The annual awards gala of the Winkler and District Chamber of Commerce honoured four businesses and one non-profit organization last week.
The 2023 P.W. Enns Business Awards were presented Thursday at the Meridian Exhibition Centre.
The honours included Bloom Floral Creative for business excellence, Renew Wellness Centre for business builder, Ed Penner Construction for community builder, Outpost Grill for customer service, and Winkler Arts and Culture as the not-for-profit service winner.
“It’s truly an honour,” said Bloom Floral Creative owner Madison Schiller, who cited their commitment to “have an amazing quality product and also to have the best customer service possible.
“I think Bloom is unique because we’re constantly trying to push the envelope on design and what people expect from Manitoba flowers,” she suggested.
”It’s very, very validating to see that other people have seen that work,” Schiller continued. “Our goal at Bloom …. is to just share the beauty of flowers with others and to share the joy and the emotion that they can convey … it elevates a space.”
She especially thanked her business partner Kristina Peters as well as their husbands and families while also noting their “extremely loyal and amazing customers.
“They have really become truly, truly our friends. We’ve gone through a lot in the last five years owning this business, and the way that our community has rallied around us … we put our heart into it … we look forward to creating for all of you again.”
Business Builder Award winner Renew Wellness Centre “stands out due to the quality of service that we offer,” said Crystal Thiessen, who thanked her staff for ensuring all of their customers get a quality and complete experience.
“I’d just like to thank the community for the amazing support over the last four and a half years,” she added.
“It’s truly amazing to think that when I opened this business in July of 2019, just two days after I graduated, with three employees and six students. I could not have imagined how big the growth would be … within five months, we were already making plans to build a bigger space.”
And that project got started despite being shutdown as a result of the pandemic, Thiessen noted.
“We had no idea how long we would be out of work. It was another act of faith on trusting God,” she said, sharing they now have 17 employees, one naturopathic doctor, and four students.
“Thank you to our community for just the outpouring of support. We could not have done this without you, and we would have not experienced the growth that we have without your support.”
Community Builder Award winner Ed Penner shared that he’s “humbled and grateful” to receive this honour.
“We’re grateful for the continued support of our community,” he added. “This award did force me to stop and reflect on the past 20 years, and it’s been a ride, quite a ride. It’s amazing to look back and see how far we’ve come.
“My original plan was that I was going to work all on my own … little did we know we would grow to a staff of over 40, and we’ve been able to work with so many great companies over the years. We’ve been truly, truly blessed.
“We enjoy being involved in our community,” continued Penner, who cited the values taught by his parents such as honesty and integrity. He also thanked God as well as his family and his staff. “They’re always willing to go the extra mile. They take pride in what they do.”
Customer Service Award winner Frank Peters noted how Outpost Grill works very hard at being part of the community, and he especially just loves being around people and perhaps making someone’s day better.
“That’s why I like the restaurant business. We believe customer service is super important because I think sometimes in today’s society it lacks.”
He cited the importance of things like having regular staff meetings, and their aim is always to do whatever they can to make it a good experience for customers.
“Without our unbelievable staff, we couldn’t do this,” he said, calling the award an incredible honour and “a celebration of the collective commitment of our entire team and the loyalty of our valued customers.
“Receiving this customer service award is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our amazing team,” he said. “We want to express our deepest gratitude to each employee. Your commitment, exceptional service are a driving force behind this achievement.
“Our customers play a pivotal role in our success, and we extend a heartfelt thanks to each one of you.”
Winkler Arts and Culture executive director Alesha Hildebrand observed how fortunate they are to be in a community that is so full of creativity and creative people.
“Winkler Arts and Culture wouldn’t be here without the support of the City of Winkler,” she said, adding as well her appreciation for all of the board members and volunteers and supporters.
“I’ve worked in non-profit for 15 years, and I’ve seen first hand the importance that community has on non-profits like Winkler Arts and Culture,” said Hildebrand. “This community outshines support. It’s incredible. We could not be running non-profits like Winkler Arts and Culture without community support.”
Photo by Lorne Stelmach/Voice
