SWACC holds annual awards

NEW BREMEN — Last year was a difficult year for many.

The coronavirus swept through, bringing on a global pandemic that disrupted lives and places of businesses.

While the area was experiencing dark times, a few shone bright during the crisis, doing what they could to help neighbors and community members.

Three awards were given out Tuesday afternoon at the annual Southwestern Auglaize County Chamber of Commerce Awards Lunch for going the extra mile, thinking outside the box and getting creative.

Main Street Station earned the Community Business Pride Award for cooking meals and delivering them to those that were shut-in last spring.

Through donations, some kept anonymous, Main Street was able prepare, arrange and help deliver over 1,000 meals to those that needed or wanted them.

Members of New Knoxville Fire helped deliver the meals, serving them to the elderly while on wellness checks.

“When COVID hit, an anonymous citizen approached this restaurant, asking them to feed the shut-ins through the community. Other donors stepped up as well. These owners were in the driver’s seat to offer their food and skills to organize and feed the community,” said Executive Director Sara Topp. “As money was donated, lists and addresses were mapped. This list quickly grew and others wanted to get involved. Donations came in and volunteers came in from all areas of

the community, ready to help deliver the meals.”

Matt Gottschalk, co-owner of Main Street, was in attendance to accept the award.

“Going from 90 mph, to 20 mph to not knowing how you’re going to pay your bills — nobody knew back then what we were about to go through,” he said. “It grew and grew and it turned into great community support.”

Carla Topp, co-owner of New Bremen Coffee Company was awarded the Community Business Pride Award.

“Throughout this past year, many of our local businesses were faced with unexpected adversity. Throughout this last year, the individual has shown what a small town business and community is all about,” said Sara Topp. “She creatively changed her menu to offer family-meal options, more impressively, she partnered with many local businesses by purchasing a product from them and incorporating their product into her menu.

"Her dedication to serving her communities as well as creating partnerships with many other businesses, makes her a great candidate for business person of the year.”

Topp expressed her thanks for the award, saying how much it meant in such a tough year.

“This award means a lot to not only me but the staff that supports me and the New Bremen Coffee Company. To receive this award is a true honor, but to receive it in a year of a national pandemic means even more,” she said. “This is truly been one of the hardest years I’ve ever been through, yet I feel like it’s been one of the best. We as a business have learned so much. We’ve taken a year of bad and done our best to turn it into a year of positivity.”

The third and final award was the Special Achievement Nonprofit Award.

“This organization has come up with a creative way to support the medical community during these unprecedented times during COVID. Typically the group makes blankets, hats and other items to donate to hospitals and various care facilities,” said Topp.

The New Bremen Blanketeers received their award, being recognized for their dedication to helping health care facilities and sewing over 35,000 face masks along the way, in addition to a great amount of other items.

“It is an emotional time for me because we helped so many and the outpouring of support from this community is just overwhelming,” said Emilie Britton, who accepted the award on behalf of the group.

Britton thanked her board of directors and her husband, saying she couldn’t have done it without them.

“This is just a wonderful recognition and I truly appreciate it very much,” she said.

Topp reminded those in attendance that if anyone ever wants to nominate a business or individual for an award they can do so at any time as she keeps them on file to review every year.