The Snoqualmie Valley Chamber of Commerce handed out awards Friday, Nov. 17, at its annual gala held at Snoqualmie Ridge Golf Club.

Bart Kelly, an employee of Minuteman Press in Issaquah, received the Volunteer of the Year award for a number of reasons: He just finished his first year as a boardmember, he chaired the gala committee and he has been on the ambassador committee. Plus, he does lots of behind-the-scenes work for the chamber.

Scott Clinton received the Ambassador Award for working at functions like the luncheons and after-hours socials, as well as attending ribbon cuttings and helping with Tour de Peaks. He and a co-worker, Shari Graber from Eastside Self-Storage, will be co-chairing the ambassador committee in 2007.

Claffey’s Painting was named Business of the Year, with special mention to employee Kevin Kalberg. The business allows Kalberg to serve on various committees. He has served on the board of directors, chaired the government affairs committee, the pancake breakfast committee, has been the treasurer for the past two years and helps out in many other ways.

Chamber president Larry Brown gave the President’s Award to Minna Rudd for efforts above and beyond what she is paid to do. She was hired a little more than a year ago as a part-time employee and has been irreplaceable ever since. She worked tirelessly on the Tour de Peaks committee, especially on the day of the event, and she puts in many volunteer hours.

Steve Goldberg won the Director’s Award. For the past several years, he has gathered information and advertising for the chamber directory, which is printed every summer. He was on the gala committee this year and almost single-handedly persuaded more than two dozen companies to either sponsor a table at the gala or donate a door prize. There were 52 door prizes this year, with a total retail value of more than $6,000. Goldberg also is one of those people who likes to help out behind the scenes wherever needed.