By: Charlotte Smith
The Elizabethtown-White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce has been busy this winter planning and preparing. After this month’s regular chamber luncheon members found out there is a lot happening in Bladen County and in North Carolina.
The guest speaker at April’s lunch meeting was Lisa Crawford, Senior Advisor-Special Projects (REAL ID) with the Office of Commissioner, Division of Motor Vehicles. Crawford announced in detail about the new program NC Department of Transportation will be rolling out.
The N.C. REAL ID is the name of the program. It will make it more convenient when you need to board a commercial airplane or visit a military base or other federal facility according to Crawford.
Beginning in 2020, federal agencies will enforce tougher security standards at airport check-ins, federal buildings, military installations and nuclear sites.
The N.C. REAL ID is just like your traditional license or ID but it has a gold star at the top. Driver licenses and IDs without a gold star are noted “Not for Federal Identification.”
In other note worthy announcements, Dawn Maynard, Executive Director of the chamber said this week, “The Board of Directors’ have announced the recipients of the awards for this year’s banquet.”
The awards and their recipients are as follows:
Honorary Lifetime Chamber Member – Dr. William Findt, President of Bladen Community College and a current Chamber Board of Directors ex officio.
Chamber Member of the Year Award – Town of Elizabethtown
Small Business Person(s) of the Year Award- Ronald and Susan Inman owners of Regal Resort & The Venue. Mrs. Inman is also serving on the Chamber’s Board of Directors.
Caring Person of the Year – Chris Clark, Bladen County Board of Education member and a Machine Operator at Bladen Lakes State Park
The annual chamber banquet will be held at Lu Mil Vineyard on Tuesday, June 19th. This year’s guest speaker will be Kenny Flowers, Assistant Secretary of Rural Economic Development at the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce.
Maynard also announced June, July and August dates for the White Lake Summer Jams Concerts and July and August dates for the Elizabethtown Summer Sounds Concerts. As a reminder, the 40th Annual White Lake Water Festival will be May 19th at Goldston’s Beach. Also, Goldston’s Beach will hold their annual Fireworks Show on July 4th. More information about the events is listed below in the following ads.
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