Businesses, volunteers honored by chamber

WORLAND - The Worland-Ten Sleep Chamber of Commerce honored businesses and volunteers at the 2022 awards banquet Friday night, Sept. 23.

The awards night was the first since an awards luncheon in early 2020, prior to things shutting down for the COVID-19 pandemic.

Honored with the longevity award was Admiral Beverage for 75 years in business in Worland. Admiral Beverage, which was inducted into the Wyoming Business Hall of Fame by the Wyoming Business Alliance in 2015, began in 1947 when Newell and Mabel Sargent opened the Pepsi Bottling Company in Worland. Expanding from Pepsi to included Schlitz beer, Sargent's marketplace expanded and the name was changed to Fremont Beverage, in honor of frontier scout John C. Fremont, according to the company history.

After Mabel Sargent's death in 1960, Newell Sargent teamed up with associate Forrest Clay and expanded the company and facilities with the addition of 7Up products. In 1970, Fremont combined forces with 13 independent bottlers to form Admiral Beverage.

Today, Admiral employs over 2,550 workers with 38 operating facilities in 11 states, producing numerous flavors and brands, and is headed up by Forrest Clay's son Kelly Clay.

In an interview Monday, Kevin Zempka, vice president of sales said, the company has recently expanded into Oregon, Texas and Washington. He said the company's longevity has a lot to do with Kelly Clay. "He is all about our families. He embraces the family atmosphere and treats every person the same. He gets to know them and their families. That's what makes us so unique, makes us successful."

He added that, "Admiral Beverage is as family-owned company. We take great pride in being involved in all of our communities. We will always support our local communities."

Accepting the award on Friday was Fremont Beverage-Worland Office Manager Misty Wollam.

•Blair's Super Market was honored as the large business of the year. They were also honored in 2017 albeit under different ownership.

Sha and Brandon Yule purchased Blair's from Sha's parents in January this year, becoming the third generation to own the business.

Blair's Market was started in 1980 when Blair and Norene Foulger purchased Max's Supermarket in Powell. In an interview in 2018, Kent Foulger, Blair's son, said the organization first involved his dad, mom and sister. He joined the organization in 1981 and his twin brother Brent joined in 1982.

In 1987, Blair's Market purchased the Wea Supermarket in Cody and Brent managed the store. The family closed the store in 1997 when they lost the lease and Albertson's took over the building. The Worland store, 26,000 square feet, was constructed in 1999.

Kent and Brent retired in 2020 with Sha and Brandon Yule operating the store in Worland and Jason Foulger, Brent's son, operating the Powell store.

In an interview in January Brandon Yule said, "Our intent is to continue the legacy that Blair's has stood for since 1980, 42 years." Sha added that the legacy is family values and supporting the community.

Brandon and Sha Yule accepted the award Friday night and Brandon joked, "Buying a grocery store, don't do it during COVID. As its been echoed tonight over and over we succeed as businesses. We don't want to be a successful grocery store without successful businesses in the community. We all strive to succeed as one. Thank you. This is pretty cool. We are going to try and do the best we can. The supply chain is getting better."

•Honored as the small business of the year was Amish Origin.

Amish Origins co-owner Josh Hansen stated that the company, founded in 2001 by his father-in-law and co-owner, Worland resident, Jerry Doerr, uses a recipe which originated in Ohio, in Amish country.

While the company was started by Doerr, Hansen and his family joined the business in 2015.

Hansen said that the company utilizes natural ingredients for their line of products, such as natural menthol and essential oils.

The business was initially located on Lane 14 and in late 2021 it expanded and moved to 1214 South Flat Road.

The new location is just shy of 15,000 square feet, giving them much more room than the previous 4,500 square foot location.

In an interview in 2021, Hansen said, "In the past two years we have really started to grow thanks in part to distributing product with a few international companies and having sales on Amazon."

The company offers a variety of natural topical pain relief products.

Hansen accepted the award on behalf of the company Friday night. He said they had property in Utah 15 years ago thinking that is where they would make their home, until moving to Washakie County. The property sold, opening up the chance to purchase the new building for the company's expansion.

"It's people like you and businesses like yours that make Washakie County the [community] we wanted to be in. Thank you everybody for making this a place you would want to stay," Hansen said.

•Big Horn Cooperative and Marketing Association was honored as the ag business of the year. According to the company's website, "In March of 1923, farmers in the Big Horn Basin joined together to form a cooperative to market dry edible beans, yellow blossom clover, and turkeys. The original location of Big Horn Coop was in Basin, with a location in Powell to follow.

"Valley Coop in Worland was purchased in August of 1992. This purchase included a c-store, tire shop, mechanic's shop, propane division and a fertilizer division."

A new tire shop was opened in 2021 across the highway from the previous location on US 20 just south of Worland. The tire shop offers full-service oil changes, alignments, of course, tires, and the mobile truck for ag producers to get them back and operating in the field.

The propane fill has been moved there as well.

"The full show room with the automotive products and batteries is the new thing. It's more than just tires," former marketing director Chris Gross said in an earlier interview. He added that they have items for working on trailers, cleaning and maintaining your car, full line of batteries.

There is a nice clean waiting area in the new shop.

A new convenience travel center opened this year and is to be the new model for the Big Horn Coop convenience stores.

The new travel center has more space and includes additional fuel islands, showers, an expanded liquor store, more products in the store and better overnight parking.

Worland location manager Tamara Drake, convenience store manager Jenica Bernal and tire manager Luis Bernal accepted the award. Drake said, "Big Horn Coop is a locally owned business. We are owned by you our patrons and we appreciate all your business. We do the best we can with the supply chain and we are here to serve you so thank you for your support."

•Kara Anderson was named adult volunteer of the year and the Worland High School cheerleading team were honored as the youth volunteers of the year.

Anderson said I wouldn't be able to volunteer without you guys. It starts out with me coming to you for a donation or asking for a fire truck at midnight because we are rolling in with state championships. Without you guys I wouldn't be able to be up here. So, I appreciate you. Keep doing you. If you need me to help you, please reach out."

In an interview, Anderson said she believes the award was mostly due to her organizing the graduation parades since 2020. She also volunteers with Worland Recreation District including as an official for several sports.

"Whenever anybody needs help they call me," Anderson said.

She said the 2023 graduation parade will be the fourth graduation parade that started in COVID year 2020 when traditional graduation services were cancelled. She said it was so well received that students the following year came to her asking for it again.

"It's an opportunity for them to have fun, let their guard down and be goofy," she said.

She reiterated that without the businesses in the community she would not be able to help.

Anderson also volunteers at the Wyoming Food Bank and the backpack drive.

•Accepting for the cheerleaders were coaches Nickie Lloyd and Brooklyn Hansen.

Brooklyn said the cheerleaders love volunteering. Honestly it is so fun to see the light that pops into these girls' eyes. Nicki has found so many ways, and the girls have come up with ways to serve our community. We've been to the humanitarian center, we volunteer at fundraisers, we paint faces. We honestly have so much fun. The more we do it, the more that these girls strive to serve. It has been so fun and such an honor to see so many of these incredible youth continue to grow and continue to serve. If you need more opportunities please reach out to us our girls are always willing to help."

The banquet, catered by the Washakie Museum & Cultural Center, also featured a 50-50 raffle, silent auction and live music by Kurt and Alana Steinke and Tom Webb.