Cowhands for all over Carbon County donned their best boots and belt buckles to attend the Carbon Chamber and Economic Development Corporation’s sixth annual award dinner at Blue Mountain Resort in Palmerton.

This year’s theme, Wild West Gala, meant almost every attendee was dressed to the nines in ten gallon hats and western inspired button-downs. Red and blue bandanas hung above cobalt colored tables adorned with lasso covered vases and burlap wrapped containers.

But the old western troupe only provided inspiration for the banquet’s decoration; its real focus was on local businesses.

“(The award dinner) is all about celebrating Carbon County,” Marlyn Kissner, executive director at Carbon Chamber and Economic Development, said. “It’s about sharing all the great things that are happening, looking forward to the future and thanking all of our businesses.”

“(Local businesses) are the heart and soul of this country,” Kissner added.

Over dinner, officials from the chamber thanked the audience, which was primarily comprised of local entrepreneurs and representatives from regional businesses and organizations, for their contributions to the growth of Carbon County.

In total, the chamber presented seven awards to community members and local businesses. One of those awardees was Bernie Oldroyd.

“This touched my heart so much, because I never did this for any recognition. I just wanted to give back,” Oldroyd, recipient of the chamber’s Volunteer and Community Impact award, said during her acceptance speech.

Oldroyd is a two-time breast cancer survivor. She said that early detection saved her life. But when Oldroyd was in treatment, she recalls sitting next to other people who “let go” and “were afraid” to stick to their schedules and attend their routine examinations.

That experience led Oldroyd to make a personal vow: she was going to raise awareness for people battling breast cancer, and give them the support they needed – financial or otherwise – to endure.

Now, more than a decade later, Oldroyd’s vow has turned into an annual winter sporting event that she chairs, called Ski for the Cure, hosted at Jack Frost Big Boulder. It also blossomed into a partnership between the resort and the Northeastern Pennsylvania Chapter of Susan G. Komen, where both parties come together to raise funds for those affected by breast cancer.

“As a result of that, with their support – (Jack Frost Big Boulder’s) very generous support and financial aid – we have raised over $265,000 for Susan G. Komen,” Oldroyd said. 

“The money that we do raise stays right here, in Northeast PA, assisting the underserved and underinsured men and women in our own county, and I think that’s phenomenal,” Oldroyd said. “That’s what I wanted to do – just to be able to help people that did not have the resources to go out and get those mammograms, and get those services, and get the support that they needed.”

The six other award categories, and their winners were: Business of the year, County Harvest Supermarket in Palmerton; Rookie business of the year, Blended Bakery in Lehighton; Tourism and entertainment business of the year, Weatherly Hill Climb in Weatherly; Economic development project, Lehighton Outdoor Center in Lehighton; Young professional of the year, Anthony Postupack of Mauch Chunk Trust Company in Jim Thorpe; and the William H. Bayer lifetime achievement award, Mike Knies, of Lansford.

Captions:

Bernie Oldroyd, chairperson of Ski for the Cure, accepts Carbon Chamber and Economic Development’s Volunteer and Community Impact award during the chamber’s sixth annual award dinner.

Tables at the Carbon Chamber and Economic Development’s award banquet followed its western theme.

The stage at Carbon Chamber and Economic Development’s annual awards dinner.