Annual Awards Featured During Chamber Banquet

WAYNE – The final Sunday in January highlighted the past year of events held in a northeast Nebraska community where money was raised, awards announced and fun was had by all.

Over 250 guests attended the 2020 Wayne Area Economic Development Annual Banquet Sunday at the Beaumont Event and Concert Hall. The Wayne Area Economic Special Events Committee planned a fun and exciting program, ‘Swinging into the 20’s’, to celebrate the work of the organization and community prosperity during 2019.

Social Hour entertainment was provided by WSC student musicians as guests were escorted to their reserved tables by members of the Wayne Ambassadors. Silent auction items donated by area businesses were also on display with the auction funding the annual Band Day scholarship and a new Business scholarship to Wayne State College.

The evening meal showcased a garden salad, gourmet mac N cheese, fingerling potatoes, savory green beans, roast beef with gravy and chicken cutlets. The second annual dessert auction then followed dinner where funds from the auction will be used to assist with the new City of Wayne initiative for public art. The total number of funds raised from the silent auction and dessert auction will be posted once calculated.

A portion of the silent auction proceeds will again go towards an annual Band Day scholarship at Wayne State College and in 2019 a new Annual Business Scholarship was created.

The Most Valuable Patron Award is awarded annually to recognize an individual, business or organization who has significantly supported Wayne Area Economic Development throughout the year.  The Most Valuable Patron Award went to Northeast Nebraska Public Health Department.

The Wayne Area Economic Development Business of the Year Award went to 1st Realty Sales and Management.

Mrs. Courtney Maas, 2018 Educator of the Year, introduced Ms. Toni Rasmussen as the 2019 Educator of the Year and the 2016 Citizen of the Year Bill Reeg divulged clues to the identity of the 2019 Citizen of the Year, but could not contain himself to reveal that it was one of his own employees at Arnie’s Ford, Ken Kwapnioski.

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