Carri Brown and Amanda Alumni Association win major Chamber of Commerce awards at banquet

Jeff Barron, Lancaster Eagle-Gazette
·2 min read

LANCASTER − Fairfield County Auditor Carri Brown and the Amanda-Clearcreek Alumni Association were the big winners at the Lancaster-Fairfield Chamber of Commerce awards banquet at Fisher Catholic High School Thursday.

Brown won the Floyd Wolfe Community Service Award and the alumni association won the Chairman’s Award.

Fairfield County Auditor Carri Brown wan the Lancaster-Fairfield County Chamber of Commerce Floyd Wolfe Community Service Award. She's shown here at the banquet Thursday at Fisher Catholic High School.
Fairfield County Auditor Carri Brown wan the Lancaster-Fairfield County Chamber of Commerce Floyd Wolfe Community Service Award. She's shown here at the banquet Thursday at Fisher Catholic High School.

"I am so humbled and honored to receive the prestigious Floyd Wolfe Community Service Award from the Lancaster-Fairfield County Chamber of Commerce," Brown said. "This is such a tremendous surprise. When one receives an honor that is named for someone as dedicated as Mr. Wolfe was, there is great responsibility in upholding the legacy of service, and I look forward to continuing that legacy."

Brown won the Athena Award in 2019. She has worked for the Fairfield County Job and Family Services Department and also served as county administrator before replacing the retired Jon Slater as auditor in 2021.

Brown also spoke of previous Wolfe award winners, including the late Dr. Edwin Payne, who won the award last year.

"I also cannot help but remember Dr. Payne, too, as I think about the multiple United Way presentations we worked on together," she said. "To just be mentioned in the same category as these fine people, along with the other honorees, is just incredible to me.  Not one of us is as good as all of us. Together, we can lift and help each other be our best."

Nikki Drake is this year's chamber chair and is a board member for the Amanda Alumni Association. She is also the Fairfield Soil and Water Conservation District's local manager and engineering technician.

"It's a great honor," she said on behalf of the alumni board. "It's well deserving. What a great group. We give out about 62 scholarships a year to seniors that are graduating for their next year of college and current college students also. We plan to incorporate trade scholarships next year."

The alumni association formed in 1960 when Amanda High School and Stoutsville High School consolidated. It has awarded 1,250 scholarships totaling more than $2.3 million since the endowment fund started.

Drake said her work with the association have helped her in her job and also as a chamber of commerce member.

"I've been on the alumni board for 20 years," she said. "Being on that board gave me the confidence and the experience with my board here at work and the chamber's board."

The chamber previously announced its other 2024 award winners. They are:

The annual trade show preceded the banquet, with about 100 businesses and organizations participating.

jbarron@gannett.com

740-681-4340

Twitter/: @JeffDBarron

This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Carri Brown and Amanda Alumni Association win major chamber awards