San Jacinto Chamber celebrates cream of the crop (GALLERY)

TONY FARKAS | SJNT Terry Holcomb was third in Volunteer of the Year.

COLDSPRING — The Coldspring Chamber of Commerce honored the top businesses and organizations in the area, as well as its own volunteers, at its annual banquet on Saturday.

Chamber President Barbara Justice said that even though 2020 was an unprecedented year, the chamber and the county managed to make it through by learning to innovate.

“We figured out how to social distance, how to mask, and all the other COVID-19 precautionary measures,” she said. “Zoom became our secondary method of meeting, and email became our primary mode of communication.”

For the first time in memory, annual events were canceled; however, alternate arrangements were made for scholarships, however, Justice said.

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“We had various sponsors, and were still able to give scholarships for students,” she said.

The first event attended in 2020 was the Christmas Parade, which was exciting as residents were able to get out of the house; there were more than 30 floats and more than 120 vendors, which put the town at max capacity, Justice said.

In 2021, plans are to have more in-person events, including lunch-and-learn events held monthly, she said.

Winners of the annual Best of Coldspring awards are:

• Grand Business: Bullet Grill House, first; Brookshire Brothers, second; Sheco, third.
• Large Business: The Mason Jar, first; Browders Marina and Store, second; Eastex Title Co., third.
• Medium Business: Hilltop Ice House, first; People’s State Bank, second; Wolf Creek Air, third.
• Small Business: Camp Jason RV Resort, first; Sittin’ Pretty Pet Spa and Boutique, second; and The Dam Liquor Stor, third.
• Non-profit: American Legion Post 629, first; Republican Party of San Jacinto County, second; Heaven’s Army of Resources, third.
• Volunteer of the Year: Barbara Creel, first, Michelle Haylock, second; Terry Holcomb, third.
• Citizen of the Year: Phyliss Powdrill, first, Larissa Sustaita, second; Alvin Wyatt, third.
• Lifetime Member Award: Kathleen E. Mathieu.
• Board Member of the Year: Barbara Justice.

TONY FARKAS | SJNT Bullet Grill House was named top Grand Business.

TONY FARKAS | SJNT Eastex Title Co. was named third for Large Business.

TONY FARKAS | SJNT People’s State Bank was named second for Medium Business.

TONY FARKAS | SJNT Sittin’ Pretty Pet Spa and Boutique was named second for Small Business.

TONY FARKAS | SJNT Camp Jason RV Resort took top honors in Small Business.

TONY FARKAS | SJNT Heaven’s Army of Resources was third in Non-profit Organizations.

TONY FARKAS | SJNT Republican Party of San Jacinto County was second in Non-profit Organizations.

TONY FARKAS | SJNT American Legion Post 629 was first in Non-profit Organizations.

TONY FARKAS | SJNT Terry Holcomb was third in Volunteer of the Year.

TONY FARKAS | SJNT Barbara Creel was first in Volunteer of the Year. (front)

TONY FARKAS | SJNT Larissa Sustaita was second as Citizen of the Year. (front)

TONY FARKAS | SJNT The Lifetime Member Award, accepted by her daughter, was presented to Kathleen Matheu.

TONY FARKAS | SJNT Board Member of the Year was presented to Chamber President Barbara Justice.

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