BUCKHANNON — Thursday evening was filled with celebration as local businesses and businesspersons were honored during the 52nd annual Buckhannon-Upshur Chamber of Commerce dinner.

With the theme for the evening being “Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow”, speaker Gayle Manchin, the former secretary for the state Department of Education and the Arts, spoke about how chambers of commerce are so critical to communities.

“Chambers are really essential to the economic development and vitality of a community because they are facilitated projects, certainly trying to recruit businesses to their area, introducing businesses to the community and ensuring that people feel like this is a good place to live and work,” she said, noting the connection to education.

When speaking about education and economic development, Manchin said, “You become such a powerful force for education.”

“We have young people who are taking control of their education. They are engaged in their learning and they are learning the soft skills that businesses around the state say that young people need to have in order to have these jobs,” she said. “They need to be critical thinkers. They need to be problem solvers. They need to be team workers. They need to be committed to knowing they need to be at work on time — dressed appropriately and show up every day drug free.”

Manchin said it is important for the business community to be actively involved in education.

“We want our children to grow and bloom and be all that they can be, but what we really want, we want them to grow to be able to bloom and be here,” she said. “We want out children to have the opportunity and to have the opportunities given to them that they can live and raise their families here … “

Following Manchin’s speech, B-U Chamber of Commerce past president Robbie Skinner presented the awards.

The Organization of the Year award went to Stockert Youth Center. The facility has provided education, entertainment, life skills, and athletic opportunities to thousands of children for decades thanks to the initial donation of funds of Mrs. Joyce Stockert in March 1994.

“Now in its 24th year, Stockert’s programming, under the leadership of Debra Brockleman and April Small, is greater than ever,” said Skinner.

He described SYC as “truly a unique place” where “no child has ever been turned away.”

Lowe’s of Buckhannon was awarded Business of the Year, and the award was presented to store manager Chad Corley.

The business has donated to many community projects since setting up shop in 2004, including investing in the first AstroTurf football field at the high school, landscaping around the Upshur County Senior Center walkways and driveway, providing corporate sponsorships to the West Virginia Strawberry Festival, the city of Buckhannon Christmas Parade, Truck Fest and Trunk or Treat at the Buckhannon Fire Department, and more.

The Buckhannon Lowe’s also played a key roll in helping our neighbors in Southern West Virginia during the 2016 flood disaster, and served as a collection point in Buckhannon for Hurricane Harvey relief donations.

“Under the leadership of store manager, Chad Corley, our Lowe’s of Buckhannon is a beacon of community spirit,” said Skinner. “Corley has had many roles in his more than 24 years with Lowe’s.”

The city of Buckhannon’s public works director Jerry Arnold was awarded Businessman of the Year.

“You’ll rarely find our honoree for Businessman of the Year sitting behind a desk, wearing a tie, or working 9 to 5… instead, you’ll find him in the trenches, ditches, man-holes or operating a backhoe,” said Skinner.

Since 1993, Arnold has worked for the city. In 1994, he became the backup operator at the Waste Transfer Station.

He was promoted to transfer station superintendent in 1996. In 2008, when the street commissioner retired, City Council asked him to serve as both waste department superintendent and street commissioner.

In 2016, City Council promoted him once again to his current post.

Businesswoman of the Year was awarded to Carrie Wallace, county administrator for the Upshur County Commission.

Wallace is a member of the Upshur County Development Authority, the James W. Curry Advisory Board, Upshur County Airport Authority, Buckhannon-Upshur Chamber of Commerce and the Upshur County Convention & Visitors Bureau Boards of Directors.

“A co-worker said, ‘She is an extremely valuable person to not only the UCDA Board, but also our community,” Skinner said. “Her ideas and leadership have played an important role in the successes we have shared'”

The last award for the evening, Citizen of the Year, was given to Melodie Stemple.

Stemple is a past president and board member of the West Virginia Strawberry Festival Association, and has come back several times to assist festival boards and presidents with fundraising, events and activities. She was also on the board of the Buckhannon Community Theater.

She currently is on the board of directors of the Buckhannon-Upshur Chamber of Commerce, Upshur County Convention & Visitors Bureau and Create Buckhannon, where she has earned the title/nickname of “the Captain.” She is a fixture at Festival Fridays all summer long, and coordinates the Valor Banner program at Jawbone Park.

“I want all of you in this room to stop and think about what this community would look like, feel like without Melodie Stemple… It’s a much different place, isn’t it… I’ve known her all of my life,” said Skinner.

He added, “Everything about this community is so much brighter, happier and fuller because of Melodie. She bleeds blue and white, her heart is invested in every aspect of Buckhannon, and what’s best for our citizens and businesses.”

The premier sponsor for the dinner was St. Joseph’s Hospital and the platinum sponsor was Lowe’s of Buckhannon.