Those recently inducted into the Holton/Jackson County Chamber Hall of Fame are shown above and include (from left) Chris Mercer, David and Evelyn Allen, Cari and Vern Andrews and Dean Tuley.

Six inducted into Chamber Hall of Fame

For many in attendance at Saturday’s Holton/Jackson County Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame banquet, one of David Allen’s favorite quotes — an inscription on a stained glass window at the Osborne Chapel on the Baker University campus — underscored the importance of sharing in making a community great.

“For thou must share, if thou wouldst keep that good thing from above, for ceasing to share we cease to have — such is the law of love,” Allen quoted during the part of the banquet where he and wife Evelyn were honored as part of the Hall of Fame’s “Class of 2022.”

Prior to sharing the quote, Allen reminded the audience of more than 200 who had gathered that evening at the Northeast Kansas Heritage Complex exhibition hall that “shared time, shared talents and shared resources make communities very strong entities.”

Fellow honorees Vern and Cari Andrews agreed, with Cari noting that without numerous volunteers and organizations’ sharing of their time, talents and other resources, they would not have been able to accomplish what they’ve done with their Charitable Vending venture.

“We are accepting this in honor of all of those who have worked with us,” Cari Andrews said. “We had lots of help.”

The Allens, the Andrewses and fellow honorees Chris Mercer and Dean Tuley were not the only ones to be honored during Saturday’s event, as two new Chamber awards were announced that evening, one of them honoring a former Chamber director, the late Dianna Wilson, who was “the face of the Chamber” for 17 years.

Cathy Haug of Haug Construction became the first to receive the “Dianna Wilson Community Award,” which current Chamber director Ashlee York said was created to honor a member of the community who reflected “everything that Dianna stood for.”

Wilson, York noted, was “extensively involved with everything that was the Chamber and was recognized for her long-term dedication and service to the Chamber and her community. Her legacy was her tireless love for Chamber events and causes, people and community.”

Haug, it was noted, provided invaluable help to the Chamber during Wilson’s time as director, whether the need was for meals, supplies or physical help. Haug was also recognized for her service to the Jackson County Fair Association, the county’s election board and St. Dominic Catholic Church, as well as for her devotion to her family and community.

The other new recognition — the “Unity In The Community” award — was presented to Sean and Jennifer Willcott of Willcott Brewing Company, honoring community members who have, as York noted, taken the risk of starting and running their business, implementing strategies for economic change in their community, dedicating their resources and services to the Chamber and the community and continuing to invest in their business.

As in previous Hall of Fame banquets, current honorees took time to recognize and remember previous honorees, such as when Mercer paid tribute to 2008 honorees Ross and Betty Moser and Marlin White and 2016 honoree Jan Hodge, or when Tuley thanked his boss at Denison State Bank, 2007 honoree Jim Birkbeck, for bringing him and his family to Holton.

In one instance, however, the honor went the other way, as 2013 honoree Gloria Stavropoulos — working her final “official” catering job at this year’s Hall of Fame banquet before her retirement — thanked David Allen for being instrumental in bringing her and husband Pete to Jackson County to open Trails Cafe back in the 1980s.

The Holton Recorder

109 W. Fourth St.
Holton, KS 66436
Phone: 785-364-3141
 

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