Jeff and Vickie Doris were named 2019 Linton-Stockton Chamber of Commerce Citizens of the year. Jeff Doris, left accepted the award from Mutual Bank’s Dale Knotts, right.

By Shad Cox

Order this photo

The Linton-Stockton Chamber of Commerce held their annual dinner and awards banquet Thursday evening at the Elks Lodge in Linton to announce their Citizens of the Year, Jeff and Vickie Doris and Business of the Year, Pleasant Grove Farm and Pleasant Grove Inn for 2018.

Past Citizen of the Year recipients include David and Becky Reed, Mark and Joanne Stacy, Jonas Uland, Bob Bradford and Jimmie K. Wright. Criteria for this category includes good deeds that have made an extraordinary impact on the community.

Jeff Doris, who said being named along with his wife as Citizen of the Year was a surprise. Vickie Doris could not attend, as their daughter, who attends Bloomfield High School, had an event scheduled that evening that she had promised to attend.

“This was completely unexpected,” Doris said. “Definitely unsolicited and possibly undeserved.” Doris, who was the driving force behind the restoration of the Cine Theater as well as Main Street Gifts and other buildings on Main Street, recalled a conversation he had with the former Mayor of Linton, the late Tom Jones.

“We were looking at Main Street and what it had become,” Doris said. “And Tom asked me, ‘What’s your vision, what do you think this could become?’. Since my wife and I didn’t grow up here, we have the advantage of seeing things with fresh eyes. I knew right then that I could see something better for downtown Linton. So, It’s been a series of baby steps which have made changes. It hasn’t always been graceful, it hasn’t always been easy and it certainly hasn’t been cheap. But some people like to hunt, some people like to fish. We happen to like to collect broken buildings and bring them back to life. Thank you very much for this.”

Past Business of the Year recipients include Linton VFW Post 7118, the Greene County Daily World, Greene County General Hospital and Glenburn Home. Criteria for this award is significant accomplishments, including growth, response to adversity, community involvement and innovation.

By Shad Cox Pleasant Grove Farm was named the Linton-Stockton Chamber Business of the Year 2019. Pleasant Grove owner John Cline was ill so the award was accepted by Cline’s daughter and son-in-law, Kenneth and Deidra Dowling.

Pleasant Grove Farm Owner John Cline, battling an illness, also could not attend. Accepting the award in his stead were Cline’s daughter and son-in-law, Deidra and Kenneth Dowling.

Dowling’s comments were brief.

“We just want to thank the Chamber and everyone for giving Dad this award,” Dowling said. “This is going to mean so much to him and it means so much to us, thank you.”

By Shad Cox The evening's guest speaker, Jack Klemeyrer.

The evenings guest speaker was Jack Klemeyer, a veteran business coach, consultant and featured speaker. Klemeyer is the founder of Grow Your Business Coaching, a company specializing in helping solopreneurs and microbusinesses attract more clients, grow their business and live the prosperous life they deserve. Klemeyer grew up around a passionate entrepreneur, his father, so he understands firsthand the struggles of the small business owner.

“What you think matters,” Klemeyer said. ”Your mindset makes the difference in the results you gain. What you think about is what you bring about and the key is how you respond to the challenges you face.”