Citizen of the Year Ends in a Tie, First-ever Volunteer of the Year Named

A first-time occurence and a first-time award presentation were big parts of the 2014 Effingham County Chamber of Commerce Business Recognition Gala held Saturday night at the Keller Convention Center.

The first-time occurence was a tie for 2014 Citizen of the Year. The award sponsored by the Effingham Daily News was presented to both Dr. Ruben Boyajian and Carol Toney. Toney was recognized for help in the community and abroad. She is a longtime volunteer with the annual Community Christmas Dinner and other helping efforts. She has also made a number of mission trips to Central and South America.

Boyajian has helped with any number of civic endeavors but in recent years has been a tireless supporter of the Effingham Performance Center and serves as co-chairman of the volunteer organization that operates The EPC. He's also well-known for his amazing gingerbread creations.

The first-ever occurence was the presentation of Chamber Volunteer of the Year. The initial recipient is Ron Mietzner, chiefly for his work on behalf of Relay for Life in the battle against cancer.