Hagerstown, Ind. — The Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce proudly honored local businesses and organizations at the 2025 Community Improvement Awards, recognizing the incredible investments being made to improve the appearance, functionality, and spirit of Wayne County.

This year’s ceremony celebrated not just construction and renovation, but also vision, community pride, and transformational impact. Awards were presented in three key categories, alongside recognition of several standout nominees.

Exemplary Award – Downtown Deli and Catering Company
Presented annually to a nominee who goes above and beyond in completing a beautification project, this year’s Exemplary Award was awarded to Downtown Deli and Catering Company. With $167,000 invested in improvements across two historic downtown buildings, the team restored the original charm of the structures through tuck pointing, new windows, fresh paint, and modern signage. Their dedication to both preservation and revitalization serves as a shining example of what it means to invest in the heart of the community.

Community Impact Award – Uranus Fudge Factory
Given to a nominee whose presence has a profound impact on the local community, the Community Impact Award went to Uranus Fudge Factory. With an estimated $1.25 million invested, this playful and highly visible project turned a once-overlooked structure into a must-see roadside destination. From the giant dinosaur to the bold barn-style design and future plans for attractions, the project brings jobs, tourism, and a unique personality to Richmond.

Community Spirit Award – Richmond Urban Enterprise Association (RUEA)
The Spirit Award recognizes projects that spark transformational change and uplift the spirit of Wayne County. This year, the award was presented to the Richmond Urban Enterprise Association for their ongoing work in building community, creating opportunities, and driving revitalization in underutilized urban spaces. Their commitment to equity, access, and local pride has made a lasting mark on the community and continues to shape a stronger, more connected Richmond.
Additional 2025 Nominees
The Chamber also recognized the outstanding efforts of additional nominees whose projects made a significant difference in Wayne County:
• Anchor Transload
• Blue Buffalo – Project Alma & Site Rebranding
• Burger King – Eastside & Westside Renovations
• Eight To The Bar • Root 13 Beauty Suites
• 3Rivers Federal Credit Union

“Being nominated for the Community Improvement Awards was incredibly timely. Anyone who has undertaken a project with significant changes knows the sleepless nights, selfdoubt, and concerns about making the right decisions,” said Root 13 Owner, Debbie Dalbey. “Knowing that others recognize the value in our efforts at our new location means the world to me. Thank you so much for acknowledging not just our hard work but all the others who are nominated.”

​From large-scale industrial investments to historic restorations and creative renovations, each nominee played a role in moving Wayne County forward building a stronger, more beautiful, and more vibrant place to live, work, and grow

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — July 23, 2025 — Melissa Vance, Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce President & CEO, has been designated a Certified Chamber Executive (CCE) by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE). ACCE is an association based in Alexandria, Virginia, that has over 1,600 chambers of commerce and related business and economic development organizations as members, representing more than 9,000 professionals in the industry. 
 
The CCE program assesses and tests the applicant's knowledge of core chamber management areas: management, planning and development, membership, communications and revenue and operations. Chamber professionals who are designated CCEs earned this prestigious recognition through hard work, countless hours of dedication to their field and leadership of their chamber to achieve the chamber’s goals. 
 
“We applaud this year’s Certified Chamber Executives for their commitment to industry excellence,” said Tony Vedda, CCE, IOM, president & CEO of the North Texas LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce and chair of the CCE Commission. “Earning this designation highlights their expertise and dedication, distinguishing them as leaders in the chamber profession.” 
 
Vance is one of 26 chamber professionals from across 19 states, earning the Certified Chamber Executive designation in 2025. This year’s class is the biggest in the program’s history. The first CCE designation was conferred more than 40 years ago. It is recognized as the highest and most elite professional designation in the chamber profession. It’s the only globally recognized certification program exclusive to the chamber of commerce industry. 
 
Earning the CCE designation places Vance among an elite group of chamber professionals recognized for their strategic leadership, industry expertise, and dedication to community advancement. This achievement not only brings national recognition to the Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce but also underscores its continued commitment to excellence in serving the region’s business community. The CCE credential affirms Vance’s role as a forward-thinking leader, guiding the Chamber in its mission to support economic development and create lasting impact throughout Wayne County. 
 
"My commitment to professional growth through continued learning, connecting with industry leaders, and partnering with organizations like ACCE will be key to driving our Chamber toward a new level of excellence," Vance said. 
 
