Small businesses recognized at annual luncheon

May 5—HENDERSON — Small businesses across Vance, Granville, Franklin and Person County received recognition for their impacts on local communities during the annual Small Business of the Year Awards Luncheon at the Henderson Country Club on Wednesday.

While the crowd for the luncheon was smaller than those of previous years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce president Michele Burgess was glad to have the event back on its traditional date to commemorate Small Business Month in May.

"This is always such a nice event," Burgess said. "Everybody is upbeat, happy and excited. It's always nice to recognize small businesses because they are the lifeblood of not only our chamber but our community."

Burgess said that this year's edition of the Small Business Luncheon carried extra significance following a pandemic-stricken year, where many small businesses around the country have either had to close or currently face severe financial challenges because of safety restrictions.

Henderson and the surrounding areas were no exception to the new status quo, as businesses like dance studios and hair salons had to shut down entirely, while restaurants either had to operate at a reduced capacity or pivot exclusively to curbside delivery.

With many businesses still facing challenges now that restrictions are being lifted, particularly when it comes to finding a suitable workforce, Burgess stressed the importance of recognizing small businesses and how they positively impact their communities.

N.C. IDEA CEO Thom Ruhe, whose company provides grants and programs that help people become economically empowered through entrepreneurship, was brought in as a guest speaker to talk about the significance of small businesses in rural communities like Henderson.

Ruhe said that he is always appreciative whenever he is invited to events like the Small Business Luncheon, adding that the overall commitment of the four area Chamber of Commerce the Vance-Granville Community College Small Business Center to spotlight smaller companies showcases how important they are to their local governments.

"There is great potential in communities like Henderson that aren't fully recognized for what they can offer the state economy," Ruhe said. "Four chambers came together today to celebrate the values and ambitions they share for the broader region. That's more unusual than you would think, but that's exactly why I'm hot for what's happening here in Henderson."

Once Ruhe concluded his speech, each one of the four chambers in attendance at the Small Business Luncheon took time to present their awards to the companies that had the largest impact on their community during the past year.

The Greater Franklin County Chamber of Commerce presented its Small Business of the Year award to Heartwood Animal Hospital, while the Oxford Public Ledger was recognized by the Granville County Chamber of Commerce for their determination to keep providing news during the pandemic.

WIZS Radio was the recipient of the Henderson-Vance Chamber's Small Business of the Year award, which had to temporarily shut down their studio on 535 Radio Lane when the COVID-19 pandemic began and conduct their regular programming remotely.

Owner John Charles Rose said that it was an immense challenge to simply make the transition but considers himself fortunate that he was able to continue his father's passion despite all of the odds that were stacked against him.

"It's an honor to receive this award, especially after the year we've had," Rose said. "A lot of people haven't had the luxury to use technology to continue doing their jobs and we were able to use microphones and computers and not necessarily go anywhere."

Burgess praised Rose for the continued relationship between his company and the Henderson-Vance Chamber along with their determination to spread helpful information about COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites.

The Rose family "has been such a stable force in this community," Burgess said. "They would call us for interviews and give us a number to call in. We didn't have to go to our office and we didn't have to go into their studio and everything worked out amazingly. However, that took some ingenuity and everyone being very creative."

Rose said that he wants to share the Small Business of the Year award with everyone in Vance County that continues to make sacrifices each day, particularly the small staff at WIZS that worked tirelessly to keep the radio station a reliable source of information in the community.

"This is not an individual award," Rose said. "This is an award that the staff of the radio station won. There are a lot of people that are there working to get things done and sometimes we cross over with one another to get other aspects of jobs done."

The Roxboro Area Chamber of Commerce presented the last Small Business of the Year award to Keller Williams Realty, while Burgess concluded the day's festivities with a small speech praising the hard work of all the recipients in 2020.

Burgess said many local residents still have questions about safety even with COVID-19 cases on the decline, but she is encouraging people to utilize caution and support the small businesses that keep Vance, Granville, Franklin and Person County going.

"I just want to see small businesses open up and people not being afraid to go into their stores," Burgess said. "I want people to go inside stores, meet people, ask questions about the product and most importantly just support local companies."