Tami McGreevy, executive director of the Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce, delayed the announcement of the chamber’s person, junior person and organization of the year Saturday, during the chamber’s annual meeting at the Ellsworth American Legion building.

She had good reason for doing so.

Hayden Rogers of Ellsworth, whom McGreevy announced as the Junior Citizen of the Year, was late because he and the rest of the Ellsworth Bearcats boys basketball team were competing at a tournament in Hoisington against Ellinwood. Unfortunately, the Bearcats lost the game, 52-64.

Along with a nomination, McGreevy said she asked several teachers at Ellsworth Junior-Senior High School to describe Rogers.

“The same words kept coming up,” she said.“Words like leader, diligent, team player, honorable.”

McGreevy said Rogers, who serves as the EJSHS student body president, is a strong scholar who works hard at his academics as well as his activities.

“He puts his whole heart into both and he carries the attitude of everything worth doing is worth doing right,” she said. “He is a great role model for our other students.”

Kristin Haase of Ellsworth’s First Bank Kansas nominated the Ellsworth FFA Chapter as the chamber’s organization of the year.

“It just means a lot to me that we have such great teachers,” Haase said, adding that Karl Dawn Stover, Ellsworth FFA advisor, recently was named the teacher of the year by the Kansas Ag Educator’s Association and the outstanding teacher in community service and the Ellsworth FFA also received the chapter outstanding program award.

“Our Ellsworth FFA has a lot to be proud of,” Haase said.

Haase said this May, the Ellsworth FFA was named the number one chapter in Kansas and won the Bob Garlow Memorial Triple Crown Award.

“This honor means our chapter has succeeded in growing leaders, building communities and strengthening agriculture,” she added.

Finally, Dave Brownback of Citizen’s State Bank and Trust Company nominated longtime Ellsworth attorney John Sherman as the chamber’s Citizen of the Year.

“Having worked with John for most of his career, I know him to be a person of outstanding character and a true gentleman,” Brownback said. “John is an excellent attorney who always seeks resolution of issues with honesty and fairness.”

Along with being a past president of the Ellsworth Chamber of Commerce, Brownback said Sherman helped organize the Smoky Hills Charitable Foundation, helped organized and assisted the Smoky Hills Economic Development Corporation, now known as the Ellsworth County Economic Development, served on the board of the Ellsworth County Health Care Foundation, the Downtown Streetscape Committee and coordinated the Kansas Transportation Grant, which provided primary funding for that project.

Brownback said in addition to his volunteer work in the community, Sherman has been involved in transactions that helped to bring or keep some of Ellsworth’s largest employers here in the community. He has also served as board attorney for both the Ellsworth-Kanopolis-Geneseo USD 327 and Central Plains USD 112 boards of education for many years.

He has also served as counsel for the CSB&T since 1987.

“John assisted the bank through the ag crisis in the 1980s, and a change of ownership in 1993 resulting in our bank being truly community-owned,” Brownback said.“John helped with two acquisitions over the last decade allowing us to serve five communities in four counties. Just a few of John’s contributions over the years would make his efforts worthy of recognition, but the magnitude of his efforts in a career of service is truly remarkable.”

“I am very honored,” Sherman said as he thanked both Brownback and the chamber membership.

Sherman said as he looked at the chamber’s budget summary that was presented, and was amazed it was a big number.

He immediately recalled his days as chamber president almost 40 years ago.

“Our chamber secretary wanted a copier,” Sherman said. “Ken Robson will remember this, he was on the board, I think, at the time. I think I spent $300-$400 and we got a copier for the chamber so our members could get information. It nearly got me impeached. It didn’t get a two-thirds vote, but it was close. The chamber has grown a lot since then and done a lot of great things.”

McGreevy said there were some great nominations this year.

“Our nominating committee had a super difficult time deciding,” she said.“There are a lot of amazing people in this community who do wonderful things.”

McGreevy asked those in attendance to give themselves a round of applause because they do super great things in the community.

“We have a thriving, beautiful county and beyond that does great things too,” she added.

Wayne Scritchfield won the $5,000 Chamber Chance Sweepstakes, which took place after the awards were presented.

“I’m very happy about that,” he said.

Asked how he was going to spend his winnings, Scritchfield said “I don’t know yet.”