The Nederland Chamber of Commerce and Tourist Bureau held its 76^th Annual Installation Banquet at the Pompano Club in Port Neches.

Nederland Police Chief Darrell Bush hosted the event as its master of ceremonies and kept the mood light as he teased locals, satirized national politics and found some way to accuse Russians of hacking Jefferson County emails.

Outgoing chairman Stephen Savant remarked on the bittersweet nature of stepping down, but also expressed excitement for the coming year and its new chairperson and board.

According to Savant, 2016 had been a good year for the Chamber: it had added 54 new members to its roster and held 17 ribbon cuttings.

In speaking of how the Chamber and Nederland supports its community, Savant related an account of an accident he had been in seven years prior.

“In trying to sell you on the Chamber, I’m also selling you on the small town of Nederland,” Savant said. “I was in an accident and was laid out. But the support of Nederland reached out to me.”

Savant made special mention of how Judge Brad Burnett of Precinct 7 visited him for two hours during his convalescence.

“If you can get involved with the Chamber, get involved with the Chamber,” Savant said. “And go to their networking coffee — you’ll find out how great and close-knit they are.”

Savant thanked the Chamber and everyone involved “who made everything a success.”

Incoming 2017 chairman Mark Stratton went to the podium and took the chairman reins from Savant. Stratton emphasized the value of networking.

“On behalf of the Chamber and as the incoming 2017 chairperson, I would like to utilize the tool of networking and how it helps businesses grow,” Stratton said. “As a member, you have to participate to make it work.”

“I’ve made a lot of contacts and a lot of friends,” Stratton said of his experience with networking. “Networking puts faces with names and names with businesses. People like to do business with people they know. Networking creates trust and support.”

Stratton also stressed the importance of shopping locally.

“It’s critical that we keep money local. The more we grow as a business, the more we grow as a community.”

Executive president of the Chamber Diana LaBorde announced the retirement of Sylvia Root from the Chamber and awarded Root with a gift onstage.

“Rest assured that whatever she does, Sylvia has your best interests at heart,” LaBorde said to the assembled crowd.

LaBorde then introduced the 2017 Service Organization of the Year, Southeast Texas Circle of Hope and its founder Emmett Hollier.

According to LaBorde, the group started in 2010 when Hollier and others came to help an individual battle cancer. They raised money to help with the cancer treatment costs.

“They have raised over $700,000 for over 50 families to date,” LaBorde said. “They do it for no other reason than to help and to bring hope to people.”

“It’s only been six years, but this is a close thing to my heart,” Hollier said in his acceptance speech. “It’s like being part of a brotherhood.”

In discussing the power of helping others, Hollier said, “You haven’t lived truly until you’ve helped someone else.

“We wake up everyday and we can’t tell you why we help people. All I’ll say is the next person who needs help could be us; so, we help.”

Hollier quoted Mother Teresa when he said, “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”

“All the glory goes to God,” Hollier said. “We’re just proud to be a small part of His plan.”

In addition, Hollier stressed that helping someone else did not have to come down to money.

“It’s not all about money. If we could take the disease out of the person’s mind for even 30 minutes, then that’s worth more than all the money in the world,” he said.

Hollier made special mention of how nearly all the money Circle of Hope raises for individuals goes towards those families.

“We go into benefits dollar-free,” Hollier said. “It helps. Almost every dollar made goes to the families.”

Hollier said they’ve helped 55 families with a collective $774,000 raised since 2010.

“It’s just phenomenal, all the folks who have come to help out.”

As an example, Hollier spoke of one of their link sales held off the side of the road in Nederland and how it raised more than $35,000.

Hollier also spoke of how they became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in 2015.

“The going since has been much better,” Hollier said of the organization’s conversion.

In detailing his gratitude for Circle of Hope’s volunteers, Hollier claimed there were 90 volunteers ready at any one time to come offer their aid.

“Most important besides God are volunteers,” Hollier said. “And no organization can be in existence without volunteers.”

Hollier touched upon what it meant to him to be able to give to other people.

“The most common way is to give money, but I had this one lady who came to me and said, ‘I can’t give money like you can.’ I explained to her God teaches us that we can give in three ways: 1.) time 2.) talent and 3.) treasure.

“Treasure is money and it’s wonderful, but when you’re giving time and talent, that’s what I do. It’s on loan from God and He expects us to give it freely.”

Hollier stressed the fact that Circle of Hope has never taken money from other organizations.

“In six and a half years, we have never ever taken a dime from any other organization,” Hollier said. “We pride ourselves on that. We will never take a percentage — and if we do, that’s the day we’ll close our doors.”

Hollier said that was because the money is for the families in need.

LaBorde then introduced the 2017 Small Business of the Year, Setzer Hardware.

“They have a customer service first policy, always,” LaBorde said.

Owner and operator Judy Gray accepted the honor with her family accompanying her and gave thanks to all those assembled.

“We really enjoy our work. Thank you so much,” Gray said.