Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Sales Go Well For Chamber Banquet

Ticket sales are going well for the annual Prescott-Nevada County Chamber of Commerce Banquet.

Once again, one of the highlights of the banquet, scheduled for Tuesday, April 6, will be the naming of the Citizen of the Year.

Nominations for this prestigious honor are being taken at this time, with the deadline drawing near. The deadilne for making a nomination if Thursday, March 11.

Mary Godwin, executive director of the Chamber, said the rules for nominating the Citizen of the Year require the nominee to be a resident of the county. Additionally, the person making the submission must give reasons their nominee should be so honored.

A panel will judge the nominations based on the following criteria: outstanding service to family, city, county, state, national affairs, church, fraternal, recreational and industrial and education oriented services.

The selection committee, Godwin said, will judge the content of the letters submitted, not the number of letters or signatures.

Nominations should be mailed to: Citizen of the Year c/o Prescott-Nevada County Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 307 - 116 East Second, Prescott, AR 71857-0307.

This year's banquet theme will have a tropical flavor - "Aloha: Our Paradise Island". Godwin said those attending will be greeted by the 1998-99 Nevada County royalty and be given Hawaiian leis.

The servers will be appropriately dressed in grass skirts.

The third annual Chamber auction will be held at the banquet. One of the top items to be auctioned off will be a football autographed by the 1998 Arkansas Razorbacks.

This year's featured speaker will be KATV's Daybreak weatherman Matt Mosler.

Mosler, a California native, headed south for his college education, earning a bachelor's degree in communication from the University of Alabama.

Mosler is a frequent speaker and entertainer across Arkansas. He traveled two years with a gospel quartet and has sung for two governors.

Those attending the Chamber banquet will get to hear Mosler's vocal talent as he is scheduled to sing.

However, there will be plenty more in store for the banquet attendees.

Along with the naming of the Citizen of the Year, each of the county's school districts will be naming their Teacher of the Year.

The Nevada County Farm Family of the Year, James and Kay Nelson of Bluff City, will be recognized at the banquet as well.

One of the newest, yet most coveted, awards is the Treasure of Gold Award. This will be the fourth year this honor will be bestowed on a local resident. The Treasure of Gold Award is presented to residents who have dedicated their lives to improving Prescott and Nevada County.

The first recipient was Horace McKenzie in 1995. Next to get the award was John Teeter, followed by Frances Thrasher and, last year's recipient, Maurice McLelland.

Other entertainment scheduled for the banquet will be the Sounds of Praise sextet.

The master of ceremonies for the banquet this year will be Chad Cornelius, Chamber president.

Tickets are on sale now and are available at the Bank of Prescott, the Branch Bank of Delight, at the Chamber or from any member of the Chamber board of directors. Tickets will be $15 each, with the banquet starting at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 6.

There is still time, but not much, to enter the annual T-shirt contest for the 12th Annual Chicken and Egg Festival.

Designs should be on a format no smaller than 8x10 inches, and in no more than three colors. They should include 12th Annual Chicken and Egg Festival, Prescott, AR and the year, 1999.

Plans are also in the works to celebrate Arbor Day this year. Godwin said the shrubs at the Depot Museum have been removed and the Chamber's Beautification Committee wants to replace them with trees.

Anyone interested in helping with this project should call the Chamber at 887-2101.