OTHELLO — The annual Othello Chamber of Commerce banquet will be held this Friday, Feb. 28, at 5 p.m. Each year, the Othello chamber honors Othello businesses, citizens and organizations during the banquet. Each honoree is nominated by members of the community. Awards presented are for the Business of the Year, Citizen of the Year, Educator of the Year for grades kindergarten through six, Educator of the Year for seventh through 12th grades and Civil Servant of the Year.

This year, the Business of the Year is being awarded to Mar-Jon Labor, LLC. Mar-Jon Labor has been in the Othello community for almost 30 years. It provides farmers with the extra hands they need to plant, tend and harvest their crops.

The Citizen of the Year award this year will go to Roger and Sharon Entz. The Entzes were nominated for all the work they do at the Othello Fair. They also volunteer their time with various activities around Othello, and are known for the way they decorate their house for holidays.

Civil Servant of the Year is going to Tiffany Cutforth. Cutforth has been an EMT in Othello for approximately 14 years. She also works in the emergency room at the Othello Community Hospital. She has helped promote the past two Othello EMS levies and has helped with various fundraisers in Othello. In her latest fundraising attempt, for the Christmas Miracle on Main Street, she raised $5,000, as well as volunteering.

The kindergarten through sixth-grade Educator of the Year award is going to Nicki Wilkins. Wilkins was nominated by students at Hiawatha Elementary School. One student said Wilkins “believes her role is to make the world a better place by growing the next generation of leaders.” Another student said that his behavior has improved as a result of Wilkins’ influence. Two other students mentioned that because of Wilkins coaching them after school, their team placed third in the Math is Cool Competition.

There was a tie this year for the seventh through 12th grade Educator of the Year award. Both Josh Tovar and Paul Oursland will receive the award.

Tovar is the principal at Desert Oasis High School. He was nominated because of his ability to draw students out of their shells and to see the other people around them. While Tovar is not a teacher, he takes time to invest in the students in his school.

Oursland was a science teacher at Othello High School before taking a job as the district’s STEM director, helping the district integrate technology into the classroom. Of the nominations for Oursland, all but one were from students. The students mentioned how Oursland had attended their music concerts, taught them life principles, encouraged and supported them and helped them understand the concepts they struggled with.

The awards will be presented at the banquet on Feb. 28 at the Bethel Assembly of God Church, 915 S. First Ave., Othello. To learn more, contact the Othello Chamber of Commerce at 509-488-2683.

Rachal Pinkerton may be reached via email at rpinkerton@suntribunenews.com.