POCAHONTAS – A Pocahontas household grocery enterprise, proprietor of a number of newspapers within the county, and a mortgage officer in Rolfe had been honored with awards from the Pocahontas County Financial Improvement Fee (PCEDC).
Award winners are usually introduced on the PCEDC annual assembly along side the Pocahontas County Basis grant ceremony, which has been canceled this yr. A printed brochure describing these beneficiaries and PCEDC’s accomplishments over the previous yr might be mailed to county residents in February.
Wooden’s Grocery store was chosen as Enterprise of the 12 months. Kris Grabinoski, proprietor of the Pocahontas File-Democrat, the Laurens Solar and the Buena Vista County Journal, was chosen as Chief of the 12 months. Clay Wells, a United Financial institution of Iowa mortgage officer, was chosen as the primary Volunteer of the 12 months recipient.
“We’re very lucky to have such fantastic enterprise leaders in Pocahontas County,” stated Tom Grau, director of financial growth for Pocahontas County. “We’re happy to work with these folks to maneuver Pocahontas County ahead and we’re delighted with the folks our board members chosen as this yr’s winners. Congratulations to Wooden’s Grocery store, Kristin Grabinoski and Clay Wells ”.
Kent and Kim Wooden thanked the individuals who nominated them for the award.
“I used to be honored that somebody or some group thought we deserved it,” Kent Wooden stated.
2020 was a busy yr for the grocery retailer, which has been a household enterprise working in Pocahontas for 60 years.
When the COVID-19 pandemic started, folks opted to buy nearer to residence, and on the identical time, the Woods found that their provide traces had been disrupted by issues within the provide chain. All through the uncertainty, they started providing grocery pickup and supply choices for purchasers.
“It felt like Groundhog Day on daily basis.” Kim Wooden stated. The Woods has been grateful for the assist of the neighborhood throughout the pandemic.
Pocahontas File-Democrat employees nominated Grabinoski for Chief of the 12 months, citing how she dealt with the pandemic, which resulted within the lack of publicity and occasions to cowl the newspaper. Grabinoski has labored in newspapers since 1987. She and her husband, Jay, purchased the three Pocahontas-based newspapers in 2018.
“I wish to thank PCEDC for choosing me because the winner of the Chief of the 12 months award, it is a nice honor and I’m very grateful.” Grabinoski stated. “To be an ideal boss, it’s important to have an ideal staff and we’ve got it within the File Democrat, Laurens Solar and Buena Vista County Journal. My husband and I are lucky to have the staff we’ve got and we’re very grateful to them and to the communities we serve. “
Clay Wells labored for Rolfe State Financial institution and United Financial institution of Iowa for greater than 5 years. He started working with PCEDC three years in the past, he stated. PCEDC employees chosen Wells for the brand new award, which was designed to acknowledge neighborhood members who “They go above and past with their very own time and abilities to maneuver Pocahontas County ahead.”
Wells has spent many hours serving to PCEDC employees with the group’s revolving mortgage fund.
“It is good to know that I’m a small a part of a company that may achieve this a lot to assist native county companies.” he stated. “It was fairly surprising as a result of I really feel like I am solely doing my small half to assist. I’m honored to be the primary recipient and hope to proceed sooner or later in any manner that I can. “
Emily Williams, PCEDC Advertising and marketing Coordinator, praised the recipients.
“Our 2021 award winners are a real testomony to all of the superb folks we’ve got working right here in Pocahontas County.” she stated. “Award winners regularly go above and past to serve the wants of our communities and residents and for that, we might be perpetually grateful.”
