MOSES LAKE - Businesses and individuals were recognized for their contributions to the community during the recent Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce annual banquet.

Several awards were given during the banquet, including the president's award, which is awarded to individuals or businesses who actively participate in chamber activities.

National Frozen Foods was selected for this year's president's award for a corn-harvesting program they've had for the past three years.

Each year, for a six-week period, National employees harvest corn from an area farm and haul it back to clean, prep and re-load it into shipping containers. The corn is then sent to food bank hubs in Kent, Tacoma and Yakima.

They also set aside one container a week for the Moses Lake Food Bank, which distributes it to other Basin food banks.

The first year of the program, about 150,000 pounds of corn was processed. By Oct. 15, the company expects to have harvested about 250,000 pounds of corn.

All time and expenses are considered a donation, according to the chamber.

The chamber also awarded the ambassador of the year award to Shawn Koethke.

Chamber executive director Debbie Doran-Martinez said chamber ambassadors assist during ribbon cuttings, groundbreaking ceremonies and other chamber events. Koethke received the award this year because he's at almost every chamber event, she said.

"He sponsors almost anything I ask him to, and always says if that's not enough let me know," she said during the banquet. His father, Paul Koethke, accepted the award on his behalf.

This year's Ag Hall of Fame inductees were also announced. The Ag Hall of Fame was created to honor those who have contributed to the community's agricultural industry over the years, according to the chamber.

David Sparks and Bonnie and Craig Schafer are this year's inductees.

Sparks moved to Moses Lake from Idaho in the 1950s and began farming, according to the chamber. He worked on developing a potato harvester, and eventually invented a rubber peg chain that kept potatoes from bruising.

Sparks was also recognized for being one of the first to farm in the Black Sands area.

Schafer, Cows-R-Us owner, was recognized for volunteering his time and auctioneering at many livestock events over the years. He has also helped at benefit auctions for groups like the Ritzville Hospital Auxiliary, the Warden Boosters, Moses Lake Youth Outdoors and the Moses Lake Lions.

Schafer was also the first auctioneer for the North Central Washington Junior Livestock Show in 1996.

The Schafers have been married for 15 years. They have three sons and five grandkids.

The winners of the annual chamber raffle were also announced during the banquet.

Samaritan CEO Tom Thompson won first prize, a choice between $10,000, a Jet Ski or ATV four-wheeler. Dawn Munn, of Moses Lake, won the second place prize of a weekend getaway to the Coeur d'Alene Resort and Eva Ellsworth, of Moses Lake, won the third place prize of a hand-made quilt.

Doran-Martinez said about 2,865 tickets were sold, netting the chamber more than $14,000.