The Sun Valley-Ketchum Chamber & Visitors Bureau and the Hailey Chamber of Commerce announced this week the winners of the 2008 Wood River Valley Community Awards. This is the first year the two chambers have combined their individual community awards celebrations.
The Sun Valley-Ketchum chamber started the annual valley-wide Community Awards Night in 1997, but has been honoring a Citizen of the Year since 1976. The Hailey chamber started its own awards night several years ago. This year, the two will combine to show a united north and south valley, and to recognize individuals, businesses, or organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the community and the chambers as a whole.
The winners are:
- Citizen of the Year: Susan Blair.
Blair serves on numerous non-profit boards throughout the Wood River Valley and is heavily involved in both the St. Luke's Auxiliary and The Community Library. "She is an example of the kind of community member that makes the Wood River Valley a great place to live," the chambers said in a joint news release.
- Business of the Year: Roosevelt Grille.
"The Roosevelt Grille works hard to contribute to the community and support programs that benefit the Wood River Valley as a whole," the chambers said. In 2007, the restaurant helped with 52 community events and in 2004 created the "Tis the Season" charitable giving drive, in which a percentage of profits are given to nonprofit organizations in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
- Nonprofit Organization of the Year: Mountain Rides.
"In 2007, Mountain Rides was the result of several years of effort to increase the efficiency, impact and level of service of community-wide transportation services," the chambers said. "KART/Peak Bus and Wood River Rideshare merged to become the complete alternative transportation provider in Blaine County. The board and staff of Mountain Rides is working hard to bring transportation alternatives to the valley and to help individuals make a difference for the betterment of the environment."
- Arts Advocate of the Year: Wood River Arts Alliance.
The Wood River Arts Alliance works to broaden the experience and the presentation of arts in the valley. The Alliance is composed of 30 local member arts and cultural organizations and businesses, and serves as a liaison to local chambers of commerce, other state arts organizations and national arts news.
- Environmental Advocate of the Year: City of Hailey Environmental Leadership Program.
"Through education and outreach as well as internal evaluation of policies, procedures and practices, Hailey is actively reducing their carbon footprint and saving their citizens money," the chambers said. "Hailey began with curbside recycling, dark sky ordinance and water metering and is now focusing on facilities, fleet and baseline evaluations."
- Youth Citizen of the Year: Chauncy McGraw.
"Chauncy has been an invaluable member of the Blaine County Teen Advisory Council for the past three years," the chambers said. "Currently a 10th grader at Wood River High School, Chauncy has completed 300 hours of community service to the Wood River Valley and serves as a role model to his peers."
- Service Individual of the Year: Crisane Cook.
"Crisane has worked at Sturtevants in Ketchum for 15 years," the chambers said. "She also currently works at Il Naso restaurant. Crisane works hard not only to provide good service to all she encounters, but to be a good representative of the business she works for as well. Crisane exemplifies what being a dedicated employee and community member means."
- Sun Valley/Ketchum Ambassador of the Year: Marty Miller.
"Marty is recognized for his outstanding contribution as a SVKCVB volunteer ambassador. He attended and participated in SVKCVB events way beyond the call of duty," the chambers' news release states.
- Hailey Ambassador of the Year: Susan Engelhart and Karen McNary.
"Susan joined the Hailey Ambassadors in 2006 and has been an enthusiastic and dedicated volunteer for almost every single Hailey Chamber event and program over the past two years," the news release states. "She is a 30-year resident of the valley and along with her husband, Jeff, owns and operates a local property management company, All-Star Properties."
"Karen moved to the Wood River Valley in 1989 and immediately began volunteering in the community," the release states. "She is currently the 2008 president-elect for the Kiwanis Club and works as a commercial loan officer for First Bank of Idaho."
Tickets to the awards presentation, set for April 23 in the Sun Valley Inn Limelight Room, are $50 per person and can be purchased by contacting Nichole Britt at 725-2103 or nbritt@visitsunvalley.com.
The 2008 Wood River Valley Community Awards are sponsored by First Bank of Idaho, Sun Valley Resort, and Momentum Real Estate.
Susan Blair Photo by
