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| Chamber honors standout citizen |
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| News | |||
| Written by Jesse Trimble | |||
| Wednesday, 18 November 2009 09:00 | |||
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The Louisburg Chamber of Commerce gave out its annual Chamber Appreciation Award on Nov. 12 during the annual Chamber dinner at Timber Creek. The award went to Edith Elliott, who has been a resident of Louisburg since 1967 and turns 80 in February. This marks the 18th year the Chamber has given the award to a community member, and it is the highest honor the Chamber gives out.  Damon Dennis, of the Louisburg Chiropractic Office, has been giving speeches about the recipients for years. He said although it’s more like a roast, where the host offers a mocking tribute to the person of interest, it’s also a chance for members in the community to come together and honor a dedicated resident. “When my wife and I first moved here, Edith and her husband invited us for Thanksgiving dinner at their house,” Dennis recalled. “She’s very deserving and a wonderful lady.” Dennis said the award is given to someone in the community who has gone above and beyond the call of duty. The selected recipient of the award is voted on by a member of the board at the Chamber of Commerce. Dennis added that it’s not about just giving back locally, but nationally, too. One year, a resident traveled to Ground Zero after 9/11 to cook and serve pancakes to firefighters, police officers and anyone working amidst the rubble. Dennis said the award isn’t given to people who do one specific job, but that they are jobs that range all across the board. “She’s a throwback to the way Louisburg used to be,” Dennis said. “The help-your-neighbors and fabric-of-our-community-type.” Dennis said Elliott came to Louisburg and immediately jumped in with helping out the community and its residents. Starting as a telephone operator, she then owned a laundromat and a dry-cleaning service. In 1982, her husband opened Elliott Insurance, which is still running today, and she joined him there. She has served on many boards in town, including the Senior Citizen Board, from which she just retired after 30 years, and has been involved with helping raise money for the American Cancer Society. “If she can’t help, she’ll find a way to help,” Dennis said. Now, even at 80, Elliott still runs her own real estate company and owns storage units, which her daughter assists her with. Elliott’s husband also received the award from the Chamber around 12 years ago. Elliott’s daughter, Sue Knop, said it was an emotional evening for her mother. “I thought the award was a good idea and was well past due,” Knop said. “She was very surprised and it was hard keeping it a secret. “She’s been very, very, very active and supports every event in town,” Knop said. “If the Lions Club is having a dinner, she’ll go up and support them. She’s just a go-getter.”
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