Monticello Chamber plans annual awards banquet

     The public and Monticello community are invited to the Monticello Area Chamber of Commerce (MACC) Annual Awards Banquet on Monday evening, April 15.

   The event will be held at Hillside Sports Bar & Grill. The social hour will start at 5:30 p.m., with live music entertainment provided by "Gypsy." The dinner will be served at 7 p.m., followed by the presentation of awards at 8 p.m.

   Each year, the chamber presents awards in the following categories:

   • Lifetime Achievement

   • Community Pride

   • New Construction

   • Renovations

   • Economic Development

   This year's honorees will be: Denny Folken, Lifetime Achievement Award; Derek Lumsden (Jones County Economic Development) and The Market at The Tap, Economic Development; Monticello Airport and the City of Monticello, Economic Development; Austin Smith Inclusive Playground, New Construction; Blind Pig Monticello, Renovations; Monticello Parks and Recreation Department, Community Pride; and United Church of Monticello, Community Pride.

   Several businesses and organizations donated centerpieces for the occasion. Following the awards, those will be auctioned off to help benefit the chamber.

   "Things will be pretty lowkey this year," offered MACC Director Bobby Krum.

   Unlike past chamber banquets, there will not be a guest speaker this year.

   "We plan to celebrate the chamber and our members from activities in 2023," added Krum.

   The chamber put out a request to its members to nominate people, businesses, and organizations for each of the award categories. They received 16 nominations for the multiple categories.

   "The Chamber Board reviewed the nominations and our banquet committee voted on them," offered Krum of the process.

   2023 marked the chamber's 100^th anniversary. In October, they held a special celebration event. The chamber and a few select businesses also sold commemorative Monti-Opoly souvenir gameboards to mark the occasion.

   For more on the chamber or questions about the awards banquet, contact Krum at chamber@macc-ia.us or 319-465-5626.