Chamber of the Year. And This One Belongs to You.

We have some news worth celebrating. The Lacombe & District Chamber of Commerce has been named Chamber of the Year by the Alberta Chambers of Commerce.

We are proud. We are a little stunned. And mostly, we are grateful.

Here is the thing about an award like this. It does not go to an office or a logo on a door. It goes to a community. And ours is something pretty special.

Since 1924, this Chamber has existed for one reason. Because the businesses of Lacombe and district wanted it to. More than 350 of you carry that forward today. The shops on Main Street. The trades and the ag operations. The home-based startups and the family businesses passing the torch to a second and third generation. When the Alberta Chambers of Commerce looked at what we built together this year, they were really looking at you.

So what does Chamber of the Year actually mean? It means our members show up. It means our volunteers give hours they do not have. It means a ten-member board that pours real heart into this work. It means business owners who mentor the newcomer, sponsor the event, and answer the phone when a fellow member needs a hand. That is not something you can fake for an awards application. It is who we are.

We will also share that our team earned a national nod this year. Our Executive Director is one of the country's nominees for Executive Director of the Year. That recognition is humbling, and we want to be clear about what it reflects. No one does this work alone. Behind every line on that nomination is a staff of three, a committed board, and a membership that makes the job a joy.

Here is what this means going forward. We are not going to coast on a trophy. If anything, it raises the bar. We have big plans for the year ahead, including some exciting things on the horizon that we cannot wait to tell you about soon. The recognition just confirms what we already believed. When Central Alberta businesses pull in the same direction, we are tough to beat.

To every member, volunteer, sponsor, and partner who made this happen, thank you. From the bottom of our hearts. This award sits in our office, but it represents every one of you.

Lacombe has always punched above its weight. This is just the latest proof.

Here is to what comes next.