The Waddy Thompson 2010 Citizen of the Year Award was presented to Janis Steedly by 2009 recipient William H. Nimmons at the 45th Annual Bamberg County Chamber of Commerce Banquet at Job Corps Center in Bamberg Thursday evening.

Chamber Executive Director Demmie Raysor in announcing Steedly as this year’s winner said, “Steedly is a former educator in Bamberg School District One for 31 years. She volunteers her time at the Mary Ann Morris Animal Shelter (MAMAS). Her involvement at the shelter led to the creation of a “Pet of the Week” column being published in the Advertizer Herald and a Canine Carnival. She has devoted many weekly hours to working with the Cheez and Cracker Box, stocking shelves and sorting clothes. She takes Christmas pictures for needy children at Christmas time and buys presents for needy families. An active member of the First Baptist Church, she works with local summer youth projects. She took on a project at Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School up keeping the flower bed at the front entrance of the school and represents Bamberg County as she volunteers at the River Bank Zoo in Columbia.”

The 2010 Evelyn McMillan Chamber Volunteer Award was presented to The Advertizer-Herald Newspaper and its staff for all its contributions to the chamber and the community. Publisher Joyce Searson accepted the award on behalf of the newspaper. This is the first time this award has been presented to a business since its inception.

The 2010 Emma Ruth Dowling Unity Award was presented to Mikki Ehrhardt Murden of Ehrhardt. She has spent most all of her life giving back to the community and never asks for anything in return. Anyone that knows her will tell you that she loves God, her church, her family, her home and her community. She has spent many long hours volunteering in many different capacities, whether it was serving on a committee, helping someone, having fundraisers or beautifying her town. She was always there to lend a hand and never complained. One of her greatest accomplishments was establishing The Ehrhardt Cemetery Fund in 2001 which now has over $56,000 dollars in it to pay for its upkeep and thanks to Mikki, the cemetery will always looks beautiful.