'We are thrilled to be here with our members celebrating the past year'

ROCHELLE — The Rochelle Chamber of Commerce held its annual dinner and awards night on Thursday at the Kennay Farms Distilling Rick House. The event saw nine local businesses honored for their work in the past year. 

Chamber Executive Director Tricia Herrera opened the night with a speech. 

"We are thrilled to be here with our members celebrating the past year," Herrera said. "We are proud to say that our membership numbers have hit the 300 mark. Our focus is to help each and every member grow, expand and prosper. We're inspired by all of the young entrepreneurs who have joined us this year and we can't wait to see what the future holds for them."

The awards portion of the night began with Cecillia Stover of Studio C Dance winning the young entrepreneur of the year award. Chamber Board Member Haley Brill presented the honor.

"We're so happy that she came home to Rochelle to open her own studio to teach the art of dance while instilling confidence and community pride in her students," Brill said. "We know she's going to go far and we're so honored it will be in our community."

The Haas family and Hub-Remsen Print Group won the family business of the year award. The honor was presented by Chamber Board President Kari Andrist. 

"They're involved in the community and behind the scenes helping to spread the word about programs in Rochelle," Andrist said. "They also help businesses promote themselves by designing products and materials that best fit each business. They always have a smile on their faces and top-notch customer service."

Down Range LLC received the small business of the year award on Thursday. The honor was presented by Chamber Board Member and City Manager Jeff Fiegenschuh. 

"He shows a level of commitment to his business that inspires me to be a better city manager and public servant," Fiegenschuh said. "Matt started Down Range as a home business and it's grown into what it is today. It's now a brick and mortar business that is Northern Illinois' premier firearms instruction, safety and sales organization."

Alfano's Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant won the restaurant of the year award for the second year in a row on Thursday. The honor was presented by Chamber Board Vice President Josh Williams. 

"They're consistently a standard that other businesses mark themselves by," Williams said. "They show community pride in support for our schools, nonprofits and first responders. You can find them greeting customers in the dining room like they're family. They always have a smile to share. They've passed their excellent work ethic down to their children, which lets the community know that their legacy will be around for years to come."

Benny's Corner Market received the retailer of the year award. Chamber Board Treasurer Brandon Svela was the award's presenter.

"They do a tremendous job of showing what it means to be part of the community," Svela said. "They transformed a once-empty corner lot into a thriving hub that brings people in from all over the area. They make a point to support other small businesses within our community and offer a great storefront to display, sell and grow."

The welcome to Rochelle award was presented to Beauty Bar. Andrist presented the honor to the business's owners. 

"They've recently purchased and renovated a beautiful downtown location," Andrist said. "They're all entrepreneurs and have added so many services, adapting to the needs of our community. They provide a breath of fresh air in all that they do, and we can't wait to see what the future holds for them."

The legacy award was presented to Unger-Horner Funeral Home. Chamber Board Member Matt Gerard presented the honor. Unger-Horner Funeral Home has served the community since 1861 and is a multiple-generation family business.

"This is a business in our community that has offered superior service to the Rochelle community for generations, Gerard said. "They provide comfort, care and compassion to clients. They provide exactly what is needed with grace and the utmost professionalism. We are so fortunate to have them in our community and want them to know how appreciated and respected they are."

The community partner award was presented to Prescott Brothers Ford. The honor was presented by Chamber Board Member Kris Wexell, who told the story of seeking out a new host for the community's two-ton food drive.

"We used to raise two tons of food and about $2,000 to help those in need," Wexell said. "After we moved it to Prescott Brothers Ford, we raised over $12,000 the first year and last year over $10,000 for the Rochelle Christian Food Pantry. They're an organization filled with positive, forward-thinking team members and we're glad to have them in our membership."

Finally, Herrera's director's award was presented to VFW Post 3878. She recognized the VFW and its leadership for its work as a nonprofit staple in Rochelle with a passion for helping its members and others in the community.

"Their day-to-day goal is simple: To help," Herrera said. "They're always been creative with fundraising, but in the past couple of years they've been creative with how to do more. Their services have expanded to offer lunches and a Queen of Hearts night that has taken off. They've given back thousands of dollars to other nonprofits. They not only use the funds for their programs, but they share with others in our community."

Mayor John Bearrows spoke to close to the event and thanked the chamber and its businesses for their work over the past year.

"Congratulations to all of the winners," Bearrows said. "But, each and every one of our businesses is a winner. You all play an important, integral part in the success of the City of Rochelle. In order to make that chain of success happen, it takes every business up and down the street."