Three groups named in annual chamber awards

By Scott Hunter

Supporters filled the meeting room at La Presa as the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce hosted a dinner to honor local businesses for their accomplishments in 2024 March 13.

Coulee Hardware was voted Business of the Year for being far more than a hardware store.

The store "also provides a lot of other services," noted Nancy Zimmerman-Boord, chamber executive director," listing its UPS package shipping center, retail rentals, garden supplies, fresh plants every spring, and even a liquor store.

"They are always there. They're always ready to sponsor events. They're always ready to step up," she said. "They have, year over year, supported events and our fundraisers." She highlighted their annual Christmas giveaway that draws the community into the store for a fun event that puts smiles on faces.

Co-owners Kerry Higgins and Teri Shattuck accepted the award with all of their employees present. "Thank you for the honor," Higgins said. "Obviously, our employees are a big part of that."

Awarded as the "Startup of the Year," Billups Sub Co. rebranded and moved their business to a new location on Main Street.

"You guys have really done a great job and added a value and a new thing to this community that we really didn't have before, and we just appreciate you so much," Boord said. And I know you've had some challenges and some starts, and then restarts, and we're so happy to be able to announce the startup of the year to Billups Sub Company."

"Thank you to our community, and thank you to our staff," said Neshia Billups, accepting the award with her husband and co-owner Jesse Billups. "We started with just a dream of what if," she said. "And the community really showed like, 'Yes, this is a need for our area,' and it just took off."

Nonprofits are invaluable to the community, so the chamber this year created a new membership category and an Organization of the Year award for them, Boord said. The Grand Coulee Dam Senior Center got it.

One comment made about the organization, Boord said, was that the senior center is the only place in town where a lot of people can afford to purchase clothing and ... home supplies.

It's also a great place to hold meetings and meet people, she said, noting that, "all types of people in the area meet weekly and play all types of card games."

The center also serves meals free for people over 50 and at a small cost for others, and a great breakfast is available every Friday, she said.

On behalf of the center, President Edna Hauser accepted the award and thanked the chamber.