The Bishop Chamber of Commerce has scheduled its 6rd Annual Dinner for Thursday, Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. at the Bishop School Cafetorium on Sixth Street, and the keynote speaker will be Frank Paul, a successful Bishop High School alumnus and co-owner of Golfsmith International, Inc.

He will be speaking on memories of growing up in Bishop and his successful venture into the business world.

The outgoing chamber president, Christina Gutierrez, will recognize the retiring directors and comment on accomplishments of the chamber over the past year.

The incoming president, Michael Engel, will introduce the officers and directors for 2010, and will outline his vision for the future of Bishop.

Tickets are $15 each and may be purchased from any director of the chamber or at the chamber office, 213 E. Main.

Call the chamber office at 584-2214 to reserve a table for either 8 or ten people.

The Bishop Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominations for its annual awards program.

The awards will be presented at the dinner.

Organizations and individuals are invited to submit nominations.

Nomination forms are available at the Bishop Chamber of Commerce and should be completed and returned no later than noon on Monday, Feb. 1.

The chamber office, 213 E. Main, is open from 9 a.m. until noon each weekday.

The Bishop Chamber of Commerce Awards Program is divided into six different categories as follows:

Outstanding Citizen of the Year Award, Lifetime Service Award, Outstanding Farmer, Businessperson, or Professional, Outstanding Newcomer, President’s Award, and Junior Citizen of the Year

Purpose of the program is to seek out and publicly honor annually those individuals who have contributed in an outstanding and exceptional manner to the betterment of Bishop and its citizens.

OUTSTANDING CITIZEN AWARD is designed to honor an individual who is currently providing a significant contribution to the community through civic and social activities. The honoree might have been active for more than just the past year or two; the emphasis is to recognize the individual for his/her contribution to the community.

LIFETIME SERVICE AWARD honors those citizens who have rendered the greatest and most unselfish service to his/her community over many years, through vocational or non-vocational work. It should be awarded to one person only once. Recipient should have lived in and served the community for around 20 years or more, and should be about 50 years of age or older.

OUTSTANDING FARMER, BUSINESSPERSON, OR PROFESSIONAL An award honors a person of the community who has distinguished himself or herself by accomplishing more than the average vocation. Various community services and activities may be considered when presenting this award. The emphasis should be on vocational accomplishments.

OUTSTANDING NEWCOMER AWARD honors an individual who has lived in the Bishop community less than three (3) years and yet has made a significant contribution to the community through church, civic and social activities.

When qualifications of nominees appear equal, preference should be shown to the person whose job does not require them to live in Bishop, but they have chosen to make their home here in preference to other neighboring towns.

Award recipients must be residents of the Bishop area (approximately a 10 mile radius) whose efforts are directed toward immediate area of Bishop, but recipients do not have to be a member of the Bishop Chamber of Commerce.No award recipient shall be allowed to succeed himself.

A secret committee of five (5) persons is selected by the president of the Bishop Chamber of Commerce to choose the recipients of each of the above awards.

In considering prospects for these awards, the president of the Bishop Chamber of Commerce will direct an invitation to the presidents of all civic clubs and to the general public, to submit in writing to the chamber office nominees for each of the awards, along with a resume of the work the nominee has performed which would make him/her eligible for such award

Special awards include the PRESIDENT’S AWARD for a single act of great significance to the community, such as an act of bravery or a sizable donation of money or property for the public good.

This award is presented by a vote of the Board of Directors of the chamber

“JUNIOR CITIZEN OF THE YEAR” Program: seeks to honor a student who has demonstrated exceptional interest, understanding, and activity in citizenship and community development and to encourage, an overall greater interest by high school students in civic affairs.

An applicant must be currently enrolled in Bishop High School at the time of nomination, as a senior.

An applicant must be maintaining passing grades in all subjects at the time of nomination.

Nomination of a student or students for the competition must come from a Bishop High School faculty

Screening for semi-finalists shall be made by a committee of faculty members, reducing the total to not more than 5 names, to be delivered to the Bishop Chamber of Commerce.

Semi-Finalists must complete application requirements set forth by the chamber and have such information in the hands of the chamber no later than a specified date in mid-January.

A committee appointed by the chamber president, from members of the Board of Directors, shall review the submitted material and select from them not more than 3 names. These shall be considered “finalists.”

Finalists shall appear before the chamber Board of Directors at their regular meeting in January of the year immediately following the year of competition. After interviewing each finalist, directors shall cast ballots, according to specifications listed in criteria for this award. On completion of balloting, the name of the winner shall be kept completely secret from the finalists and from the Board of Directors and shall not be announced until the time of the formal presentation.

Each finalist shall be presented with an appropriate certificate of recognition, and the winner’s name shall then be announced at the banquet.

The junior citizen of the year will receive a plaque and $750 scholarship. Each of the two runners-up shall receive a $100 scholarship.

All scholarships are to be payable to the college of choice, after enrollment.