Learn more about ACCE’s CCE program by visiting www.acce.org/. 
 
 
About the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives 
Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) is the professional association supporting the people who lead local, regional, statewide and international chambers of commerce and related business and economic development organizations. Our membership includes more than 1,600 business/civic organizations worldwide. We provide our members with information resources, thought leadership, education programs, original research, benchmarking, retirement security and access to a network of peers. For more information, visit www.ACCE.org. 
 
 
 
 
The Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce is your link to the Wayne County community! The businesses that thrive here and the people who make it happen! 
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We exist to foster an attractive, welcoming community that is rich in enterprise and growing in population and prosperity. ​

Contributed by Beth Van Der Burgt 

Marty and I had previously visited Budapest in November 2006. It quickly became one of my favorite cities around the world. It has a real beauty and appeal about it, especially when viewed at night. Now almost 20 years later when we returned to this city, it still has that appeal with me. Moreover, it is definitely my favorite city in the world. However, I did notice some major changes to the city.

When we first visited, the city tour guide seemed very happy and mentioned many times that Hungary achieved its freedom  around 1988. I thought that was great and noteworthy. Yet, I didn’t realize the entire meaning of it. Today in 2025, you can see the specific results of this freedom as the city is definitely bustling. You can also see that both St. Mathais church and St. Stephen’s Basilica have been given much care and restoration to their buildings. They are both much brighter and have been cleaned or are in the process of being cleaned and renewed. There are now huge crowds upon visiting, and you need a ticket to enter. Back in 2006, we just wondered into each building. While these churches were beautiful. They were dark with not much lighting.

The entire city is busy! I began to wonder why that is the case. On one of our recent tours, the guide took us to Heroes square, and there we found statues of American Presidents H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan. This piqued my curiosity because the guide mentioned that Ronald Reagan had never visited Hungary. However, the Hungarians were indebted to him. Ultimately, this led me to look up President Reagan’s speech about the Berlin Wall.

President Reagan gave his famous speech on June 12, 1987 to the people of West Berlin. These are the famous words that I remembered: “General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” The Berlin wall did come down but not until 1989.

When I read the entire speech there was much more to digest. Additionally, it describes what I had actually witnessed: “Freedom leads to prosperity. Freedom replaces the ancient hatreds among the nations with comity and peace. Freedom is the victor.”
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You can definitely now witness the prosperity that Hungary is experiencing. It is very apparent as you walk through the city. There are many people there and many more restaurants and business than what I witnessed before. The Hungarians are still very friendly and happy. The food, beer, and wine are delicious, and they welcome visitors! Therefore, Budapest will remain my city! I think we can learn something in America from  these countries that freedom is not something to take for granted. With it comes prosperity and happiness as President Reagan described. While our country is so much younger than the Eastern European countries once occupied by the Soviets, we have enjoyed freedom for a much longer time period. Ultimately, we must not take it for granted! Yet we also should focus on that and also be happy that we have our freedom. It is something that every American should be able to agree upon.

When you first enter the concentration camp at Terezin in the Czech Republic, there is a phrase on the wall. “Arbeit Macht Frei”. It means Work sets you Free. Literally, it means work will keep you alive. Being of German heritage, my grandfather taught me that if you are a good worker, you will reap the rewards of success. How sad that for some Jews in the 1940s that being a good, hard worker would just barely keep you alive.

TEREZIN was a concentration camp 30 miles north of Prague in the Czech Republic during World War II. It was originally a holiday resort reserved for Czech nobility. Terezín is situated within the walls of the famed Theresienstadt fortress, which was constructed by Emperor Joseph II of Austria in the late 18th century and named in honor of his mother, Empress Maria Theresa. The Nazis repurposed a fortress originally meant for protection that was never used in that manner for a concentration camp. This camp was not an extermination camp. However, many were transferred out to one of the extermination camps. Those killed at Terezin were either shot or hanged. 

You might ask why someone would even want to visit a concentration camp. It does have a definite and lasting effect on a person visiting. The description before our visit did mention this. Also, having previously visited Pearl Harbor, I thought I could handle it. However, what occurred there was much worse than I could have ever imagined in my head prior to an actual visit.

