Dear Editor, We always look forward to the annual Chamber of Commerce awards dinner. It’s always fun and the best place to see your friends and business people you maybe just get to see there once a year.I just have to say this year was more than special, thanks to Kevin Hartwick. We are so lucky to have such a gifted speaker and presenter in our community.I don't think we realize how hard it is for most of us to get up and make an event move along and not be lagging and boring.#placement_573654_0_i{width:100%;max-width:550px;margin:0 auto;}var rnd = window.rnd || Math.floor(Math.random()*10e6);var pid573654 = window.pid573654 || rnd;var plc573654 = window.plc573654 || 0;var abkw = window.abkw || '';var absrc = 'https://ads.empowerlocal.co/adserve/;ID=181918;size=0x0;setID=573654;type=js;sw='+screen.width+';sh='+screen.height+';spr='+window.devicePixelRatio+';kw='+abkw+';pid='+pid573654+';place='+(plc573654++)+';rnd='+rnd+';click=CLICK_MACRO_PLACEHOLDER';var _absrc = absrc.split("type=js"); absrc = _absrc[0] + 'type=js;referrer=' + encodeURIComponent(document.location.href) + _absrc[1];document.write('');I have been to a few, but not any when Hartwick was at the helm. Thanks so much for giving of your time and energy to our community!And I want to congratulate Debbie Stover on the Business Leader of the Year honor. She's always done such a fabulous job at Del Norte Office Supply. We all love to go in there. She always has something new and special!And so very happy to see that the Point of Honor got the Del Norte Pride Award. I have to say special thanks to Kelly Schlong. She is still pitching for more bricks to memorialize our servicemen and women who gave so much.And again I am so blessed and humbled to have been given the highest honor of the Lifetime Achievement Award. I truly had no idea. I have been blessed and never expected anything. I am so lucky to be honored in such a manner. I am privileged to be among such a wonderful community of good people and I thank you all for giving me the opportunity to be successful for all these years.And I can't go without thanking my girls at Bayside Realty that helped me all along the way, especially four that have been with me for about 27 years.As I've said, I've been blessed, and if you missed the awards dinner, you missed some of the best meals ever served, at Lucky 7 Casino. They are always so congenial, that was special too! Well, I hope to see you there again next year!Mimi StephensCrescent City googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('ad-1515727'); });