EASLEY — Easley area community leaders will strut their stuff as the Greater Easley Chamber of Commerce honors them on Saturday.
The annual chamber gala is themed “Proud as Peacocks” and will honor business and community leaders who have made an impact on the greater Easley area during the past year.
“We are so pleased to invite the public to attend our annual Greater Easley Chamber of Commerce celebration,” said Kent Dykes, chamber director. “We really are as proud as peacocks of the accomplishments of our local business and community members. This has been a challenging economy during the past year, but we have many local heroes who have forged success.”
The Proud as Peacocks Gala will begin with hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar at 6 p.m. at Tri-County Technical College’s brand-new campus in Easley. Dinner will be served at 7 p.m., followed by the chamber’s awards presentations.
“We’ve planned an elegant and delicious meal, as well as wonderful entertainment for the evening,” Dykes said.
Awards will include: Distinguished Leadership Recognition, Chamber Ambassador of the Year, Chamber Director of the Year, Business of the Year and the Citizenship and Service Award.
Emcee for the evening will be Lauren Aiken Morris, a multi-talented broadcast personality and model. She grew up in front of the camera beginning her career in commercials at the age of 3. Morris has been a child co-host on an NBC affiliate, and a morning TV news reporter on a CBS affiliate.
On the #1 top 40 radio station in this market, Morris has appeared many times on the morning show and was an afternoon co-host.
The featured speaker and entertainment for the gala is humorist Ralph Hood. Oprah Winfrey has called him “a funny man.”
Hood grew up among the marshes and beaches of coastal Georgia before becoming a commercial pilot and aircraft salesman/sales manager in Alabama.
“My columns,” he says, “are widely read by my wife.”
Today, Hood is a full-time professional speaker and award-winning writer. He writes several regular columns for nationwide trade magazines.
Along the way, he graduated from Clemson University, where he wrote for “The Tiger” student newspaper, and where, he says, “Through grit, determination and superior intelligence, I was able to cram four years of college into only five years.”
His books, “The Truth & Other Lies,” “Southern Raised in the Fifties,” and “Ground Clutter — The Book,” have sold from Australia to England and across the U.S.A.
Sponsorships are available for the event. Individual tickets are $60. Please RSVP to (864) 859-2693 or e-mail Fran Cape at ecc@easleychamber.org. The event is black tie optional.