“This is a very unusual way of announcing the winners of our annual awards,” Harney County Chamber of Commerce Director Lola Johnson said, explaining that, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there will not be an actual banquet to celebrate the winners.

The annual banquet traditionally draws a full house at the Harney County Fairgrounds. However, due to the state-mandated restrictions, the 2020 winners are being announced now with a limited-attendance ceremony at a designated time on Friday, Jan. 22 and Saturday, Jan. 23. The individual winner’s ceremony will be held at the Community Center, located at 484 N. Broadway in Burns.

Each winner will be allowed a designated one-hour time slot to give their speech in front of family and friends. The public is welcome, but a maximum of 60 people will be enforced for each speech and masks/face-coverings will be required.

“It’s more of a private, personal ceremony” Johnson explained.

Tickets will be sold to the public for $15 per person and can be purchased at the door or in advance at the chamber office. The building will be cleared and cleaned prior to each scheduled speaker.

Johnson added that there will not be a “live broadcast,” but all speeches will be videoed and posted on Facebook and the chamber’s website.

Some food will be available, and it will be supplied by Broadway Deli, Juniper Cookhouse, Sweet Treats, Erickson’s Thriftway, Annie’s Bakery, and Safeway.

Each award winner will be introduced by a designated friend who will note the winner’s accomplishments. Following the winner’s speech, snacks will be offered by a designated food handler. In addition to the snacks, a gift basket donated by local businesses will be given away.

Special thanks to Diamond Sponsors First Community Credit Union and Silvies Valley Ranch & Resort; Silver Sponsor Harney District Hospital; and Bronze Sponsors Life Foursquare Church and Ken Kness Construction.

All winners’ photos and speeches will appear in the Jan. 27 edition of the Burns Times-Herald.

Award winners and ceremony schedules

• Senior Man of the Year: Charlie Schmidt (award ceremony Friday, Jan. 22 at 11 a.m.)

• Silvies Student of the Year: Alex Obeale (award ceremony Friday, Jan. 22 at 12 p.m.)

• Crane Student of the Year: Jessica Zander (award ceremony Friday, Jan. 22 at 1 p.m.)

• Educator of the Year: Celeste Owens (award ceremony Friday, Jan. 22 at 2 p.m.)

• Distinguished Person of the Year: David Allen (award ceremony Friday, Jan. 22 at 3 p.m.)

• Business Beautification of the Year: Hines Pine Mill House (Award Ceremony Friday, Jan. 22 at 4 p.m.)

• Grass Man of the Year: John Corrigan (Award Ceremony Friday, Jan. 22 at 5 p.m.)

• Senior Women of the Year: Judy Erwin (award ceremony Saturday, Jan. 23 at 11 a.m.)

• Burns Student of the Year: Lizet Camacho-Figueroa (award ceremony Saturday, Jan. 23 at 12 p.m.)

• Man of the Year: Jerry Lewellen (award ceremony Saturday, Jan. 23 at 1 p.m.)

• Woman of the Year: Andrea Letham (award ceremony Saturday, Jan. 23 at 2 p.m.)

• Business Person of the Year: Wendy Reid (award ceremony Saturday, Jan. 23 at 3 p.m.)

• Boss of the Year: Shannon Criss (award ceremony Saturday, Jan. 23 at 4 p.m.)