Time is running short if you were planning to make a nomination for this year’s business excellence awards.
Nominations close on Sept. 15 for the Penticton and Wine Country Chamber of Commerce’s Business Excellence awards, now in their 30th year of recognizing Penticton and area businesses that are setting the standard for excellence and commitment in their fields.
This year, they’ve adopted a theme of “Hockey Night in Penticton,” honouring the city’s longstanding love of the game and local champions, the Vees, whose history stretches back to the 1960s — or 1951, if you count the earlier version of the team that won the 1955 World Championships.
“Hockey is such an important part of Penticton,” said Terri Phillips, events co-ordinator for the chamber.
“A lot of time, when people say Penticton, they think of the beaches, but they also think of hockey.”
The title sponsor of this year’s awards is Cascade Casino, which is celebrating 25 years as part of parent company Gateway Casinos and Entertainment. Okanagan Hockey Group is hosting the champagne reception, and Phillips said the chamber has been working with them to help plan the hockey theme.
“We will be having fun hockey activities taking place after the awards,” said Phillips, adding that they will be drawing inspiration from the hockey school’s camps.
The awards will be handed out at a gala reception on Oct. 14. Tickets are available through penticton.org as are nomination forms.