The Baker County Chamber of Commerce has received nominations from business owners for the new awards program HONORS: Honoring Our Neighborhood's Outstanding Retail and Service. Public voting starts Oct. 1 at visitbaker.com and the chamber's social media sites.

The Baker County Chamber of Commerce is seeking votes to celebrate employees who work in retail and restaurants.

The awards are called HONORS, which stands for Honoring Our Neighborhood’s Outstanding Retail and Service.

Business owners nominated employees in certain categories, then the public can cast votes starting Oct. 1. There are several ways to vote: online at visitbaker.com, call 541-523-5855, comment on the chamber’s social media posts, or in person at AJ’s Corner Brick.

The 13 awards will be announced on Sunday, Oct. 13, at Churchill School. A no-host bar opens at 5 p.m., and James Dean Kindle will provide live music from 5-6 p.m. Entry is free.

Also, 50 tickets will be sold for a dinner of tri-tip, baked potato and salad served at 5:30 p.m. by Spud Guts. Dinner tickets are $25 and available at the chamber, 490 Campbell St. 

In addition, the evening will feature six raffle baskets filled with local and regional products from the chamber gift shop. Raffle tickets are $5 each, and each basket is valued at about $100.

Award winners will be announced at 6 p.m., followed by social hour at 7 p.m.

HONORS will be an annual fall event, said Christopher Hobson, executive director of the chamber. It will always be held on Oct. 13 and feature 13 awards — a baker’s dozen — although the location could vary each year.

“It will always take place at a school,” he said.

He said the chamber is moving to a schedule of one signature event per season: Miners Jubilee (summer), HONORS (fall), Twilight Parade and tree lighting (winter) and the chamber banquet (spring, which is a change from the previous January date).

Awards

The chamber will present HONORS awards across three categories. Each winner will receive a wooden engraved plaque, and Hobson said the chamber has partnered with One Tree Planted to plant 13 trees per award in a Pacific Northwest area affected by wildfire.

The award categories are:

Restaurant

1. Gold Rush Go-Getter: For the server who’s always on the move, making sure everyone’s well taken care of.

2. Pen Wrangler: For the server who’s notorious for collecting pens, intentionally or not.

3. Pioneer of Punctuality: For the employee who’s always on time, never missing a beat.

4. Mixologist Maverick: For the bartender who crafts the best cocktails or pours the perfect beer every time.

5. Kitchen Trailblazer: For the cook or cleaner who keeps the kitchen running smoothly, no matter the challenge.

Retail

1. Treasure Hunter: For the employee who can find anything in the store, no matter how hidden it is.

2. Main Street Maven: For the retail worker who knows every product and every customer by heart.

3. Display Dynamo: For the person who makes every product look like gold with their merchandising skills.

4. Cash Register Conductor: For the smoothest and quickest cashier, handling every transaction with ease.

5. Service Sage: For the employee who provides top-notch customer service, making every shopper feel special.

Other

1. Ink Masterpiece: For the individual whose tattoos are a canvas of creativity, showcasing personal style and artistic flair.

2. Rock Solid: For the employee who is the dependable backbone of the team, always reliable and ready to step up.

3. Sunshine Spirit: For the person who radiates positivity and keeps the morale high, spreading smiles and good vibes wherever they go.

Information

For more information, contact the Baker County Chamber of Commerce by email at info@visitbaker.com, calling 541-523-5855 or online at visitbaker.com.