By Conrad Dudderar
Associate Editor
Dean Martin and Louis Armstrong will entertain guests and a special video tribute for this year’s award winners will highlight an annual celebration next week.
More than 400 business and community leaders, and other guests, are expected to pack the Palace Event Center, 2310 N Banner Road, on Friday Jan. 31 for the annual Yukon Chamber of Commerce Gala and Awards Banquet.
Theme is “A Night Among the Stars” as Marilyn Monroe is expected to join her fellow Hollywood Walk of Fame members and entertainment legends for the special occasion. The Yukon Chamber will literally “roll out the red carpet” for gala attendees, according to chamber CEO Pam Shelton.
The presentation of annual awards will highlight the grand event.
Winners will be announced for H.B. Frank Citizen of the Year, T.J. Lowery Humanitarian of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Large Business of the Year, and Small Business of the Year.
The Yukon Chamber board selected winners of these five top awards among 16 nominations.
Also to be recognized at the Jan. 31st gala will be the chamber’s Ambassador of the Year.
Ashley Sprague of Yukon Chamber Member Services and Chamber Ambassador Rae James are supervising more than a dozen video interviews of people talking about this year’s award recipients.
Winners’ identities won’t be revealed until the epic Jan. 31st celebration.
SILENT AUCTION
Annual gala festivities will feature a silent auction of many nice items. Here are just a few examples:
* Trip to Costa Rica, including dinner and hotel stay.
* Napa Valley wine and cheese tour with private chateau.
* Floor seats to Elton John concert in New York City, including dinner and hotel stay.
* Shopping excursion trips to Chicago and New York.
A limited number of “Golden Tickets” remain; the lucky winner will be able to claim the auction prize of their choice. These special tickets are $100 each; only 100 will be sold.
Dinner will be provided by Spanish Cove catering; and a cash bar will be available.
The Yukon Chamber also will recognize its board members, local dignitaries and the many volunteers and contributors who have made the past year a success. Membership in the Yukon Chamber of Commerce now exceeds 500.
Top-level gala sponsors are: Centerpiece – KB Landscape & Tree Service, Dessert – BancFirst Yukon, Entertainment – First American Mortgage, Golden Ticket – Integris Canadian Valley Hospital, Paparazzi – TruNorth Agency, Program – InterBank, and Red Carpet – RCB Bank/RCB Mortgage.
Tickets are still available for the Jan. 31st gala; seats are $60 each. Call the Yukon chamber office at 354-3567 or email chamber@yukoncc.com for more information.
