Editor’s Note: The Reporter first published the following press release in the Thursday, Aug. 9 edition. Some of the information provided to the Reporter at that time was incorrect, including the date of the event. The corrected information appears in the full press release below.
Since 1982 when it was called Community Night, the Westfield Chamber of Commerce has held a community awards dinner and presentation to honor Westfield’s exceptional residents and businesses.
In 2007, the event became known as The Lantern Awards and is held each September. The chamber’s awards follow a lantern theme with the individual awards being named for the parts of a lantern to honor Westfield’s history and ties to the Underground Railroad.
Also recognized are individuals from Westfield Washington Schools, the City of Westfield, Westfield Public Works and Westfield police and fire departments.
Nominations are accepted from the public and members of the chamber’s board of directors evaluate and select the chamber’s recipients. The remaining recipients are chosen by their respective organization.
This year for our Business of the Year Award we will be voting between the two nominees.
You can visit these websites to vote:
The Westfield Chamber of Commerce congratulates all of these outstanding recipients and looks forward to honoring them from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 7 at The Palomino Ballroom. The 2018 Presenting Sponsor is Duke Energy.
The public is welcome. The cost is $60 per person. Corporate tables of eight are available for $600 and will receive recognition at the event. Reservations are required. Please visit westfield-chamber.org or call the chamber office at 317-804-3030 to register. 50/50 tickets are $20 each and are also available online or by calling the chamber office, as well as from any board member. Reservations close Friday, Aug. 31.
Also that evening, there will be a drawing for raffle prizes and a 50/50 raffle. Proceeds from the raffles help to fund the chamber’s academic scholarship program. A portion of the 50/50 will be presented to Trinity Free Clinic, Outstanding Service Organization of 2018.
The chamber launched a Lantern Awards website this year where the public can view prior years’ recipients, read bios and testimonials of the immediate past recipients, learn the criteria for nominating a business or individual, and submit nominations. The site will be available year-round. Anyone can be nominated, but the Business of the Year must be a member in good standing of the Westfield Chamber of Commerce. Visit the website at lantern-awards.org.