A BIG thank you to everyone who took the time to show your appreciation of our local businesses by submitting a nomination for the 2020 Small Business Awards. An outstanding 91 nominations were received for a total of 30 local businesses.

Due to COVID-19 we unfortunately were unable to host the awards banquet, however we did our best recognize and promote each recipient virtually. Please see below for a message from our President, Jeannette Austin, and the awards presentations to each recipient.

And the People’s Choice award goes to…. the Farm Basket! Congratulations to Owners Mike and Annette Bauer.

The winner of the People’s Choice award is based strictly on the number of votes received and speaks volumes to the appreciation our community has for the Farm Basket.

The Farm Basket is a group of locals dedicated to providing amazing fresh, local, and hand-crafted foods. If you haven’t visited the store yet, you definitely have to check it out!

Farm Basket employee Jennah, was also the recipient of the 2020 Employee of the Year award.

Here are some comments from happy customers:

“Owners are great people who work hard at making sure their store has a variety of good affordable products.”

“The Farm Basket products that I have purchased are all fresh and well presented. The customer service provided by all the very friendly and accommodating staff is outstanding. It is always a pleasure to visit the store and make my weekly purchases.”

“This business has very friendly service and great products. The meat and veggies are fresh and have good taste. The personal call me by name.”

“Always friendly staff. Store is neat and clean, they place personal orders, and during COVID-19 they went above and beyond to deliver products to customers. Mike and Annette always make sure customers are happy.”

Congratulations Farm Basket!

A special note to recognize our other outstanding People’s Choice nominees:
Three Hills IGA
Little Bird Bakery
Maximum Hearing Center
Peter’s Pharmacy
Three Hills Health Food Store
Urban Renewal
The Makers Mark – Artisan Market
Three Hills Books
Waffles On Main

And the Customer Service award goes to…. Kal Tire! Congratulations to Owners Jim and PJ.

Kal Tire prides itself with the small-town service it provides. Not only do the staff have many years of experience, but they are also long-term employees, and regularly attend courses and seminars to pass on the best knowledge of products and services to customers.

The company has worked hard during COVID-19 to continue with the best and safest services for customers and staff. For example, they have promoted online booking and the automated text message appointment reminders, which has been a big hit!

Kal Tire receives feedback through reviews on social media and general customer comments. They are amazed each year at the many new customers from Three Hills and surrounding communities that are drawn to the “small town” atmosphere they provide.

Born and raised in Three Hills, Jim and PJ understand how important our community and the services here are and are proud to be a part of it!

“You are not just a number to us. We appreciate and value all our long-term and new customers,” says Jim.

Some comments from those who nominated Kal Tire:

“Jim and PJ are the definition of customer focused service. They are always accommodating and professional while still maintaining a small-town familiarity. From your first step in their door to receiving your keys after your service, it is a first-rate experience.”

“Jim and his team are amazing to deal with, courteous, concise, and always with a smile.”

“Having dealt with this business on several occasions both personally and through my company, the customer service has been outstanding. This company goes out of their way to make the customer feel welcomed and always tries to find the best deals for the customer.”

Way to go Kal Tire, our community greatly appreciates you!

A special note to recognize our other outstanding Customer Service nominees:
Beeton & Associates
Farm Basket
Three Hills IGA
Knievel Insurance Ltd
Little Bird Bakery
Northern Comfort
Peter’s Pharmacy
Royal LePage
Three Hills Health Food Store
Vincovi Technology Solutions
Cornerstone Construction
Haven Aesthetics

And the Community Spirit award goes to…. Bigfoot & Co.! Congratulations to Ken and Laura Lee Cunningham.

Celebrating 20 years of business in Three Hills, Bigfoot & Co. is a full-service truck and trailer shop, performing commercial vehicle inspections and repairs. They also have a full parts department, and car and truck wash facilities.

Bigfoot & Co. aims to volunteer and lend support both financially and in time to various charities in Three Hills and the surrounding area. Laura Lee was on the Three Hills Hospital Gala fundraiser this past year and the entire family volunteered and support the event together. Ken and Laura Lee have also been active volunteers for the past two years in the planting, maintaining and financially assisting of the flower garden at the Three Hills Hospital.

“Helping the community and giving back is an integral part of being active community members and Bigfoot & Co. is as a family owned and operated business,” says owner Ken Cunningham.

Some comments from those who nominated Bigfoot & Co.:

“The Cunningham’s are always supporting the community. Their Facebook page is always thanking their customers, inviting customers in for coffee and always providing updates of what is happening in the community. I have never had to use their tow service but appreciate all the dangers they go through to get people safely back home.”

“Bigfoot & Co. was very supportive of the Mardi-Gras masquerade event. This event took place on March 6th and raised money for the Three Hills Hospital. Bigfoot & Co. sold lots of raffle tickets, bought a table of dinner tickets, and provided a wonderful package of Flames tickets and Flames jerseys for our live auction. Laura Lee attended all organization meetings and helped canvas other businesses for donations. They were huge contributors.”

Congratulations Bigfoot & Co.!

A special note to recognize our other outstanding Community Spirit nominees:
Little Bird Bakery
Maximum Hearing Center
Peter’s Pharmacy
Three Hills Health Food Store
Traders Furniture
Vincovi Technology Solutions
New to You
The Makers Mark – Artisan Market
Waffles On Main

And the Employer of the Year award goes to…. Three Hills IGA! Congratulations to Owner, Justin Andrews.

Locally owned and operated, Three Hills IGA employs a team of 52 people that have endured many challenges and changes during this difficult year, all to safely remain open for Three Hills and our surrounding communities.

“This acknowledgment means A LOT to me. To even be nominated in this category truly is a testament to the amazing team that I have surrounding me every single day. I don’t think any business owner or leader ever dreamt that they would be navigating the choppy waters of a pandemic and without a doubt it has been the most challenging experience of my career. The pride I feel with receiving this type of nomination (especially this year) means that we must be doing something right here and gives me the motivation to continue to be the best leader that I can as my team and this community only deserve the best,” says Justin.

“During COVID Three Hills IGA stepped up with safety measures that helped make employees safe and supported the community,” explains one employee.

Three Hills IGA employees Don, Victoria, and Treena, were also nominated by satisfied customers for the Employee of the Year award.

Congratulations IGA!

A special note to recognize our other outstanding Employer of the Year nominees:
Kneehill County
Three Hills Child Care Centre

And the Employee of the Year award goes to…. Jennah Anderson from the Farm Basket. Congratulations Jennah!

Jennah has worked at the Farm Basket for more than two years, both in the store and managing their social media. Her attention to detail is incredible and she has an amazing personality, which turns into great customer relationships.

Some comments from those who nominated her:

“This girl works hard! She makes every customer feel special and helps to keep vendors informed and stock flowing. She is the heart and soul of the Farm Basket!”

“Jenna is super friendly, always helps where needed and always has a smile!”

“This girl is one of the hardest workers I have ever met. Her customer service is incredible along with her attention to detail and willingness to go above and beyond for her customer, vendors, and community.”

The Farm Basket is a group of locals that provide amazing fresh, local, and hand-crafted foods.

A special note to recognize our other outstanding nominees:
Don – IGA
Victoria – IGA
Treena – IGA
Elaine – Prairie College
Christine – Royal LePage
Jackie – Trader’s Furniture