The Hamburg Natural History Society/Penn Dixie is honored to receive the 2017 Innovation Award from the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce. This award is given to business that introduce new ideas, methods, or products into the local community for the benefit of all. Penn Dixie is proud to bring attention to Hamburg and is grateful for this honor. The award was given at the chamber’s Annual Member Recognition Dinner which was held at Michael’s Catering & Banquets in Hamburg, NY.
Penn Dixie thanks its volunteers, members, and staff for their ongoing support. Our innovation begins with great ideas from our stakeholders and we would not be successful without your energy and enthusiasm. We appreciate our visitors who give our work meaning and who are science enthusiasts just like us. And, we thank our local teachers who bring their students to Penn Dixie every year.
We also thank our former director of education, Sarah Tarnowski. Sarah worked tirelessly during 2016 to develop new programs, train staff and volunteers, and build stronger relationships with the local education community.
We also thank our local leaders who support Penn Dixie, including Legislator Lynne Dixon, County Executive Mark Poloncarz, and Congressman Chris Collins. Additionally, we thank the entire Erie County Legislature including Majority Leader Joseph Lorigo and Chairman John Mills. And, we thank Supervisor Steven Walters and the Hamburg Town Board. Support from our local government is crucial to the success and growth of our organization and we are appreciate leadership that is responsive and supportive of cultural organizations.
We are grateful for the support of the Hamburg and Buffalo Niagara business communities. We thoroughly enjoy working alongside so many people who are proud of their region and look forward to continued opportunities for collaboration. The Hamburg Chamber of Commerce is a wonderful resource and we acknowledge the incredibly helpful business advice provide by chamber staff and board members.
Finally, we acknowledge the other award nominees: Concept Construction, Prima Oliva, The Village of Hamburg, and M&T Bank. These groups are very active in the Hamburg community — and in fact we work with all of them in some capacity — and likewise deserve our gratitude.
Our nomination excerpt: