Quincy chamber honors top citizens

QUINCY — In the moments before announcing the winners of the Quincy Valley Chamber of Commerce's annual awards, there came lengthy tales of longtime community members.

Each recipient, of the chamber's Lifetime Achievement Award, the Volunteer of the Year Award, the Business of the Year Award and the first-time ever Educator of the Year Award, took the spotlight as their accomplishments were read and presenters shared comments from friends, family and people whose lives the winners touched.

For each winner, the descriptions read during the chamber installation banquet were the first hint they would be taking home a prize.

"I guess it's one of those things you don't really expect, but it can happen," Lifetime Achievement winner Butch Gebers said. "It's just been very unique and I love the community. It's just the people, the people make your life. I've made a very good living, but also found the people are very generous here."

Like Gebers, Volunteer of the Year Award winner Scott Lybbert was overwhelmed to have members of his family in attendance for his surprise award.

"To be recognized by the leaders in your community, it's pretty special," he said. "I wish I'd had time to recognize the others that have helped, because most of the projects I've been involved with, we've found good help. Most everything I've been involved with, it's been help from others in the community, and they need to be recognized for that too."

"It's just been a joy to work and teach in this town," Quincy High School teacher Norma Petersen, the first winner of the Educator of the Year Award, said.

Petersen said she was honored and touched to receive the award.

"It's a great honor," said Bill Parsons, general manager of the Gorge Amphitheater, winner of the Business of the Year Award. "We want to be a part of this community and to realize the acceptance of us in Quincy, and they appreciate us being here, is great."

Chamber Executive Director Lisa Karstetter noted during the banquet her organization went from sending out 75 relocation packets per year to recently mailing out 500 relocation packets.

"It's been great," Karstetter said of the year. "Of course, we've had all the excitement over the last year."

Karstetter pointed to Microsoft's decision in early 2006 to locate a data center, currently under construction, in Quincy.

"So between then and now, you've had Intuit and Yahoo! There's all kinds of exciting things going on," she said. "I think it will be a steady growth. With all the new industry coming, now we're going to see housing, people moving here. That's the next phase."

Debbie Graaff assumed the chamber presidency at the installation banquet from Patric Connelly. Graaff said she is looking to institute some positive changes within the chamber to make things run more smoothly.

"I think it's really grown, and because our city has grown so much, I think it's going to get really, really busy," she said, adding with a chuckle, "The boom is here, and I think it's going to get busier than we wanted it to."