Published: January 07, 2009 09:56 pm      

Annual chamber banquet scheduled for Jan. 15

A yearly event featuring many of the area’s business and community leaders is fast approaching and tickets are on sale now.

The Greater Orange Area Chamber of Commerce will present its annual banquet at 6:30 p.m., Jan. 15, inside the Family Life Center at First United Methodist Church. The church is located at 602 Sixth St. in downtown Orange.

Tickets are available at a cost of $35 per person, or guests may reserve a table, which seats eight, for $250. This year’s banquet will be catered by the Old Orange Cafe.

Typically each year’s festivities include pre-meal fellowship, a little humor, and the recognition of certain individuals for their work or good deeds to the community.

Among those will be the recipient of the Athena Award, which is presented to an individual who is honored for professional excellence, community service and for actively assisting women in their attainment of professional excellence and leadership skills. The 2008 winner was Katherine Frey.

Previous Athena Award winners include Betty Harmon, Elizabeth Rach, Pauline Hargrove, and Pam Scales Crew, the winner of the inaugural presentation of the award in 1993.

Other honors expected to be presented Jan.15 include the GOACC Ambassador of the Year, recognition of the SCORE Small Business of the Year, Business Community Service of the Year,

Sabrina Gray, president and CEO of the GOACC, said this year’s annual banquet will be a truly special event.

“We are having our banquet in a wonderful new location and looking forward to a fabulous year,” Gray said. “We will also be honoring our past board members and recognizing current board members. It will be a fun evening filled with laughs, entertainment and great food.”

Gray said the Little Cypress-Mauriceville High School Jazz Band will perform, and students from the West Orange-Stark High School Culinary program will serve the meal.

Jennifer Cowling-Grizzafi will conclude her year as chairperson of the Board of Directors by performing her last official act when she passes the gavel and presents traditional orange blazer worn by all chamber officials to incoming chairperson, John Gothia.

Call the Greater Orange Area Chamber of Commerce at 409-883-3536 for tickets or more information.



Tommy Mann Jr. is a reporter for the Orange Leader. He can be reached at 409-883-3571, Ext. 2619 or tmann@orangeleader.com