The Bastrop/Morehouse Chamber of Commerce held its annual Chamber Banquet Thursday night at the Bastrop Municipal Center. Awards were presented to several individuals throughout the evening and Moon Griffon, radio talk show host of The Moon Griffon Show heard daily from 9-11 a.m. on KMLB 540 was the guest speaker.
Bastrop Fire Chief Eric Montgomery presented BFD Captain Terry Lee the 2009 Outstanding Fireman Award for the Bastrop Fire Department. Lee joined the fire department in 1990.
“Captain Lee's extraordinary professionalism, initiative, and dedication to duty have contributed directly to the accomplishment of this department's mission,” said Chief Montgomery. “His outstanding performance reflects great credit upon himself and has upheld the highest traditions of the Fire Service.”
Morehouse Parish Sheriff Mike Tubbs presented MPSO Corporal Chad Harper with the 2009 Outstanding Deputy for the Morehouse Sheriff's Office Award. Cpl. Harper joined the Sheriff's Office in 1997 as a Reserve Deputy and then came on full-time in 1998 in the Corrections Division. While working in the Corrections Division, he was promoted to shift supervisor. In 2002, Cpl. Harper was transferred to the Patrol Division, where he currently serves as a shift corporal.
“Cpl. Harper is a well respected member of the Morehouse Parish Sheriff's Office and always goes beyond the call of duty,” stated Sheriff Tubbs.
Receiving the 2009 Outstanding Police Officer Award for the Bastrop Police Department were Detective Sherri Stephens and Detective Eric Newnum. Police Chief Downey Black presented the two awards because Detectives Stephens and Newnum arrested 9 subjects on 65 Felony charges stemming from a series of armed robberies and burglaries which had taken place inside the Bastrop City limits between December 1 and December 16, 2009.
Det. Stephens has been with the Bastrop Police Department since 1999. After being in the communications division, she served in the patrol division before becoming a detective.
Det. Newnum has served with the Bastrop Police Department since 2003. He, too was in the patrol division before becoming a detective.
“I have worked with all of the law enforcement officers in Morehouse Parish and have high respect for each one and feels that each one deserves an award,” stated Chief Black. “However, because Dorothy would not let me give out that many awards, I choose this team of two.”
A new award this year was for the Outstanding Teacher for Morehouse Parish.
Supt. Tom Thrower presented the 2009 Outstanding Teacher Award for Morehouse Parish to Janet Butcher McClain, who has been an educator for 35 years and is a native of Oak Ridge.
"I have known Ms. McClain for 35 years and have found her to be not only an extraordinary teacher, but a great person as well. Her character, attitude, and skills are such that you wish that all teachers would emulate these same qualities,” Supt. Thrower said. “Janet is a very special teacher who you would want to teach your child so that they could reach their full potential as a student and a person".
The 2009 Spirit, Pride and Progress Award was presented to City of Bastrop Development, Inc., which is a non-profit corporation formed in order to preserve the old Bastrop High School and turn the building into housing for senior citizens. A committee began working with New Orleans contractor Tom Crumley of Historic Creation Recreation approximately nine years ago on this project and in December of last year, it was announced that all funding had been secured to start the project. Approximately $13 million dollars has been secured - of this amount $1 million has been obtained from HUD, $500,000 from HUD's Hope VI Main Street Program, $4.1 million in federal and state Historic Tax Credits and $7.3 million from two programs created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Renovation is to begin shortly and should be completed by late 2011. Once completed, 68 units will be available for housing for senior citizens ranging in rent from $350 to $500 each.
The 2009 Business Innovative Leadership Award was presented to Tim Daniels of Jireh Plastics and Assemblies, which was started and developed by Daniels to support the automotive manufacturing industry. The business was established in January, 2000 in Bastrop.
Jireh Plastics would later establish itself as a quality plastic injection. The business has modeled its production system after Toyota. This system allows Jireh Plastics to produce high quality parts at the lowest cost, with a minimum amount of lead time to the customers. The parts that are manufactured by Jireh are used in automobiles assembled in the United States and globally. Jireh Plastics is a custom injection molding company that strives to produce a quality product, through teamwork, craftsmanship and motivation. In 2003, Jireh Plastics received recognition as a quality producer of injection molded parts by achieving ISO/9001 certification. Jireh's newly constructed facility is 27,000 square feet and is a state-of-the art plastic injection molding plant. This facility also utilizes press machinery ranging from 60 to 750 U.S. tons.
The Ambassador of the Year Award is given to a Chamber member who always volunteers his or her time and is a true asset to the Chamber. The 2009 honorees were Robin Hawthorne and Robin Simmons.
Hawthorne has been a member of the Board of Directors for the Chamber since 2007 and is the current 1st Vice President on the Executive Board.
Simmons has been on the Board of Directors since 2008 and has volunteered her time assisting on many chamber projects during her term on the chamber.
The Chamber's highest award is given in honor of the late J.D. Kelley who had a tremendous love and respect for the Chamber. This award is given to a Chamber member who goes above and beyond to help not only the Chamber, but the community also. The 2009 J.D. Kelley Memorial Award was presented to Jimmy Christmas .
Christmas has supported, encouraged and worked for the entire parish for over 40 years. He, along with his brother - the late C.V. Christmas, has been the owner of Christmas Realty since 1962. He also owns Bastrop Roofing and Bastrop Mini-Warehouses.
He served on the Chamber's board during the 1990's and also served as Chamber President. A chamber member since the mid-1960's, Christmas remains active to this day with the chamber.
Christmas has been active in many organizations in Morehouse Parish and in fact, involved in so many over the years, that his wife Peggy was not able to recall all of the organizations. However, some of the organizations include MEDCO, MEDD, Optimist Club (since 1967 and served as President), the Bastrop Jaycees (member and President), Morehouse General Hospital Board, President of Louisiana Chapter of Missouri Fox Trotters, original member of Louisiana Equine Counsel in Baton Rouge and original member of the Pea Crew. He was instrumental in securing the Morehouse Activity Center (the MAC) that will open this summer. He is a board member for the MAC and is working tirelessly to help get the MAC up and running.
