Chamber honors citizens, volunteers

"Okay, well - that was a shock," said Jennifer McCrystal, after being handed a plaque that named her and her husband, T.R. McCrystal, Citizen of the Year at the annual Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce Black & White Ball.

Sisters' business community members were decked out in their finest for the event held at FivePine Convention Center on Friday, February 12.

The McCrystals were honored for their support of community endeavors from the schools to Sisters trails to the Sisters Folk Festival. Jennifer noted that T.R. could not attend the event because he was working at Jen's Garden, full on the Friday before Valentine's Day.

She recalled their decision to come to Sisters to open a fine dining establishment. The couple spent four months touring the Northwest looking for a community that would support their endeavor, had good schools, a vibrant arts and cultural scene and great natural beauty. Sisters met all of those criteria.

"Four months and five states later, we came to Sisters and said, 'This is our town," McCrystal said.

The couple have thrown themselves into the life of their community and were honored for their community-centered activities.

Chamber president Patty Vandiver honored Mac Hay, co-chair of the Sisters Business Attraction and Retention Team (SBART), for tireless volunteer work in trying to revitalize the local economy.

Hay said there was a "whole village" involved in the award and said, "let's land a few of these businesses in 2010."

The chamber created two new awards this year: Volunteer of the Year and Nonprofit of the Year.

John Rahm, who led the charge in creating the Sisters Trails Alliance and building a new Peterson Ridge Trail system, won honors as Volunteer of the Year.

Rahm described the arduous efforts of many volunteers in creating a trail system on Peterson Ridge that he believes gives Sisters "the potential to be a very attractive cycling destination."

He said, "I hope this project is remembered most of all as a great community project."

Grant Cyrus accepted the Nonprofit of the Year award on behalf of the Kiwanis Club of Sisters.

The active club runs a food bank that is critical to many local residents and is deeply involved in fundraising activities that benefit a wide range of programs across Sisters Country.

"Our little community has the single largest Kiwanis club in the state," Cyrus observed.

The Nugget was named Business of the Year. Publisher Kiki Dolson, who has operated the business since 1982, said she was grateful to work in a community where print journalism remains vibrant.

Editor Jim Cornelius noted that a successful newspaper represents a partnership with the community.

Chamber executive director Erin Borla extolled the relative health of Sisters Country, while acknowledging that times remain tough and challenging for anyone trying to survive in business.

"Already in 2010, we have seen an additional 15 new members," she noted. "The National Geographic GeoTourism Map was printed in collaboration with Travel Oregon and Sisters Country is mentioned on the printed piece an astounding six times, three Scenic Bikeway routes have been nominated by Sisters Country, enhancing our economic vitality through recreational tourism, and I am proud to announce that Sisters has been selected by Budget Travel as one of 'America's Coolest Small Towns.'"

She expressed faith that Sisters' pioneer spirit will help the region overcome economic hardship.

"I know, regardless of the economic climate nationwide, Sisters will be successful and make it through because that's who we are," she told the assemblage. "We are pioneers, we have a great product, and great potential to be even more successful. Stay on board, stay connected and keep working with each other and we will be the portrait of success for rural communities in Oregon and throughout the country."