Honoring those who make Sisters

At the annual Sisters Chamber of Commerce awards ceremony Friday night, Three Creeks Brewing Co. walked off with the prestigious Business of the Year award. Wade Underwood, owner of Three Creeks Brewing Co., accepted the award along with several of his business partners.

"We are all humbled to be here," said Underwood. "My name was mentioned a lot, but my partners behind the scenes helped make this happen. It took a big effort to get our project off the ground. We made it happen and we are gong to continue to try to help this community as much as we can.

"Certainly a start-up in 2008 maybe wasn't such a great idea. It was rough at first. Anybody that came to the grand opening or in the first few months - thank you for coming back," continued Underwood with a laugh, speaking to the hundred or so assembled at FivePine Conference Center for the gala.

In presenting the award, last year's recipient Matt Cyrus of Aspen Lakes Golf Course and Brand 33 Restaurant, said, "The business of the year award represents a business that reflects outstanding service to the community above and beyond the normal course of business. Three Creeks Brewing has demonstrated leadership and cooperation while benefiting both community and civic enterprises."

The Citizen of the Year award went to Lon Kellstrom, former mayor of Sisters. Erin Borla, executive director of the chamber and master of ceremonies for the evening's festivities, said, "This individual has made a significant impact on Sisters through the length and breadth of his record on the Sisters City Council. His steadfast support of economic development, primarily business development, was a means of securing stable funding for schools and civic organization."

In 15 years of community service Kellstrom served on the school budget committee, planning commission, city council and for the last four years as mayor. When Kellstrom joined the council there were only 900 citizens in Sisters, and no sewer system.

In accepting the award Kellstrom said, "What an honor. Not only to be a recipient of this very generous award but to be in the company that I'm in with the organizations that you have heard about earlier this evening. I'm the lucky guy ... but I have to tell you that without one heck of a lot of effort on the part of many other people I would not be here receiving this award tonight."

In introducing the next award, Volunteer of the Year, Borla said, "While so many of us volunteer. There are some that take commitment to the ultimate level and donate their time, expertise, blood, sweat and tears."

Last year's award recipient and retiring chamber board member Darren Layne presented the Volunteer of the Year award to Andrew Gorayeb.

Layne described meeting Andrew five years ago on the sidelines of the lacrosse field shortly after Gorayeb "retired" from banking and real estate development in San Francisco and moved his family to Sisters.

"He (is) a New Yorker from San Francisco. He will always tell you what is on his mind and what he is thinking," said Layne, who has since become good friends with Gorayeb. "However, when it comes to letting others know the extent of his volunteerism only his wife, Kimberly, really knows the time he spends. He is very humble in that respect."

Gorayeb is chairman of the Outlaws Lacrosse Club and a major player on the local option steering committee. He has served on several budget committees, is an Aspire volunteer at Sisters High School, and was elected to both the school board and the Sisters Park & Recreation District board.

"I can't take credit for anything," Gorayeb said. "There are just so many people that are out there working hours and hours, day in and day out for all of these programs. I applaud all of you and all of them. We are an amazing community of volunteers and caring people."

Gorayeb lost his sister Catherine at the World Trade Center on 9/11. He accepted his award in her honor, noting that helping others has given him a path out of his pain.

Chamber President Greg Willitts of FivePine gave the President's Award to Chris Wilder of Sisters Log Furniture saying, "Every year the president is able to recognize an individual or organization that played a vital role in Sisters Country success. This year we faced a unique challenge. We were asked to communicate concerns and improvement ideas on the Cascade Avenue project. It was a big deal and could have gone a number of ways. It is six blocks of business Highway 20 through the center of a dense tourist town.

"The concerned business owners worked tirelessly to coordinate their concerns and ideas. Though they all did a wonderful job, there was one individual that clearly represented the (impassioned) statements of all concerned. Chris Wilder did a masterful job of conveying concerns with passion, fears without anger, and ideas with an open mind."

In accepting the award Wilder said, "I'm very shocked, unprepared and grateful. It was a community endeavor. I want to personally extend my merchant appreciation to Kathryn Leavitt, who first walked with me door-to-door; her husband, John; John Cheatham of Sundance Shoes; and Gordon Wilson were also key.

"It is going to be very stressful and kind of uncomfortable but I think we are going to come through with the best it can possibly be," continued Wilder. "We are going to come out at the end of 2014 with an absolutely amazing city."

Ann Richardson presented the Non-profit of the Year award to the Sisters Folk Festival: "This recipient has provided cultural, economic and educational benefit to the community of Sisters for many years. They began and to this day maintain a fabulous music education program in the Sisters School District...

"In 2012 they collaborated with Family Access Network to provide $8,000 for scholarships for children that couldn't afford to participate in any kind of program that allowed themselves to express themselves creatively," continued Richardson. "This group also offers events including an annual winter concert series, a song academy for youth, My Own Two Hands art auction and party ... and of course, the event they are known for, the Sisters Folk Festival."

In receiving the award, Executive Director Brad Tisdel said, "The organization started as a non-profit in 1995, and from the beginning one of our core values was trying to drive some economic development to the town of Sisters. From that humble beginning we have become a year-round cultural-arts organization. We put up to $75,000 into the Sisters School District yearly as a private-public partnership."

The large perennial trophy for Customer Service of the Year award went to Robinson & Owen Heavy Construction "...as a company that has worked tirelessly on a large project in our community, the Main Avenue upgrade. Their employees and contractors always showed up to work with smiles on their faces and treated our community business with great respect," said Willitts.

Borla presented the Pioneering Spirit award to the Sisters Scenic Bikeway committee, "in recognition of folks that have been creative in finding ways to put Sisters Country on the map."

Incoming and outgoing chamber board members were honored .

A no-host bar and appetizers from Depot Café provided the refreshments for the evening, and Wade Underwood and his partners offered to buy a beer for any of the attendees that made their way to Three Creeks Brewing Co. after the gala.