FARMINGTON – More than 120 attended an evening of socializing, networking, dinner and award presentations as the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual meeting and dinner at the Homestead Bakery and Restaurant on Nov. 16. Identity theft and Internet/e-mail scams was the topic presented by the speaker, Seth Blodgett from the Attorney General’s Office in Augusta.

During the meeting, members voted in new executive board members Nancy Merrill from the Franklin-Somerset Federal Credit Union as treasurer and David Gustafson from the Franklin Journal as a member-at-large.

New regular board members Dan Maxham of Heirlooms of Tomorrow, Doreen Cardona of Key Bank, Wilton, and Glen Kapiloff representing SAD 9, were also voted in.

From nominations submitted by members, the chamber recognizes three businesses for their contributions to the communities they serve, with special awards given annually in three categories.

The 2006 award winners are: Large Business, Franklin Savings Bank; Small Business, Farmington Coca-Cola; and nonprofit service, United Way of the Tri-Valley Area.

Certificates were also given in recognition for the dedication and service for board members retiring their positions: Todd Bullen, Al Kaplan, Paul Smeltzer, Steve Russell and Bryan Lumbra.

The chamber also presented a W.A. Mitchell rocker, emblazoned with the new chamber logo, to Tom Sawyer of Franklin Savings Bank as he left the executive board of directors. Sawyer has given many years to the chamber, serving on the executive board as president and most recently as past president. He has been an advocate of the chamber and will continue to serve as a board member.

Those planning the event were Chairwoman Shannon Smith; Sawyer and Nancy Morgan and Executive Director Lorna Nichols.

The annual chamber membership drive is on.

For more information, contact the chamber office at 778-4215.

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