Attracting more than 850 votes, the annual Homer Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year award went to Chip Duggan, with the Business of the Year award going to Best Western Bidarka Inn. The awards were announced at the chamber's monthly mixer held Thursday at the Homer News, celebrating 45 years publishing news of the southern Kenai Peninsula.

Photographer: Aaron Selbig, Homer News Doug Johnson, on behalf of the Best Western Bidarka Inn, accepts the 2009 award for Business of the Year, presented Feb. 5 by the Homer Chamber of Commerce.

Duggan and Doug Johnson, vice president of Best Western Bidarka Inn, received their awards to loud applause from the mixer's large crowd.
"Obviously this is a great place to live," Duggan said. "There are some really good nonprofit organizations and a lot of youth activities that need help."
Duggan gave much of the credit for his community involvement to his employees at Duggan's Waterfront Pub.
"When I get involved, my crew gets involved. If it wasn't for them, the other things I do by myself I couldn't do. They're right there," Duggan said.
Johnson also credited the employees at Best Western Bidarka Inn for their community participation.
"We always try to help our community," Johnson said. "We're neighbors helping neighbors, business helping business in a small community. We've got to lean on each other and help each other out."
The amount of ballots cast this year far out numbers those in past years, according to Linda Broadhead with the chamber.
"The biggest (turnout) we've had was 400 and that was two years ago. This is absolutely doubled," Broadhead said. "The turnout was phenomenal."
She credits the response to the "really, really fine people on the ballot."
"Maybe people were paying more attention," Broadhead said. "What's going on everywhere makes you feel a little stronger about your community."
The Citizen of the Year award recognizes an individual for his or her service to a number of organizations and causes that benefit the entire community.
Duggan, owner of Duggan's Waterfront Pub, came to Homer in 1983. Since then, he's coached hockey and served on the board of directors for the Homer Hockey Association and for the Peninsula Oilers, a Kenai Peninsula baseball team based in the central peninsula. He sponsors Darts for Dementia, a fundraiser supporting a cure for dementia; is active with CHARR -- Alaska Cabaret, Hotel, Restaurant and Retailer's Association -- and is the six-year commander of the Sons of the American Legion and also active with Pop Warner Football.
"Ask anyone who has worked with Chip from Pop Warner Football to the professional and charitable organizations that he is so instrumentally involved with and they will tell you that Chip Duggan is a fun guy who takes the concept of service to a whole new level," the nomination read.
Also nominated for Citizen of the Year were Peg Coleman, executive director of South Peninsula Haven House; Derotha Ferraro, director of marketing and public relations for South Peninsula Hospital; and Barb Glidden, a volunteer with numerous organizations including the Salvation Army Thrift Store, Hospice of Homer, Homer Chamber of Commerce activities and the Pratt Museum.

Photographer: Aaron Selbig, Homer News Chip Duggan shows off his 2009 Citizen of the Year award, presented to him by the Homer Chamber of Commerce Feb. 5.

The Business of the Year award honors a commercial business that not only supports community activities and organizations, but provides a worthy product or service to its customers and employees.
Best Western Bidarka Inn opened in the 1970s, and was purchased by Jack and Judy Johnson in September 2000. Operation of the business is guided by the Johnsons' belief in neighbors helping neighbors. They are active in the chamber, the Pratt Museum, Homer Rotary, the Pratt Museum, Kachemak Heritage Land Trust, Hospice of Homer, Snomads and many local sports groups.
According to information provide by the chamber, when Doug Johnson learned of the nomination, he said, "Homer is a beautiful place to live and we are very fortunate to be located in such a diverse community. We are extremely honored and thank you for your consideration of the Bidarka Inn for business of the year."
Also nominated for business-of-the-year honor were Homer Physical Therapy, established in 2003, and Moore and Moore Services, which began as Bumble Bee Water in 1991.
Prior to announcement of award winners, Jon Faulkner of Land's End Resort took advantage of the mixer's crowd to read the "Ode to Jean Keene," Homer's Eagle Lady. Faulkner wrote the piece shortly after Keene's death last month.
"It was such a wonderful tribute and so wonderful that (Faulkner) could do that," Broadhead said.
McKibben Jackinsky can be reached at mckibben.jackinsky@homernews.com.