Crowd shows up for Chamber honorees
AMY DAVIDSON PHOTO
Pat Hicks, Janine Stratton and Jim Cregar all have one thing in common. They were honored by the Ripley County Chamber of Commerce last Thursday, October 24, for being outstanding.
Pat Hicks, who needs no introduction to most in the county, was named Citizen of the Year. She has provided countless hours of volunteerism through music, research, time and more. She has taught thousands of music lessons that will live on the hearts of those who had the opportunity to learn from her.
Janine Stratton, fourth grade teacher at South Ripley, was honored as Educator of the Year. She has touched the lives of children for the past 43 years and continues. Her specialty is math. That showed this year when results came back that last year’s fourth graders had the highest scores in not only the county, but state of Indiana. She said she has loved teaching and math, in particular, since she lined her dolls up and taught them when she was a child. She brought it full circle when she told about her 94-year-old mother, who now has dementia. When Janine got the call that she had been chosen, she was with her mother at Ripley Crossing. When she told her, her mother had a moment of clarity and that’s all Janine needed.
Jim Cregar was named Business Person of the Year and for good reason. Not only does he run Franklin County Farmers Mutual Insurance, he lives in Osgood where he and his wife harvest honey to sell at the local farmer’s market. It was noted that he always is ready to lend a helping hand to others, which is much appreciated.
The Annual Dinner was held at the Sunman American Legion, which gave great space for the over 200 people who attended. Dueling Pianos brought the entertainment for the evening, interacting with everyone there. The evening was complete with a silent auction made possible by the member-strong Chamber that offers many opportunities for businesses.
Under the leadership of Brandi Merkel, executive director for the Chamber, the membership has grown and the Chamber continues to provide networking for local businesses. Upcoming events for 2025 include: Feb. 25 Job Fair; March 15 Bowling Tournament; April 12 Easter Egg Hunt; May 21 Business Luncheon; July 4 Chamber Night Fireworks, TBA (Aug 9) Golf Tournament; and October 23 Annual Dinner. These are the major events, with many more on the calendar.
2024 Chamber Directors include President Justin Smith, Hummel/Winters Insurance; Vice President Phil Hart, Hart Insurance; Secretary Wanda Burnett, Ripley Publishing Co., Treasurer Sharon Miller, The Napoleon State Bank; Members: Amy Thomas, Southeast Power Wash, BJ Myers, Southeastern Indiana REMC, Carrie McNew, Chozen Designs, Inc., David Steen, Pike Lumber Company, Matt Cunningham, Total Tech Connections, Olivia Welch, Woolum Real Estate, Rick Pollard, Pollard’s Bowl, Ron Decker, Digitech Advertising, Tena Heller, Ohio Rod Products, Janae Horn, Civista Bank and Annie Nunley, WRBI.
