The Robinson Chamber of Commerce recently held its annual banquet with close to 150 people attending.
During the evening, several local residents were recognized for their work in the community.
Alexis Davis was awarded the Hometown Pride Youth award. This award recognizes an individual youth or youth organization whose members exhibit good sportsmanship, dedication to goals, community mindfulness and/or leadership qualities.
Davis is the daughter of Jess and Rebekah Davis of Robinson. She will be a 2022 graduate of Robinson High School. 
Davis owns her own successful sewing business and has maintained a 4.0 grade point average and is in the top 10 in her class. She participated in the dual credit program between RHS and Lincoln Trail College.
Davis participates in several activities including the Chamber’s Farmer’s Market, the RHS tennis team and the highest level of travel softball. She is also the president for the RHS Key Club and was recently elected the vice president of Fellowship for Phi Theta Kappa at LTC.
Her future plans include finishing her degree at LTC and the transfering to Eastern Illinois University to major in children’s psychology.
The Emerging Leader award went to Nikki Westdorp and Samantha Brown. This award recognizes an individual young professional or group of young professionals who have already made significant contributions to the community and/or to their profession and have demonstrated the potential for leadership and continuing service.
Westdorp, following her return to the area after college, has progressively moved forward to enhance the downtown area. She has worked with revitalizing the old Index building, the Commercium and a variety of other properties throughout the community.
Westdorp and her husband, Ross, Have shown that the community is important to them. She has joined several committees and organizations to further enhance the quality of life in Robinson.
“I expect Nikki to be a leader in our community for years to come and is blessed with energy and talent which will only make Robinson better,” Mike Shimer said. “She is truly an emerging leader in our community made up of all of us.”
Samantha Brown also received the Emerging Leader award.
“Samantha is a young and talented entrepreneur that has built an amazing smoothie business and has given this area a healthy fast- food option,” Jessie Johnson said.
Her business, Sammy’s Smoothies, provided the community with a healthy food option instead of having to travel out of the area for it. She began her plans for her business at the age of 21.
At the age of 22 she was able to start that business that gives back to the community and the people in it.
Brown has hosted events such as smoothie day for Crawford Memorial Hospital.  Smoothie day was held during the pandemic to help show the hospital staff how much they were appreciated. She also helped the high school students who thought they wouldn’t have a dance due to COVID.
To help inspire other young people, she hires them at her business.
The Outstanding Business/Industry award went to Alluring Salon. This award recognizes a company which has created jobs or improved the quality of life in the community.
Chasity Austin, the owner of Alluring Salon, accepted the award during the banquet. Austin has a style show that benefits non-for-profit organizations for women in need.
“Her salon is top notch,” Rikki Callaway said. “We are thankful that we have a business in Crawford County, as distinguished as hers.”
“Chasity is one who will give and give before she even once thinks about receiving,” Callaway said. “That is her generosity and it comes directly from her heart. She is a great example of someone who we should all model ourselves after.”
The Outstanding Community Service Award was awarded to Joe Davis. This award recognizes a person or persons who have demonstrated willingness to perform services for the community and endeavored to make Crawford County a better place to live, work and play.
“Joe goes above and beyond for this community, always putting it first,” Robert Quick said. “He will do whatever he can to better the community and everyone in it.”
Davis is involved in many community organizations including being president of the Robinson Kiwanis Club and the past president of the RHS Academic Foundation and Alumni Association.
He is part of the LTC Alumni Network, LTC Statesman Club, Unit 2 School District Improvement Committee and RHS Disciplinary Committee.
Davis also participates in the Lunch Buddy Program, he is on the Marathon Petroleum Community Advisory Panel, the Chamber of Commerce, Msonic Lodge, Elks Lodge and Drive One 4UR School with RHS, which has raised more than $15,000 in four years, as well as serving on the Robinson Police Commissioners board and was a Robinson Junior Football League coach for three years.
The most prestigious award of the evening went to Fayrene Wright who received the Distinguished Citizen award. This award is bestowed on a person or persons who have exhibited an outstanding amount of pride in our community and service for our community over an extended period of time.
“Few public offices in local politics are more important than the County Clerk position,” Shimer said. 
“Fayrene Wright has served the county for more years than I can remember and has done it in a professional manner,” he said. “I have seen her dedication to this position firsthand and can say she treated that position with the utmost respect always with the residents of our county in mind.”
“Handling elections, always a stressful time, I have appreciated her attention to detail, a belief that the voters and all votes are extremely important and deserved her total attention, which she happily gave,” he said. “As she announced her retirement the county will realize just how valuable she has been to all of us.”
Wright will retire at the end of the year.