Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce honors community's finest

By ALLIE ROTH

Published on May 18, 2007

The Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce honored some of the community's best on May 9 in the Campus Center Auditorium at the University of Massachusetts.

Called "Stars of the Valley," the program included a dinner and social hour buffet, cash bar, music and awards honoring the accomplishments and contributions of community members.

Emcees Cinda Jones, the chamber president, and Joan Temkin, its interim director, paid special tribute to John Coull, the former director, for his eight-and-a-half years of service to the Chamber, while Democratic state Reps. Ellen Story and Stan Rosenberg read legislative proclamations that were given to all recipients.

The awards ceremony began with the Janet & Winthrop Dakin Community Service Citations, given to three individuals or organizations who contribute to the community by way of human services, business or education.

Temkin introduced and stepped off the stage to give Mary Wyatt, of the Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast Committee, the award for human services. She accepted the award on behalf of past and present members of the group. Wyatt spoke of King and the group's work in helping youths attend college by getting them scholarships.

"Everyone can work for other people, not just think of one set of people, but all people," she said, before singing "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" in a booming voice. The whole auditorium stood up and clapped enthusiastically.

Jones introduced the Amherst Bulletin, the winner for professional service, by noting its position as a "primary vehicle & that gives the Amherst-area a voice, a platform, a commerce."

Jim Foudy, in his acceptance speech, cited the work of past and present Bulletin employees, especially reporter and former Bulletin editor Nick Grabbe in turning the paper from a tabloid-style paper into the broadsheet publication with a strong opinion section and deep ties to the community.

For UMass Minutemen Marching Band Director George N. Parks, the attendees received a fun musical treat. The Marching Band entered the auditorium in full uniform, clapping and playing the UMass "Fight Song" to honor its leader.

In accepting the award, which is for community service by an educational group, Parks said, "We put the 'serve' in whatever we do."

He spoke about the band's annual participation in the Merry Maple Celebration and other similar activities and joy of bringing delight to the community.

Developer Peter Jessop received the Millicent H. Kauffman Distinguished Service Award. He was introduced by Jones, who called Jessop "the best of our community."

Jessop, owner of Integrity Development and Construction and a member of Pioneer Valley Cohousing, spoke of his work with Habitat for Humanity and other nonprofits and the importance of providing housing for all. He spoke of the importance of enriching the world with arts and education.

Jessop also talked about the importance of local politics, even if national politics are failing. "Locally we do our best to do the right thing," he said.

He also honored community members for their giving much more than taking any acknowledgment himself.

The awards ceremony closed with the introduction of a new award, The Barry Roberts Award, for outstanding community entrepreneurship. For its first year, the honor was given to the man for whom it was created, Barry Roberts.

"Hollywood has its Oscar; Amherst has its Barry," said Amherst Town Manager Larry Shaffer, who introduced Roberts. He spoke of Roberts' role in bringing the Amherst Cinema Center downtown and his work on revitalizing the area.

"He loves what the rest of us call work," Schaffer said.

Roberts began his acceptance speech by saying, "I'm a sucker for old buildings. I love to save them and reuse them."

He talked about the important role that downtown played in his childhood, especially the shops and the cinema. He then went on to speak about the overall importance of revitalizing Amherst and to create "a uniqueness to our downtown."

Roberts offered three things that must change before a revived downtown can exist. First, there must be smoothed-out permitting process. Second, zoning modifications must take place so that more housing units could come to downtown. This would bring more people downtown and make the area open to denser development. Last, the issue of limited parking must be resolved. Convenient parking would draw more people to downtown restaurants and shops, said Roberts.