Words of success, appreciation and praise were the focus of the night when the Fannin County Chamber of Commerce held its annual banquet Saturday, March 26.
Chamber board of directors Chairman Richard York opened the program recapping the economic impact the organization had on Fannin County during 2021. His remarks were followed by special awards given to Glenda Reilly, Tom Carroll, the Kiwanis Club of Blue Ridge, Southern Drug Company, and David Ralston.
York told how visitors to Fannin County spent $341 million in 2021, which translated into $23.9 million in local and state taxes. Those totals make their way down to everyone, saving every local household $2,100 in taxes and supporting one third of all the local jobs.
York used those numbers to explain how the tourism industry drives the economic success of countless local businesses and makes substantial contributions to the tax base. Those contributions, in turn, provide budget dollars to the county, cities and school system, that would otherwise have to come from local taxpayers.
Special awards were then presented to the chamber Ambassador of the Year, Outstanding Chamber Member, Heart of the Community Award, Community Service Award, and an Honorary Lifetime Membership.
Glenda Reilly was named the chamber’s Ambassador of the Year for her work to help welcome new businesses to the area and carry out numerous duties associated with the ambassador program. Troy Shirbroun, who presented the award, described Reilly as always “ready to help...with a smile on her face.”
Tom Carroll received the Outstanding Chamber Member Award from Suzanne Stepp Davenport. In presenting the honor, Davenport recognized Carroll for his entrepreneurial leadership that has “brought so many great things to our community,” the latest of these ventures being Carroll’s Barbecue.
But it was Carroll’s “generosity to so many causes,” that also earned him the chamber honor. He has “selflessly given back to our community time and again,” Davenport said.
The Kiwanis Club of Blue Ridge was the recipient of the Heart of the Community Award. York, who presented the honor, said there is “not another community service organization in Fannin County that deserves this award more than Kiwanis.” York pointed to the club’s long history of giving and community involvement, and singled out that last year the club raised and gave $150,000 to numerous programs and organizations in the community.
Southern Drug Company in Blue Ridge, owned by Davenport, was presented the Community Service Award for the business’ efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jason Jones, who presented the award, told how Davenport and her staff remained on the cutting edge of every advancement that took place during the pandemic to serve the community and help other pharmacies do the same.
Southern Drug administered 4,200 vaccines including 1,500 boosters and administered over 3,000 COVID-19 tests. Jones talked of how the business went an extra step by offering drive up service for people wanting either.
David Ralston, Fannin County’s District 7 representative in the Georgia House and Speaker of the House, received an Honorary Lifetime Membership award.
In presenting the award, chamber President Christie Gribble said, “I don’t know anyone prouder of Blue Ridge than David Ralston. He keeps Blue Ridge at the top of his mind.”
She noted several of Ralston’s accomplishments to improve the county, pointing to the bricks and mortar campus of the University of North Georgia as likely his proudest. In 2015, its first year, the campus served 18 students. That number has grown to 230 today.
Ralston, who is the second longest serving Speaker of the House in Georgia, was brief in his remarks, but was clear when he told the audience, “I love this county.” Of the award, Ralston said, “I don’t deserve it, but I’ll keep it.”
Gribble closed the evening reminding everyone to “find gratitude in the place we can work, live, or be retired – in the place where everybody wants to live.”