Chamber of Commerce Honors Best of the Best

Great food? Check. Great service? Check. Being a good neighbor? Check.

When it comes to going above and beyond, has delivered time and again, and on Thursday, it was honored as the Greenfield Chamber of Commerce's business of the year.

"One of our goals is to become a valuable corporate citizen and support our cty and local charities," proprietor Anthony Lloyd said.

In 2011, Carrabba's supported several charities and donated often to various organizations. The restaurant was also complimented for great service, food and atmosphere during the nomination process.

“Carrabba’s continually supports local charities, school districts and fundraisers while providing a superb place for the community to gather, enjoy good food and be with good company,” Ashley Seng wrote in her nomination form.

Business of the Year was one of seven categories the Greenfield Chamber of Commerce recognized at its annual awards banquet attended by 100 people at on Thursday.

Marty Ordinans, one of two volunteers of the year, was one of the driving forces behind Whitnall’s successful , attended by hundreds of residents of all ages; is the Whitnall Falcon Booster Club president; and has taken the lead in organizing Whitnall High School’s parent forum, monthly meetings designed to keep open the lines of communication among the school, parents, students and community.

Ordinans has also been an active participant in the movement to improve the high school athletic facilities.

Also earning a volunteer of the year award is Jeff Brunner, vice president of the Greenfield Little League, a position that requires year-round planning, fundraising and recruiting of volunteers.

Brunner, who also coaches, has led a charge to have the baseball fields renovated and is working on having the concession stand at the park rebuilt.

Whitnall had two educators of the year, including Lynn Leroy, a teacher at , who helped fill a need in order to ensure the music students across the district continued to receive quality instruction following an unexpected resignation, according to Whitnall Middle School Principal Lynn Stadler’s nomination form.

“Lynn is an outstanding band director, coach and educator,” Stadler wrote. “Her focus is truly on the students of our district.”

Sharing the award with Leroy is fellow teacher , who uses his love of football and the Green Bay Packers to teach math to students, is active in the school’s student council and its endeavors and is involved in the city’s Parks and Recreation Department.

teacher Catrina Grosz nominated kindergarten teacher and district newcomer Christina Jepsen as Greenfield’s educator of the year, in part for Jepsen’s teaching and classroom management skills, as well as the “tone of her classroom.”

“It emits a lively energy that often draws people in,” Grosz wrote in her nomination letter. “She is a wonder to watch and is someone that has the ability to shape and inspire not only kindergartners but her fellow teachers as well. … All teachers must exhibit patience, kindness and leadership, not to mention the ability to instruct and shape young minds. Christina does all of this with a presence of grace that goes beyond the explainable.”

In a letter nominating Taylor Klafka as the district’s student of the year, general manager Jason Delmore said Klafka “works very hard to address any performance challenges with a positive attitude and great effort until she is able to overcome them.”

Klafka is a three-sport athlete at GHS who has volunteered for a number of charitable causes that Bakers Square, her employer, is part of, including the Greenfield Little League , the city’s and the Special Olympics Polar Plunge.

Ruben Garcia, , was named Whitnall’s student of the year for his mentoring efforts of a fellow student who came to mid-school year and without a grasp of the English language.

This year’s public employee of the year is Health Director Darren Rausch, in part for his ability to take economic challenges many department managers faced with the recent budget in stride.