The highlight

of the breakfast was the presentation of the small business and corporate

business partner of the year award. This year's nominees were 1st Community

Bank, Florida Rock Industries, Inc., Georgia School Equipment, Heritage

Bank and Fayetteville Wal-Mart Super Center.

Heritage Bank

walked away with the Small Business Partner of the Year award. Throughout

the year, the bank has donated both time and financial resources to help

support 14 of the county's schools including sponsoring the Fayette County

High School Honors Banquet, the Fayette County Portraits Class, the Fayette

County Choices Program as well as staffing master readers on a monthly

basis at the elementary schools.

Wal-Mart of

Fayetteville was named the 2002 Corporate Business Partner of the Year.

Wal-Mart consistently donates supplies and equipment for the county's

varsity high school sports programs and is a strong yearly supporter of

the Fayette County Teacher of the Year celebration. The store also sponsors

shadow days throughout the year allowing students to tour the facilities

and observe the store's operations as well as hosts teacher appreciation

days during which Fayette's educators can purchase school supplies at

a discounted price.

"At some

time in our lives we have all been impacted by a teacher or a coach or

someone from school who got involved in our life and helped us become

what we are today. What you do has an impact on the lives of individuals,

the school system and economy here in Fayette County," said Michael

Faulkner, director of the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce. "On

behalf of the Chamber of Commerce, I want to thank each one of you for

being involved and supporting our school system."