Native Hardwick headlines annual Chamber dinner

Thursday, December 27, 2007
Dick Hardwick

The Greater Greencastle Chamber of Commerce has scheduled its annual dinner for Saturday, Jan. 26 at the DePauw University Indoor Tennis and Track Facility.

The event is set to start at 6 p.m. with a performance by "The Chiggers," composed of Rick Rhine, Steve Michael, Terry Wade and Mark Bertram. They are being sponsored by Duke Energy.

Tickets for the dinner will cost $30 per person. Table sponsors are also being sought for the dinner. For $35, Chamber members can sponsor a table, which will include a centerpiece with an on-table acknowledgement and a special mention in the evening's program. Groups need not attend the event to be a table sponsor.

Beverages and appetizers, and bidding on silent auction items will also take place during the social hour. The silent auction is being sponsored by Ivy Tech Community College. Couples and groups can also have their professional photos taken by local photographer Amber Bowers.

The dinner is sponsored by North Salem State Bank and will be served at 7 p.m. by DePauw Catering Services.

Following the dinner, the presentation of awards will take place, including the announcement of the 2007 Putnam County Citizen of the Year and the Chamber's Director of the Year award.

The evening will be capped off with entertainment by Putnam County born and raised Comedian Dick Hardwick. Hardwick's appearance is being sponsored by Old National Bank.

Dick Hardwick is a highly-sought-after corporate and special event comedian and recently returned from his second Air Force Reserve tour entertaining U.S. troops in Turkey, Iraq, England and Germany.

Hardwick said, "There were 82 of us all together, featuring country star Jamie O'Neal, Marengie sensation from Puerto Rico, Melina Leon, the New England Patriot Cheerleaders and the Air Force Reserve Band."

Last year, Lee Greenwood invited him to be his comedian on his 13-day Patriotic World Tour (that literally went around the world) with Restless Heart.

"I was so thrilled to have another opportunity to make our courageous men and women of the armed forces laugh and take their minds off the places and things they are going through everyday," Hardwick said.

Hardwick has also been making his mark on the public by appearing in concert with the legendary Johnny Mathis, Reba McIntire, The Eagles', Glenn Fry, Aaron Neville and Wayne Newton, just to name a few. His quick wit and "off-the-wall sense of humor" have served him well as a guest on Jeff Foxworthy's syndicated radio show and numerous television appearances, including "America's Funniest People" and as a comedy champion on "Star Search."

Hardwick can also be heard playing percussion on famed guitar player John Jorgenson's latest CD called "Ultraspontain." But, when it comes to his show, Reba said it best, "I like his style of humor and ability to make an audience laugh without having to resort to X-rated language and material."

The Corporate sponsors for this year's annual dinner include Abstract and Title Guaranty, Asbury Towers Retirement Com-munity, American Equipment Financing, Inc., Cinergy MetroNet, Co-Alliance, LLP, Collins-Evans Real Estate, Crown Equipment Corp., Countrywide Home Loans, Cunningham State Farm Insurance, DePauw University, First Financial Bank, First National Bank, Duke Energy, HBG Insurance and Bonds, Inc., Hickory Creek at Sunset, Ivy Tech Community College, Matthew Welker Allstate Insurance, Millpond Health Campus, North Salem State Bank, Old National Bank, Parke County REMC, RHS-Republic Service Co., Shuee & Sons Great Buys Plus, Teachers Credit Union, Wabash Capital, and the Walden Inn.

Reservations and table sponsorships will be accepted through Jan. 21 by contacting Chamber Executive Director Tammy Amor at 653-4517.

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