Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce dinner meeting

PHOTO SUBMITTED Penn Damerson will be the guest speaker at this year's Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce dinner.

Penn Dameron, executive director of the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, will be the guest speaker at the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce's 37th Annual Dinner Meeting set for Jan. 18, 2006.

The event will take place at The Millrace Farm Banquet Hall located off Hendrix Road, Peachtree community. Invitations to the event will go out to chamber members and guests in mid December.

The BRNH consists of the 25 northwestern counties of North Carolina and the Qualla Boundary. The U.S. Congress designated the region a National Heritage Area in 2003. The BRNH strives to protect, preserve, interpret and develop the unique natural, historical and cultural resources of Western North Carolina for the benefit of present and future generations and in so doing, to stimulate improved economic opportunity in the region.

A native of Marion, Dameron attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on a Morehead Scholarship, and during his college years worked as, among other things, one of Mildred the Bear's trainers at Grandfather Mountain.

He graduated from the UNC School Law in 1975 and before joining BRNHA he was a trial lawyer and a Superior Court judge for a combined 30 years.

Dameron said "his first love" is music. He began playing professionally at age 14 and has performed and recorded extensively on acoustic and electric bass, banjo, guitar, keyboards and trombone since the 1960s.

He and his wife, Vicki, a photographer and a teacher at Cleveland Community College, live in Rutherford County.

The annual dinner is a platform for Industrial Opportunities to present its annual Disability Awareness Awards. This is a special part of the annual program.

A new tradition is the chamber's 2nd Annual Awards Night. The awards presented are Citizen of the Year, Civic Club or Community Organization of the Year and Chamber Member of the Year. Nominations are being sought for these awards and should include a resume of the candidate's or organization 's contributions to the community during 2006.

Any individual who has made significant contributions to the community during the past year or prior years should be considered for Citizen of the Year.

Anyone can submit a nomination for these awards. While the annual dinner is for chamber members and their guests, nominees for the Citizen of the Year or Club or Community organization of the Year need not be a member of the chamber to be considered for the honor.

Dr. Brian Mitchell was honored as the 2005 Citizen of the Year and the Rotary Club of Murphy was honored as Organization of the Year.

The chamber Board of Directors will select the award for Chamber Member of the Year. Last year's honor went to John Carringer of Murphy Power Board.

Please send nominations to the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce, 805 W. U.S. Highway 64, Murphy, N.C. 28906; or email to director@cherokeecountychamber. com.. For more information, call 837-2242.

Sponsors for the dinner are being solicited. Carpet Mart and Scenic Realty of Murphy/Keller-Williams have agreed to help sponsor the event. Other chamber members interested in being a sponsor can call 837- 2242.