As you walk to enter the buildings, you pass by a cemetery of graves. Each grave has a red rose bush next to it. Some graves have names and some just numbers, and the Christians and Jews are separated. Again, the reason for visiting is to actually see what transpired there. When learning history in the United States about WWII, we only saw pictures in books and it actually seemed surreal. The pictures looked terrible. However, it is much worse when you stand in a cell meant for 30 people that harbored 100.

Moreover, seeing a camp in person is a different story. It is and was a very real and terrible action in our world's history. I always thought the Nazis were bad people. But now I know they were despicable, and the holocaust was a premeditated, planned action executed by many terrible people.

 I was a good student of history. Yet, I missed a few of the facts that our guide pointed out. Or these facts were not included. First, they traced back everyone’s heritage for 3 generations. If you had anyone Jewish in that lineage, you were considered a Jew and would be sent to a camp. Second, if you were not Jewish but married to a Jewish person, a divorce was required, and your Jewish spouse was sent to a camp while you struggled alone to provide and care for your family. And thirdly, the Nazis had Jewish “managers” at Terezin who decided who went on the transports to the extermination camps. Additionally, the unknown with this was that these managers thought they were sending their friends to a better place, and they didn't know it was an extermination camp.

 At the end of our tour, we watched a propaganda film made for a proposed Red Cross visit to Terezín that was later discovered. It depicted Jews living in an ok situation, showing how the Nazis were caring for them in a positive light. They were dressed nicely and shown playing games and smiling all the while, but most didn't make it to their next destination when they were transferred to another camp.

After visiting a camp like this, it takes some time to process what happened there. How could one group of people want to inflict such terrible acts upon another? The conditions at the camp were appalling. What the Nazis inflicted upon the Jews was horrific. Even if you do not care for another human being, it is improper to inflict such conditions upon that person.

Another place we visited was a Benedictine Abby in Melk, Germany. In the first courtyard, there are four frescos above the buildings of the cardinal virtues: prudence, temperance, courage, and justice. Our guide, who is a senior in high school at the Abby, pointed these out to us. The virtue that stuck out to me is that of justice.
St. Thomas Aquinas defines the virtue of justice as having two features. First, we must give God his due, and secondly, we must give man his due. As I walked through the courtyard, it struck me that the Nazis who carried out the deplorable acts against the Jews were not acting justly at all. Thus, they didn’t give the Jews their due since they withheld a proper existence in the world.
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Lastly, as many places across Europe and our world celebrate 80 years since the end of World War II, let us never forget the atrocities that the Jews endured. It must be a lesson to us all about how not to act in the world. I feel blessed and lucky to have been born and live in a great place in America, where I experience freedom each and every day. I might disagree with something or someone, but it would never cause me to want to harm them physically. The visit to Terezín has affected me immensely and will stay with me for the rest of my life. I am so glad that I can work to achieve my goals in life and not just work to save my life from torture and death.

​Chamber Travelers Explore Europe: A Journey Through Culture, Connection, and Reflection
For the third consecutive year, the Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce has taken a group of community members abroad on an international journey—an opportunity to experience the world, deepen relationships, and return home with a broader perspective. What began in 2023 with a trip to Italy grew in 2024 into a multi-country experience through London, Ireland, and Scotland. This year, in 2025, travelers journeyed through several countries along the Danube River, with optional pre-trip stops in either Prague, Czech Republic or Munich, Germany.
Each trip has reinforced the powerful impact of shared travel. These Chamber adventures allow Wayne County residents to visit destinations they may not otherwise see—overcoming language barriers, travel anxieties, or unfamiliar logistics. They create space for cultural awareness, greater empathy, and lasting friendships among a diverse mix of travelers including business leaders, community members, Chamber partners, and retirees. Many participants return home inspired to deepen their engagement in local initiatives.

Prague: Art, Architecture, and the Power of Story
The pre-trip adventure in Prague (July 3–6) welcomed travelers to a city that felt both intimate and enchanting. From the moment we arrived—after a long 17-hour journey—we were charmed by our boutique Hyatt hotel, filled with quirky design touches like bronze curtain-holding hands and claw-footed nightstands. It set the tone for a whimsical and surprising start to our European exploration.
Prague is a city built for wandering. Cobblestone streets led us to cafés spilling out onto wide sidewalks, where locals and tourists alike sipped espresso and savored pastries. One irresistible treat—called trdelník (or more formally větrník)—is a rotisserie-baked pastry rolled in cinnamon sugar, sometimes dipped in chocolate and filled with ice cream. Naturally, we had to try it!
But what stood out most wasn't just the beauty of Prague's Gothic spires or its romantic river views—it was the people and their stories. Travel has a way of revealing how important storytelling is to a place’s soul. As Wayne County residents, becoming better at telling our own stories can help attract visitors—and maybe even new neighbors—to our community.

