Chatham Chamber hands out five awards at annual meeting

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PITTSBORO — After receiving a message about helping others, the Chatham Chamber of Commerce awarded those who are doing good things in the business world.

The organization’s annual meeting took place last Tuesday in Pittsboro and featured guest speaker Amber Smith, the founder of a Raleigh-based nonprofit, and the presentation of five annual awards.

Smith started her eponymous nonprofit, which connects volunteers with opportunities to help the community in the Triangle area, after taking a two-month road trip around America with a friend and learning that nonprofits needed more help. She said that when it comes to volunteering, “there’s power in the moment you’re doing it, but there’s power you don’t see after the fact.”

Smith added that the world is full of problems, and people just need to step up and try to make a difference.

“The world doesn’t really make it easy for us to solve these types of problems,” she said. “Everything’s so complicated and complex. It’s really hard out there, but what I’ve found is that, in my journey to try to get people involved in the community, there’s two things that tend to stand in people’s way. The first is a belief that their actions won’t make a difference. The second is that they just need to get started.”

She encouraged the audience to think about how they can get engaged and involved and how helping others helps the volunteer emotionally and mentally.

Following her talk, the Chamber gave out its five annual awards. The winners were:

• Primrose School of Chapel Hill at Briar Chapel (Small Business of the Year)

• Erica Sanders, Pittsboro Branch Manager, Carolina Home Mortgage (Distinguished Business Person of the Year)

• Jennifer Gordiano, Realtor, Chatham Homes Realty (Young Professional of the Year)

• Robyn Allgood, Owner, Robyn’s Nest Creative Learning Center (Citizenship & Service Award)

• Ronda Stubbs, Marketing Director, Cambridge Hills Assisted Living (Chamber Ambassador of the Year)

The organization also announced that Indira Everett, district manager of community and government relations for Duke Energy, has been named the Chamber board of directors’ new president.