For the past 87 years, the Bainbridge-Decatur County Chamber of Commerce members have gathered once per year to celebrate accomplishments of the previous year and highlight a few deserving individuals.

Next Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. at the Kirbo Center, we will gather for the 88th time for the Chamber Awards Ceremony and Banquet. While the RSVP deadline for tickets was yesterday, I bet you could call the chamber offices and still get tickets if you would like to attend.

With a bargain ticket price of $25, you will receive an excellent meal catered by Lori Shiver and Crave Eatery. And you will have an opportunity of fellowship and celebrating the past year’s accomplishments of the Chamber of Commerce.

Scott Ewing of First Port City Bank will take over the gavel as the 2013 chairman of the Chamber. Scott is involved in numerous volunteer endeavors in the community and will do a fine job of leading the chamber next year.

Scott will receive the gavel from Charles Tyson, the 2012 chairman. If you have lived in Bainbridge and Decatur County for any length of time, you know that Charles has his fingerprints in many things around town. As is typical, Charles did a wonderful job this past year serving as the chairman.

I get the honor of presenting the Montford-Lynn Award to the 2012 Peace Officer of the Year winner. This year’s choice was a unanimous selection of the Peace Officer of the Year selection committee and I am looking forward to introducing this person to you on Thursday night.

Additionally, the Bainbridge College Academic awards will be presented, as will the Kiwanis Club’s Man of the Year and the Pilot Club’s Woman of the Year. There are excellent nominees that we have earlier profiled in The Post-Searchlight for both the Man and Woman of the Year, so I am looking forward to seeing the selections.

The Chamber Ambassadors are vital to the success of the Chamber of Commerce and the Ambassador of the Year will be awarded Thursday night. The Community Service Award and the Small Business of the Year will also be handed out Thursday.

I was privileged enough to be involved in the selection of the Community Service Award winner and, let me tell you, I can’t think of any person any more deserving of any award than this person. I am excited to see this award announced.

So, as you can see this event will be a wonderful time, so come if you can.