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Erica Techo
Liz Huntley, attorney and author of More than a Bird, speaks at the South Shelby Chamber of Commerce 2016 Diamond Awards on Dec. 1.
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The 2016 New Business of the Year award winners, Tin Top Bar-B-Que at the South Shelby Chamber of Commerce 2016 Diamond Awards on Dec. 1.
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The Public Servant of the Year nominees at the South Shelby Chamber of Commerce 2016 Diamond Awards on Dec. 1.
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The Nonprofit of the Year nominees at the South Shelby Chamber of Commerce 2016 Diamond Awards on Dec. 1.
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Chamber director April Stone with Citizen of the Year winner Jane Scott at the South Shelby Chamber of Commerce 2016 Diamond Awards on Dec. 1.
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Chamber chairman Daniel Holmes (left) presents a representative of Tin Top Bar-B-Que of Columbiana with the 2016 New Business of the Year award at the South Shelby Chamber of Commerce 2016 Diamond Awards on Dec. 1.
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Chamber chairman Daniel Holmes (left) presents a representative of Candlewood Suites of Alabaster with the 2016 Business of the Year award at the South Shelby Chamber of Commerce 2016 Diamond Awards on Dec. 1.
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South Shelby Chamber of Commerce director April Stone presents Liz Huntley, attorney and author of More than a Bird, with a donation check for the Alabama School Readiness Alliance at the South Shelby Chamber of Commerce 2016 Diamond Awards on Dec. 1.
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Liz Huntley, attorney and author of More than a Bird, speaks at the South Shelby Chamber of Commerce 2016 Diamond Awards on Dec. 1.
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The South Shelby Chamber of Commerce 2017 Board.
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Chamber chairman Daniel Holmes (center) presents representatives of Backpack Buddies with the 2016 Nonprofit of the Year award at the South Shelby Chamber of Commerce 2016 Diamond Awards on Dec. 1.
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Miranda Carter (left) presents former Chelsea Mayor Earl Niven with the 2016 Public Servant of the Year award at the South Shelby Chamber of Commerce 2016 Diamond Awards on Dec. 1.
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Chamber chairman Daniel Holmes (right) presents Jane Scott with the 2016 Citizen of the Year award at the South Shelby Chamber of Commerce 2016 Diamond Awards on Dec. 1.
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The 2016 Business of the Year Nominees at the South Shelby Chamber of Commerce 2016 Diamond Awards on Dec. 1.
The South Shelby Chamber of Commerce took time before the end of the year to thank the businesses, citizens, nonprofits and public servants of South Shelby County during its 2016 Diamond Awards.
The chamber recognized the 2016 Business of the Year, New Business of the Year, Public Servant of the Year, Citizen of the Year and Nonprofit of the Year during its Dec. 1 luncheon at American Village in Montevallo. Chamber members were encouraged to nominate individuals and businesses from each award category, and winners were selected from those nominations.
Chamber director April Stone said this year they received the highest number of nominations they have ever received, and she was excited to recognize the accomplishments and stories of the members of the South Shelby County community.
“This is an exciting time in the southern region of this county. We are seeing new interest and innovative programs like Main Street Alabama come to two of the communities here,” said emcee Heath Barnett, the host of The Breakfast Club on APH Radio. “We just wanted to take a moment to honor the people and organizations that are doing good business in this county and thank them.”
Nominees and winners for the 2016 Diamond Awards included:
Business of the Year
- Winner: Candlewood Suites of Alabaster
- Trade Partners Exchange
- Chelsea Orthodontics
- Snider’s Discount Pharmacy/ Ground Up Coffee and Smoothies
- Seventh Heaven Full Service Salon
- Birmingham Association of Realtors
- St. Vincent’s One Nineteen
New Business of the Year
- Winner: Tin Top Bar-B-Que
- Chelsea Family Fitness
Nonprofit of the Year
- Winner: Backpack Buddies
- Leadership Shelby County
- Columbiana Main Street
- King’s Home and Hannah Home
Public Servant of the Year
- Winner: Former Chelsea Mayor Earl Niven
- Columbiana Mayor Stancil Handley
- Sheriff John Samaniego
Citizen of the Year
- Winner: Jane Scott
- Former Harpersville Mayor Theangelo Perkins
- Tammi Doss Crowe
- Alicia Johnson
The luncheon also featured advocate, attorney and author Liz Huntley as the speaker. Huntley shared her life story as well as how teachers helped her excel despite a dysfunctional family life.
Huntley grew up in housing projects, first with her parents who were drug dealers and then with her grandmother and sexually abusive uncle. Her father was in and out of jail from the time Huntley was 5, and her mother committed suicide after splitting Huntley and her siblings amongst family members.
After moving in with her grandmother in Clanton, Huntley said she felt the need to take on a maternal role with her 3 year old sister, even though she was only 5. The stress of their living situation, coupled with the sexual abuse she was facing, left Huntley “broken, alone, scared, confused and abused,” she said. “My entire disposition started to change,” she added.
What helped turn things around, Huntley said, was when a preschool program opened in her area. Her grandmother sent her to preschool, and there Huntley met kind, caring adults who treated her well and showed her love.
“God used that as a life changing, game changing mechanism,” Huntley said.
For the first time, Huntley said she felt the nurturing touch of an adult. As a child, she saw that the teachers treated her well when she did “smart stuff,” which Huntley said encouraged her to be a good student. She excelled, and when she went to her first day of first grade — all by herself, with no adult to guide her — she was able to read the signs around her school and find her teacher.
“Education is powerful,” Huntley said. “It gave me the resiliency that I needed to navigate those waters when I walked into that school at 6 years old by myself.”
In first grade, Huntley once again received the support of a caring, nurturing teacher — Pam Jones. Jones heard Huntley’s story about coming to school on her own and finding her way to the classroom alone and rather than report Huntley’s grandmother for neglect or see Huntley as a hopeless case, Jones chose to encourage her.
“She didn’t see my glass as half empty,” Huntley said. “She saw my glass as half full.”
Teachers continued to influence her life, Huntley said, pointing her toward biographies to read and encouraging her to continue her studies. That encouragement helped lead Huntley to attend Auburn University with a full scholarship, and later attend the University of Alabama School of Law.
“People are the ones that shaped me into the person I am today,” Huntley said.
Huntley encouraged all members of the chamber to use the leadership positions they have and the opportunities they have received to encourage and support children, to change lives.
“To much is given, to much is required,” she said. “And you have an obligation. Your leadership and the privilege that you have, it’s not given to you just for you and your families. You can do that blindfolded. It’s given to you for you to make an impact on somebody’s life, and I am a living example of how that impact is powerful.”