With the coronavirus pandemic cancelling its annual banquet, chamber members ambushed its Citizen of the Year and Business of the Year at their work places last week.
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Dr. Clay Hearn (left in right photo) was named the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce’s Citizen of the Year last week, and Chick-Fil-A in Lavonia (above) was named Business of the Year. Chamber officers surprised Hearn and Chick-Fil-A Operator Will Lowe (above, center) with the awards. The chamber’s regular banquet where the awards are traditionally presented had to be cancelled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. -
Dr. Clay Hearn (left in right photo) was named the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce’s Citizen of the Year last week, and Chick-Fil-A in Lavonia (above) was named Business of the Year. Chamber officers surprised Hearn and Chick-Fil-A Operator Will Lowe (above, center) with the awards. The chamber’s regular banquet where the awards are traditionally presented had to be cancelled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Franklin County Chamber of Commerce had to resort to a different way to present its top awards this year.
With the coronavirus pandemic cancelling its annual banquet, chamber members ambushed its Citizen of the Year and Business of the Year at their work places last week.
Dr. Clay Hearn, who works as the hospitalist at St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital in Lavonia, was named Citizen of the Year.
Chamber President Raymond Fitzpatrick said that rural healthcare is important and that Hearn, as a doctor and a member of the Franklin Springs Volunteer Fire Department, has “truly been an inspiration to the community, serving during unprecedented times to say the least.”
In a presentation about the award, the chamber wrote, “Dr. Hearn is a hospitalist at St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital who has devoted much of his life to serving Franklin County, but has cared for some of the sickest citizens of Franklin County during this pandemic. He has truly been a hero to so many. His compassion, caring spirit, dedication and service to his patients is exemplary. We are honored to have him working at our local hospital and making a difference in our community one patient at a time.”
Hearn said that what the hospital does is not about just one person.
“Any success I have had is a result of the team around me,” he said.
Chick-Fil-A in Lavonia was named Business of the Year.
In presenting the award to operator Will Lowe, Fitzpatrick said that a friend of his eats at the restaurant five times a week because of the quality of the food and service.
“The people are the friendliest that works at any restaurant in Lavonia,” Fitzpatrick quoted his friend as saying.
Chick-Fil-A was honored for a long list of community service during the year.
The restaurant has given meal cards to teachers, sponsored a leadership program at the high school, donated toys to Toccoa Life, sponsored Daddy date nights, given to Operation Christmas Child and the Sparks of Hope campaign and worked to keep employees “mentally healthy during the pandemic.”
Staff members also sang outside the windows of residents at The Gables in Royston.
The chamber donated enough goody bags for every employee at the restaurant.