Yelm Chamber of Commerce Celebrates Business and Organization Award Nominees and Winners

Group of winners from the Yelm Chamber Awards
Award winners Baines Kettle-Corn, Bliss Experience, Grocery Outlet, PTL Hardwood Floors LLC, Steele Clayton - State Farm Agent/Steele Barrel BBQ Company. Not pictured: Tim's Pharmacy & Gift Shop. Photo courtesy: Yelm Chamber of Commerce
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It’s been a busy award season not only in Hollywood, but also in Yelm. The Yelm Chamber of Commerce is celebrating the community’s nominations in six Chamber Business Award categories to recognize contributions to the Yelm area last year.

Yelm Chamber of Commerce  building
The Yelm Chamber of Commerce accepts community nominations for six categories of awards to recognize its membership of local area businesses and organizations. Photo credit: Nancy Krier

The Yelm Chamber announced the 2021 winners at its fourth annual awards event on June 14. They are State Farm Agent Steele Clayton who also owns Steele Barrel BBQ Company, Tim’s Pharmacy & Gift Shop, Bliss Experience, Baines Kettle-Corn, PTL Hardwood Floors LLC, and Grocery Outlet.

Line Roy, Yelm Chamber executive director, says businesses and organizations often do not guess how much the community appreciates their good work until nominees are announced. “We really just wanted a way to celebrate our member Chamber businesses,” Line says. “We picked six categories that we wanted our businesses to shine in and went from there.”

Fay Fuller Award

This award credits an exemplary leader in a business or organization and is named after Fay Fuller, the first woman to summit Mount Rainier. The award went to State Farm Agent Steele Clayton, who also owns Steele Barrel BBQ Company. “I am beyond honored to be nominated for such an award,” says Clayton. “The quality of people who have been past winners and nominees is something pretty special and it is flattering to be a part of such a group. Considerations like this are what I hope my children one day reflect on as they too decide the role they desire to play in the community.”

Nominees included Cody Colt at the City of Yelm – Government’s Public Services Department, Dan Nicholson of DZines Creative Solutions & Graphic Designs, Joy Hiebert of BeJoyful Holistics and Noah Aden at Yelm Cinemas.

Legacy Award

Yelm Chamber of Commerce Past President Dan Nicholson presenting the Fay Fuller Award to Steele Clayton.
Yelm Chamber of Commerce Past President Dan Nicholson presenting the Fay Fuller Award to Steele Clayton. Photo courtesy: Yelm Chamber of Commerce

This award recognizes a business or organization in existence for longer than 20 years, for its success, vitality and longevity. Tim’s Pharmacy & Gift Shop received the 2021 award. The shop has served the community for more than 100 years. “A lot has changed in those 100 years, but one thing has remained constant, at our pharmacy you can expect to be treated with dignity and compassion from caring, friendly, and knowledgeable staff,” say owners Will and Courtney Quinby. “Whether you’ve been a customer of ours for decades or are new to us, we’d love to serve you and show you why we plan on faithfully serving this community for another 100 years to come!”

The nominees included KeyBank, Nisqually Valley News, Olympia Federal Savings, Prairie Park and Yelm Cinemas.

Nisqually Award

This award recognizes a business or organization that demonstrates a dedication to the environment by implementing environmentally friendly practices and policies. This award went to Bliss Experience, a salon and spa that recycles, uses homemade laundry detergent, and implements many other environmental practices. Owner Stephanie Kangiser says she was pleasantly surprised to be nominated. “When my name came up, I thought, ‘Oh, my goodness, this is great,’” she says.

BeJoyful Holistics and PTL Hardwood Floors LLC were also nominated.

Mount Rainier Award

This award acknowledges a new or emerging business or organization that has opened in the last five years and is demonstrating sustainability and success in the community. The 2021 recipient is Baines Kettle-Corn (Baines Famous Kettle Corn), a family-owned business of David Baines and Cassandra MacDonald Baines. They posted on their Facebook page that they were over the moon to be nominated. “It’s a been a pleasure work with such a great team of people!”

Nominees included BeJoyful Holistics, Freedom Day Sales/Funtime Toys and Gifts, Grocery Outlet, Mat Magick, PT2Excel and Red Lantern Asian Fusion.

Pride of the Prairie Award

This award goes to a business or organization that has made major strides toward the beautification and improvement of its storefront. PTL Hardwood Floors LLC received the 2021 award. Owner Joshua Crossman says he has been fixing up his storefront including painting and landscaping. “We are working on putting up a mural,” he adds. The outdoor mural will feature area sites such as Mount Rainier and the Nisqually River.

Nominees included BeJoyful Holistics, City of Yelm – Government Public Services Department, Clear View Exteriors LLC, Masonry Cafe Catering and Yelm Community Schools Yelm Middle School.

Wagon Wheel Commitment to Community Award

Greg and Stefanie Vinyard from Grocery Outlet accepting their Wagon Wheel Commitment to Community Award at the Yelm Chamber of Commerce Awards event.
Greg and Stefanie Vinyard from Grocery Outlet accepting their Wagon Wheel Commitment to Community Award at the Yelm Chamber of Commerce Awards event. Photo courtesy: Yelm Chamber of Commerce

This award is for a business or organization that goes above and beyond to give back to its community in a noticeable and impactful way through innovation, event creation and/or community outreach. Grocery Outlet operators Greg and Stefanie Vinyard received the 2021 award for their exceptional leadership in amplifying nonprofits. “We are speechless,” says Greg in describing that Yelm has filled their hearts. “I don’t know how to put into words how much this means to my wife and me.”

The nominees included youracu (America’s Credit Union), DZines Creative Solutions & Graphic Designs, BeJoyful Holistics, Yelm Cinemas, Uptown Lounge and Prairie Park.

Shine Specialties & Promotions provide the winners’ plaques. For more award details see the Yelm Chamber website.

Yelm Chamber of Commerce
138 Prairie Park Lane, Yelm
360.458.6608

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