LAC LA BICHE - Eight businesses from the Lac La Biche region received awards during the Lac La Biche and District Chamber of Commerce 2024 Business Awards Gala, which took place on Saturday, Nov. 16 at the Plamondon Festival Center.
In the weeks leading up to the special event to recognize and celebrate members of the local business community, just over 40 businesses had either nominated themselves or been suggested by others for eight distinct categories.
The categories include Community Leadership Award, Excellence in Customer Service Award, New Business Award, Indigenous Business Award of Distinction, Hospitality and Tourism Award, Outstanding Employer Award, along with Business of the Year – Under 20 years, and Business of the Year – Over 20 Years.
Tarrabain Motors and Lakeland Shell, a family-run business celebrating 50 years in the community this year, was chosen out of nine nominees to be the winner of the Business of the Year-Over 20 Years award.
Tammy Tarrabain, the business’ general manager was at the gala with members of the Tarrabain family. She said receiving the award was a very humbling and exciting experience.
“We were just so excited and happy,” she said with a smile, adding that it’s important for businesses to not only be part of the community that has supported them, but also to give back, something she says the family business has been doing for many years. “It’s certainly satisfying to know that when you receive, you give right back to the community.”
The Business of the Year-Under 20 Years went to Window Washing Warriors, which is owned by David Schultz and has been running since 2016.
Schultz, whose business also appeared in two other categories, said he was very happy to be able to win this award along with his team and represent the community.
“It feels amazing,” he told Lakeland This Week. “This was the one I was hoping for out of the long list.”
In addition to receiving an award, Schultz, also who serves as vice president of the Lac La Biche District Chamber of Commerce, handed out a few pieces of hardware during the event.
When asked why the awards gala is crucial to businesses in the Lac La Biche region, Schultz explained that business owners work very hard to serve their community, and therefore should be recognized and commended.
“We don’t celebrate business enough in our community,” he stated. “There are so many other businesses in our community that got nominated, and we need to celebrate those businesses because business people work harder than most, and we serve the community.”
Speaking to the importance and vitality of a community’s business economy, Shultz said it was promising to see 12 new local businesses being nominated or self-nominating for the the New Business Award.
Raine Wellness owner Jayden Ratcliffe was selected as this year’s New Business Award recipient.
For Ratcliffe, who started her Lac La Biche-based massage therapy company just over a year ago, receiving the award came as a surprise.
“I wasn’t expecting it,” she said. “It was nice.”
Good customer service is vital to the success of any business, and Costa Café and Seafood was the winner of the Excellence in Customer Service Award. Hazel Costa, who along with her family runs the Lac La Biche restaurant, accepted the award from Laurie McDonald of the Lac La Biche District Chamber of Commerce.
Costa Café also received nominations for Business of the Year-Under 20 Years, the Hospitality and Tourism Award, as well as the Outstanding Employer Award.
Like Ratcliffe, Costa was also taken aback when she was summoned to the stage to receive an award.
“I was not prepared,” she said, nonetheless amazed that the family-run business was selected for the award. “I’m really happy.”
Costa continued by thanking both the Lac La Biche and District Chamber of Commerce and the community of Lac La Biche on behalf of herself, her husband, and staff at Costa Café, for their support.
