Health care workers in Gainesville and Hall County were honored Thursday with the annual Community Service Award from the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce.
The award is given each year to a person or group that has gone above and beyond in service to the community, and chamber officials said 2020 was a trying year for health care. But workers here rose to the occasion during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“All of our partners in health care are dedicated day in and day out to improving the overall health and qualify of life of the people in Gainesville and Hall County,” said chamber Chairman Brian Rochester. “They show teamwork, tenacity throughout all of the challenges and continue to provide excellent care and access to all.”
Nine members of the health care community, including physicians, nurses and others from multiple organizations, spoke to accept the award.
“As a nurse in critical care at Northeast Georgia Medical Center, I’ve witnessed teamwork, compassion and dedicated like never before,” said Sara Helton, an ICU nurse. “Despite illness, loss and isolation, our community has persevered. We’ve adapted. We’ve become resilient.”
Dr. Matthey Harris, an endocrinologist at Northeast Georgia Diagnostic Clinic, said patients deserve respect, too, for adapting to new ways of receiving treatment during the pandemic.
“They just have risen to the occasion,” Harris said. “They have been kind, they have been grateful to us, they have been patient with all of the hurdles and our ability to change to take care of them.”
The Chamber of Commerce normally holds its gala and awards ceremony in May. But the coronavirus pandemic pushed it back, first to September and then to today. The event was videotaped in advance and released on the chamber’s website at noon today. A second showing of the awards ceremony is set for 7 p.m. today.
Other award winners include:
Small Business of the Year: Two Dog Restaurant and Occasions Florist
Two Dog opened in 1997 and is owned by Tim and Tina Roberts. Kit Dunlap, chamber president, said the Robertses work hard keep everything about the restaurant local.
“With a passion for serving others, they have a belief that quality fresh products are the first step toward great good,” Dunlap said. “The Robertses go to great lengths to provide more than just great food. It’s a way of live that’s incorporated into everything they do.”
Occasions Florists is locally owned and operated by sisters, Carol Slaughter and Susan Epps. The business specializes in unique arrangements.
“Carol and Susan always go the extra mile to please customers,” Dunlap said.
Family Business of the Year: The Collegiate Grill and Tipton Construction.
The Collegiate Grill has been a fixture in Gainesville for nearly 75 years, and it has been owned by Jeff and Donna Worley since 2008. Jeff Worley started working at the restaurant as a 12-year-old boy.
“The Worleys recognizes the tremendous community that surrounds The Collegiate for their overwhelming success,” Dunlap said.
Tipton Construction has been around since the early 1970s. The company, now owned by James Tipton, son of the founder, now builds, among other things, medical offices and surgery facilities, and it has found a niche for industrial spaces and warehouses, Dunlap said.
“The Tiptons learned quickly that quality work and quality people are what matters the most,” she said. “Today, Tipton Construction is a thriving organization that holds to its founding principles.”
Businessman Jim Walters was given the Distinguished Citizen Award for his years of community involvement.
“About 50 years ago, I made the move to Gainesville,” Walters said. “It was one of the smartest moves I’ve ever made because Gainesville has turned out to be the greatest communities in the state of Georgia.”
The chamber also presented 16 Silver Shovel Awards, which go to volunteers who have served the chamber and the community in the last year.
Silver Shovel Award winner include:
- Richie Aitkin – American Family Insurance
- Missy Burgess – Lanier Islands
- Gerald Couch – Hall County Sheriff’s Department
- Sean Couch – Northeast Georgia Health System
- Allyson Everett – Gainesville Flooring
- Emma Johnson – Senator Butch Miller
- Jay Kilroy – Willis Investment Counsel
- Kelly Lee – Strong Gaddy Lee Wealth Management Group
- Jay Parrish – Gainesville City Police Department
- Rena Pendley – American Cancer Society
- Jeff Pruitt – Lanier Technical College
- Stacey Reece – Spherion Staffing
- Brian Rochester – Rochester & Associates
- Vanesa Sarazua – Hispanic Alliance GA
- Philip Wilheit, Jr. – Wilheit Packaging
