Chamber doles out honors for businesses, service

Several businesses and organizations were honored at the 2024 Worland-Ten Sleep Chamber of Commerce awards dinner Friday night at the Washakie Museum.

After the board gets a list of worthy nominees, award recipients are voted on anonymously by board members - President Bill Fuchs, Vice President Linda Weeks, Secretary Caryn Ramirez, Treasurer Ken Westphal, Michael Short, Staci Brazell, Ann Brock and Hannah Skretteberg.

Washakie Cinemas was honored as the New Business of the Year. The theater was re-opened by the Dykstra family from Ten Sleep. The theater closed in March 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic after orders by the governor and state health department ordered theaters, gym and personal service businesses closed. The theater did not re-open after the orders expired. In 2022, Marc and Chasity Dykstra purchased then Washakie Twin Cinemas and after a name change and renovations, reopened the theater in the fall of 2022.

In addition to showing new movies Thursday through Sunday, they also offer specials during school winter break, spring break and in the summer.

On accepting the award, Chasity Dykstra said, "I just want to thank the community that made it possible for us and those who give and donate. Our summer program for the kids is a huge success. It's an adventure that we didn't really see ourselves doing but it's been a lot of fun and so thank you for making it possible."

The next award was for the Ten Sleep Business of the Year Award, an award that has rarely been presented. This year's award went to Matt and Nicole Bedtka, owners of the Daily Bread Café.

Matt Bedtka said, "We'd just like to thank everybody for just making all this possible and if it wasn't for all you guys we wouldn't be where we are today.

"It's just wonderful that we have all your guys's support and all the communities around us. Thank you very much."

There were ties for the categories of Small Business of the Year and Medium Business of the Year and rather than determine a way to break the tie (from tabulated votes) the board opted to give two awards in each category.

The first Small Business of the Year honoree is Big Horn Basin Tire and Off Road, accepted by owners Mel and Darr Lea Walker. Mel Walker said they have been open for 15 years. He joked that after a hard day's work he usually goes home and rarely goes out. "The one time I do and this is what happened," he laughed, thanking the chamber for the honor.

The other business is State Farm Insurance-Ken Westphal. Westphal has more than 25 years experience in the insurance industry, is a board member of the chamber and is active in the Worland Rotary Club.

The two Medium Business of the Year honorees are Serlkay and Cloud Peak Chiropractic.

Paul Keller of Serlkay said he and his wife Kari purchased Sunshine Office Products about 17 years ago and then added the accompanying business of Serlkay about six years ago, merging into one name. Overall, Keller said the business has been open in Worland a little over 50 years.

"It's been a lot of fun and we appreciate it," Paul Keller said.

Sarah Radabaugh, doctor of chiropractic, has been practicing for 17 years and last year she purchased her father's business in Thermopolis, expanding Cloud Peak Chiropractic.

She said, "I'm just so grateful to all of my patients for trusting us with your health and trusting us with your families. It's such a joy to live and work in a small town and get to see five generations of some families all the way from tiny babies up to my wonderful elderly patients. It's just a joy so thank you. Thank you so much. What an honor. I share this with my team."

The Large Business of the Year went to Range. Range won this award in 2017 when it was still RT Communications.

In accepting the award, Laura Mock, Range human resources director, said, "I want to thank everybody. It's an honor to be up here to receive this award. And I have to tell you we couldn't be here today without the community that we have and all of the employees."

Range Telephone Cooperative, Inc. "Range" is a local exchange carrier providing telecommunication services to southeastern Montana and northeastern Wyoming. Range was established in 1953 as a non-profit cooperative. In 1993, Range purchased 16 exchanges in Wyoming from US West and formed RT Communications to serve those exchanges. In 2020 Range rebranded for "one company, one network."

Locally Range was a major sponsor of the awards night and sponsors the Trim A Tree Lighting Ceremony in Pioneer Square every Thanksgiving weekend. 

SERVICE

This year's Nonprofit of the Year is Crisis Prevention and Response Center, presented to Executive Director Karina Rice.

CPRC serves survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, elder abuse and child abuse in Washakie County, Wyoming. Recently they added serving Hot Springs County.

In a rebranding, the volunteers of the year were merged into this year's Service Award, presented to Cheri Bundren of Worland.

Bundren is most known for her work with the American Cancer Society and various fundraisers and events including Relay for Life events and National Cancer Survivor Day, which this year is June 2. The event usually includes presentations from survivors and oncologists.

She also organizes the October breast cancer walk; she is a regular contributor via a tree or wreath to the Pinnacle Bank Festival of Trees, is on the Washakie Farmers Market committee, has helped with Sleep in Heavenly Peace bed builds, Friends of the Washakie County Library mystery theater participant.

Recently she completed the annual American Cancer Society Daffodil project that raises funds for cancer research.

She is also a regular participant in helping others through other events such as the Silver Tree for Seniors.

Bundren said in an interview Sunday, "Often, events are happening that I would like to support with service of some kind, but are on the same dates when I have commitment to something already.  Worland's offerings are numerous and continue to increase.  Guess that's a good thing, but not when you are like me and want to do everything, because doing is satisfying. 

"For me the award represents people - people that are served by the activities I plan and make available to community, but also the people who are willing to volunteer to work with me making my projects their interests so the work can be done."

The dinner also include live and silent auction and speeches from U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman and entrepreneur Ty Jenkins of Ten Sleep. More on Jenkins's speech will be published in next week's issue.