Bea Vasey had to read the email three times to realize what was happening.

The owner of Altered Elegance in Petrolia is one of Petrolia and Central Lambton businesses and community organizations to be tapped for Ontario Business Association Awards by the Sarnia-Lambton Chamber of Commerce. Vasey was nominated for Small Business of the Year.

Vasey wasn’t going to accept the nomination – if business owners are willing to stand they must write a 5 to 10 page report on their business for the judges – but her family convinced her to stand for the nomination.

Laurissa Ellsworth, director of marketing for the Town of Petrolia was nominated as Chamber member of the Year  “When I first read it , I misinterpreted it as a nomination for the Town of Petrolia.,” she says. The town is being recognized for its marketing efforts at the May award’s ceremony.

John Duff Industries is nominated in the Employee Relations category and Brooke Telecom and the Oil Museum of Canada in Oil Springs are both nominated in the Innovation category.  The Oil Heritage District Community Centre is nominated in the Social Profit category.  Alton Estate Winery in Plympton-Wyoming, Windovers Nursery in Petrolia and Zekveld’s Garden Market are all up for the Agri Business Award.

John Zekveld was surprised by the nomination, but pleased his customers would recommend the business for the award. “It means something to us when a customer is out there who feels that way about us…that it was something right out of the blue,” he says.

And while the report for the judges may have been daunting for some, Zekveld says it was a good exercise. “You look at where you’ve started and where you’ve come to and you realize that there are a lot of people together that make it work, it’s the employees it’s the kids it’s the customers it’s the businesses are around us,” he says. “Ultimately know too it’s a blessing from God,you can’t do it in your own strength.”

The awards will be handed out May 27 at the Imperial Theatre in Sarnia.