“Whatever you are, be a good one.”
~ Abraham Lincoln

As a business professional and Chamber of Commerce member, we realize your efforts to support the economic vitality of the community are worthy of recognition.  The Chamber of Commerce provides two unique opportunities for recognition:


Chamber Business of the Month

Putnam County Chamber partners with the Herald Dispatch and the Putnam Herald newspapers to recognize a selected Chamber business as Business of the Month!  The designated business will be featured with picture and text in these local papers as well as in the Chamber’s Pride & Progress newsletter in the Charleston newspapers.  Additionally, for the period of one month, the designated business is provided with signage to display at their place of business.  Following that period, a certificate is provided to the business for display purposes.  You may be asking, “How does a business get chosen for this?”  It’s simple – a name will be drawn from those chamber members attending Business After Hours the previous month.


Mayo Lester Community Service Award

The Mayo Lester Community Service Award was instituted in 1979 as the first annual award program established by the Chamber of Commerce.  This award was named after one of the Chamber's founding members and its first Chairman, the late Mayo Lester.  The recipient of this annual award is announced at the Chamber Annual Meeting in January of each year.  The recipient receives a personal plaque as well as a name plate designation on a plaque on display at the Chamber office.

A committee convenes each November to review nominations.  To be considered for the award an individual’s personal attributes and contributions to the community may include, but not necessarily be limited to:Personal involvement in county-wide or local civic improvement projects.

1. Personal involvement in county-wide or local civic improvement projects.
   
2. Active participation in community organizations.
3. Support of a community project(s) and/or organization(s).  Support may include personal involvement or financial contribution, but not necessarily membership in a particular organization.
4. An example of what a citizen and community leader should be in donating time, energy and personal resources for the betterment of their community.
5. Showing some degree of personal sacrifice for an organization or toward the accomplishment of a community project.

Current Recipient: John Wilson, Jr.

PAST RECIPIENTS

1979 Mayo Lester
1980 Paul Jackson
1981 David Hofstetter
1982 Leff Moore
1983 Sally Holliday
1984 Bill G. Deel
1985 J. A. McClanahan
1986 Florence Sprouse
1987 Irene Ghiz
1988 Dr. Roy Alford
1989 Jack Kessler and Laeuna Erwin
1990 Norma Gatens
1991 Frank Addington, Jr.
1992 Robert O'Dell
1993 Ernest Page
1994 Raymond Peak
1995 Gayle Vest
1996 Pat & Lovell McDonald
1997 Karen Lilly
1998 Bobbie Hill
1999 Franklin Gritt, Jr.
2000 Steve & Diane Parks
2001 Martha Cook Carter
2002 Leff Moore
2003 Greg Eiler and Sally Blessing
2004 Wayne Bennett
2005 Tim and Melissa Meeks
2006 Oshel Craigo
2007 Jacquelin Chaney
2008 Karen Haynes
2009 John Wilson, Jr.