ArchivesChamber hosts annual Gala & Awards Ceremony
Chamber hosts annual Gala & Awards CeremonyBY BILL KELLY The Dalhart Area Chamber of Commerce hosted its 2026 Gala & Awards at the Rita Blanca Coliseum on Saturday March 21, with a theme of Roaring 20s-Gatsby. Along with cocktails, entertainment and dinner, five different awards were presented to people who’ve made a major impact in different ways in the community. The evening began at 5:30 p.m. with cocktails and appetizers while guests mixed and mingled. The appetizers were prepared by the Dalhart Culinary Arts classes with cheese donated by Hilmar. Dinner, with meat donated by Five Rivers, was served starting at 6 p.m., with the XIT directors’ wives serving in the kitchen and members of the SUBDEBS high school sorority serving the meal to those attending. After the plates had been served, the awards were presented. Alfonso Venegas won the Early Impact Award. Glenn Cummings Real Estate was named Treasured Business of the Year, and Sieto Mellema, owner of Full Circle Jerseys won Agricultural Family/ Business of the Year. Shiloh Watts, captain in the Dalhart Volunteer Fire Department, was named Volunteer of the Year, and Robin Groen of Good Samaritan was named Citizen of the Year. After the awards, Kevin Caddell made an announcement about the fundraising effort for a new nursing home in Dalhart. (For more about that announcement, please read the separate article in this edition of the Dalhart Texan.) An auction for several donated items, including a few different guns, a patio set, and tickets to a Kenny Chesney concert in Las Vegas, was held. After that Dueling Pianos, kept those who attended entertained until the end of the event. Much more about each individual winner of the awards, along with more photos and other information about the chamber, will be published in a special section of the Dalhart Texan in a couple of weeks. For the full story SUBSCRIBE to the online edition of The Dalhart Texan, call (806) 244-4511 to setup a subscription to our physical paper or pick a copy up at one of our many convenient news rack locations. You can also stop by and purchase a paper or subscription in person at our news office located at 410 Denrock Ave. |
