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Andrews – While it wasn’t a full dinner meeting like in 2019 and earlier, a small crowd was able to attend the Andrews Chamber of Commerce’s annual membership meeting last week.
The meeting, which was was aired live via WKRK’s Facebook page on June 29 from the office on Main Street, was only the second virtual one in the chamber’s history. However, when planning for the event began earlier this year, there were still restrictions and uncertainty surround the coronavirus, so the board of directors decided to play it safe for one more year and stay online.
Jan Olson, executive director and treasurer, said the chamber has reached a total of 108 members from across western North Carolina, the most in recent years. Olson also shared that she is stepping down as director to focus more on her business, although she will remain on the board of directors.
The chamber board has appointed Nola Cooper to replace Olson and oversee operations of the nonprofit agency. President Gayle Horton was thrilled that the chamber was able to hire from within its group of hard-working volunteers.
“We very much appreciate all of Jan’s hard work,” Horton said. “And as I say every year at this time, this is going to be our year in Andrews.”
Cooper is the person primarily responsible for upgrading the chamber’s website and marketing materials over the last two years, which has resulted in much more visibility for the Andrews Valley. She was also the driving force in starting Food Truck Fridays this year.
“I am looking forward to building upon the good work Jan has done,” Cooper said. “I hope to speak with each member in person in the coming weeks and get their input on how we can all help Andrews turn the corner economically by supporting our local business. We have a great start, and it will only get better.”
The highlight of the meeting was the presentation of annual awards. The 2020 winners are:
- Business of the Year: Farm House Diner, which opened last year on N.C. 141 to Marble to rave reviews. The family owned restaurant is finding success by offering a nice diversity of country cooking, from crab legs to catfish.
- Beautification Project of the Year: Cal and Janet Stiles, who purchased the former Bear Ridge Mall in Andrews last year and immediately started turning it from an eyesore into again being a positive part of the community.
- Joe El Khouri Volunteer of the Year: Jeannie Simmons Buchanan, who has been a local volunteer for many years. Just her work with the Andrews Rescue Squad since 2003 shows how much she unselfishly gives of herself to others.
The chamber had two special speakers for the evening.
- Callie Moore is western regional director for MountainTrue, which merged with the Hiwassee River Watershed Coalition in 2019 and has an office in Murphy. She talked about the many ways the nonprofit agency helps improve water quality across four counties.
- Brody Holloway is the cofounder and executive director of Snowbird Wilderness Outfitters in Andrews. He talked about how the camp survived COVID-19 restrictions, expanded into the former Bear Ridge Mall and partnered with the town to open the Andrews Pool last year.
Two members, David Brown and Emily Malin, are rotating off the board. If you’re interested in serving the community, chamber meetings are held in the office at 5:30 p.m. every third Tuesday of the month. If you can’t make it in person, you can join online via Zoom.
The chamber sponsors a number of special events each year, including the Spring Fling, Christmas on Main Street and Magic on Main Christmas Parade. Up next is Oktoberfest, which will be held Saturday, Oct. 9. To become a vendor, email director@andrewschamber.com or call 828-321-1600.
“The chamber is a local, nonprofit and charitable organization that is only as good and relevant as the people who serve with it,” Brown, who has served on the board since 2013, said in his closing remarks as master of ceremonies. “If you own a local business, if you’re involved with a business, if you own property in the area or if you just care about the place we call home, becoming a member of the chamber and helping your community should be as natural a thing as going to work.”