NIPAWIN 鈥� It was a chance to recognize the success of Nipawin businesses.
At the Nipawin Chamber of Commerce鈥檚 President鈥檚 Gala, achievement in business excellence were given to businesses in the agriculture, service and retail industries. An award was also given to a business that鈥檚 been in Nipawin for decades.
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2018 Agriculture Award
The 2018 Agriculture Award, which went to Nipawin Greenhouse.
Nipawin Greenhouse was started by Bill and Eleanor Coreau, who arrived in Nipawin in 1932. Bill went to war and after the war ended decided it was time to see some beauty and a future to look forward to, opening the greenhouse in 1946.
In 1967 Eleanor died and Bill turned the business over to daughter Betty and her husband Lloyd Wood and their children. In 1994 Betty officially retired and the business was passed on to her son Ward Wood and his wife Kimberley Wood.
Ward and Kimberley Wood still run the business today.
鈥淲e鈥檙e very honoured to accept this award, it鈥檚 an exciting thing to be acknowledged by your community of peers,鈥� said Kimberley. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just nice to be acknowledged.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檇 like to thank the people of Nipawin for supporting us for so long, they鈥檙e very loyal and come back every year. Some of their grandparents, their parents and their children now. It鈥檚 an honour to serve them.鈥�
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2018 Service Award
A pair of businesses, Cain鈥檚 AutoBody Ltd. and听 JT Plumbing & Heating Limited, were given the听 2018 Service Award
Cain鈥檚 Autobody Ltd. was started on July 2, 1985 by Dave and Leanne Cain. On Oct 1, 2006 Dale Chorney, who worked at Cain鈥檚 since 1990, and his wife Debbie purchased the business.
JT Plumbing & Heating was started on May 1, 1991 at 1010听 8th Street West by James Hartness. August of 1992 James and his wife Valarie expanded to the current location 300 鈥� 1st Avenue West. In 2010 James retired and his daughter Tracy Grieve, along with her husband, Scott, purchased the business.
Over the years Scott and Tracy have been involved in numerous local service clubs including the Kinsmen, Kinettes, the Evergreen Center, Nipawin Hawks, Gymnastics, Busy Bee and the swim club.
Scott is currently on the SaskEnergy Network and Natural Gas Appliance and Equipment Dealers Association boards.
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2018 Retail Award
The 2018 Retail Award, which was given to Par-A-Mart Confectionery Ltd.
Craig Spencer and Terry Mochuruck started Par-A-Mart around 1985 and continued to own it until Aug. 28, 2000 when it was purchased by Curtis and Angela Andrus.
鈥淚 would like to say thanks for the ABEX award and wish all businesses in Nipawin the best of luck,鈥� wrote Curtis in a letter for the ceremony. 鈥淲e are all very fortunate to be in such a wonderful town and be surrounded by such wonderful people.鈥�
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2018 Heritage Award
The 2018 Heritage Award was given to Western Financial Group.
Fiddler Agencies traces its history in Nipawin back over 94 years to 1924, when Harold Guloein started Guloien Agencies as an insurance, real estate and conveyancing office 鈥� along with a large grocery store.
The business changed hands several times to various owners through time until 1981, when Ray Van Dorpe purchased the business. In 1993, Michael Van Dorpe, Ray鈥檚 son, joined the office and became a partner.
Together they ran the office until 2001 when they were acquired by Western Financial Group, and joined an expanding group of offices in smaller cities and towns in western Canada offering insurance and financial services.
In 2002 Western Financial Group acquired Torch River Agencies in White Fox from Brian McLeod, which is still operated in its original location in White Fox, and on July 2, 2009, the name of the office was officially changed to Western Financial Group.
鈥淚t鈥檚 awesome, it was great,鈥� said Michael Van Dorpe. 鈥淏eing involved in the office for as many years as I have and then from being able to go from my father and the longevity of being able to meet the prior two owners to that, is kind of nice.鈥�
