Chamber of Commerce gearing up for awards

The Ville Platte Chamber of Commerce will once again be honoring local business leaders.
The Chamber will hold its annual awards banquet on Thursday, April 27, 2017 at the Ville Platte Civic Center. The banquet will begin at 7 p.m. with notable newspaper columnist Jim Bradshaw and Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser serving as guest speakers.
“We are really excited about this year’s banquet,” Chamber of Commerce Director Camille Fontenot said. “We have two great guest speakers. Everybody is full energy and people are anxious to come and have fun.”
A total of four individuals from city businesses have been nominated for Business Person of the Year. Those nominees include: Alana McCaskey (The Flower Patch), Carl Fontenot (President of Citizens Bank), Ronald Doucet (Ronald’s Janitorial Service) and Vic Slaven (Kolder Champagne Slaven & Co.).
A total of nine businesses meanwhile have been nominated for Business of the Year. Those local businesses are: B&S Neighborhood Market, Cayenne Heating & Cooling, Citizens Bank, Flat Town Farm Supply & Hardware, The Flower Patch, Gobble Gulley, Thomas Construction Co. (Donald Thomas), Uptown Cakes, and The Ville Platte Gazette.
The nominees for Ville Platte Man of the Year are: Rev. Mathew Alfred Jr. (President of the Seventh District Baptist Association), Donald Ray Thomas (Owner of Thomas Construction), Patrick Derouselle (President of Evangeline Parish Communication District 9-1-1 Board) and Leonard Glynn Fontenot (Former President of Queen of All Saints Parish Board and Babe Ruth Baseball League).
The nominees for Ville Platte Woman of the Year are: Stacy Freeman-Jordan (Ville Platte Probation and Parole Officer and Girl Scouts Troop Leader) and Nina Daire David (Former President of Keep Evangeline Beautiful and Former Ville Platte City Clerk).
The winners of all four categories will be revealed on Thursday during the awards banquet.
Tickets for the awards banquet are $50 per plate and tables are available. For those interested in tickets, you can stop by the Chamber of Commerce located at 306 W. Main Street or call (337) 363-1878.