Award Photos
Benjamin Bennett recieves the Lifetime Acievement award on behalf of his father, Duane Bennett.
Tony Saragas, Harlan Countian of the Year
Ernest Ray Smith accepts the Public Service Provider of the Year award on behalf of the Harlan County Conservation District
Nora Saylor accepts the Educator of the Year award on behalf of her husband, Timothy Saylor
Dr. Yung Poe Lee, Healthcare Provider of the Year
Harlan ARH CEO Donnie Fields and members of the volunteer auxiliary of Harlan ARH accept the 2005 Business of the Year award
Brenda Harrison accepts the 2004 Business of the Year award on behalf of It Figures! Fitness for Her
Special Recognitions
David Johnson, superintendent of the Harlan Independent School District which was ranked first in the state in Arts and Humanities.
Kathy Jones, honored with the Chamber President's Award
Gladys Hoskins, Executive Director of the Harlan County Chamber, recieves a standing ovation as she accepts an award of appreciation
Scott Sherman recieves an award of appreciation for his volunteer work in the community
75 Year Businesses
David McFaddin, Regional Manager for Bell South, recieves a 75 Year Award on behalf of Bell South
Not pictured: Johnson Funeral Home
50 Year Businesses
25 Year Businesses
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 The Harlan Center was packed full Friday night for the second Harlan County Chamber of Commerce Awards Dinner, an event to recognize businesses and individuals for their commitments to better Harlan County. After a social hour and silent auction accompanied by the Harlan County's own musical guest Lonnie Milwee, WFSR's Kyle Burnette opened in prayer before nearly 200 guests recieved dinner. After dinner, Chamber President Roger Fannin spoke first.
"Good things are happening in Harlan County," said Fannin. "Our medical industry is continuing to grow. There are nearly a total of 1,000 medical jobs within a five-mile radius of where' we're standing tonight. Our hospital is expanding ... new clinics have opened."
"In just a few short years, we have seen our shopping centers fill with new retail buesinesses. Harlan County and Eastern Kentucky have fueled America through two world wars and numerous energy crisis and now America is again turning to the coal fields to help our county to become energy sufficient."
"Now it seems the rest of the nation is finding out what we've known forever: We have great beauty in Eastern Kentucky. On any given weekend, you'll find hundreds of Ohio, Georgia, Florida or even Canadian license plates pulling trucks or ATVs to what is now America's number one outdoor park."
Rodger Bighamm, also known as Kentucky Joe from Survivor: The Australian Outback, was the evenings guest speaker. Bingham is a lifelong native of Crittenden, Kentucky, and serveral years after surviving 36 of 42 days on the popular CBS series he joined the Department of Agriculture and serves as the Deputy Executive Director of Agriculture Marketing and Product Promotion.
Bingham spoke in detial of his experience on Survivor and it's implications in the real world. “Everyone has traits that they can use. Mine was fishing,” he said, admitting that his ability to catch fish and feed the rest of his tribe was a good reason the younger and more fit contestants didn't vote him off early. “Making your community a better place for you and your family — that’s what it’s all about. Average people in average towns. In the end that makes the nation a better place to live,” Bingham said."
(Pictured Above: Kentucky Joe feels out his new hand-made chair, given to him by the Chamber)
Awards
This year the Chamber gave the first "Lifetime Achievement Award" to longtime coal company owner and operator Duane Bennett. He is credited with greatly boosting tourism efforts in the county with the generous lease of land for Black Mountain Recreational Park. Bennett also donated the facility housing the Cloverfork Museum at Highsplint.
Bill Caylor, president of the Kentucky Coal Association, says that Duane Bennett is "an example of those coal operators who value tradition and are truly independent. His mining style, shrewd economic insight and loyalty and compassion for Harlan make him a rare example of what coal operators should be."
The Harlan Countian of the Year award went to Tony Saragas, whose many accomplishments include organizing and directing the Cawood Ledford Boys and Girls Club Since it's inception in 2001, the club has served many Harlan County youth. In addition, Tony recieved the National Honor of the 2004 Baseball America / Cal Ripken Youth Coach of the Year.
The Harlan County Conservation District was honored as the Public Service Provider of the Year. Serving Harlan County since 1952, some of the accomplishments and grant requests include environmental daycamp at Pine Mountain Settlement School, field trips for Students to the Kentucky Coal Museum, pollution grants for sewage treatment systems, working with the PRIDE program, seeding and planting throughout the county ... including Camp Blanton, and working with walking trails and Boy Scouts of America pacts. The Conservation District is also involved in several scholarship programs.
Timothy Saylor, superintendent of the Harlan County Schools, recieved the Educator of the Year award. In addition to his many responsibilities as superintendent, he sees the community and school district as a vital partnership in providing a better future for Harlan County's youth. Under his leadership, the district has implemented numerous award winning initiatives. Key examples are a successful PRIDE program, World War II Veteran Graduation ceremony and parent involvement workshops and events at each school.
The Healthcare Provider of the Year award went to Dr. Young Poe Lee, who has spent the last 29 years serving his patients in Harlan and surrounding counties. In addition to many awards of recognition, Dr. Lee is chairman of the Physicians Credentialing Committee, a member of the Medical Executive Committee, and chief of the OB/GYN Department of the Daniel Boone Clinic. Quietly and unassuming, he has served our community in a most beaufiul way.
As the Chamber did not hold an awards dinner in 2004, this year the Chamber recognized two businesses as the 2004 and 2005 businesses of the year.
If Figures! Fitness for Her was awarded as the 2004 Business of the Year. It Figures! gave the women of Harlan County a private place to work on their health and wellness. In a short 30 minute workout routine, you have to opportunity to tone muscles as well as lose weight. From day one, the business grew to over 200 members.
Harlan ARH was recognized as the 2005 Business of the Year. The hospital is the primary provider of acute medical services for the residents of Harlan County. The hospital has a staff of over 40 physicians and has grown in size and services in recent years thanks to a $14 million renovation that nearly doubled the first floor facilities and improved patient services for surgery and emergency care as well as in the medical imaging and laboratory departments. The hospitals parent company, Appalachian Regional Healthcare, Inc., is the largest private employer in the county with a hospital staff of over 450 in addition to more than 200 employees in surrounding county medical service facilities. ARH is second only to the county school system in total local employment.
Serveral more business were honored for their many years of dedication to Harlan County.
75 Years
Bell South
Johnson Funeral Home
50 Years
Anderson & Laws Funeral Home
Bank of Harlan
Belks
Bianchi Funeral Home
Brock Law Office
Farm Bureau
Harlan ARH
Lee Furniture
Macks
Mount Aire Motel
Reece Monument
Stallard Barbershop
Pepsi Cola
25 Years
Abrahams
Ash Mountain Construction
Barney B's
Beltone Hearing Aids
Buddy's Tobacco
Buttermore & Boggs
Carpet Mart
Country Store
The Commissary
Durham Printing
Evarts Wholesale
Henson Florist
Harlan Community Action Agency
Home Federal Bank
Leo Miller and Assocatiates
Mountain Contsruction
Pizza Hut
Shear Inspirations
Studio of Piano Fine Arts
Village Center Mall
Western Sizzline Steakhouse |
