AMERICUS — The Sumter County Chamber of Commerce celebrates 97 years of service and commitment to the business community of Sumter County at the annual Awards and Membership Dinner on March 23. This year’s dinner is presented by Phoebe Sumter Medical Center, and will be held at the South Georgia Technical College, John Pope Center beginning with a reception at 6 p.m. and seated dinner at 7 p.m.
Other sponsors for the evening are Imerys Refractory Minerals as reception sponsor, and Clinic Drugstore as dessert sponsor. Gold sponsors include Sumter EMC, Georgia Southwestern State University, Innovative Senior Solutions, and the City of Americus.
The awards ceremony will celebrate outstanding Chamber members and their contribution to the community. The awards being highlighted are the Community Partner of the Year, Small Business of the Year, Sparky Reeves Sumter Trustee Award, and the One Sumter Visionary Impact Award.

The keynote speaker, sponsored by The Staffing People, will feature Jackie G. Cushman. As a nationally syndicated columnist for Creators Syndicate, Cushman presents an authentic, bold, conservative view that extracts simplicity from complexity, genuineness from aloofness, and presents true, vivid, and comprehensive images of situations.
Noted by the Washington Times for her “considerable talent” in writing, Cushman’s outlook and opinions are highly entertaining, inspirational and thought-provoking. Audiences of community leaders, educators, entrepreneurs, and executives are captured by her fresh ideas, friendly style, and quick wit. Jackie’s new book “5 Principles for a Successful Life: From our Family to Yours,” (Crown Forum) was co-authored with her father, Newt Gingrich. Their book focuses on the principles that Cushman follows in her daily life: Dream Big, Work Hard, Learn Every Day, Enjoy Life and Be True to Yourself. Her work has been cited on the Today Show, New York Magazine, USA Today, and the Washington Times. She has appeared on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” CNN’s “Campbell Brown,” “The 700 Club,” Fox News Channel’s “Fox and Friends,” “The O’Reilly Factor,” “The Sean Hannity Show,” “The Strategy Room,” “On the Record with Greta Van Susteren,” “Geraldo at Large,” “The Huckabee Show” and “Squeeze Play” on Canada’s Business News Network.
Reserve your tickets for the Annual Awards by March 17. Tickets for the Annual Awards Dinner are $40 for Chamber members, $55 for non-members, and reservations can made by contacting the Chamber at 229-924-22646 or chamber@sumtercountychamber.com. Table sponsorships are available.