The 2020 "Celebrate Coota" Cootamundra Business Awards were launched at the Cootamundra Country Club on Wednesday night, with a somewhat smaller number of awards on offer this year due to Covid-19.
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Sponsors of award categories and of the Shop Local campaign were present, as the chair of the Cootamundra Development Corporation (CDC), Janet McAtear, declared nominations open.
"Obviously we're not going to be able to have the usual format for our awards night," Ms McAtear said.
"We live in hope. At at this stage we're ready to concede it may not occur, although if we don't have hard lockdown the Ex-Services Club will be back up and running in September so there's a possibility we could have around 120 people at the awards night.
"We've decided to pare it down a little bit this year so there won't be as many awards. Some of them will be merged and I think that probably makes for a better night, then the votes can be a little more accurate."
The 2020 awards will be: Individual Dedication to Customer Service (sponsor SouthWest Fuel); Apprentice/Trainee of the Year (NSW TAFE), Excellence in Business (JMA Legal); Giraffe Award for Customer Service (Coota Signs); Employer of the Year (CDC); Contribution to the community (Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council); Employee of the Year (Councillor Craig Stewart) and Best New Business (Twomeys).
Nominations will close on Friday September 11 and nominees will be announced, and voting opened, on Friday September 18.
MC Gwen Norman then introduced the draw of the Shop Local campaign, which she said had a "pretty hefty" prize of $500 worth of local shop vouchers.
"We say a big thank you on behalf of CDC to participants in the campaign, Jak + Jill, JMA Legal, Coota Signs, CW Jewellers, The Rusty Table, Coota New & Old, Tasco Petroleum, Braybrooks Pharmacy, Bryant Constructions, Elizabeth Anne Florist, Desi's Fabrics and Blinds, Cootamundra Country Club, Flemings Property Services and Kevin Deeps Clothing & Footware."
Mayor Abb McAlister then drew the winning entry, Judith Quinn, after which there was a "little bit of theatre" when he rang and congratulated her on the spot.
Cr McAlister said the 2019 awards had been a fantastic night, and he liked the larger number of awards.
"Whether we get rid of Covid altogether or not there'll be so many opportunities for towns like Cootamundra because international travel will stop and people in the cities have learned they can work from home.
"It's amazing how many people are showing interest in moving to the bush."
