Chamber celebration will honor business community

The Columbia County Chamber of Commerce will roll out the red carpet Jan. 22 to honor its members.

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Savannah Rapids Pavilion will once again be the site for the chamber's annual meeting, an Academy Awards-style gala to recap the previous year and honor distinguished members of the business community. The chamber will present its Columbia County Lifetime Achievement, Small Business Person, Ambassador and Volunteer of the Year awards during the ceremony, said Karen Chrjapin, director of programs for the chamber.

Chamber Executive Director Gordon Renshaw said 2006 was a successful year for the chamber as it launched new networking programs for business leaders and continued to grow its membership rolls.

He said the chamber is grateful to its members for their time and dedication during the past year.

"This is your chamber, and we thank you for helping to make the difference," he said.

In 2007, Renshaw said the chamber will be focusing on small businesses and helping the county obtain the state's "Entrepreneur-Friendly" designation.

"Small business is truly what drives this economic engine" in Columbia County, he said.

The dinner and gala will begin at 6:30 p.m. A pre-gala cocktail reception will begin at 5 p.m., showcasing about 20 small-business members of the chamber, Chrjapin said.

The gala also will feature a remembrance of the legacy of business and community leaders who died in 2006. Chrjapin said about 40 tickets for the gala still are available for chamber members and can be purchased by calling (706) 651-0018.