Shelbyville-Bedford County Chamber of Commerce honored local leaders and volunteers, passed the gavel from its outgoing to its incoming president, and heard an entertaining talk from Tennessee Poet Laureate Margaret Britton Vaughn of Bell Buckle during its annual meeting and awards luncheon on Tuesday.

Outgoing president Brent Canady and incoming president Mike Rittenberry stressed the chamber's achievements during a time when the community is re-evaluating the processes related to economic development. Canady noted that the Chamber had secured over $1 million in grants for the development of 231 North Business Park, awarded $10,000 per year in tourism grants, and is involved with workforce development and expansion of existing industry.

Shelbyville and Bedford County governments are preparing to hire their own industrial recruiter, which will change the responsibilities of Chamber CEO Allen Pitner, who has served as the county's primary industrial recruiter. Canady called upon the city and the county to include private citizens, not just council members and commissioners, on the advisory committee which will work with the new program.

Rittenberry praised Pitner's work over the past few years.

"The grants are there," said Rittenberry, "and we've got someone here with the record and knowledge to know how to get them." Rittenberry and Canady both noted a number of local industry expansions, the most recent of which was Newell Brands' annoiuncement that it would create 115 new jobs and make $11 million in capital improvements.

*** Chamber awards

Five awards were presented during the luncheon:

Ambassasador of the Year, Linda Nichols: This award recognizes a member of the chamber's ambassador program. Chamber ambassadors attend public events such as ribbon-cuttings on behalf of the chamber and support local businesses and organizations.

Deery Eakin Volunteer of the Year, Brent Pewitt: This award, named for the beloved local educator who was once principal of what is now Eakin Elementary School, recognizes volunteer service. Pewitt received the honors for his work with Shelbyville Optimist Club, the club's annual donut booth, and other programs such as the CROSS Homeless Shelter, Bedford Builds Habitat For Humanity, recycling bins at schools, and Closing The Book Gap.

Emerging Leader Award, Brian Brenton: This award recognizes young professionals ages 24-40. Brenton has become very active in a short period of time, in causes including United Way of Bedford County, Imagination Library, the Community Development Center, Bedford County Republican Party, Young Republicans of Bedford County, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Girl Scouts, the Eakin Elementary PTO, Vietnam Era Veterans, Wreaths Across America/Defenders Of Freedom And Liberty, and Shelbyville Lions Club -- all of this while working a full-time job and being a parent.

Outstanding Leadership Award, Diane Forbes: This award recognizes outstanding leadership in government, education, health or public safety, or acts of heroism. Forbes was honored for her tireless work with animal-related causes, including Shelbyville-Bedford County Humane Association and Middle Tennessee Spay & Neuter Clinic.

Franklin Yates Lifetime Achievement Award, Loraine Sutton (posthumous): This award was named for the publisher and former Chamber president who merged the Bedford County Times and the Shelbyville Gazette in the 1940s to create the Times-Gazette. This year, the award was presented posthumously to Sutton, who died Jan. 15.

Sutton, owner of M & L Greenhouse, helped to support a wide variety of local activities including 4-H, local horse shows, the American Cancer Society Relay For Life, the Chamber of Commerce beautification committee and others. She was a past president and active board member of Tennessee Flower Growers, Tennessee Horticultural Alliance and the Pick TN Products Conference. She was a Tennessee Certified Nursery Professional and a master gardener who did programs and presentations for numerous local groups. She promoted local beautification efforts and was an active member of First United Methodist Church.

Sutton's family members accepted the award in her memory.

*** Poet laureate

"Maggi" Vaughn, who has announced that her current five-year term as the state's poet laureate will be her last, will have served in that role for 25 years, through both Democratic and Republican administrations as well as the state's 1996 bicentennial. She's rubbed elbows with Bill Moyers, who traveled to Bell Buckle to meet her, and Maya Angelou, to whose home Vaughn traveled. Vaughn once told the Times-Gazette that Angelou called her "Bell Buckle" throughout the visit.

She will be honored with a retirement party April 18 at the Bell Buckle Banquet Hall.

Vaughn encouraged her listeners to follow their dreams.

"Don't ever ignore the burning in your belly," she said. She knew in the second grade that she wanted to be a poet and songwriter, startling her mother with her composition, "Here I Sit, Alone At The Bar."

"Are you sure you don't want to be a nurse?" asked her mother.

While working at The Tennessean, Vaughn wrote a history of the Grand Ole Opry which was championed by Sarah "Minnie Pearl" Cannon. Then, at age 44, she quit her career and settled in Bell Buckle, where she's been a beloved citizen ever since.

Vaughn stressed the importance of generosity. She once gave away her ticket and badge to the National Disk Jockey convention to a stranger -- and several years later, after the Opry book had been published, the Ernest Tubb Record Shop in downtown Nashville placed a large order for the book. When Vaughn delivered them personally, she discovered that the man she'd once befriended was the assistant manager and played a part in the order.

"You only get back what you give away," said Vaughn.

She read several of her poems, including her most-requested, "Is That You, Mama?"