NORTH AUGUSTA – A Savannah River Site retiree and a former state senator were honored at the North Augusta Chamber of Commerce Banquet Thursday.
“I enjoy being an Ambassador because it allows me to be involved in the community and work with local businesses as well as network while helping enhance my business,” said Delores Martin, who was named the Ambassador of the Year at the 70th annual meeting and banquet at the Crowne Plaza North Augusta. The Chamber’s premier event saw a packed crowd of approximately 300 attendees.
Donald “Don” C. Smith, a member of Grace United Methodist Church and former senator with the South Carolina House of Representatives, was presented the award for the 2021 Citizen of the Year by North Augusta Mayor Briton Williams.
The Ambassador of the Year award honors a Chamber Ambassador who has volunteered many hours of time, talent and energy to the success and growth of the North Augusta Chamber.
Martin “consistently supports the Chamber at our various events each month and is always willing to pitch in where she can. Delores is a team player who always goes above and beyond for our organization whenever she can. She is the true embodiment of a dedicated volunteer,” according to a news release.
She has also served on the Ambassador’s Council since September 2016. She was also one of two people selected to be Third Quarter Ambassadors in 2021.
Smith is a member at Grace United Methodist Church, serving in many capacities over the years including teaching Sunday School for third graders and later for seniors. He has also served as a Youth Coordinator, chair of the Finance Committee, Grace Child Development Center, board of stewards, and now delivers meals and flowers to the shut-ins at Grace.
Smith, over the years, has worn many hats and served the North Augusta community in a number of ways, including being a coach, serving as a North Augusta City Councilman, as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, member of the North Augusta Cultural Arts Council, the Arts and Heritage Center, the North Augusta Chamber of Commerce and many other leadership roles.
Williams said people said that Smith would not make it in politics because he was too nice but that he proved them wrong. He provided some additional accolades for Smith, including that he had received the Order of the Palmetto, one of South Carolina’s highest honors, and that he had helped start a bank from the ground up in North Augusta.
“When my wife and I moved to North Augusta, we did not think we would make it our permanent home,” Smith said.
He said they, of course, stayed, and he mentioned how proud they were of the city and thanked the members of the Chamber for all that they do.
Students from the Junior Leadership Academy sponsored by the Chamber were also recognized earlier in the evening. Recognized students, who are all freshmen at North Augusta High School, included Bryan Johnson, Meagan Arnold, Tavian Smith, Makayla Murray, Triando Smith, Jr. and Adam Towner.
After the youth gave some speeches on what they learned from the academy, including a lot of traditional business advice, participants were asked to take the Beyonce challenge as a fun activity to break up the different speeches. This looked like the equivalent of doing squats in a gym, and many people showed amusement by laughing as they attempted it. Drawings for gift cards donated by various Chamber businesses were held throughout the evening, and most of them were for at least $25 apiece.
The event where these individuals were awarded was a gala affair with lots of decorations in the banquet hall. Approximately 28 area businesses and non-profits sponsored tables at the event to promote their businesses and were required to create centerpieces and place promo items at eight seats at one table. These were not the tables at which they sat during the event. In this way, businesses learned even more about each other after the mingling which occurred during the social hour earlier in the evening.
Ron Baxley Jr. is a correspondent for The Augusta Press.
