Kinetic Edge, Hy-Vee recognized as ‘rock stars’ by Newton Chamber

Two businesses, a community member and the group in charge of bringing a successful pyrotechnics convention to town this past summer were all honored for their service during the Greater Newton Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting on Jan. 26 in The Thunderdome.

Every year the chamber holds a social gathering to recognize the past year’s accomplishments. About 140 people attended the meeting and awards ceremony, which presented the Key Award, the Community Service Award and the Community Rock Star Awards for a small business and a large business.

The Greater Newton Area Chamber of Commerce receives nominations for its Key Award and the Community Service Award every year. Usually the award winners are within the chamber membership, but there are times when people or groups outside the chamber earn the awards.

Key Awards are usually given out to specific projects or an event from the past year, and it can be given to a specific organizer or committee.

Amanda Price, executive director of the Greater Newton Area Chamber of Commerce, said the winner of the Key Award this year was the PGI steering committee. The group was pivotal in hosting the members-only convention and organizing three community nights filled with live music and fireworks shows.

“It was such an outstanding event and had so much attendance,” Price said. “Thousands and thousands of people came. There were people that came from other countries, like from Australia and all over the place. And the revenue that it brought in to the community was pretty incredible.”

Mary Mullan, of Newton, was awarded the chamber’s Community Service Award. She was nominated by someone who works with her at the Newton Arboretum & Botanical Gardens. Price said the nomination form the chamber received for Mullan was very short but very passionate.

“It explained how passionate she is about her volunteer work out at the arboretum,” Price said. “From there we found out she does a lot more than just volunteer at the arboretum, which is really exciting to find out. She’s a retired school teacher and she does a lot for her church.”

The Community Rock Star Award for a small business went to Kinetic Edge Physical Therapy. Price said the Rock Star Award nominations come from the chamber’s spirit committee, which is made up of different members that plan events. Three nominees are usually chosen and then members cast a vote.

“They’ve been in business 15 years here,” Price said. “They do so much for the community. I think people don’t really know it because they’re not huge braggarts about it. They’re always donating to local causes and I know they’ve given to the United Way. They strive to make people feel better. That’s their business model.”

Rock Star Awards are only given to businesses who have been operating for a number of years and they must also give back time to the community. And businesses must also allow their employees to volunteer. The large business to receive the Community Rock Star Award this year was Hy-Vee.

“I’m sure everyone is familiar with Hy-Vee,” Price said. “They get hit up for donations constantly and they actually do so much for different groups in the community. I think a lot of people don’t understand how much they donate, money and goods. They’ve been doing that forever.”