On Friday, April 17, 2015, the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Milford will celebrate their 25^th anniversary with an Awards and Volunteer Appreciation Dinner and Dance at the Milford Senior Center. At this banquet, CCGM will announce the winners of the 2015 “10 of the Best” awards.

Starting in February, CCGM members were able to vote for candidates in the Non-Profit Organization, Small Business, Large Business, New Chamber Member and Citizen of the Year. Four other awards, Board Member, Chairperson, Volunteer and Youth Volunteer of the Year, are chosen by the CCGM Board of Directors.

This year the nominees for Non-Profit Organization of the year are Milford School District, People’s Place and Super Eagle Supply/Blind Industries. These organizations provide services throughout Milford to citizens who are in need. Not only does Milford School District provide quality education to the children of the district, they also conduct many events designed to assist those in need throughout the Milford area. People’s Place provides counseling and mental health services to many people in the Milford area. Super Eagle Supply is a division of Blind Industries, providing employment opportunities for people who are blind and severely disabled.

Small Business of the Year nominees this year are SnoYo, BK Rentals and Delmarva Popcorn & Nut Co. SnoYo opened in February 2014, the second location of the franchise in Delaware. They offer self-serve frozen yogurt with a topping bar that includes many different options for patrons to build their own sundae. BK Rentals is a rental company that specializes in large tents, inflatable games and water slides for all occasions. Delmarva Popcorn & Nut Co. opened its doors in December 2013, offering uniquely flavored popcorn and nut varieties. All three organizations have provided services to CCGM through donations and support of events that are held throughout the year.

Large Business of the Year nominees include Delaware Technical & Community College – Terry Campus, Perdue Farms Inc. and Walmart. Delaware Tech’s Terry Campus is located on Denney’s Road in Dover, offering higher education classes for many citizens in Delaware. Perdue Farms, located on Rehoboth Boulevard in Milford, is one of the town’s largest employers and has recently added the first organic chicken facility on the Eastern Shore. Walmart is another large employer in the city and has been very supportive of community organizations in the area.

The New Chamber Member of the Year Award is for a member who has recently joined CCGM but already demonstrated a commitment to the organization and to the community. Chick-Fil-A, Causey Mansion and Jarmany’s Closet are all nominees for the award this year. Chick-Fil-A opened in September 2014, and from their opening demonstrated their commitment to the community. At the Grand Opening, the restaurant collected children’s books in order to create a Book House for the Greater Milford Boys and Girls Club. Causey Mansion has been active with the Milford Historical Preservation Committee through Downtown Milford Inc., working to protect historic properties throughout the city. Jarmany’s Closet focuses on empowering women by helping them create a professional look regardless of size.

The Citizen of the Year Award goes to an individual who has provided outstanding service to the community through their dedication to volunteering for worthy causes. This year’s nominees are Dan Mirabello, Donna Stalvey and David Burton. Dan Mirabello, the former Mayor of the Milford, is a dedicated volunteer for the 2^nd Street Players and a strong supporter of the downtown area. Donna Stalvey, who works at both Coldwell Banker Resort Realty and Satterfield & Ryan, volunteers a significant amount of time each year to many worthy causes, including acting as the Food Chairperson for the annual Riverwalk Freedom Festival. David Burton of I.G. Burton was the first president of CCGM and is a strong supporter of anything that will help Milford grow and thrive.

The voting for the awards ended March 20, 2015 and the winners will be presented at the celebration in April.