The award recipients at the Wetzel County?Chamber of Commerce’s dinner Tuesday evening are pictured. Front row from left: Educator of the Year, Stacy Barcus; Citizen of the Year, Kaye Forbes; Business Owner of the Year, Sarah Shepherd; and Civic Organization of the Year, Deb’s Gang of Hope represented by Rose Baker. Back row: Employee of the Year, Corporal Mike Koontz; Professional of the Year, Tim Haught; Youth Leadership of the Year, Lynnsie Parsons; and Business of the Year, Bayer Heritage Federal Credit Union represented by Bob Burrow. (Photo by Amy?Witschey)

Eight nominees were honored as the best of Wetzel County Tuesday night at the Wetzel County Chamber of Commerce’s annual Awards Dinner.

The event at the Mollohan Center at the 4-H Camp had a record number of attendees-over 200, nearly double the dinner’s previous record.

Perhaps the new format for the dinner was responsible for the increased interest. This year the chamber did not announce the winners prior to the event, but released selected nominees each category, like the Academy or Grammy awards. Then the community was able to vote on their favorites, with winners announced at the dinner.

The winners were as follows: Business of the Year, Bayer Heritage Federal Credit Union; Business Owner of the Year, Sarah Shepherd; Citizen of the Year, Kaye Forbes; Civic Organization of the Year, Deb’s Gang of Hope; Educator of the Year, Stacy Barcus; Employee of the Year, Corporal Mike Koontz; Professional of the Year, Tim Haught; and Youth Leadership of the Year, Lynnsie Parsons.

The other honored nominees were Business of the Year, Litman’s Excavating and West Virginia Northern Community College; Business Owner of the Year, Jerry Pallisco and Lisa Jones; Citizen of the Year, Sandy Hunt and Diane Stippel; Civic Organization of the Year, Esther Crumbly and Catholic Charities WV; Educator of the Year, Kristy Early and Jana Thomas; Employee of the Year, Dex Gage and Vickie Quinn; Professional of the Year, Judge David Hummel and Terry Stillwagoner; Youth Leadership of the Year, Megan Bucher, Ashley Yoho, and Hannah Glow.

WCCC Board Member of the Year President Don Riggenbach

Also, a special honor for WCCC Board Member of the Year was bestowed upon President Don Riggenbach. “It makes me very proud to be a Wetzel Countian,” said Riggenbach who was obviously surprised and honored to receive the award.

Businesses voluntarily decorated tables for the event and attendees vote on their favorites. Prodigy Wellness won first place while The Tin?Ceiling and Balloon Ovations tied for second.

The dinner was sponsored by Williams, Chesapeake Energy, and McKinley and Associates.

There was a record crowd at Tuesday's Wetzel County Chamber of Commerce Awards Dinner.