports Bar and Grill was awarded the Business of the Year, through a nomination letter written by the late Tom Baker. At the time, Baker suggested that the Commercial Club depart from its tradition of naming a Citizen of the Year, and instead name the four business partners, Ken Cole, Jr., Dan Cole, Guy McCaw and Byron Seney as joint recipients of the award.
Though a few details have changed since the letter was written in 2015, the substance is still the same. Baker wrote:
May I suggest a departure of a pair of recipients for the Community Service Award and suggest that this year's plaques should go to four young men who are vital to the continuity of our business community in Waitsburg.
I am suggesting that the award go to Dan Cole, Ken Cole, Guy McCaw and Byron Seney.
These four men are in the process of building a new restaurant, the Whiskey Creek Sports Bar and Grill along Preston Avenue in Waitsburg in the location of the former White Stallion Cafe. The opening date for this new Waitsburg business is estimated to be the first week in April.
Both Dan and Ken have been involved in Waitsburg during their school years and as business owners in more recent times. Dan and his family operate the Waitsburg Grocery, a store vital to our village. In addition, he owns the GOTV internet service provider and the LC Applicator company. He and Ken, Jr. have done construction work here over a number of years. The pair of them epitomize the spirit of local communities.
Ken Cole, Jr., works in the former location of the Blue Mountain Insurance office, working in the area of hazardous waste evaluation and abatement. Both Dan and Ken have children who live and work in Waitsburg and support the community. Both are members of the Waitsburg Lions Club. Elizabeth Cole started the Blue Crystal business which is now owned by Karen Huwe.
Guy McCaw and Byron Seney work together in farming and are what I would call the face of modern agriculture. It involves investment in equipment and expertise in all facets of farming. The company works in the Eureka area harvesting wheat and bailing straw, an after-market commodity that has been a boost to the economy and an aid to cleaner air at the same time. The combine group does all the farming operations from preparing the land, seeding, fertilizing, weed control and eventually harvesting. This new approach is much different than many individuals farming relatively small plots of land but is certainly the wave of the future. As we become a global village the feeding of billions of people will create demands far into the foreseeable future.
Since one of the principle goals of the Waitsburg Commercial Club is the promotion of business and industry, I feel that these four young men deserve to be recognized for their positive activities.
Lane Gwinn
Vanessa Vails (center) accepts the Employee of the Year Award from her employers, Ken Cole, Jr. (left) and Guy McCaw.
Whiskey Canyon owners Guy and Lynn McCaw and Ken and Elizabeth Cole accepted the award and thanked the community for its ongoing support.
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