Two Westlock-area businesses were singled out as the best at what they do at the 2012 GROWTH Alberta Business Excellence Awards Gala on Jan. 26 at the Westlock and District Community Hall.
Rocky Top ATV Park near Jarvie took home the Inspired Ingenuity award, while Glamery Greenhouses were named the Audience Favourite award winners.
In addition, the Canadian Tractor Museum was named the inaugural Brian Whipp Tourism Leadership Award.
For business awards committee chair Marjorie Sterling Miller, the evening went off without a hitch.
“It was absolutely fabulous,” she said. “It was a very classy event. I’m proud of the businesses that were awarded.”
She said the gala this year was one of the largest to date, despite the fact the number of businesses being recognized has declined over the years. In the past, businesses would only book one table, but now they’re booking two or three and bringing with them their staff, friends and customers.
To see the attendance increase while recognizing only 12 businesses is evidence of how well received the awards and the gala are, she added.
Rocky Top owners Jana and Kelly Spiker both said being named the Inspired Ingenuity award winners was an “unexpected honour.”
“We’re appreciative that we’ve been considered for what we’ve done,” Jana said. “There are so many other businesses that are deserving.”
Kelly said they were surprised at getting the award because they’re such a small and new company, up against larger businesses that have been operating for decades.
Yet, the Spikers both said it was likely because they were new and small that they won the award, because they’re an ingenious and “out of the box” business.
“It’s the kind of thing where you start it and you never know where it will go,” Kelly said. “It justifies the hard work.”
Pam Lorimer with Glamery Greenhouses said she was honoured to have her business selected the audience’s favourite amongst the 12 businesses being recognized.
“We probably got the award because people know us and we’re known for our service,” she said.
She also suggested the award came about because of the friendly environment that exists at the greenhouse.
“If we’re the favourite and well liked, it’s probably because we’re a place where we all get along,” she said. “If you can go to work and have fun, it’s better than a place where you can’t.”
Lorimer said she’s been involved with the greenhouse for a long time, since her family first started it, and in all that time she’s just found it a great place to work.
As for the Tractor Museum being named the Brian Whipp award winner, museum foundation president Rod McFarlane said it was a pleasant surprise.
“It’s excellent to be honoured in such a way,” he said.
Winning the award isn’t going to change anything about how the museum is run, he said, but it may result in some renovations.
“We just have to build a shelf to put the award on,” he said.
One thing McFarlane said he would like to do, regardless of having won the award, is get the younger generation more involved in the museum and the history therein. After all, it is their heritage, he said.
Together, the three Westlock groups won three of the six awards up for grabs. Three Swan Hills-area businesses earned the Business of the Year (Bohn Petroleum), Economic Development Contribution (W. Parker Transport) and Community Spirit (Wilderness Playground Tours) awards.
GROWTH chair Alan Deane said with about 250 people in attendance, this year’s gala was likely the best attended yet, and gives the organizers of next year’s edition something to aspire to.
“It was another tremendous affair,” he said.
