Mar. 31—MOULTRIE — The Moultrie-Colquitt County Chamber of Commerce announced four winners for its new annual business and community awards Thursday evening.

The awards were announced at the chamber's 113th banquet and include the Colquitt County Rock Star — Small Business of the Year, Partners in Progress, Committed to Colquitt County and Heart of Colquitt County.

Mike Wilson Plumbing Company Inc. received the Colquitt County Rock Star — Small Business of the Year award. Mike Wilson has served Colquitt County providing residential and commercial plumbing services such as new bathroom installation, water heater repair or replacement, sewer replacement and drain issues for almost 30 years. He was nominated by his wife Donna Wilson.

"Mike Wilson Plumbing started with a few recommendations from friends and one plumber trying to grow, flourish and promote the business within the community," Donna Wilson's nomination letter said. "Thirty years later, our client base has multiplied at a fast pace, we are now serving thousands of customers inside Moultrie and Colquitt County. We now have four energetic staff members on board who have helped us maintain our service standards throughout the community. Our business has grown into one of the most successful businesses in Colquitt County. We are so very proud of how the business began and where it is today and the wonderful customers we serve."

Mike Wilson Plumbing Company Inc. is located at 225 Ashley Street in Berlin.

The Partners in Progress Award was presented to Ameris Bank and its Market President Dave Buckridge. The bank opened originally as American Banking Company on Oct. 1, 1971, and has over 50 years of service, community volunteerism and investment in both the people of the community and the programs that offer greater sense of purpose and opportunity in Colquitt County.

"Ameris Bank drives off, of our strong, meaningful relationships with our customers and community partners. All employees are encouraged to volunteer and get involved in civic organizations to establish those relationships within the community," the nomination letter said.

The bank accumulated over 1,000 volunteer service hours last year participating in local organizations including United Way of Colquitt County, Serenity House, Moultrie-Colquitt Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis Club and Rotary Club.

"Ameris Bank supports local sports, hospitals, and small businesses with financial contributions. At Ameris Bank we are not just a bank, we're neighbors and community advocates. We find that whether our giving be monetary, time, talents, and other resources it is a privilege and honor," the letter concluded.

Ameris Bank is located on 300 South Main Street in Moultrie.

Lazarus of Moultrie was selected as the winner of the Committed to Colquitt County award and nominated by Tiffany Fox of Southern Regional Technical College. The store was founded in 1947 by Mendel Lazarzus and he operated it with his wife Maxine before their son Steve Lazarus returned from college to take over the business. Nathan Cashwell joined as an employee Thanksgiving night 2009 and currently owns the store.

Together, Lazarus and Cashwell — as the new owner — navigated through the pandemic providing great service, implementing curbside service and abiding by COVID-19 guidelines.

"Lazarus and owner Mr. Cashwell are a huge asset to Colquitt County. Lazarus partners with our elementary schools to provide coats to children during the winters without one, provides shoes to all the school social workers at the beginning of the school year to ensure kids without shoes felt confident when returning, partners with non-profits such as Hero House at Christmas to provide Christmas to a child victim of sexual abuse and Moultrie Junior Woman's Club to support fundraising for local nonprofits," Fox wrote in the nomination letter.

Lazarus is located at 101 1st Street Southeast in Moultrie.

The Heart of Colquitt County Award was presented to the Hero House, the Children's Advocacy Center of Colquitt County. Executive Director Regina Dismuke manages the center and was the chamber's 2021 Woman of the Year winner. The community resource center was created in 2000 as a non-profit organization to minimize the trauma of child victims of sexual abuse and severe physical abuse by responding to their immediate and long-term needs in a child-friendly, safe environment.

Tiffany Fox of Southern Regional Technical College also nominated the Hero House.

"Before this facility was opened, victims of sexual abuse who need [Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner] SANE exams were having to be transported after interviews to other counties, regardless of the time of day or night, to then been seen by an individual at another facility," she wrote in the nomination letter. "We are now proud to say that any victim of sexual abuse in our county will stay in county and be seen by individual who serves the same mission to care for and protect them. From interview, to law enforcement, to SANE exam, to advocate, all provided at our facility for the victim without them having to travel and relive and retell the same story of abuse again and again."

The Hero House is located at 617 1st Street Southeast in Moultrie.