A round of applause!

Monday, Feb. 3, was an opportunity for Holyoke residents to gather together at the Phillips County Event Center to recognize individuals and businesses at the 28th annual Community Excellence Gala and Awards. The evening was presented by the Holyoke Chamber of Commerce.

Award winners included Creative Traditions, Business of the Year; Melinda Kent, Employee of the Year; Lauren Bergner, Youth of the Year; Kyle Stumpf, Citizen of the Year; and Nancy Colglazier, Citizen of the Years.

Two surprise awards were also presented to Star of the Year Peerless Theatre and former chamber board member Tiffany Watson for their outstanding and ongoing contributions to the organization.

Attendees enjoyed a meal catered by Rich Cummings prior to the award presentation, which was led by new chamber director Holly Ferguson.

Creative Traditions, Business of the Year

Julie Haake of Creative Traditions, a quilt shop in Holyoke, was nominated for Business of the Year by Helen Murray.

“She is very inspirational by helping everyone with their quilting and sewing,” said Murray.

Haake also believes in buying local, said the letter, and she’s involved in her community through the Lutheran Church and the Chamber of Commerce. She’s also made quilts for veterans.

The Sew Caring group that meets at Creative Traditions has done a wide variety of service projects, including making quilts for the new chemotherapy center at the hospital and sewing heart-shaped pillows for breast cancer patients.

Another group called the Knitted Knockers knit or crochet inserts for women who have had mastectomies, said Murray.

Melinda Kent, Employee of the Year

Described as a leader, a coach, an equal and a friend, Kent was nominated for Employee of the Year by Penny Dockins.

“If I’m an employer, I want this person on my team, because then I know I have a winning team,” she said. “Her co-workers look up to her for guidance, and she never fails them.”

Kent works at Holyoke Marketplace and Holyoke Veterinary Service, easily transitioning from one job to the other.

“Melinda will go way behond her duties to help do whatever job needs to be done,” said Dockins. “She will work extra hours if someone can’t come or trade hours with you whenever you need. She comes in early to unload the truck or if the sidewalks need scooped and ice-melt put down.”

And beyond all of that, Kent is always available after hours to help a friend or even a stranger move, pick something up if they’re sick or watch their pets if they’re gone, said the letter.

“Melinda is always doing something for someone else whenever you see her,” said Dockins. “Life is so much better with our Melinda in it.”

Lauren Bergner, Youth of the Year

Bergner, a Holyoke High School senior, can’t help but be involved and help others, said nominator Tiffany Watson.

“Lauren always has a smile and is kind to all. She serves the community in numerous ways and is a leader among her peers,” said Watson. “Lauren is not just active at school but communitywide and does it all with a heartwarming smile!”

Some of Bergner’s many activities include FFA, FCCLA, Challengers 4-H Club, 4-H Council, FCA, softball, track and church. She volunteers by helping at concessions stands, participating in highway clean-up, selling peaches, putting out Memorial Day flags, coordinating a pocket flag project for soldiers and collecting canned goods.

Watson also noted her many honors, including the Melissa Memorial Hospital Foundation youth award, selection for Girls State trip and being elected state treasurer, the Paul Krumm Award for kindness to peers with special needs, selection for a Washington, D.C., trip, the school honor roll and more.

Nominator Linda Jelden has also witnessed Bergner thrive in her leadership roles.

In 4-H, Jelden saw Bergner play a huge part in community service projects every year. “She was always engaging when serving community meals, constantly holding or watching over babies and toddlers during our child care assignments, and hustling to help clean the fairgrounds or fishing pond.”

“If a sign of a strong work ethic is being one of the first to arrive and one of the last to leave a job, then this student fits the bill. Every. Single. Time,” said Jelden.

“Everyone who knows Lauren will tell you that she has an infectious smile and a cheerful bounce in her step everywhere she goes!” she added. “A great future lies ahead for her due to her commitment to service and a positive attitude.”

Kyle Stumpf, Citizen of the Year

Stumpf is the superintendent for Holyoke School District, and according to nominator Elizabeth Hutches, he has embraced the position with a quiet strength that the district needed.

“He is collaborative, innovative and works tirelessly for the staff and students under his watch,” she said.

Stumpf attends as many sporting events and extracurricular activities as he can, showing value of students and teams. He also takes the time to learn each student’s name and is physically present in each school building regularly, Hutches said.

“This dedication to his students and pride for his position and community means he is well respected by parents and students alike,” she said. “Not only is he beloved in our town of Holyoke, he is well respected at the state level as well, proving he is a wonderful ambassador for all of us.”

Nancy Colglazier, Citizen of the Years

Looking at multiple years of service, Colglazier was nominated for the Citizen of the Years award by the Melissa Memorial Hospital Foundation board.

Colglazier has been the executive director of the foundation since 2014, and prior to that she served several terms as a member of the board.

In her role, she has raised funds for the Londa Wernet Bradford Cancer Center, assisted with the Med5 Holyoke EMS ambulance and is currently working tirelessly on funds for a 3D mammography machine.

Her dedication to the hospital doesn’t end with the foundation, said the nomination letter. Colglazier believes in the hospital and wants to see it succeed, which will help the community thrive as well.

“You will find her giving of her time to numerous committees and groups within the hospital. Nancy selflessly gives her time to decorating the hospital for Christmas, handing out candy to kids on Halloween, decorating floats and promoting breast cancer awareness to the staff.”

Colglazier’s passion for breast cancer extends to sewing pillows for the JWILL Pink Village organization, promoting Pink Out games, decorating bras and more. “She is definitely a role model for those fighting the battle, and she is there with a supportive shoulder to cry on,” said the nomination.

This “kindhearted, generous and caring person” is also willing to help with other nonprofits in town. “She is willing to jump in to any project to better her community and the families that call Holyoke their home.”

Peerless Theatre, Star of the Year

The chamber surprised the Peerless Theatre with this year’s Star of the Year award. Out of the several board members and employees of the theater, those who were at Monday’s gala to accept the award were Sherry Simms, Jeff and Tricia Michael, Cathy Edge and Lillian Garcia.

The Peerless Theatre has been a main street icon in Holyoke since it opened the summer of 1919 and has been a source of entertainment for local families for the past century.

In the late 1990s, the Holyoke community worked hard to raise funds to rebuild and reopen the theater.

For the past two decades, it has been a vital community center by not only showing movies but also offering spaces to host meetings, youth groups, dance classes, gymnastics, basketball games and even chamber of commerce luncheons.

Tiffany Watson, Oustanding Board Member

Watson was recognized for the important role she has played as a member of the Holyoke Chamber of Commerce board.

She served as a board member for over six years and was very instrumental in helping the organization transition through several different executive directors and board officers.