Melfort is getting set to recognize the best in the business community for the first time in six years.
The Melfort Trade Alliance Chamber of Commerce is bringing back the Mel-Bex Awards Gala in March.
Melfort Trade Alliance Chamber of Commerce executive director Cal Gratton said the celebration is a milestone return for members.
“I think it’s a terrific celebration of the Melfort business community,” Gratton said. “The board sat down a little while ago and decided that once we hit 100 Members we would bring back the Mel-Bex awards. We have reached that 100 member threshold, so here we are with the 2024 Mel-Bex Awards coming up in March.”
The last Mel-Bex Awards were in 2017 before the original Melfort Chamber of Commerce folded. Gratton said the Trade Alliance Chamber of Commerce has been building to this point, and it’s exciting to finally have the awards back.
“In a nutshell, it is a celebration of the Melfort business community,” he explained. “We will have a supper catered by Page 7, catering. We have entertainment by comedian Kelly Taylor. Our emcee will be Amanda Perrott and we have nine awards that we’re going to be handing out.”
The new Mel-Bex Awards will feature all the same award categories as the previous celebration. The list includes the Business of the Year – 15 Employees and Under, Business of the Year – 16 Employees and Over, Citizen of the Year, Junior Citizen of the Year, Community Involvement Award for Business and Corporate, Community Involvement Award for Nonprofit, Customer Service, Heritage Award and Property Appearance Award.
Gratton said bringing back the event shows how the Trade Alliance Chamber of Commerce continues to grow.
“I did a canvas of the business community as well before we even entertained bringing back the Mel-Bex and they were all in favour,” Gratton said. “The businesses that I talked to were all in favour of bringing it back. We just want to celebrate what’s been going on over the last year.
“I am very excited,” he added. “Our Mel-Bex committee is geared up and bringing all this excitement back to the city. The nomination packages are out for nominating businesses in these categories and we have a big push on the Citizen of the Year and Junior Citizen.”
The 2017 Citizen of the Year was Bill Wood and Junior Citizen of the Year was Taylor Riley. Previous Citizens of the Year include Wayne Garinger, Peggy George, Belinda Simon, Walter Dupin, Vera Kruger and Shirley Eisner among others.
Gratton said that there are many worthy candidates for Citizen of the Year as the award returns after a six year absence.
“A lot of people are putting on their thinking caps trying to figure out who the best citizen of the year would be so we want people to really think about that,” he said.
The Mel-Bex Awards Gala is on Saturday, March 23 at the CJVR Performing Arts Theatre in the Kerry Vickar Centre. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $100 or corporate tables for $700. For more information email Gratton at trademelfort@melfort.ca.
Michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
