Chamber of Commerce bestows awards at annual gala

The New Horizons Communities - Shelton Veterans Village, the Marmo Caffe & Gallery and KMAS Radio were among the winners at the Shelton-Mason County Chamber of Commerce's annual Awards Gala on Jan. 17 at the Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton.

KMAS Radio was named Business of the Year and Kendall Lowe of Exceptional Foresters Inc. was named Boss of the Year. Marmo Caffe & Gallery was honored as the Rookie of the Year and the New Horizons Communities - Shelton Veterans Village the Nonprofit of the Year. Lisa Welander was named Citizen of the Year, Billy Thomas Volunteer of the Year and Zachary Hansen the Chairperson's Choice.

In 2023, longtime host Jeff Slakey partnered with John and Rachel Hansen to return KMAS to its roots as a locally owned, locally focused station. The station, dubbed "The Voice of Mason County," was first heard over the airwaves in 1962.

Last year, owner Isa Radojcic opened Marmo Caffe & Gallery on Cota Street, near the center of where the city is considering a Creative District. She was instrumental in gathering partners to host the inaugural Shelton Arts Walk.

Opened in September 2023, Shelton Veterans Village houses veterans in 30 tiny homes and features a community center. New Horizons Communities also has veterans villages in Olympia and Orting.

Born and raised in Shelton, Welander is retired from a 40-year career in banking. She is the chair of Exceptional Foresters Inc., treasurer for the Mason Health Foundation and chair of the Family Select Committee for Habitat for Humanity of Mason County. She also teaches free classes at events such as Festival of Firs and donates handmade items to raise money for community causes.

As the program supervisor at Exceptional Foresters Inc., Lowe has fostered collaboration and tailored training to support her team's growth for almost 15 years. Her colleagues note her empathetic leadership and her skills at recognizing people's strengths. Established in 1957, Exceptional Foresters is a nonprofit that provides residential and vocational services to adults with disabilities.

Thomas' award as Volunteer of the Year is a nod from chamber staff to recognize the person who has made exceptional contributions to the chamber's programs and activities. He's on several chamber committees and shares his talent for story making and his artistic touch by guest-writing articles for Business Matters magazine.

The chamber's board chair makes the selection for the Chairperson's Choice. Last year's chair, Jamie Mell, selected Zachary Hansen for his work on community projects. Along with his contributions to local events, Hansen last year gathered talented craftspeople and others to restore one of Shelton's landmarks, the caboose and the Shay locomotive, known as the Tollie.