Local businesses came together Thursday night in celebration of the Okotoks and District Chamber of Commerce's Annual Business Excellence Awards.

Each year the awards gala acts as a way to celebrate the Okotoks business community and wrap up Small Business Week.

Andrew and Shari Gustafson, owner of Natural High Fitness, received the Large Business of the Year award and he says it's amazing to be recognized by the business community.

"Being a business owner is a sacrifice. You have to sacrifice and you have to work long hours. It's not easy and there's some give and take, so having this validation that you're doing something right and that people are recognizing those sacrifices and those efforts it really is quite touching and quite meaningful. It's a really amazing group of nominees and just to be lumped in with them, it's incredible."

Little Fast + Fresh received the environmental responsibility award and owners Michelle and Jarod Traxel say it's great to be recognized for one of their business' core values.

"It's something that was kind of always at the core of what we wanted to do for a business so the fact that we got recognized for it is pretty special and it makes me feel really good about everything that we do everyday."

The full list of the award winners is as follows:

Extra Large Business of the Year- Sobeys Okotoks
Community Impact Award- Blair and Bev Gordon Century 21 Foothills
Not for Profit, Social Profit Award- Sheep River Health Trust
Customer Service Award (Individual)- Carola Singer DLC Canadian Mortgage Experts
Outstanding Customer Service (Business)- Momentum Physical Therapy & Sports Rehab
Environmental Responsibility Award- Little Fast + Fresh
Homebased Business of the Year- Okotoks Computers
New Business of the Year- British Banger Company
Small Business of the Year- Awedity Creative
Large Business of the Year- Natural High Fitness

 

Watch the full awards coverage below:

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