Columbiana honors its difference makers
COLUMBIANA — The Columbiana Area Chamber of Commerce last weekend presented awards to what City Manager Lance Willard described as the “difference makers.”
WFMJ meteorologist Andrew DiPaolo presented awards celebrating the entrepreneurial resiliency of businesses throughout Columbiana. The 68th annual awards banquet also celebrated the contributions of citizens, educators and community leaders.
Mayor Rick Noel said that he was proud to see community rally together to save events, and re-invent activities that kept Columbiana unified.
“We all know that we can all be successful together, as we work together, and that goes from government to schools the whole deal,” said Noel.
Terry Shaffer, superintendent of Firestone Park and Cemetery, was awarded a Lifetime Service Award. Shaffer has been with Columbiana for 44 years and said it has been a journey but it doesn’t seem like 44 years.
Shaffer said his favorite part of his job has been the pool. “You can’t take the boy totally out of the man,” Shaffer said while explaining that the pool has kept him young.
Shaffer said he enjoyed teaching lifeguarding, CPR and first aid
Harmony Offenburg was awarded the Young Citizen of the Year award. Offenburg described being inspired by her brother who volunteered as an EMT in New Jersey during 2020.
Offenburg paired together with her mother to make masks. The two spent two months accomplishing a pattern that gave a perfect fit.
“Things like that were really important with a medical background, it was important to have a perfectly fitting mask so we weren’t spreading germs to everybody.”
Offenburg eventually upgraded from her mother’s old sewing machine to a new one and has since sent masks to 30 states.
Heidi Dattilio, Chamber of Commerce president, recognized the camaraderie among businesses. Dattilio said the chamber will start offering classes on QuickBooks, social media marketing etc.
Dattilio said the classes are being taught by multi-talented business owners.
Eric Offenburg, Chamber of Commerce executive director, said that the businesses at the awards banquet raised a light during a dark year and moved forward.
“I’m going to say that in this room here there are so many people that have risen up to this past year, people that have adapted and have been very successful,” said Offenburg.
Vari-Wall Tube was recognized for development and expansion during 2020.
Chris Vorwald, sales manager, said the company added in-house aluminum heat treatment and expanded the building.
Vorwald explained that while he is looking forward to Covid being over for personal reasons, he is also looking forward to the opportunities the expansion will bring.
Vorwald said the company has obtained accreditation that will allow the business to heat treat aerospace parts.
“We are hoping that it not only expands within our current customers but also our new customers and hopefully brings some more jobs to the area as well,” said Vorwald.
Kim Sharshan, member of the chamber board of directors, said, “I think what businesses accomplished this year is their perseverance and their grit to keep our community going and moving.”
Nicole Ice, also on the board and co-owner of Sundog Ciderhouse and Winery, said she is proud of the continuous development of businesses and community. Ice has termed the phrase “Columbiana Strong” to describe the perseverance she has witnessed in the community.
Ice said the saying “It takes a village to raise a child,” was reversed in 2020 because the young adults in Tricia Missos’s class at the high school “raised our village and inspired us. That type of stuff was so inspiring and it’s so cool to see that happening in Columbiana,” she said.
Sponsors for the awards ceremony included Best Western Dutch Haus Inn, LiB’s Market, Shaker Woods Village, Legacy Christian Homecare, Homestead Kitchen and Cocktails, Holloway Insurance, Firestone Farms Town Center, Birdfish Brewing Company, Humtown Products, Pineapple POS, Premier Bank, Salem Regional Medical Center, SERVPRO, Sierra Blue Photography and Sundog Ciderhouse and Winery.
The Awards
The Wish List – Best Ribbon Cutting
Park Avenue Marketplace – Frequent Flier
Youst Insurance/ Dave Yost – New Construction
ABL Wholesale – Adaptive Reuse and Upgrade Award
Vari-Wall Tube – Business Expansion
Tricia Missos and the Creative Entrepreneur Class – Young Entrepreneur Award
Noah Clark – Young Citizen of the Year
Harmony Offenburg – Young Citizen of the Year
The Wild Herb Company – Best Kept Secret
Sundog Ciderhouse and Winery – Feet on the Street
Leslie Costal – Outstanding Community Service
Larry Webber – Outstanding Community Service
Rhonda Pahanish – Outstanding Community Service
Andrew Dobson – Outstanding Community Service
Betsy Lariccia – Educator of the Year
Maryann’s Homemade Chocolates – Best Up and Coming Business
Homestead Kitchen and Cocktails – Business of Year
Rob and Lana Wilt – Business Person of the Year
Terry Shaffer – Lifetime of Service
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