March 25, 2015
The Best of
North County
Recipes
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Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate
Around Town
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Sixth-Grader to be Honored
Winners of the Best of North County contest were announced and awarded with certificates at the monthly Greater North County Chamber of Commerce membership meeting on March 18.
Photo by Ray Rockwell
Almost 11,000 votes help select top businesses throughout the community Feature Section
By Sara Hardin The votes have been counted and the results are in for the “The Best of North County” contest. The contest, put together by Community News and the Greater North County Chamber of Commerce, ran for eight weeks and was put in place to acknowledge successful businesses in the chamber service area. Voters were able to nominate businesses throughout 30 categories that they believed deserved recognition in the chamber and in the community. Both hard copy ballots and online votes were accepted for eight consecutive weeks through March 1. Each category ended up with two winners, who were announced and awarded with certificates at the monthly chamber membership meeting on March 18. The contest was a huge success, with almost 11,000 votes counted across 30 categories – the most participation the contest has ever seen. “Some of the categories had as many as 26 candidates nominated by the voters, and two came to the top of each category” explained Bob Huneke, publisher of Community News. “With that many voters, being at the top is a very significant thing. It’s a satisfying thing for these businesses to hear their customers tell them that they are the best.” Carolyn Marty, President of the Greater North County Chamber of Commerce, agrees that the contest was suc-
cessful in its mission to celebrate North County businesses and show the active role between the chamber and its members. “The contest is a great way to reinforce and let the community know how many wonderful services and products we have available in North County,” said Marty. In light of the competition’s success, the winning businesses have received immense recognition for their services to consumers and the community. “Recognition of a company’s hard work and customer satisfaction is a very important thing, and to be able to use this recognition in their advertising and in everyday dealings with credibility is a great accomplishment. It’s a lot to be proud of,” said Huneke. Both Huneke and Marty believe that the chamber’s participation in the contest was key to its overall success. “[The contest] provided a great opportunity for consumers to learn a little bit more about the chamber’s role in the community, and to make that role stronger,” explained Marty. “In addition to expanding on the chamber’s membership, the contest allows the community to benefit through exposure to these businesses.” “There are many who benefit from this contest, and partnering with the chamber only increases the number of people
who benefit,” said Huneke. “It’s good for the chamber, good for the contestants, and good for North County.” “The Best of North County” succeeded in its main goal: to recognize the hard workers behind these businesses, and to expose them to potential consumers. The competition’s overall results and success serve as another reminder of North County’s abundance of excellence in businesses and services.
See a complete list of winners on page 5
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Wedding Guide
Over the Fence
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Daylight Saving Time
“The Breakfast Club” photo courtesy of Universal Pictures
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