The annual Farmville Area Chamber of Commerce Awards event recognized a variety of winners, including Navona Hart as Citizen of the Year, on Saturday evening at the Firemen’s Sports Arena.

Chamber Executive Director Joy Stump presented Hart with the citizen award.

“For our Citizen of the Year, our nominating committee looks for an individual that has been a truly exceptional advocate for the community, someone who gives of their time, energy and resources to make Farmville and the surrounding area a better place to live, work and play,” Stump said. “I say this is Navona Hart in a nutshell.”

She noted that Hart, of Real Living Cornerstone, is community-minded, highlighting the lengths she went to in order to help build excitement for the U.S. Vice Presidential Debate in 2016, producing decorations and parties at her real estate office on Main Street.

“Navona has a very positive attitude about our community,” Stump said. “She’s often described by friends as creative and inclusive, and she looks for ways to match needs. This is how she runs her business when selling homes to clients but also how she helps be a cheerleader for our community. She gives great tours of Farmville and the surrounding area for people looking to move here as her enthusiasm is contagious.”

Stump said that being Citizen of the Year is not just about advocacy but also about applying resources and energy to the cause. She said one look at Hart’s website or her Facebook page shows the full range of area organizations she supports.

Hart is a significant supporter of Piedmont Senior Resources, the Virginia Children’s Book Festival, Stump noted that she is a committee member for the Longwood Center for the Visual Arts Gala, she sponsored First Fridays, the chamber’s 2017 Holiday House Tour, Hampden-Sydney College Football Tailgate, she was involved with the Heart of Virginia Festival for many years, she holds a Christmas parade watch party in front of her office and her holiday decorations at her office are a notable feature that add festivity to the town.

“Navona truly makes living here in Farmville more fun,” Stump said. “She absolutely makes it a better place to live. She brings excitement and delight to all that is going on here. That is why Navona Hart is our Farmville Area Chamber of Commerce 2017 Citizen of the Year.”

After accepting the award, Hart said, “I am a huge fan of this place that I call home. I believe, though, that the reason that I love it so much is because of how everyone in this town really does work together. We really have a great collaboration of people. … It is an amazing community, and it is so easy to support. I really appreciate all of your support in return.”

Chamber Board of Directors Chairman Brad Watson presented the chamber’s Annual Looking Our Best Award.

“Each month during the year, the chamber gives out a Looking Our Best award to (an) area business that has made a substantial and recent effort to improve the exterior and/or interior of their building or facility,” he said. “There were 12 awards given out this year, and our chamber membership voted on which one of these would be crowned the annual winner. I’m pleased to announce that the chamber’s 2017 Annual Looking Our Best Award goes to the High Bridge Trail State Park Camp Paradise.”

Watson presented a new chamber award, Nonprofit of the Year, voted on by chamber membership from a number of nominations.

“The winner this year has done a great job of getting their message out to the community,” Watson said. “They have focused on what they do, not just on their fundraising efforts, and I think it’s paid off pretty well. I’m pleased to present the winner of this year’s inaugural 2017 Nonprofit of the Year Award to the Southside (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals).”

As voted on by chamber membership, Third Street Brewing Company received the New Business of the Year Award.

Among already-established businesses, The Fishin’ Pig received the chamber’s 2017 Business of the Year Award.

“This year’s winner has been a continual presence at chamber meetings and events and has sponsored so many other events with money, services, food and time,” Watson said. “Their service is fantastic whether you come see them or they come to you. Their food is delicious, they work very hard and they run a great business.”

Stump presented Watson with the chamber’s 2017 Member of the Year Award.

“Our nominating committee looks for a member who supports the chamber, and we couldn’t think of anyone more worthy than their board chairman, Brad Watson,” she said. “I love a leader who you know always has your back, and this is Brad, 100 percent. He never micro-manages, but he’s around enough so we know he’s always available. We started several new events while Brad was our chair, such as the Holiday House Tour and this event, the New Year’s Eve-Eve event. New events are not always easy, but he always had time for questions.”

She highlighted his help in making staffing changes and establishing a great vision of what the chamber should be. He encouraged her to renovate and redecorate the chamber office to give it a more polished and professional bearing, he helped rewrite the chamber’s mission statement, and she noted that his high standing in the community has given the chamber credibility and integrity.

After accepting the award, Watson expressed his gratitude for it and thanked his wife, Virginia Watson, for her support in helping him accomplish all of the things he has been able to do in the community.

Following that, Watson presented the chamber’s Lifetime Achievement Award to his father, Hunter Watson, noting that the honor is not necessarily given out each and every year.

“It will only be presented when someone has made a tremendous and positive impact on our community over a long period of time, and they’ve done it not just by doing his or her job but through the service to others and to our area,” Brad said.

Hunter Watson is the second recipient of the award; the first was Dr. Nancy Haga in 2016.

“My brother, Cannon and I, are so fortunate to have worked side by side with our father for so many years,” Brad said. “We have watched him and learned many things by his example. We have learned to have a good and strong work ethic, and I think, more importantly, we have learned the value of giving time, effort and resources to important causes in our community.”

Brad gave a brief history of his father’s life. After entering the U.S. Army, Hunter was married in 1962 and soon moved back to Farmville where he worked at W.A. Watson Insurance Company.

“A few years later, he moved across the street and later became co-owner of F.W. Hubbard Insurance Agency — now I think it’s called Hubbard Lash — Gantt Insurance (Agency) — where he worked for many years,” Brad said. “In 1985 he branched out into the investment business, opening Farmville’s first stoke brokerage firm, EF Hutton. Five years later, he moved to Davenport & Company and has been here ever since.”

Brad said that over the years, Hunter has served as president of the Farmville Area Development Corporation.

“This was an organization that brought a lot of large employers to Farmville,” Brad said. “… He’s a lifetime member and past president of the Farmville Jaycees, he was appointed by Gov. Chuck Robb to the Longwood Board of Visitors in 1982. He served on it for eight years. He was on the Prince Edward County Board of Supervisors from 1994-2003 and was chairman of that board for the last five years he was on it. He was on the first board of the Heart of Virginia Festival, and I believe he came up with the name, Heart of Virginia Festival. Hunter Watson is the past president of Wedgewood Country Club, now the Farmville Municipal Golf Course and has been extremely instrumental in bringing The Manor golf course here. He was chair of the Farmville Chamber of Commerce in 2001 and 2002 and was appointed by Gov. Mark Warner to the Commonwealth Transportation Board, where he served from 2002-2006. He has always been a positive force for Farmville and does whatever he can to promote our area.”

Brad said his father has given a great deal of money to multiple charitable causes, and he just recently stepped down as chair of the Longwood University Corporate Advisory Board, where he sat for 15 years. He also conducted the original organizational meeting of the Prince Edward Volunteer Rescue Squad.

Brad emphasized that though his father is in his late 70s, he has not slowed down.

“He is currently a member of the Longwood Real Estate Foundation Board,” Brad said. “He serves as chair of trustees of Farmville United Methodist Church and has been on the executive committee of the board of Patrick Henry Boys & Girls Homes for 20 years. Most recently he was asked to serve on Fuqua School’s Board of Directors and was pleased to accept.”

In his remarks, Hunter encouraged local government leaders to spend more money on economic development.

“I’m going to keep working, I hope you will, and I am really so grateful for being recognized in this way,” he said.

At the awards ceremony, the chamber also handed out three awards for table decoration. The award for creativity went to the Virginia Children’s Book Festival, the award for relevance to the theme of New Year’s went to Helton House and the award for best promotion of their business went to Bojangles’ Famous Chicken ‘n Biscuits.