Munich: Surprises, Surfing, and Shrines
Contributed by Angela Locke, IU East
Those who chose the Munich pre-trip (July 4–6) were in for some unexpected delights. Tucked within the English Garden in the heart of the city, we found river surfing—yes, surfing! On the Eisbach River, surfers took turns riding a stationary wave beneath a bridge, moving with grace and camaraderie. Locals lined the banks to watch and cheer them on.
Our hotel, the historic Bayerischer Hof, held another surprise: just steps away was a statue of Renaissance composer Orlando di Lasso, now adorned with tributes to pop icon Michael Jackson. Since Jackson stayed at the hotel in 1997, fans have transformed the statue’s base into an unofficial shrine, complete with photos and candles—an odd yet touching blend of tradition and pop culture.
Munich offers a compelling mix of old and new. From ancient cathedrals to modern quirks, it's a place where every corner tells a story. And of course, no visit would be complete without a hearty German beer and pretzel.

Terezín: A Sobering Encounter with the Past
Reflections by Beth Van Der Burgt
Among the most profound experiences of the trip was a visit to the concentration camp at Terezín, just 30 miles north of Prague. Originally a resort for Czech nobility and later a fortress built by Emperor Joseph II, the site was transformed by the Nazis into a concentration camp during World War II. Unlike extermination camps, Terezín was used for transit and propaganda—but death, cruelty, and terror still permeated its walls.
Upon entering, we were greeted by the chilling phrase “Arbeit Macht Frei”—“Work sets you free.” For many Jewish prisoners, work merely postponed inevitable deportation or death. Visiting Terezín in person was far more intense than reading about it in history books. Standing in cramped cells, walking past the cemetery, and seeing the silent markers of suffering brought a new gravity to the Holocaust’s horrors.
One powerful moment came during our visit to the Benedictine Abbey in Melk, Austria. There, we saw frescos of the cardinal virtues—prudence, temperance, courage, and justice. Our young guide reminded us that justice means giving both God and man their due. That message resonated deeply after witnessing the injustice of the Holocaust. The contrast was haunting.
This visit was a reminder that history must be felt, not just read. As the world marks 80 years since the end of WWII, we are reminded never to forget the atrocities endured by millions. We must honor their memory by striving for justice and compassion in our own lives.
Read Beth's Full Reflection

Budapest: A City of Light, Legacy, and Freedom
Reflections by Beth Van Der Burgt
Nearly 20 years after first visiting Budapest in 2006, my husband Marty and I returned—and it’s safe to say, the city remains my favorite in the world. Its nighttime glow, revitalized cathedrals, and thriving streets made the magic feel even more alive than before.
Back then, we wandered freely into iconic churches like St. Stephen’s Basilica without tickets or crowds. Now, the buildings have been lovingly restored, and visitors come from all over the world to experience their beauty.
In Heroes’ Square, we came across statues of U.S. Presidents George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan. Though Reagan never visited Hungary, he’s remembered here for his role in helping liberate Eastern Europe from Soviet rule. His famous 1987 Berlin Wall speech echoed in my mind: “Freedom leads to prosperity… Freedom is the victor.”
Walking through today’s Budapest, that prosperity is visible everywhere—from bustling markets to joyful locals and thriving businesses. The spirit of freedom has taken root, and it’s a reminder to all of us: freedom should never be taken for granted.
Read Beth's Full Reflection

More Than a Trip: A Shared Journey
This year’s Chamber travel experience was more than a vacation. It was an opportunity to reflect on history, celebrate cultural connections, and strengthen bonds within our community. From the quiet reflection at Terezín to the vibrant streets of Budapest, each destination left its mark.
As our group returned to Wayne County, many brought home more than souvenirs—they brought stories, insights, and a renewed appreciation for the world and one another. With every trip, we see our travelers become more engaged citizens, curious learners, and passionate storytellers. And in doing so, they help shape a more vibrant and connected Wayne County.