Glitter & Gold at Peach Chamber’s Community Banquet

FORT VALLEY, Ga. – It was the bee’s knees, the cat’s meow at the Peach Regional Chamber of Commerce’s 10th Annual Celebration of Community event. The banquet took place on Thursday, May 16, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Southern Bridle Farms.  This year’s theme focused on the eras of the 1920s to 1940s, complete with jazz music, flapper dresses, and elaborate table decorations incorporating feathers, strings of pearls, and sequined tablecloths.

Wallace Keese, a board member of the Peach Regional Chamber of Commerce, welcomed everyone in attendance and thanked the community, his fellow board members, and the sponsors for making the event possible.

Britton Smith, President of the Blue Bird Corporation, took to the stage to discuss the Peach County community as well as some of Blue Bird’s recent achievements.

Following Smith, Dr. Dale Foster took to the stage to discuss the Peach County Leadership Seminar, which took place last fall. The program’s goal is to create a better, brighter sense of community, a stronger future leadership base, and more informed citizens.

Jillian Bowen, Peach Regional Chamber of Commerce President and CEO, followed Dr. Foster and took the stage. She took a moment to thank those who could attend the banquet as well as those who sponsored the event. She spoke of the Peach County community and some of the positive changes between this and last year’s community banquet. She then called forth those who had participated in the Leadership Peach Program and awarded them with certificates of completion.

Following that Bowen awarded the 2023 Peach County Business of the Year Award to Atrium Health Navicent Peach. Laura Gentry, Atrium Health Navicent Peach CEO, stepped forth to say a few words of thanks.

Towards the end of the evening, the Peach Blossoms – a women’s group created by the Peach Regional Chamber of Commerce – moved to the front of the stage to dance. Following that were the raffle prizes and the auctions. The auctions ranged from various gift cards, gift baskets, precision artworks, and more.

The 10th Annual Celebration of Community was an extravagant opportunity for representatives of Peach County and members of the community to have a fun and relaxing evening. Attendees got to enjoy good food from Sea Shells Seafood Catering, good drinks, and good music from the Lotus Center Band, with Dr. Lionel Brown, Peach County’s School System Superintendent,  playing his guitar.