January 28, 2013, Commentary By Mike Fak, It was a lot of fun at the annual Chamber of Commerce dinner on Saturday. The only problem was there were so many great friends there to visit with that the one hour social hour needs to be expanded to at least five hours. Yes, I know that won’t happen.

So many times people say thank you to me for all the hard work the Herald is doing. To date, I haven’t worked a day doing this job and I know this feeling is the same with all our staff and contributors. How can going to see friends do amazing things to help others and the community and then having the privilege of documenting those moments ever be considered work.

Oh yes, from time to time things can be hectic, or frustrating but I haven’t had a single night go by where I didn’t lay in bed and thank God for having the best job in the world.

I was especially grateful to the good Lord last Saturday night. The Herald received the New Business of the Year award and that is really cool. But to me there is something much more special about gaining that recognition. To me, being included in the same paragraph with the other recipients last Saturday is what truly makes the acknowledgement wonderful.

Seth Goodman, the real estate wizard of Central Illinois was chosen as the Business of the Year. Seth brings a work ethic and passion for his profession that everyone should admire. Young and full of energy, Seth is a great positive to the community. He also understands paying back and he continues to expand his volunteer role in our community. I can’t wait to see what he will accomplish as the years go by.

Prairie Engineers won for Excellence in Service. From time to time I stop in to Lisa and Darren’s offices on Broadway and it is a building filled with positive enthusiasm. The business, it seems, is expanding almost every month and to see so many youngsters having the chance to work in Lincoln and to be able to have a solid, local future always makes my day. Darren and Lisa are such a wonderful addition to our community and they continue to do more and more to make our community a better place.

Deron Powell won the Beautification award and that was a great choice. Deron lost his agency when his building literally came down around him and staff just over a year ago. Deron didn’t raise up his arms in defeat and say “Time to go somewhere else.” Instead he worked hard to rebuild his offices right where they had been, making his business better than ever before. It is so obvious how much Deron and Kristi love Mt. Pulaski and all of Logan County. They are involved in so many things that I truly respect them and consider them as one of the true blessings to our community.

Chris Graue won the Volunteer of the Year award and it is about time for this young man. His parents, Bob and Joan have left their marks on so many things in our community and Chris is doing a tremendous job of continuing the Graue legacy in Logan County. Chris was recognized for the amazing accomplishment of bringing the BBQ competition to the square during Art and Balloon Fest week. But he and Graue inc. have done so much more than that. An incredible supporter of so many things in Logan County, Chris has helped so many causes in Logan County that to list them all would take pages of print. How lucky has Logan County been to have the Graue family choose to live and work here.

Like I said, the award was really a lovely cap to the night. But who the Herald will be mentioned with in the same breath and in the same stories is what truly made the recognition special.

If in fact we are truly judged by the company we keep, The Herald was given a special memento Saturday night, a memento the size of Mount Rushmore.