2020 Bloomfield Chamber Banquet
Thursday, March 12, 2020
DEXDTER STATESMAN/Josh Ayers
The annual Bloomfield Chamber Banquet took place at the Assembly Church in Bloomfield. Rev. Jim and Janice Traughber opened the event with the Pledge of Allegiance and prayer.
-
Teacher of the year Julie Dodd - Dodd has taught at Bloomfield Elementary for 22 years, 21 of the 22 years have been in kindergarten and one year in first grade. She holds an event each year to raise money for 18 Fore Life and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. In 2009 Clause for a Cause was founded and Julie began raising money by taking pictures with Santa. In just 11 short years she has helped raise $110,000 for charity through her pictures with Santa program, shirt sales and Sponsors. Pictured from left is chamber member Toni Hill, Dodd, Representative Herman Morse and chamber president Amy Haas.
-
Bloomfield Chamber Scholarship Madison Cox - Cox is a senior at Bloomfield High School and the daughter of Roger and Sharon Cox. Madison is currently second in her graduating class. She has been an active Beta, FBLA and Student Council Member of the Lady Wildcats Basketball team. After graduation, Cox plans to attend Southeast Missouri State University and then transfer to Southeast Health College of Nursing majoring in applied Science and becoming a certified radiology technologist. Pictured from left is Hill, Cox and Hass.
-
Business of the Year Jim Tweedy Law Office - Tweedy opened Tweedy Law Office, LLC in Bloomfield in January 1994. Tweedy and his assistants strive to provide quality legal representation in the small town setting. His services range from basic estate planning, probate, criminal/traffic matters, family law and collection work. Pictured are Jim Tweedy, Morse, Haas, chamber member Dee Loflin, Kathy Daniel, Sara Pounds, Marla Swindell and Travis Westbrook.
-
Man and Women of the Year William and Cathy Chasteen - William and Cathy Chasteen have been married for 47 years and residents of Bloomfield their whole lives. Cathy and William have also been delivering Meals on Wheels for 11 years. Along with the before mentioned William and Cathy funded and set up a closet to help with the need for clothing for foster children. They provide each child with at least three complete outfits and other items such as coats, bedding, school supplies and personal items. They recently have expanded the closet to include prom dresses. Pictured from left is chamber member Janice Traughber, Morse, William Chasteen, Cathy Chasten and Haas.
-
Department of Public Safety Personnel of the Year Justin Bell - Bell has been on the Bloomfield Fire Department since 2001, a first responder since 2003 and has been employed by the City of Bloomfield since 2012. Bell has served on the Stoddard County Ambulance Board of Directors since April 2019 and is a member of Trinity United Methodist Church of Bloomfield where he has served on the Church Leadership Council since January of 2019.
-
Farm Family of the Year Huel and Maudie Benton - Huel grew up helping on family farms and in 1952, he and Maudie made their first crop. In December 1954, they moved to Stoddard county to rent a larger farm and in 1958 they bought their first farm in same section. By then, they had also added two daughters and a son. In 1965, they bought a cattle farm outside Bloomfield. Maudie helped on the farm and continued some farm work even after going to work full time at Federal Mogul in Malden. Huel retired from row crop farming in 1995 and Maudie from Federal Mogul in 1996. They made their home at the edge of Bloomfield so that Huel could continue to work the cattle at his cattle farm and watch their row crop farm acreage that is now rented to other farmers. In December, they will have been married 70 years. Pictured from left is chamber member Karen Griffin, Huel Benton, Morse and Haas.
-
The 2020 chamber directors are from left: Toni Hill, New Membership Coordinator Dee Loflin, Secretary/Treasurer Karen Griffin, Ruth Strickland, Vice President Janice Traughber and President Amy Haas.