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By JOYANNA LOVE/Senior Staff Writer

The Chilton County Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual banquet on Jan. 27.

“We invite anyone who is interested to know some people in the county or joining the Chamber to attend,” executive assistant Lynsie Glasscock said.

The event is open to the community and tickets are $25 per person. Tickets are available for purchase at the Chamber of Commerce or from any Chamber board member. The deadline to purchase tickets is Jan. 20.

The event will open at 6 p.m. for attendees to socialize. Dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m.

“This is really the biggest event we have where all of the Chamber members are together,” Glasscock said.

The Business of the Year and Community Spirit awards will be presented at the banquet. Glasscock said the award recipients are chosen by the Chamber’s executive committee based on nominations from Chamber board members.

Selections are based on Chamber and community involvement.

“Usually for the business of the year an employee is in the board or an ambassador for the Chamber,” Glasscock said.

The businesses reputation in the community, based on comments around town and those made to the Chamber about the business are also considered.

For the community spirit award, the committee looks at “are they a face in the community, sponsor evets, that kind of stuff,” Glasscock said.

Entertainment will be provided by local band Cottonbird.

“I am excited about the band. I heard them at another event in Chilton County and they were really good,” Glasscock said.

Dinner will be catered by Southern Sweets. Hidden Meadow Vineyard wine will also be available at the event. Glasscock said each ticket for the event will come with drink tickets for wine.

This will be the Chamber’s third year having the formal banquet. Before that, the annual event always had a specific theme, such as sports, Glasscock said.

“Everyone has seemed to enjoy the formal event more,” Glasscock said.

As the Ambassadors program at the Chamber continues to grow, Glasscock said she hopes to have an Ambassador of the year award next year. Ambassadors are Chamber volunteers that fill in when employees cannot attend ribbon cutting and assist in the Chamber’s big events each year.

The Chilton County Chamber of Commerce is located at 500 Fifth Ave. N. in Clanton.